At the SFMusicTech music technology conference, I sat for a really cool session of new product and technology demos. Here’s a round up of all the organizations and products that presented.
Pledge Music – Tools to let your fans to get involved with your music through its creation while also raising money for charity. Fans pledge money towards the process of the production of your album, tour, or whatever. The site’s creator, Benji Rogers, says not to ever put your hand out for money. Tell your fans why it is they should get involved in your pledge campaign. Explain that it will be the best experience for them to get connected to your music. Rogers said that the charity angle really helps relationships with fans to prosper. The average fan spends $92 on the site. Rogers knows it’s a competitive environment. If people can get your music for free you have to inspire people to get involved with your music.
Creative Allies – A social network that connects musicians and bands to connect with aspiring artists and graphic design students. It’s a form of contesting to get their work shown in a portfolio on a major artists’ album, concert poster, or t-shirt.
Extension.FM – Pull music from anywhere on the Internet to this Web-based player. And if there’s music you like and a blog you’re following gets updated, your music library is updated as well.
Music Hack Day – All hacking gone music. At the end of this weekend of hacking something is actually shipped. Had one in San Francisco and created 35 music hacks. Here are some of the hacks that came out of that weekend.
- Bragging Rights – Determine which of you heard of a band first by checking who streamed the song first on Last.fm.
- Six Degrees of Black Sabbath – Like Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, but for music.
- Profoundilizer (aka The Ira Glassifier) – iPad app creates interstitial music that sounds like you’re on “This American Life” with Ira Glass.
- The Swinger – A bit of code you put on any song that turns any song into a swing version of the song.
- iSticks – Turns your iPad into a steel drum.
- Artikulator – Multi-touch, multi-player, finger painting composition for the iPad/iPhone.
Alcatel-Lucent – Aggregating analytics from multiple different places. Create optimism around it, and send alerts. Completely free. Disclosure: Alcatel-Lucent is a client of Spark Media Solutions.
Redg Snodgrass, Alcatel-Lucent
