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Topic: A new way to create and distibute music (Read 5312 times) previous topic - next topic
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A new way to create and distibute music

Hi HA buddies  ,

One month ago I was explaining our new concept in the following topic:
http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....pic=22101&st=0&
My company: http://www.trust-media.net

The concept is now launched and, for a first step, I guess it’s a hit.

Here is the story.

Prodigy released (on http://www.alwaysoutnumbered.com) their track 'Memphis Bells' as a digital download available in a “while stock last limited edition” of 5,000. Through a flash interface (created by Marc Em http://www.audiogame.net), fans were able to choose from various bell melodies, beat flavour, guitar effects and mixes (headphone, original, big and 5.1).

Technical details:
For the headphone mix, the format is a high quality mp3 of around 240 kbps (dibrom lame aps) directly encoded from the 24 bits master.
For the standard mix, the format is a very high quality mp3 of 320 kbps (dibrom lame api) directly encoded from the 24 bits master.
For the big mix, the format is PCM 16 bits/44.1 khz dithered from 24. In order to keep the dynamic and the live of the mix, the sound is not over compressed.
For the 5.1 mix, the format is DTS Audio 44.1 khz (this one is a killer mix).

The download started the 24th of June 2004 at 20:25 GMT+1.
The session closed Wednesday 26th of June at 11:54 GMT+1.

As you will read it, that was the most wonderful and stressing day of my life (u can imagine).

XL Recordinds (label of Prodigy) and we wanted to make it limited and confidential. The event was announced on www.nekozine.co.uk (Prodigy forum) ... and here.

At the opening, the pressure was too high and the server hosting the flash interface crashed. The hoster was Akamai, so they putted more servers on it. Then my mailbox started to explode with PayPal receipt (unfortunately, all this money is not for me  and nobody will really make money with this first shot).
Actually, the demand was too high (more than 300,000 hits on the first hour). We had several problems due to the pressure of the demand. The second night, PayPal had a problem cos they couldn’t send us the payment notification to our server during hours, letting people who paid unable to download their version...
All night long, I authorized the downloading by hand. It drove me crazy… 
Finally, the sale stopped Wednesday 26th of June at 11:54 GMT+1.

Here is the e-mail of Liam (Prodigy leader) after the shot:
“it was cool,a few teething problems but very good well done LIam On Thursday, Jul 1, 2004, at 21:20 Europe/London,” 

You can see below the ratio of each variation sold (mix, gtr,  bell, beat). Check http://www.alwaysoutnumbered.com, you'll see and hear what it means:


A new way to create and distibute music

Reply #1 –
 Comments plz

A new way to create and distibute music

Reply #2 –
I've had the advance release for a while (how I got it I won't tell ^_~), and I must say the album is great....very dancey like they use to be.  Now I would think that this is a revolutionary way to create and distribute music...though it is quite limited in variation.  I think that if it were made in a file that would randomize on each play, that would truely give my a half chub.  I hope they continue to push the envelope as I expect them to.  Keep the public guessing and wanting. =)

A new way to create and distibute music

Reply #3 –
Quote
I've had the advance release for a while (how I got it I won't tell ^_~), and I must say the album is great....very dancey like they use to be.  Now I would think that this is a revolutionary way to create and distribute music...though it is quite limited in variation.  I think that if it were made in a file that would randomize on each play, that would truely give my a half chub.  I hope they continue to push the envelope as I expect them to.  Keep the public guessing and wanting. =)

Well, its a first step...
In fact, we have added other "random" variations, mainly on the movment of instrument. The real number of version possible was 39,600. We could easily go much further, but it wans't necessary for a limited edition of 5,000.

A new way to create and distibute music

Reply #4 –
Quote
I've had the advance release for a while (how I got it I won't tell ^_~), and I must say the album is great....very dancey like they use to be.

i and a few others on irc only liked 2-3 tracks, too.

however, this experiment was VERY exciting. no DRM (well, in a sense, none), and perfect quality. for something THIS limited and for a band whose handful songs i liked as much as Prodigy, i'd pay $3 (but it was pushing it a little bit, esp for just one song), but not normally. and the ability to customize the song was pretty damn sweet and all part of the excitement. song isn't my fave, but it's not at the bottom, either. nice and in the middle of my Prodigy faves.

man, i sure wish i could upload the album version of Memphis Bells, but, rules are rules, and laws are laws, as much as at least some of us hate them. i wish i'd bought 1-1-1 (or whatever the final version was)  in addition to 1-8-7 which i did.. oh well

one question for marcan: is there any reason the vocals weren't in the e-singles sold online?

A new way to create and distibute music

Reply #5 –
Quote
Quote
I've had the advance release for a while (how I got it I won't tell ^_~), and I must say the album is great....very dancey like they use to be.

i and a few others on irc only liked 2-3 tracks, too.

however, this experiment was VERY exciting. no DRM (well, in a sense, none), and perfect quality. for something THIS limited and for a band whose handful songs i liked as much as Prodigy, i'd pay $3 (but it was pushing it a little bit, esp for just one song), but not normally. and the ability to customize the song was pretty damn sweet and all part of the excitement. song isn't my fave, but it's not at the bottom, either. nice and in the middle of my Prodigy faves.

man, i sure wish i could upload the album version of Memphis Bells, but, rules are rules, and laws are laws, as much as at least some of us hate them. i wish i'd bought 1-1-1 (or whatever the final version was)  in addition to 1-8-7 which i did.. oh well

one question for marcan: is there any reason the vocals weren't in the e-singles sold online?

Well about protection, I'm thinking about something new. We should chat about that. I think about increase the price  , but you would have the right to do everything you want with it (give, sale, share, ...)
It would be the first time that music is sold without restriction on the copy. Actually, we don't care about the copy; the value here is in the personalisation.

For the vocals, Liam asked me to retrieve it... I guess he wanted to make it different of the album...

A new way to create and distibute music

Reply #6 –
I really think around $3 is about the limit for this sort of thing...  The only reason I'd be willing to pay that much for one track is because it's a new thing and I was curious.  But if you had the right to redistribute and everything, I wouldn't know how to price it...  Some people might sell hundreds of copies...

In any event, I never was able to get the track because I wasn't able to activate my paypal account, which is still in limbo until I get my next bank statement or next month's credit card statement.  I really wish there had been some other way to pay other than Paypal.  I'm very upset with them; I intend to cancel my account and boycott them in the future.  It's really unfortunate that the only way to make many kinds of purchases on the 'net is through such a scummy company.  I'm so pissed I may even boycott eBay (who owns Paypal).
I am *expanding!*  It is so much *squishy* to *smell* you!  *Campers* are the best!  I have *anticipation* and then what?  Better parties in *the middle* for sure.
http://www.phong.org/

A new way to create and distibute music

Reply #7 –
Quote
I really think around $3 is about the limit for this sort of thing...  The only reason I'd be willing to pay that much for one track is because it's a new thing and I was curious.  But if you had the right to redistribute and everything, I wouldn't know how to price it...
At this stage, we want to avoid the mass market based on the copy.
DJ's and fans are ready to pay a high price for that (some special version worth $25 on vynil). With Prodigy, I have seen fans buying more than 10 versions.
About quality. I could agree for an mp3 (an aps or api though), but for a pcm or a DTS, it's not that expensive. Moreover you don't have DRM.
Finally, a high price might promote less known artist. I think it's a trade off between the artist, the number of versions released and the price.

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Some people might sell hundreds of copies...
Our concept is based on the fact that in the future it will be difficult to generate revenue from copying.

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In any event, I never was able to get the track because I wasn't able to activate my paypal account
Send me a copy of your PayPal "receipt" at support@trust-media.net. I should be able to unlock your version. 

Quote
I'm very upset with them; I intend to cancel my account and boycott them in the future.  It's really unfortunate that the only way to make many kinds of purchases on the 'net is through such a scummy company.  I'm so pissed I may even boycott eBay (who owns Paypal).
  Don't talk about PayPal. I'm ready to work for a “new way to create and distribute music”, but if somebody can work on a new way to make payment online, it would help me a lot...

A new way to create and distibute music

Reply #8 –
What's up?

A new way to create and distibute music

Reply #9 –
Continuation here