Comments on: Musing about music and opensource http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2009/01/10/musing-about-music-and-opensource/ a blog about information Mon, 06 Feb 2012 01:37:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: fernando http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2009/01/10/musing-about-music-and-opensource/comment-page-1/#comment-464065 fernando Sun, 11 Jan 2009 02:30:08 +0000 http://confusedofcalcutta.com/?p=1531#comment-464065 NIN are cool. I've downloaded and remixed a few of their tunes. Like a number of post-Garcia musicians, they helped build a community around their music by validating the "fan" experience, especially when it comes to sharing music. Phish are also worth checking out on this. The more interesting trend is making available original tracks and stems for remixing (Peter Gabriel, Brian Eno and Kanye West have recently done the same). What's very revealing is that even if you remix Gabriel or Reznor, what makes the final product compelling goes back to the artist's original genius. Record companies have been slow (as usual) to exploit the potential of original stems. Apple might just be leading the way with their artist lessons, which as I understand will include original mixes. If they make that format open in the same way as iTunes it could be the most revolutionary move in commercial music publishing for a long time. Oh and yes, there is a market. Just see how many music instrument stores dedicate space to music books and transcriptions and how many specialist sheet music stores still exist in a world of declining physical music sales. NIN are cool. I’ve downloaded and remixed a few of their tunes. Like a number of post-Garcia musicians, they helped build a community around their music by validating the “fan” experience, especially when it comes to sharing music. Phish are also worth checking out on this.

The more interesting trend is making available original tracks and stems for remixing (Peter Gabriel, Brian Eno and Kanye West have recently done the same). What’s very revealing is that even if you remix Gabriel or Reznor, what makes the final product compelling goes back to the artist’s original genius.

Record companies have been slow (as usual) to exploit the potential of original stems. Apple might just be leading the way with their artist lessons, which as I understand will include original mixes. If they make that format open in the same way as iTunes it could be the most revolutionary move in commercial music publishing for a long time.

Oh and yes, there is a market. Just see how many music instrument stores dedicate space to music books and transcriptions and how many specialist sheet music stores still exist in a world of declining physical music sales.

]]>