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Music Distribution: Technology and The Value of Art in Society
Music Distribution: Technology and The Value of Art in Society
Contents
Introduction
The Relationship Between Technology and Art
Technology = Art
Ancient Greek
Romanization
Techni
Meaning
Art
Or context
E.g. fireworks => guns
Instruments of
Destruction
Network Computing Laboratory | 3
Creation
Most learned to sing from childhood Little or no separation between performers and audience
Musicians
Profession
Distinction between performers and fans
Recording technology
Collage music: Musique Concrte, Dub, Electronica, Hip-Hop.. Problems with copyright
Recording Technology
Physical mediums (record, tape, CD)
Allowed for global distribution Music no longer local/communal Allowed for packaging and selling of music
Long, long ago (the 1970s) In a country (USA) not so far away There were many small record companies
Owned by people who loved music
Source: wikipedia
Network Computing Laboratory | 10
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
Recording Technology
Distribution by sellable physical unit
Free
More and more varied music available
Pirating Communities
Bargaining (present)
Selling individual files or monthly subscriptions (iTunes, etc.) Selling ringtones, etc.
(Acceptance)
Oh, wait
No manufacturing & packaging costs
No distribution costs
So?
They offer no added value There is no incentive not to continue pirating music
Lacks imagination
No exploitation of new technologies Same paradigms, just online
Future Possibilities
20th Century
Our values shaped by the structures of technology
21st Century
Can our values shape technology? How will we value art?
Goals
Musicians should be given fair compensation Music should be freely shareable Music quality should determine its success Make money
(Capitalism still rules, what ya gonna do)
What service?
Ubiquity
Access to any music from anywhere
Social Networks
Music profiles built from users statistics (like last.fm) Music discovery and recommendation through the network
younga I wonder whos nearby Music neighbor? Lets seethe Wow, she likes a lot of what shes listening to same music I do But Hey, this song Architect? whos Spiral is great! Im Illgonna message her check them out HongDae, Seoul
Classic
Rock
User bookmarking
user hears a song she likes checks her device to see what it is marks it as a favorite
Classic
Rock
w/ description
The Future
Almost anything possible What values do we keep/create?
Values
Environment
Technology
Extra Slides
Possibilities: FairShare
Proposed by Ian Clarke (Freenet)
Patronage system for copyright-less world
Last.fm Software
Goals
Show how the relationship between technology and music changes not only the music itself, but also how society listens to and values music
Made possible by
Media (recording and broadcast technology) Radio, TV and records broke down local/communal barriers
Merchandising
Physical Media (CD) $12 MP3 (pay per song) 99 cents/ song
MP3 (subscription)
$15 / month
Mobile Phone direct $1.99 / song (V Cast) Very Convenient, download ubiquitous MP3 (pirated) Free Unlimited downloads, Convenient, No DRM, Free
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology