I met Gail Kantor for the first time over an iChat 3-way with Alan Glueckman a couple days ago. The meeting was really interesting for me, because I got to really express for the first time my thoughts on how I think eJamming and JamCast should look/work. Gail seemed really interested in the things I had to say, much like Alan has always been. She asked me a question that I have been asked many times before, but felt like I really needed to explain a certain way. Her question was "If you could choose any one thing that you see yourself on the path of achieving, what is it." To me, that question is like, if you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be? I would never want to listen to one song for the rest of my life, as I would never want to be involved in just one major task for the course of my career.
The answer to the question was, no matter what is ahead of me, I want to be successful in making that project successful. I want to know I built something and made it better. If it's my band Blue Condition, or if it eJamming, or my current job at Yellow7, I want to make sure I do the best I can at making it more lucrative. I enjoy networking, working in groups, brain storming, problem solving, and taking action. I didn't want her to think I was answer her question in the way I would answer a job interview question. I just said what I have always said and know what to be true.
Another part of the conversation was talking about a possible new interface for both the eJamming.com website and the interface for the application. A collaboration of ideas were thrown out and some of them I think could make a huge difference in the way eJamming is used and the ability to get around quicker. Right now, the problem is finding information about a user quickly, then being able to categorize them in a fashion that makes sense to the user. Some of my ideas were to enlarge the chat area and users list, then incorporate symbols next to the user names that have where they are from (country flag) and main instrument of choice. Also should have some symbols showing whether or not the user has both open ports, a combination, or none.
Some other points that I brought up was the fact that creative types want to organize they're workspace so that it makes sense to them. What if the interface had a movable interface? What if the users were floating around like orbs next to you (the nucleus), and you could grab and group them the way you see fit? How about a drag and drop method for everything within the program?
I am going to formulate some comp ideas and show in a graphical sense some of the ideas and post them next.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
East Meets West
This was the name of the session Michael and I were a part of on Tuesday night. The experience was something I will remember for ever. As the technology and word grows about this process, and every one is doing it, I will be able to look back at my first online jam/recording experience with someone from another country.
I have been keeping in close contact with Alan and his technical support contact Mark. Michael and I worked out the latency bugs on our side by changing our buffer settings and making sure our internet connection was as strong as could be.
The experience was a lot of fun, as we found our selves goofing around with others in the lobby while waiting to jam with Yoshi. It resembled the same feeling Michael and I felt jamming together with each other for the first time. Learning each other styles and strengths. This opportunity means allot to me and helps me realize that I am becoming part of a movement in the internet and music as a whole.
I urge all who have any interest in eJamming to go to the website www.ejamming.com and sign up for the trial. Get your hands dirty with and see if you get the bug like we have.
I have been keeping in close contact with Alan and his technical support contact Mark. Michael and I worked out the latency bugs on our side by changing our buffer settings and making sure our internet connection was as strong as could be.
The experience was a lot of fun, as we found our selves goofing around with others in the lobby while waiting to jam with Yoshi. It resembled the same feeling Michael and I felt jamming together with each other for the first time. Learning each other styles and strengths. This opportunity means allot to me and helps me realize that I am becoming part of a movement in the internet and music as a whole.
I urge all who have any interest in eJamming to go to the website www.ejamming.com and sign up for the trial. Get your hands dirty with and see if you get the bug like we have.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Rehearsal
Yoshi, Michael, and myself will speak for the first time tonight over eJamming.com. We are rehearsing for the demo on the 4th. I must say I am a little nervous. After jamming a little with Michael and some random musicians I met on eJamming over the past few days, I have learned there is a slight learning curve, as there is with all new applications, and hope am well versed enough in the mix settings to play well.
Michael and I also had problems with our pro-tools settings one day, then the other, without making any changes we can remember, everything worked! I am hoping this will not change and that we don't have technical difficulties or hiccups before the demonstration.
My next blog entry will probably be post performance, so I will explain in great detail the experience.
Michael and I also had problems with our pro-tools settings one day, then the other, without making any changes we can remember, everything worked! I am hoping this will not change and that we don't have technical difficulties or hiccups before the demonstration.
My next blog entry will probably be post performance, so I will explain in great detail the experience.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Moving Forward & International Relations
Another great meeting with Alan over iChat. We talked about where the company is going, and who they are teaming up with. I was assured by the things that he told me, that this company means real business and is going to make tsunami sized waves in the near future.
I shared with him some of the first reactions to interface of the lobby, and some of the ways it worked. Some of my ideas were ones they had thought of already & were working on, while others were new to him and I was happy to bring them up. I also shared some more marketing ideas, along with some more viral ways of getting the word out about eJamming and JamCast.
A great side note that I am excited to share, if I can get the software working without a hitch over at Michael's (my lead singer) studio, then both Michael and I will play live with eJamming's Japanese project manager Yoshitaka Kagami. Yoshi will be playing bass, and Michael and I will be accompanying with guitar and vocals. This demonstration is for a potential strategic alliance partner in Japan who's interested in co-marketing eJamming AUDiiO and wants to experience how the process works.
Below is my list that I gave to Alan that I mentioned earlier:
Install
Installed the software on my MBP at school and set up an account. Setting up the account was easy, and of course the application install was simple.
Lobby
Once in the lobby, I found it some what simple to navigate, and it was not overwhelming. Some thought on things I would change:
-Setting up preferences is a little slow, and also the navigation around the settings area could be improved. I would change where the “edit” buttons are, and also increase the speed in which it loads each page. There is no loading bar to let you know if the website is working. For instance, I thought I might have broken the upload music and picture section until it popped up that it had finished. Also think that maybe the text is too small for my screen resolution.
-Chat room tabs should have “X’s” on the tabs themselves so you can close out private chats. It took me a sec to find out how to close it out. (Look to Firefox as an example)
-To listen to the music I uploaded, it opened up the browser to have me login again. I didn’t, and I doubt others would too.
-Other languages on the site adds too much clutter. I would make it where the guest user chooses a language at the beginning, and the log in requires a one time check on preference of language.
-Movable, expandable widow panels and chat window. Maybe even a pop out feature so that you can set your chat window to the far side of your screen.
-Colored chat screen so you know what you said, and you know what your friends said, and you know what guest or non-friends said.
I shared with him some of the first reactions to interface of the lobby, and some of the ways it worked. Some of my ideas were ones they had thought of already & were working on, while others were new to him and I was happy to bring them up. I also shared some more marketing ideas, along with some more viral ways of getting the word out about eJamming and JamCast.
A great side note that I am excited to share, if I can get the software working without a hitch over at Michael's (my lead singer) studio, then both Michael and I will play live with eJamming's Japanese project manager Yoshitaka Kagami. Yoshi will be playing bass, and Michael and I will be accompanying with guitar and vocals. This demonstration is for a potential strategic alliance partner in Japan who's interested in co-marketing eJamming AUDiiO and wants to experience how the process works.
Below is my list that I gave to Alan that I mentioned earlier:
Install
Installed the software on my MBP at school and set up an account. Setting up the account was easy, and of course the application install was simple.
Lobby
Once in the lobby, I found it some what simple to navigate, and it was not overwhelming. Some thought on things I would change:
-Setting up preferences is a little slow, and also the navigation around the settings area could be improved. I would change where the “edit” buttons are, and also increase the speed in which it loads each page. There is no loading bar to let you know if the website is working. For instance, I thought I might have broken the upload music and picture section until it popped up that it had finished. Also think that maybe the text is too small for my screen resolution.
-Chat room tabs should have “X’s” on the tabs themselves so you can close out private chats. It took me a sec to find out how to close it out. (Look to Firefox as an example)
-To listen to the music I uploaded, it opened up the browser to have me login again. I didn’t, and I doubt others would too.
-Other languages on the site adds too much clutter. I would make it where the guest user chooses a language at the beginning, and the log in requires a one time check on preference of language.
-Movable, expandable widow panels and chat window. Maybe even a pop out feature so that you can set your chat window to the far side of your screen.
-Colored chat screen so you know what you said, and you know what your friends said, and you know what guest or non-friends said.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
We're ready for launch...kinda.
Installed the "eJamming AUDiiO 2.0" software and since I am at school, I am only using the chat feature. I am trying to meet with the powers that be at AiD on installing and setting up an eJamming station in our recording studio, so that I can test the software. I thought maybe the set-up they have at school is different then the one at my lead singers house...but it isn't. They have digi003's with macpros and Michael has a digi003 with a MBP. So, if it is too much of an uphill battle, I might just be hanging out at Michael's house A LOT more often.
Making notes on changes I think will refine the user experience. I will post it on the blog as soon as I get it approved by eJamming. As I wrote earlier, I signed a NDA with them, and have a meeting set up with Alan to go over the "Do's and Don't" on what I can and cannot say.
Making notes on changes I think will refine the user experience. I will post it on the blog as soon as I get it approved by eJamming. As I wrote earlier, I signed a NDA with them, and have a meeting set up with Alan to go over the "Do's and Don't" on what I can and cannot say.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Video Chat with Alan
I chatted with Alan last night via iChat, which is really the way to do business. There is something lost with conversations over the phone. For instance, when you are really immersed and excited about a subject and your interrupting each other with ideas, you can cut out the down time of "no you can go, no YOU can go", banter.
Anyway, Alan and I talked about some of his technology he was using and where the company is going with the Jam Cast software and how it will soon snowball with the amount of activity & users once bands realize they can make a living while playing the music they love to an online audience. We spoke about getting me set up with the ejamming software and taking notes while installing and first time use. This way I can help add some input from a users point of view. He is also interested in me helping with the interface and making it easy to use for all band members.
With that subject in mind, we spoke about how bands usually have one or two members that are computer/recording savvy. This means, in order for the product to work, all the members should be able to use the product without trouble. I hope to bring some insight to that subject to help the product be more efficient.
Hopefully I can test the product in a home, school, and recording studio environment, to really test all the bugs out on different levels of hardware. I will be installing it on a MacBookPro with a firewire audio interface. My lead singer has a protools system using a Digi003 mixer interface. I am not sure how the school is running the studio now-a-days but I will report back with that later.
Anyway, Alan and I talked about some of his technology he was using and where the company is going with the Jam Cast software and how it will soon snowball with the amount of activity & users once bands realize they can make a living while playing the music they love to an online audience. We spoke about getting me set up with the ejamming software and taking notes while installing and first time use. This way I can help add some input from a users point of view. He is also interested in me helping with the interface and making it easy to use for all band members.
With that subject in mind, we spoke about how bands usually have one or two members that are computer/recording savvy. This means, in order for the product to work, all the members should be able to use the product without trouble. I hope to bring some insight to that subject to help the product be more efficient.
Hopefully I can test the product in a home, school, and recording studio environment, to really test all the bugs out on different levels of hardware. I will be installing it on a MacBookPro with a firewire audio interface. My lead singer has a protools system using a Digi003 mixer interface. I am not sure how the school is running the studio now-a-days but I will report back with that later.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
eJamming.com Opportunities
I spoke with Alan Glueckman, one of the owners of eJamming.com since class on Thursday. He was impressed with my band and out self-motivated marketing progress and ability. He was also intrigued by my capstone project idea, as it lines up with his up & coming website release. They pretty much have the same ideas I have, but I am sure some of my ideas are a little different.
Either way, Alan expressed that he thinks I might be an asset to his testing and building of his new project and extended an invitation to work as a virtual intern for the company and test his product and site. He also showed interest in using my band as a sound board and testing team for his product.
Prof. Batchelder is looking into whether or not we can install and run the software in the roecording studio, so that I can test the technology and maybe build a site around it for capstone. More to come, but I feel my progress has good strength.
Either way, Alan expressed that he thinks I might be an asset to his testing and building of his new project and extended an invitation to work as a virtual intern for the company and test his product and site. He also showed interest in using my band as a sound board and testing team for his product.
Prof. Batchelder is looking into whether or not we can install and run the software in the roecording studio, so that I can test the technology and maybe build a site around it for capstone. More to come, but I feel my progress has good strength.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Portfolio Capstone Ideas
Collabusician.com
A website where musicians can record a song with other musicians live, over the internet, in real time. Collaborate with people all over the world and edit your song together as a group.
Enter in contest to prove your online groups talent and win prizes and online record deals.
Log in to see a massive sound bank of samples, and songs open for use to the public. Critique members work and give them pointers on better techniques.
Mobile Componet:
On the fly recording through mobile apps and uploading to the website.
eJamming:
http://www.wired.com/entertainment/music/commentary/listeningpost/2007/04/listeningpost_0430
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2008_Dec_2/ai_n31045283/
http://www.manta.com/coms2/dnbcompany_jlyjlw
http://www.beststuff.com/fromthewire/ejamming-goes-live-on-the-mac.html
Other Sites:
http://emusician.com/videos/tutorials/world_workstation_wc05v/
http://eastvillageperfumedcannibals.ning.com/
http://musicnomad.com/Support_Your_Music/Musicians_Wanted_Available
http://www.listio.com/reviews/2009/02/indaba-collaborative-music-application/
http://www.discmakers.com/community/resources/pse/2009/onlinerec.asp
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