Re: MP3 posting (was: music)

["L Tremblay" <ltct@concentric.net>]

In all fairness, the MP3 format is not really intended as an
online, bandwidth-friendly format. It's supposed to replace
the bricks and mortar music distribution system of the last
60 years or so.

RealAudio, on the other hand *is* geared toward online use,
however, with a compromise in audio quality.

- Larry

-----Original Message-----
From: Stephen Goodman <sgoodman@earthlight.net>
To: Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com <Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com>
Date: Tuesday, November 02, 1999 3:51 PM
Subject: MP3 posting (was: music)


>I have to agree on the size of our files at least.  I'm sure we all have
our
>short pieces from :02 to 1:15 or so, but they don't constitute the 
>majority
>of our work, such that posting the short ones wouldn't do justice to the
>long pieces... My version of The Star Spangled Banner is in the
neighborhood
>of 7 minutes, and is nearly as many MB to listen/download, thus 
>prohibitive
>to most folks as we know.
>
>The downloading and use of MP3s is brought to our attention a good deal by
>the established music biz, via the "news" media, as if legions of people
are
>buying Rios and other units to play the songs posted online.  Think of 
>this
>perhaps, that the so-called "threat" of MP3 posting might be just a hook 
>of
>understanding for many music biz oldsters, upon which they hang the blame
>for less-than-super sales of an increasingly mediocre Product.  This has
>happened with other technologies and the established Entertainment Biz
>before: remember the Beta and ultimately VHS Wars?  Or perhaps the Biz'
>attempts to keep DAT from US consumers in the 80s?
>
>Perhaps MP3 is a way to snub the old, corrupt methods of selling music.
>Perhaps it's a subterfuge designed to distract these legions of potential
>thieves and pirates (us, that is) from really being able to compete with
the
>established Biz.  Perhaps it's just another file format that the Biz has
>gotten upset about, and not an issue in reality.
>
>I have to admit I like MP3 right now as it develops, but I wouldn't rely
>upon it for music posting because of the sheer size.  I imagine better
>compression will be available in the future, and I wait for a chance to
stop
>using Real altogether for my music posting.  In the meantime I'm
>experimenting with On-Demand Producer to produce ASF files that compete
with
>the RMs on basis of compression and sound quality, as well as video
>processing.  All one needs is the already-present Media Player to see this
>stuff, which is available and free - and doesn't include come-ons or 
>hidden
>installations for someone's Messaging Service in its upgrades.
>
>> >I don't know about the rest of you, but my music tends to be anywhere
>> >from 10 to 20 minutes per piece, and often has accompanying video.  
>This
>> >means large, slow to download files.
>
>L Tremblay <ltct@concentric.net> put forth:
>
>> Not a bad idea but only folks with killer computers and a
>> megabit connection to the Web would be able to enjoy such a
>> high-bandwidth site.
>
>It remains to be seen just how many people actually have a higher-than-56k
>access to Das Infobahn - and having a 350MHz, 128MB K6-2 doesn't help, if
>the pipeline is still so small.  This relegates the MP3 material we 
>produce
>to a limited market, potentially, and one we know relatively nothing 
>about,
>beyond the shrill announcements from the music biz.
>
>Then again, Comdex (or as they call it this year, ".COMdex") is with us
>again.  What outlandish stuff awaits those who go?  Is anyone from this
list
>going?  If so, please give us a report of what you see in the above 
>regard!
>
>Stephen Goodman       * It's the free Loop Of The Week!
>EarthLight Productions * http://www.earthlight.net/Studios.html
>*
>(Hear NEW music 11/1 here!)
>
>