Realtime Concert Program Notes on a PDA

PoisonousPhat writes "NPR has an article on a new idea for concertgoers at the Aspen Music Festival. Dubbed the 'Concert Companion', the concept used a PDA (a Sony Clie PEG-NX73V for those of you that MUST know) as a 'listener's guide...that updates you with information about what you're hearing, in real time.' The concept seems similar to the audio headsets available in museum tours. Read the bleeping article here."

Comments

PDA in the audience

[pheared]

Yeah and theatre geeks are upset.

I sit on the fence. On one hand, I would find it horribly distracting to have a gadget in front of me. However, it's nearly as distracting as all of the other people in the world who are so important that they need to be fucking with their cell phones at every moment of the day. Perhaps the PDA would at least turn their attention away from a device that does a poor rendition of Beethoven's Fifth everytime someone calls.

Re:PDA in the audience

[pavon]

You know what, they have little reason to be upset. If they don't want to read the PDA's then they don't have to. A glowing screen a couple rows down isn't that much of a distraction. Especially if they displayed light text on a dark background.

This could have some usefull benefits. For example, I know that actively listening to music is not natural for me - my mind wanders. Having something that points out things in the music may actually help me pay attention to the music more rather than distracting me from it. It may teach me how to critically listen to music. I have also been to a couple concerts where they do project text on a little screen the stage. One of them, the piece was designed around a story and the notes summarized what was happening. The other the composer had made subtitles (not really - more like random adjectives :) for different parts of the piece. In both cases I thought that the text added to the music, not distracted from it.

I don't know which would be more distracting for those who wished the ignore the text. If it was changing often, probably the projector. Otherwise, a single screen would probably be than a bunch of PDA's would be better.

Just what we needed

[sahonen]

A billion PDAs beeping while I'm trying to listen to an orchestra. I hope they take the speakers out of these things.

why not also....

[MarcoAtWork]

preload the score on the devices and broadcast a synchronization signal? (you'd probably need somebody to follow the score somewhere and, say, tap a key every 8 measures, don't think it could be done automatically).

The screen is a bit small but with a half-vga resolution (320x480) in landscape mode it should be feasible to show 2-3 staffs and at least 3-4 measures.

The user would probably also be able to select what instruments they're interested in (say, violins & brass, or choir & organ, or whatever) because you wouldn't obviously be able to show all the staffs at the same time.

I'd find this much more useful than comments like the ones written in the article.

Well, It's certainly better than a talking guide..

[antimith]

I'd certainly prefer it over one of those little hand held talking things like you can get at the National Gallery in DC.
But what was wrong with paper? guess their just trying to save a few trees. :\

I've seen PDA's used for guides for conferences, seminars etc.. and they always seem like overkill. But I like the techy stuff as mutch as the next guy and I've been looking for a reason to use those little dinks so bring on the toys hehe.
[stupid]
Wonder if the'll be supported at the next metallica concert 'round here
[/stupid]

oh no...

[Triv]

Those little digital tourguides are the most annoying and grating objects I've ever seen in a museum. The speakers are either open air or cheap headphones, neither of which does a particularly good job of shielding the rest of us from the noise, particularly when you're surrounded by two dozen of them and they all have the volume cranked up to fucking 15. You walk through the museum perpetually surrounded by this high-pitched buzz.

I go to a museum to see the art, not be annoyed by loud, stupid people. I go to a show to hear the music, not be annoyed by flashing PDAs and stupid people.

Re:oh no...

[Eponymous Coward]

Unfortunately, we are not all as well educated as you. When I go to a museum, I always pick up one of the audio tour guides when they are available. It lets me tour the museum as slowly as I want and tells me lots of interesting stuff about what I'm looking at. Before I moved, I used to just take along a friend who happened to have a degree in art history and she would clue me in. Do you also get annoyed by people around you talking about the exhibits?

Any orchestra concert I've been to has always had a paper concert guide available. It seems like this is a natural evolution of that idea. I'm obviously one of the stupid people you talk about because I think a synchronized electronic concert guide that explained what I was listening to would make the experience more enjoyable for me.

Like it or not, most of us are the stupid people that you are so annoyed by. I say if this makes art more accessible, then bring it on. Why should art and music be reserved only for you and your elite friends?

Or you could just count them every night.

[JMZero]

Unless, that is, you want a SWAT team ready to jump anyone who takes little CoCo to the bathroom.

With a $450 piece of hardware, the only solution is to get a credit card deposit. This presents its own set of hassles.