Monday, February 11, 2008

Sound #24: The Sound of Music


After a few months off, the next step of the HCPL learning 2.0 program is back with iHCPL the Next Generation. The first assignment is all about sound.

For this assignment I looked at several types of sites for music downloads. Napster has over 3 million tracks which you can listen to free up to 3 times. After that it is .99 per download or a $15.00 monthly fee. iTunes features roughly the same number of tracks for .99 each, with unlimited CD burns.

I also looked at a free site, music.download.com which offers a different album each day for free. I ripped a song by Iron and Wine to my computer and then put it on an MP3 player that I borrowed. I did this a few times with different songs from this album so that I would feel comfortable with the process. I had to listen to the songs to make sure they were really on the MP3 player and in the process discovered a new artist I like. Here is what entertainment said about Iron and Wine and Sam Bean, the artist: "Based in Miami, of all places, [Beam] launches balloons of sweetly whispered regret over trance-inducing backwoods string arrangements and watches them float away, his heart in tow."

I have listened to several radio stations on my computer at work including KPFT and KUHF. Most radio stations I have looked at have website listening. I also opened up an account on Pandora which is a customizable internet radio service. It is part of the Music Genome Project started in 2000. Pandora recommends songs and artists based on other artists or songs that you like and then plays them for you.
Thanks manic elegies for help with the MP3 player!

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