Web2.0 for Musicians

This is a rather long post, so I plan on dividing it into two parts: 1) Studying Music, and 2) Music for Studying (sorta). I'll be highlighting 4 websites that fall under the "web2.0" moniker, how I use them as a professional musician and educator, and their pros/cons. So, with that, on to part 1!

1) Studying Music
I remember sitting in a "listening room" in the library with a pile of CDs, my textbook, anthology, and my personal class notes. While I haven't had a music history class for about 7 years now, I still listen daily, as I believe it's the most important thing a musician can do. Now, though, I'm using better tools for the task.

Last.fm is one of my new favorite sites. When I'm studying an artist, or style of music, Last.fm is the first place I turn. You log in, do a quick search ("Yo-Yo Ma" for example), and it returns tracks and videos relating to him as an artist. You can also stumble through music of a specific genre, looking for new jazz music, for instance. Last.fm keeps track of what you listen to on your iPod (via "scrobbling"), and will suggest similar music as well.

Blip.fm is a relatively new site for me. It seems like a Twitter-like company, with a DJ spin on things. You can search for an artist or song, and "blip" it, allowing you to play it immediately (or later if you wish). While the faq is still pretty confusing to me, I can envision uses for blip.fm (a music professor creating a timeline of pieces to listen to, for example, or members of a cover band sharing ideas to each-other for future covers. The possibilities are endless!

2) Music for Studying
There have been quite a few studies done on music and how it effects the brain, including The Mozart Effect, and my favorite current book, This is Your Brain on Music, by Dan Levitin. In addition to actually listening to "music", though, the advantages of "white noise" and even "binaural beats" have been lauded as ways to focus on your work, shutdown headaches, and cure insomnia, among others. Here are my two favorite sites for focusing on my work.

SimplyNoise.com is simple that. The site offers an online stream of white noise, pink noise, and red/brown noise. They refer to Wikipedia to explain the differences, and the effects/benefits of using white noise. Find the desired volume, using the slider, then get to work blogging, studying, filing, or whatever you need to focus on. I can vouch for simplynoise as I've gotten into meditation and reading; two things I could never focus on before because of background noise stealing my attention.

I Dose is probably the most interesting in part 2 of my post, but also the one with the most debate as to its effectiveness. I Dose offers streams of "binaural beats". Essentially, binaural beats are 2 different frequency pitches played simultaneously, but coming from separate sides (they are best listened to through headphones). Your brain takes the difference of the two frequencies (in Hertz), and creates a wave at that frequency (which can then alter your mental state). If you find yourself struggling with writer's block, for example, lie down, close your eyes, and listen to this one for 15-20 minutes and give writing another shot.

If you try any of these out (or have previously), let me know in the comments! Am I missing any other great web2.0 music sites?

Streaming Live Music

Whether you are a classical musician looking for places to perform, or a guitarist/songwriter trying to promote him/herself on your own, the internet is something you should be aware of AS A TOOL. You can use streaming as a way to broadcast your music anywhere in the world! It's something that takes some finesse to setup correctly, but with the right know-how, it's incredible valuable as a means of getting your music out there, giving you motivation to practice, and who knows!
About 3 years ago, I Skyped in to an Irish fiddler and played some of the jigs and reels I had been working on on my own. He gave me some incredible pointers about style, and taught me how to string playlists together. My fellow teachers were amazed at the technology, using my laptop (no webcam at that time), a small lapel mic, and the school's wifi, I was able to collaborate with a professional musician on the other side of the globe, over my lunch break, without leaving the building!
So, while some people believe that Second Life is a waste of time, and of no educational or learning value, I am getting the opportunity to perform live inworld for people I've met all over the world. They'll get to hear me live, without me leaving my small, studio apartment, using only computers and internet connections. Imagine the ability to perform live without all the performance anxiety, travel expenses, and moving of gear (always my favorite part).
If you're in SL, check out some live performances inworld! If you're in today, come to Misfits Underground at 3pm (slt)/6pm EST and hear not only me, but a fantastic vocalist, "PhoebeAnn Theas", followed by an open mic. It's taken me a long time to get into playing over the net, but thanks to my girlfriend, Cecily, I now have a venue, and a small set of live tunes worked up.

Audacity (free recording and practice tool?)

Throughout high school and college, anytime I was working on a piece of solo literature, I was told two things:
1. "Listen to recordings and other performances of the piece."
and

2. "Record yourself so you can listen back."
Today, I'm sharing a way to do the second piece of advice freely, simply, and using technology you probably already have! If you can operate a CD player or VCR (I'm not talking about programming it, either!), you can run Audacity on all three of the major operating systems (Mac OSX, Windows, and Linux). Other equipment: a microphone, headphones (not required, but recommended for doing multitrack recording), and obviously, the computer.
I've actually used Audacity, a small lapel mic, and my iPod headphones to record small pieces I've composed for violin, cello, and voice on my laptop! "For a Reason" (hosted on my Tumblr account) is one example of what you can do, freely, easily, and with very practically no recording experience. Seriously, the big red circle, which is commonly recognized as a "record" button: press it and play!
I doesn't need to be said, but Audacity is great for podcasting as well. Light enough for recording simple speech, and powerful enough to get well-recorded musical thoughts digitally recorded. I've played with some of the advanced features like noise reduction, effects, and beat-matching, so professional-quality recording is possible. Of course, you'll get better results with higher quality microphones, processing, and recording environments, but for what I do...Audacity is a win.
Use Audacity, or other recording tools for practice and composing? Have tips you want to share? Leave 'em in the comments for me!

iPod Touch for a Musician

I am a musician, and a teacher, and a tech-gadget hog. So when I was looking for a new music player before my Disney trip with the music department, I splurged on a 16Gb iPod Touch.

I am a firm believer in the "listen, sing, play" mentality, so a portable music player is almost a must-have in my eyes. One of the first things I do after I've sight-read through a new piece, is find a few recordings of it to study. Sometimes I'll play along. Other times, I just listen and try to imitate.
With the software upgrades and the opening of the App Store, my iPod has become even more useful. I grabbed MooCowMusic's "Piano" app, allowing me to tune my violin/cello from a full 88 key piano, record simple chord progressions and play them back, and devise simple melodies for future compositions. The "Remote" app, allows me to control my iTunes on my laptop when I need a louder accompaniment (or when I have it running through a sound-system) all via wifi.
Also, as long as I'm wifi connected, I have handheld access to my Google apps, where I can search my lyrics, use the calendar to keep track of when/how often I practice (and what I worked on), and more.
Honestly, if you're searching for a new music player and can afford it, I'd suggest the Touch without question.
Let me know in the comments, if you're a musician, and currently use the iPod Touch (or iPhone) as a practice tool.

photo credit: "iPod Touch" by tibopoix.

Oh Woe is Technology

The past week has been hell for me, a technology-addicted 30 yr old. The quick list, followed by what I've learned over the past few days:

• Wireless router interference - I thought, was being caused by an identical router next door to my apt.
  
• Car "check engine light" - Caused because spark plugs and wires were never replaced after 105,000 miles. (fixed now, thanks to Monroe Brake & Muffler where my awesome brother works)
  
• Wireless card/Motherboard conflict - My HP dv6448se refuses to acknowledge the wifi card anymore. Best Buy's Geek Squad was a waste of time, HP tech support walked me through some steps, and finally resorted to me sending it in (after I finish this post).
  
• Mother's E-Machines desktop power-supply failure - Fun! Getting my brother to work on this one for me. I give up at this point.
  
• Mother's printer failure - Canon BJC 3000 gives me a fun "waste error" code, which I reset, only to end in a roller/paper feed issue. Again, I quit.
  

AND, I THINK THAT'S ALL...*knocks on wood*
When it rains, it certainly pours, and I'm hoping my Toshiba survives until HP can diagnose, repair, and return my Vista laptop. Otherwise, I'll be surfing via cellphone and my iPod Touch. (I did say I was a tech-addict, right?)

*sighs* Oh well...

(btw, this whole situation further reinforces my need to live "on the cloud" and keep all data consistently backed up. Live it. Learn it. Do it.