From: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org (alloy-digest) To: alloy-digest@smoe.org Subject: alloy-digest V5 #305 Reply-To: alloy@smoe.org Sender: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk X-To-Unsubscribe: Send mail to "alloy-digest-request@smoe.org" X-To-Unsubscribe: with "unsubscribe" as the body. alloy-digest Thursday, December 21 2000 Volume 05 : Number 305 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Alloy: BEATNIK and ROCKET NETWORK - 5.1 - ERIC SERRA ["Tim Hudson" Subject: Alloy: BEATNIK and ROCKET NETWORK - 5.1 - ERIC SERRA Hi, Some years ago an internet technology called 'RES ROCKET SURFER' was developed that allowed some degree of 'jamming' or at least 'shared composing' via the internet. This has since become something else called 'ROCKET' and now I believe 'THE ROCKET NETWORK'. The principle is that musicians and producers can work together on a project from anywhere with a connection and can post and receive compressed audio to work on a multipart production served up from a central 'virtual' server. When the new additions are approved the full bandwidth version is up loaded later. Many serious industry players such as top end USA desk manufacturers EUPHONIX and also DIGIDESIGN - the software audio company responsible for hard disk recording systems such as PROTOOLS are now supporting 'ROCKET NETWORK' Connectivity. In fact I think EUPHONIX have bought into the technology along with DIGIDESIGN. ALso STEINBERG and other MIDI plus audio sequencing software companies have also joined the bandwagon. This means that the big idea has been adopted and will evolve. In the light of the recenct discussion here about AUDIO provision on the Net - it seems an appropriate time to expand the discussion to include AUDIO creation on the net. I know that we have a few Musicians here and because the USA is noticeably ahead of Europe - I would like to ask anyone who knows about this 'ROCKET NETWORK' concept of collabourative working - whetehr it is actaully all it promises to be in terms of a way of making music on a global level. I also would like to ask anyone from BEATNIK what their position is with this technology as I understand their has been some kind of official alliance between BEATNIK and ROCKET NETWORK. As I understand it is some kind of agreement to work together - but maybe I have misunderstood. If anyone could clarify the nature of the agreement between BEATNIK and ROCKET NETWORK I would appreciate the info. From what I understand - which is probably about 25% of the picture - this technology or perhaps I should say 'model' or 'concept' could have a significant impact on the way that music is created in the medium term future. 'Virtual' studios will be established and contributions can be made and shared from anywhere with a net connection and the right software. Their was a pre-cursor to this approach a few years ago which ironically was called the DOLBY FAX. - produced by DOLBY LABS (Ray Dolby) of Dolby Noise reduction fame..... and that was used to 'post' vocals by various artists in different studios. I think I remember BONO from U2 doing a duet with SINATRA this way... Anyway the DOLBY FAX thing seems to have died a death. I havent heard about it for years now. The big buzz studio wise over here seems to be 5.1 Surround Sound mixes and how this is affecting the Film and post production market. TMDR would probably be up on all of that by now. It would be amazing to hear his music in a surround sound mix coming at you from 360 degrees. OK to close, while on the subject of film sound: There was some comment on ERIC SERRA here recently. The ERIC SERRA gravelly voiced film composer also did the soundtrack to one of the more recent James Bond films I think it was one with the current James Bond = Pierce Brosnan - the one where he drives a tank around St Petersberg or Moscow - I cant remember the title but yes he does sound remarkably like Peter Gabriel. I dont know why but I have this feeling that ERIC SERRA is French. OK ROCKET NETWORK plus BEATNIK whats the deal? DOLBY FAX is dead? THOMAS DOLBY AND 5.1 Surround sound mixes do any exist? ERIC SERRA name that Bond film? ERIC SERRA is he French? Tim in Luxembourg. I'd quite like to just go out tonight and find Captain Sensible and the Damned playing energetically in some backstreet crumbly cafe and we could all jump up and down and go crazy for old times sake but unfortunately its not going to happen......cest une domage! Music seems to have lost that ridiculousness which made it so entertaining - - all todays 'stars' would never dare make parody and lunacy a central part of their act. I miss Bootsy and Johnny guitar Watson too. Where are the entertainers today? Can software ever replace that? Where are the over the top 'dudes' today? Where has the 'attitude' and showmanship gone? Bring back entertainment! - -- Tim Hudson tim_hudson@zdnetonebox.com - email ___________________________________________________________________ To get your own FREE ZDNet Onebox - FREE voicemail, email, and fax, all in one place - sign up today at http://www.zdnetonebox.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 20 Dec 2000 05:30:09 -0500 (EST) From: andyjmail@cheerful.com Subject: Alloy: To DolBY or not Dolby / Ferngully Howdo. Thanks for all the info regarding what's Tom and what isn't! I just thought I'd share the following with you, FWIW. My good lady wife has been collecting cartoon movies for a few years now - "they'll be good for when we have kids" is how it started. And yes, our 3 year old is a Disneyholic already - although she's more into Teletubbies and Tweenies to be honest. And Bob the Builder... Barney etc. (argh!!). (I used to hate that lame adeniodal dinosaur Barney with a passion - - the Barney Must Die website was a laugh - but he's since won me over, any friend of Emily's is a friend of mine. If he helps her go to sleep he's my hero) Anyway, I discovered a couple of days ago that we had Ferngully - a movie containing three tracks written and produced by a certain Mr Dolby. If like me you're continually eager to hear yet more fresh and wholesome Dolbyness you may want to track this down if you haven't already experienced it. But only if you like soppy cartoons full of fairies! I wouldn't have bothered without the TD material (and the five speaker surround sound helps too) but I'll sheepishly admit to thouroughly enjoying it :o) Make sure it's the first Movie, not the follow-up (No mention of Thomas on the cover, just to confuse). Tom's 'Life is a Magic Thing' is the first song, with Batty Rap a little further on as the Batty character is introduced - a comedy bat played vocally by good ol' rent-a-laugh Robin Williams. The Bad Guy is later introduced with another TD written/produced track called Toxic Love. All three of these seem to be fairly common on Napster if you want the full versions and you have no conscience ;o) I cannot get 'Life is a Magic Thing' out of my head. It's one of the most joyful celebrations of existence I've ever heard. Superb! Can't say that 'Batty Rap' is a fave, but 'Toxic Love' is great. Over and out for now, Happy Hols, +AndyJ+ (upset about the loss of Kirsty MacColl - 'Kite' is a wonderful album) - ---------------------------------------------------------------- Get your free email from AltaVista at http://altavista.iname.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 20 Dec 2000 11:34:33 -0500 From: Robin Thurlow Subject: Re: Alloy: BEATNIK and ROCKET NETWORK - 5.1 - ERIC SERRA Tim wrote: > I'd quite like to just go out tonight and find Captain > Sensible and the Damned playing energetically in some backstreet crumbly > cafe and we could all jump up and down and go crazy for old times sake > but unfortunately its not going to happen......cest une domage! Music > seems to have lost that ridiculousness which made it so entertaining > - all todays 'stars' would never dare make parody and lunacy a central > part of their act. I miss Bootsy and Johnny guitar Watson too. Where > are the entertainers today? Can software ever replace that? Where are > the over the top 'dudes' today? Where has the 'attitude' and showmanship > gone? Bring back entertainment! > I mourn this loss too. It seems we have to make our own ridiculousness these days :) The cycle will come back around I'll bet, it always does. Meanwhile, Tim, what's your own art/writing/music/performance background? xxxx Robin T ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 20 Dec 2000 16:58:01 -0500 From: Russell Milliner Subject: Re: Alloy: To DolBY or not Dolby / Ferngully Andy..do you also have We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story which also has TMDR music. For those of you who have never looked, go to http://us.imdb.com/Name?Dolby,+Thomas IMDB is the Internet Movie Database. It lists all of the movies TMDR has contributed to. - -Russell Milliner The Unofficial TMDR http://www.pobox.com/~milliner/tmdr/ andyjmail@cheerful.com wrote: > > Howdo. > > Thanks for all the info regarding what's Tom and what > isn't! > > I just thought I'd share the following with you, FWIW. > My good lady wife has been collecting cartoon movies > for a few years now - "they'll be good for when we have > kids" is how it started. And yes, our 3 year old is > a Disneyholic already - although she's more into > Teletubbies and Tweenies to be honest. And Bob the > Builder... Barney etc. (argh!!). (I used to hate > that lame adeniodal dinosaur Barney with a passion > - the Barney Must Die website was a laugh - but he's > since won me over, any friend of Emily's is a friend > of mine. If he helps her go to sleep he's my hero) > > Anyway, I discovered a couple of days ago that we > had Ferngully - a movie containing three tracks written > and produced by a certain Mr Dolby. If like me you're > continually eager to hear yet more fresh and wholesome > Dolbyness you may want to track this down if you haven't > already experienced it. > > But only if you like soppy cartoons full of fairies! > I wouldn't have bothered without the TD material > (and the five speaker surround sound helps too) > but I'll sheepishly admit to thouroughly enjoying it :o) > > Make sure it's the first Movie, not the follow-up > (No mention of Thomas on the cover, just to confuse). > Tom's 'Life is a Magic Thing' is the first song, > with Batty Rap a little further on as the Batty > character is introduced - a comedy bat played vocally > by good ol' rent-a-laugh Robin Williams. > The Bad Guy is later introduced with another TD > written/produced track called Toxic Love. All three of > these seem to be fairly common on Napster if you want > the full versions and you have no conscience ;o) > > I cannot get 'Life is a Magic Thing' out of my head. > It's one of the most joyful celebrations of > existence I've ever heard. Superb! Can't say that > 'Batty Rap' is a fave, but 'Toxic Love' is great. > > Over and out for now, Happy Hols, > +AndyJ+ > > (upset about the loss of Kirsty MacColl - 'Kite' is a wonderful album) > > ---------------------------------------------------------------- > Get your free email from AltaVista at http://altavista.iname.com ------------------------------ End of alloy-digest V5 #305 ***************************