I don't see how that would be useful. Kids and people my age use Text messages to broadcast something to people. Like "We're going to this show at this time" rather than calling. It's easier.
So, wait. I see Verizon offering this as part of their music/video package. So I can dance to the latest tunes while shopping for clothes and scheduling something with my friends with this social networking. Wow....
Seriously. This stuff is so stupid. Why not actually use the phone and TALK to your friends?
It's good to know Microsoft is working on products like this. Really. I mean, instead of getting Vista back on schedule, they want to release things like this. Or spend money on their People Software ads.
It's sad. I think this is a Titanic starting to sink.
On the flip side, you have idiots like Kantor saying just the opposite. Who knows? I think Microsoft should just come out with a Windows for Games and get it over with.....let people run OS X for real apps, and Windows for games.
The one I own and use every now and then (as Piano is NOT my main instrument) is Teach Me Piano Deluxe. It's Windows only, and hooks up via midi. The movie demos are good, and the exercises are good as well. I noticed a lot of improvement after using it a while (my piano teacher in college would be so proud).
Oh, I forget to say something about Smartmusic. They are really trying to get into the computer learning with instruments. The latest version has Wynton promoing the "Jazz" selections. Whatever.
There are lots of problems with Smartmusic. First, the interface. It's terrible. It is my biggest complaint with the program. Second, the "Jazz" section does not let you print out anything. Third, when you play with it, say if you are a drummer, it lags behind on the screen. On my Mac Mini it couldn't refresh at the start of a bar the same time the music was. Fourth, the sounds. Cheezy. Big time. Fifth, it's a subscription service.
Other gripes about "Smartmusic" is the "follow" feature. So, you are supposed to hook up a mic to the program, and it will "follow" you. Or it can follow you (you can override it). It never works right, and doesn't that defeat the whole purpose of having backgrounds? If I want to do a Bach Sonata, I don't want the Harpischord to slow down with me.
On the plus side, they have a TON of songs on it.
But seriously, on the Jazz thing, if say you were a drummer, are you really going to have your computer right next to your drum set? And be able to see the screen? And you can't print out anything (except for a few classical free pieces). Stupid. Who really practices looking at their monitor?
MakeMusic, Coda, or whatever you guys are calling yourselves this month, get the interface and the sounds fixed. And let us PRINT something.
There are a lot of great programs to aid you in your musical quest. Programs such as Practica Musica for ear training. There are a number of other shareware and freeware programs to help you.
For Piano, there are a lot of great programs. And they are ruthless. They hook up to your MIDI keyboard, and will evaluate every little detail of your performance.
For other instruments, it's really valuable to actually get together with a teacher. They can point you in the right direction. It's well worth the time and money. You can learn theory, and get your ear to hear things with software. But, to learn how to move the bow, or blow into an instrument, you really ought to get some REAL lessons. You can hear, and see how it is done, and ask questions, and if you are doing it wrong, the teacher will tell you.
Last 3 studios I was in did not have a DAT machine at all. They are all computer based, and if they do have "tape", it's ADAT. I have a DAT machine, a Sony something, it's collecting dust in my studio. I don't even know where you'd get a portable DAT recorder.
With all the new Compact Flash recorders, you can just hook it up via USB and drag and drop the files into whatever program you want to use.
Get a Marantz compact flash unit. I use a PMD660 with a 2 gig cartridge. You can record stereo, for 3 hours. The mic I use is a Rode NT4. Having the mic run on Phantom power via the XLR cables makes a huge difference. You could probably get the whole setup for about $1000.
Yes, I agree. I used MiniDisc to record concerts and rehearsals for 4 or 5 years. Then the broken promise of HiMD (and USB transfers) made me jump ship. The unit I got I had mic input problems (bad mic jack?), the interface was VERY clumsy compared to my previous unit (MZ90 I believe), and you could transfer recordings to your computer, but unless you had a SONY VIAO you could burn a CD of it. Seriously. This was August 2004. Sony promised to fix this but......I believe it wasn't till April of 2005 that they did it? Maybe sooner? I don't believe they had a solution in 2004.
Anyhow, I found the world of Compact Flash recorders. You can record stereo, non-compressed, plus a lot of the recorders have XLR inputs. Good stuff.
MiniDisc was a great thing in the late 90s and early 2000s. It provided, for me, a small, compact, high quality recording device. Even though it was compressed with ATRAC, the recordings I got out of my Sony MZ90 were great all things considered.
However, now, there are so many better solutions, and they either use Hard Drives or Compact Flash. Marantz, Edirol, Fostex to name a few. I own a Marantz unit for the last two years and the thing is amazing....
Honestly man, DAT is dead as well. All the high end and good low end stuff records either to Hard Disks or Compact Flash. Marantz, Fostex, Edirol, etc. all use them.
I jumped off the MiniDisc ship after the promised HiMD recorder were to allow you to transfer back to the computer via USB. It did....sorta. Unless you had a Viao, you couldn't burn a CD of your recordings. And if I remember correctly, it was something like nearly a year until Sony allowed you get get recordings out of Sonic Stage.
I decided to get a recorder that recorded to Compact Flash, the Marantz PMD660. Great unit.
Exactly. Verizon is heavily marketing the downloading music and videos here in the States. Its really sad actually......the thought of people actually buying songs at such a marked up price and not knowning if they can get it off their phone, or even if they can use it on other things (stereo, make a CD).
From everything I've read, it was the cellphone carriers which were fighting tooth and nail to cripple the phone. All the major carriers want you to buy music and videos THROUGH them at jacked up prices.
Are you sure it was an Apple decision or a Cellphone carrier decision? I believe a lot of the carriers (ATT, Verizon) want to you buy songs using their network rather than having a customer hook up their phone to their computer and sync with their library.
And if you think about it, buying music from Verzion is dumb. You could put it on your phone. Ok. But then what? And they cost like what, $1.99 a song or something?
That would be one thing that I give Kudos to Motorola and Nokia for. Not using Windows, I don't think I ever had to "reboot" my phones. Ever. EVER. And my aging Palm Vx, I think in the last year I've had to reboot it ONCE. And I use it all the time.
I think a lot of these new Phones and other things are just too flashy and what not. If it works, and works well, people go for it. Look at the Blackberry (which I really should have gotten over my RAZR).......
Not sure why you think using iTunes=limit on a number of songs you have. It would be great syncing iTunes via bluetooth, but that just would take forever, and sap the battery out of a phone.
The ability to have a card slot on the phone is cool, but the Nokia 6230 looks like a boat compared to the RAZR or the SLVR. But I agree that Motorola really dings customers for extras, but they do make nice products. I just want something iPod sized but with a PDA/Phone as well.
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Ah, but will it work on other networks? Maybe. Is it going to cost extra? Most likely. Is anyone going to use it? Probably not.
It's easier to send a text message. It's like IM. You can broadcast a simple text message "Meet at Joe's at 8pm" to everyone. No confusion.
Ok, I can see your IQ is low. Let me clear it up for you.
One to One communications -> Call them
One to Many communications -> Text message them
Clear?
It is. I get way more text messages than I do calls.
I don't see how that would be useful. Kids and people my age use Text messages to broadcast something to people. Like "We're going to this show at this time" rather than calling. It's easier.
So, wait. I see Verizon offering this as part of their music/video package. So I can dance to the latest tunes while shopping for clothes and scheduling something with my friends with this social networking. Wow....
Seriously. This stuff is so stupid. Why not actually use the phone and TALK to your friends?
It's good to know Microsoft is working on products like this. Really. I mean, instead of getting Vista back on schedule, they want to release things like this. Or spend money on their People Software ads.
It's sad. I think this is a Titanic starting to sink.
On the flip side, you have idiots like Kantor saying just the opposite. Who knows? I think Microsoft should just come out with a Windows for Games and get it over with.....let people run OS X for real apps, and Windows for games.
Hemos, the missing link, even had a birthday recently. So....why look any further?
The one I own and use every now and then (as Piano is NOT my main instrument) is Teach Me Piano Deluxe. It's Windows only, and hooks up via midi. The movie demos are good, and the exercises are good as well. I noticed a lot of improvement after using it a while (my piano teacher in college would be so proud).
That is an interesting program. Thanks for letting me know about it.
Oh, I forget to say something about Smartmusic. They are really trying to get into the computer learning with instruments. The latest version has Wynton promoing the "Jazz" selections. Whatever.
There are lots of problems with Smartmusic. First, the interface. It's terrible. It is my biggest complaint with the program. Second, the "Jazz" section does not let you print out anything. Third, when you play with it, say if you are a drummer, it lags behind on the screen. On my Mac Mini it couldn't refresh at the start of a bar the same time the music was. Fourth, the sounds. Cheezy. Big time. Fifth, it's a subscription service.
Other gripes about "Smartmusic" is the "follow" feature. So, you are supposed to hook up a mic to the program, and it will "follow" you. Or it can follow you (you can override it). It never works right, and doesn't that defeat the whole purpose of having backgrounds? If I want to do a Bach Sonata, I don't want the Harpischord to slow down with me.
On the plus side, they have a TON of songs on it.
But seriously, on the Jazz thing, if say you were a drummer, are you really going to have your computer right next to your drum set? And be able to see the screen? And you can't print out anything (except for a few classical free pieces). Stupid. Who really practices looking at their monitor?
MakeMusic, Coda, or whatever you guys are calling yourselves this month, get the interface and the sounds fixed. And let us PRINT something.
There are a lot of great programs to aid you in your musical quest. Programs such as Practica Musica for ear training. There are a number of other shareware and freeware programs to help you.
For Piano, there are a lot of great programs. And they are ruthless. They hook up to your MIDI keyboard, and will evaluate every little detail of your performance.
For other instruments, it's really valuable to actually get together with a teacher. They can point you in the right direction. It's well worth the time and money. You can learn theory, and get your ear to hear things with software. But, to learn how to move the bow, or blow into an instrument, you really ought to get some REAL lessons. You can hear, and see how it is done, and ask questions, and if you are doing it wrong, the teacher will tell you.
Last 3 studios I was in did not have a DAT machine at all. They are all computer based, and if they do have "tape", it's ADAT. I have a DAT machine, a Sony something, it's collecting dust in my studio. I don't even know where you'd get a portable DAT recorder.
With all the new Compact Flash recorders, you can just hook it up via USB and drag and drop the files into whatever program you want to use.
Get a Marantz compact flash unit. I use a PMD660 with a 2 gig cartridge. You can record stereo, for 3 hours. The mic I use is a Rode NT4. Having the mic run on Phantom power via the XLR cables makes a huge difference. You could probably get the whole setup for about $1000.
Yes, I agree. I used MiniDisc to record concerts and rehearsals for 4 or 5 years. Then the broken promise of HiMD (and USB transfers) made me jump ship. The unit I got I had mic input problems (bad mic jack?), the interface was VERY clumsy compared to my previous unit (MZ90 I believe), and you could transfer recordings to your computer, but unless you had a SONY VIAO you could burn a CD of it. Seriously. This was August 2004. Sony promised to fix this but......I believe it wasn't till April of 2005 that they did it? Maybe sooner? I don't believe they had a solution in 2004.
Anyhow, I found the world of Compact Flash recorders. You can record stereo, non-compressed, plus a lot of the recorders have XLR inputs. Good stuff.
MiniDisc was a great thing in the late 90s and early 2000s. It provided, for me, a small, compact, high quality recording device. Even though it was compressed with ATRAC, the recordings I got out of my Sony MZ90 were great all things considered.
However, now, there are so many better solutions, and they either use Hard Drives or Compact Flash. Marantz, Edirol, Fostex to name a few. I own a Marantz unit for the last two years and the thing is amazing....
Honestly man, DAT is dead as well. All the high end and good low end stuff records either to Hard Disks or Compact Flash. Marantz, Fostex, Edirol, etc. all use them.
I jumped off the MiniDisc ship after the promised HiMD recorder were to allow you to transfer back to the computer via USB. It did....sorta. Unless you had a Viao, you couldn't burn a CD of your recordings. And if I remember correctly, it was something like nearly a year until Sony allowed you get get recordings out of Sonic Stage.
I decided to get a recorder that recorded to Compact Flash, the Marantz PMD660. Great unit.
Exactly. Verizon is heavily marketing the downloading music and videos here in the States. Its really sad actually......the thought of people actually buying songs at such a marked up price and not knowning if they can get it off their phone, or even if they can use it on other things (stereo, make a CD).
From everything I've read, it was the cellphone carriers which were fighting tooth and nail to cripple the phone. All the major carriers want you to buy music and videos THROUGH them at jacked up prices.
Are you sure it was an Apple decision or a Cellphone carrier decision? I believe a lot of the carriers (ATT, Verizon) want to you buy songs using their network rather than having a customer hook up their phone to their computer and sync with their library.
And if you think about it, buying music from Verzion is dumb. You could put it on your phone. Ok. But then what? And they cost like what, $1.99 a song or something?
That is not an iTunes issue. That is due to the phone and it's maker.
And form and function matter a lot.
That would be one thing that I give Kudos to Motorola and Nokia for. Not using Windows, I don't think I ever had to "reboot" my phones. Ever. EVER. And my aging Palm Vx, I think in the last year I've had to reboot it ONCE. And I use it all the time.
I think a lot of these new Phones and other things are just too flashy and what not. If it works, and works well, people go for it. Look at the Blackberry (which I really should have gotten over my RAZR).......
Not sure why you think using iTunes=limit on a number of songs you have. It would be great syncing iTunes via bluetooth, but that just would take forever, and sap the battery out of a phone.
The ability to have a card slot on the phone is cool, but the Nokia 6230 looks like a boat compared to the RAZR or the SLVR. But I agree that Motorola really dings customers for extras, but they do make nice products. I just want something iPod sized but with a PDA/Phone as well.
Yuck! No way. Plus, it runs Windows.