Here's an interesting article on a new application for the I-Phone. Wow. Story is here:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/10/15/iphone.music.zoozbeat/index.html

Takes "music production" to a whole new level. Flicking your wrist or snorting into the telephone mic generates music! Reminds me of when I was in one of my last music theory semesters - the instructor walked in and didn't say a word - he wrote on the blackboard "make music with whatever you have at hand".... of the dozen or so music majors who were left by the time we got to Theory IV, a few started banging on trash cans, humming, or beating pens and pencils on their desks. Some of us just shook our heads and stared in disbelief til the instructor wrote in all caps: "you must PARTICIPATE!!!!" Then one dude started turning the lights on and off while another one started flashing morse code signals with the window blinds. I started opening and slamming the 2" oak door til I jammed it - had to have a janitor come and "release us" so we could get to concert band practice. It was a true "multi media experience"...

Hmmmmm.... I'm wondering if one of my major buddies might have invented this new I-Phone music App. HA HA.....

The technology in these phones IS rather amazing. Makes you wonder what "the next level" will be.

Hope everyone here is having a great week!

Randy

Hi Randy, thanks for that interesting link.

Speaking of iphone apps, here's a great one that's very useful & convenient for players who play from chord charts. Highly recommended.

iRealbook for iPhone

Scott

Sprint doesn't have the iPhone ....

Does anyone know what model Sprint phone is a good alternative as I'm close to my contract ending.

Thanks for sharing that, interesting. On another note ( no pun intended ) I have the latest generation iPod nano. It has a built in video camera and voice recorder complete with a VU meter. Amazing what a $149 device can do. I recorded a lecture recently and the sound quality is excellent. I also took some video of a road race my wife and I ran before, during and after. The video all things considered is very good. Not the quality of the Flip camera, but not bad. I'd love to see the iPhone on the Verizon network.

The Palm Pre was designed by some former Apple iPhone design employees and it is on the Sprint Network. It's cool, but it's still not the iPhone. I found the physical keyboard a little tight for my fat fingers.


[This message has been edited by Stephenm52 (edited 10-15-2009).]

I think these iPhone apps are in the same ballpark as arrangers, in a way.

Are you really MAKING music, or are you simply finding complicated ways to play back music that someone else has already made? This also folds back on the other thread we had recently... what exactly IS a 'musician'? Does playing the radio make you a musician? I mean, you turn it on, and out comes music! So, doesn't than make you a musician?

The iPhone thing. You shake it, out comes music! Guess that makes it a musical instrument, and you a musician, doesn't it?

But, by extension, think about this. You turn on your arranger, cue up an intro, and hit the C note. Out comes music! But are YOU being a musician, at this point, any more than someone turning on the radio? Sure, get past the intro, then you can play a melody. But consider this. Your melody is ONE note at a time. The accompaniment, the thing that takes maybe one finger to produce, is dozens upon dozens of notes that you had absolutely nothing to do with (or at least, most of you!). Are you still playing the radio? And whistling along with it? Or are you making music..?

The line gets blurrier and blurrier, more ill defined day by day. Once upon a time, every single note that the audience heard, they KNEW it was made by the people on stage they were looking at. Now, it's a whole different game. Some guy in London or Tokyo or Florence played 90% of what they are listening to. But we take the credit for it. Are we much better than a guy waving a PDA around, 'claiming' he is making music?

yes Steve I tried the palm pre in the store wasn't impressed with the keypad also......think im gonna wait for the next generation of phones & stick with my so called at the time of its release..totl Razr V3 phone...they change so fast.....

Personally I found this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjx5_-SPhk0


pretty cool.

What a great idea (PR stunt wise) to do this!

I feel like taking one of our (original songs) and getting 4 or 5 muso friends to play it on U-Tube using this method - GREAT PUBLICITY!