Kevin Kelly wrote an article about free music and what the different meanings of free music are in his article: "Where Music Will Be Coming From". The on going discussion about free music downloads is not a new thing. In fact, free music downloads have been discussed since Napster first came out in the '90s when music file sharing become a new phenomenon. However, Kelly brings up some good points about you get what you pay for.
The argument that Kelly brings up is a good one. Just because music is free it doesn't always mean that it is top quality. So, when people start to expect free music are they just expecting low quality because that is what they are used to? Or are people simply expecting a free sample of an artists work? I mean it makes sense when you go to an art gallery to be able to view the painting before you buy it, right?
I think that the concept of free sample music is excellent. I mean it is pretty much true that a majority of us have listened to free music and in my experience I have had songs cut off at the end or even the wrong song under the wrong title. Like Kelly argues you are going to get what you pay for and if you do no pay anything you should not expect anything. On the other hand, if you are going to pay for something you want your money's worth. So, new artists are beginning to add second discs into their albums when you buy the physical copy. I recently bought a Sounds album in which came a free poster and a DVD to watch some of their videos.
Consumers are looking for more. So, whether it be a free poster or a free sample of an artist's music, consumers want more! Maybe this is just one way of oeople saying record labels charge too much and they need to get off of their stacks of cash and contribute more to either the artists (who are most of the time being robbed by the record company) or to the fans. Some fans devote entire websites and blogs to artists, promoting and marketing for the band at no cost. What do these fans get in return? A free poster from the record company! Not exactly fair or worth what a consumer has paid.
So, where does this leave fans and musicians? Well, fans either become more devoted and visit bands on tour for live music or fans just simply become free music downloaders and hurt record sales. Hopefully this will create some notice in the eyes for music business execs and either offer more free posters or lower their prices and pay musicians their fair share.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
Week 5: The Music Cognition Field
The field of music cognition is vast and promotes many questions about the study of the human development and understanding of music recognition. There are many different avenues in the field and at one University they have discovered tribal songs from the past. The Music Cognition Department at Ohio State University is leading a unique endeavor called the Densmore Project. The project is collecting Native American songs from some of the earliest tribes on the North American continent.
Frances Densmore originally collected the songs on monograph and the Music Cognition Department is focusing on creating a database that will allow students and patrons to search for the songs primarily by tribal name, region, and cultural region. Eventually the songs will be available to download. The concept is mind boggling as many people do not think about applying MP3 formats or podcasts to past civilizations and using modern technology to preserve music let alone be able to search through it.
It will be interesting to see how libraries continue to use the concept of preserving music through MP3s as current music comes out. Some questions music librarians must face today would be what types of music should and shouldn't be preserved? What dictates a song is a piece of art or history? There must be many different questions as music archiving advances.
Check out their site: http://www.musiccog.ohio-state.edu/Densmore/technical.html
In addition, week five's lesson introduced the different stages in which humans are able to perceive and register music cognitively. On the discussion board an article entitled "Babies Learn Music While Sleeping" from Science Daily introduced the concept of how and when we understand music. Something that caught my interest in this article was the explaination of Henkjan Honing of how if we as humans listen more to a specific genre we may have a better music knowledge and appreciation toward this genre even without any musical training.
This particular study makes me wonder that if the entire generation of Baby Einstein listeners or rather "Mozart Effect" children really do have a better musical upbringing in classical music than those that did not listen to classical music as a baby. The "Mozart Effect" is a concept introduced by Don Campbell which claims that babies who listen to Mozart will become brighter and more advanced. It looks like Honing's study may even agree with Campbell.
ICT Results(February 27, 2009).Babies learn music while sleeping. Science Daily. Retrieved June 11, 2009 from http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:RBKh1Yc4I4gJ:www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090226082517.htm+%22music+cognition%22+babies&cd=4&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us
Frances Densmore originally collected the songs on monograph and the Music Cognition Department is focusing on creating a database that will allow students and patrons to search for the songs primarily by tribal name, region, and cultural region. Eventually the songs will be available to download. The concept is mind boggling as many people do not think about applying MP3 formats or podcasts to past civilizations and using modern technology to preserve music let alone be able to search through it.
It will be interesting to see how libraries continue to use the concept of preserving music through MP3s as current music comes out. Some questions music librarians must face today would be what types of music should and shouldn't be preserved? What dictates a song is a piece of art or history? There must be many different questions as music archiving advances.
Check out their site: http://www.musiccog.ohio-state.edu/Densmore/technical.html
In addition, week five's lesson introduced the different stages in which humans are able to perceive and register music cognitively. On the discussion board an article entitled "Babies Learn Music While Sleeping" from Science Daily introduced the concept of how and when we understand music. Something that caught my interest in this article was the explaination of Henkjan Honing of how if we as humans listen more to a specific genre we may have a better music knowledge and appreciation toward this genre even without any musical training.
This particular study makes me wonder that if the entire generation of Baby Einstein listeners or rather "Mozart Effect" children really do have a better musical upbringing in classical music than those that did not listen to classical music as a baby. The "Mozart Effect" is a concept introduced by Don Campbell which claims that babies who listen to Mozart will become brighter and more advanced. It looks like Honing's study may even agree with Campbell.
ICT Results(February 27, 2009).Babies learn music while sleeping. Science Daily. Retrieved June 11, 2009 from http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:RBKh1Yc4I4gJ:www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090226082517.htm+%22music+cognition%22+babies&cd=4&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us
Monday, June 14, 2010
Week 4: Music Technology
In addition to the discussion on Overdrive last week it has also become apparent that there are more advantages to having digital databases regardless of some of the hurdles. The hurdle as I stated last week is the choice of music made available by libraries on Overdrive. For example, only having classical and new age genres are not exactly the most appealing genres for young adults and even many adults. But, when libraries to make the right or applicable choices Overdrive or databases like this can be very cost-effective.
Materials in the library can get worn down quickly when a popular item comes into play. If you are an AV material you may even get broken within the first week of your introduction. The great thing about having a digital collection is that there are no worries with wear and tear. For that matter there are no issues with wear on tear on any digital format. As tech savvy generations increase the awareness of podcasts and MP3s will only advance in the music field. This concept of no wear and tear will allow more in print items to become indestructible.
Indestructible is just one more great appeal to the digitization of music. Another great aspect of a digital library is that if a library chooses to have Overdrive for instance, there can be an unlimited amount of copies available for a library material. This option can be more expensive than a one item = one person price, but the options are unlimited. Working in youth services this option is very advantageous when it comes to a school districts' recommended reading list for the summer. As soon as the lists are produced mobs of parents come into the library trying to find every book on the list. Not to say that this is a bad thing by any means - it is a great thing! But, when you are a library with a limited budget you may only have one or two copies of the book on that list.
On the other hand, if you have Overdrive's option of unlimited items for unlimited patrons, everyone can have the same book. Our library currently has the one item = one person price. However, if our circulation numbers go up and our budget crisis goes away then we could have a fairy tale ending. In conclusion, the supply is there our libraries just have to advance a little more quickly to catch up.
Materials in the library can get worn down quickly when a popular item comes into play. If you are an AV material you may even get broken within the first week of your introduction. The great thing about having a digital collection is that there are no worries with wear and tear. For that matter there are no issues with wear on tear on any digital format. As tech savvy generations increase the awareness of podcasts and MP3s will only advance in the music field. This concept of no wear and tear will allow more in print items to become indestructible.
Indestructible is just one more great appeal to the digitization of music. Another great aspect of a digital library is that if a library chooses to have Overdrive for instance, there can be an unlimited amount of copies available for a library material. This option can be more expensive than a one item = one person price, but the options are unlimited. Working in youth services this option is very advantageous when it comes to a school districts' recommended reading list for the summer. As soon as the lists are produced mobs of parents come into the library trying to find every book on the list. Not to say that this is a bad thing by any means - it is a great thing! But, when you are a library with a limited budget you may only have one or two copies of the book on that list.
On the other hand, if you have Overdrive's option of unlimited items for unlimited patrons, everyone can have the same book. Our library currently has the one item = one person price. However, if our circulation numbers go up and our budget crisis goes away then we could have a fairy tale ending. In conclusion, the supply is there our libraries just have to advance a little more quickly to catch up.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Week 3: The Digital Revolution in Music
The digital revolution in music is changing the way people listen and access music as well as the way artists are are able to be heard and paid. With the creation of mp3s music can be accessed on the internet all over the world and heard within the privacy of one's own home. With the creation of mp3 players people have the capability of leaving their homes and continue to listen to the music they accessed on the internet whether it be walking down the street or in a car or better yet on public transportaion. Many libraries and vendors are tuning into this and trying to create programs and application for patrons to use.
The digital revolution has made music more accessible and readily available to share with others and this is also present in the library. Libraries are jumping on the band wagon by buying databases which offer digital music to it's patrons. For instance, new databases like Overdrive are allowing patrons to download cd albums straight to their computer or Mp3 player from their homes. Rather than making a trek to the library and searching for a physical CD in the stacks and then checking the material out to eventually take it home and download the item, libraries are becoming hip or simply catching up to the revolution.
Similarly, Alexander Street is an electronic publisher that will soon allow users to download their music collections straight to an iPhone or several different mobile devices. The company also plans to allow users watch video on mobile devices as well. Likewise, EBSCOhost also plans on allowing users to access the database from smartphones. At this rate patrons will never have to leave their homes or on the other hand, they can travel just about anywhere and have information at their footsteps.
Not all libraries have successfully acheived this type of hip status as this digital revolution is only slowly revolutionizing libraries. My county library does have Overdrive but has not subscribed to the complete multimedia package. So while I wait for my library to become hip, I simply registered for a free e-card with the Alachua County Library System and try to download what I can from their hip library. Which by the way - if you are a Florida resident you have the right to do. They even have television series and movies you can download from their site. If you have not checked out how it works or registered for a card you should definitely try at least to see how it is set up - at least this is what my branch manager suggested.
So, I recently tried Alachua County's e-card and accessed Overdrive. The music collection available for downloading is not the most extensive collection. There is free music and the quality of it does come through nicely, but if you are looking for indie rock or the latest and greatest hip hop you may need to look elswhere. While the collection is probably a reflection of budget or simply local patron taste, it does not reflect modern users taste. The collection is primarily made up of classical and new age. And although "new age" is meant to be modern it is very far from "new taste". I do recall Lady Gaga and Jay Z hitting the top of the charts recently.
Moreover, the fact that vendors and libraries are trying to adhere to new generations they may need to remember that the choice in music may also need cater to the new generations that are actually using the products and services. This may be key in creating a successful product.
Happy downloading!
The digital revolution has made music more accessible and readily available to share with others and this is also present in the library. Libraries are jumping on the band wagon by buying databases which offer digital music to it's patrons. For instance, new databases like Overdrive are allowing patrons to download cd albums straight to their computer or Mp3 player from their homes. Rather than making a trek to the library and searching for a physical CD in the stacks and then checking the material out to eventually take it home and download the item, libraries are becoming hip or simply catching up to the revolution.
Similarly, Alexander Street is an electronic publisher that will soon allow users to download their music collections straight to an iPhone or several different mobile devices. The company also plans to allow users watch video on mobile devices as well. Likewise, EBSCOhost also plans on allowing users to access the database from smartphones. At this rate patrons will never have to leave their homes or on the other hand, they can travel just about anywhere and have information at their footsteps.
Not all libraries have successfully acheived this type of hip status as this digital revolution is only slowly revolutionizing libraries. My county library does have Overdrive but has not subscribed to the complete multimedia package. So while I wait for my library to become hip, I simply registered for a free e-card with the Alachua County Library System and try to download what I can from their hip library. Which by the way - if you are a Florida resident you have the right to do. They even have television series and movies you can download from their site. If you have not checked out how it works or registered for a card you should definitely try at least to see how it is set up - at least this is what my branch manager suggested.
So, I recently tried Alachua County's e-card and accessed Overdrive. The music collection available for downloading is not the most extensive collection. There is free music and the quality of it does come through nicely, but if you are looking for indie rock or the latest and greatest hip hop you may need to look elswhere. While the collection is probably a reflection of budget or simply local patron taste, it does not reflect modern users taste. The collection is primarily made up of classical and new age. And although "new age" is meant to be modern it is very far from "new taste". I do recall Lady Gaga and Jay Z hitting the top of the charts recently.
Moreover, the fact that vendors and libraries are trying to adhere to new generations they may need to remember that the choice in music may also need cater to the new generations that are actually using the products and services. This may be key in creating a successful product.
Happy downloading!
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