Monument to the future: Difference between revisions

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= A never-ending piece of music / sounds for the future =  
= A never-ending piece of music / sounds for the future =  
''Below follows a brainstorm from Ruud van Nimwegen about the concept how to create a never-ending piece of music.''<br />
== '''Summary''' ==
This project aims to identify a way for civilization to continuously develop and refine its knowledge on this planet indefinitely through generations - as long as life is possible - as long as the sun shines.
We want to create a monument to the future by creating a never-ending piece of music, composed and played by every musician in the world.
This living monument gives every person the opportunity to shine very bright on a worldly stage, bringing the diversity of music globally together, overcoming cultural en religious differences. Listeners will be surprised and touched by the variety of world music.
 
The way to reach this is by creating an on- and offline community of millions of musicians where each person or group provide 5-10 minute compositions that can be connected to each other. Online technology will facilitate the process where people create, judge and arrange music. It will be pleasant to hear for every inhabitant of planet earth and will last as long our planet will be inhabited by human life.
 
Below you can read about the details of this idea.
<br />
<br />


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<br />
<br />
''Why are we doing this? What's the higher goal, our vision?''<br />
''Why are we doing this? What's the higher goal, our vision?''<br />
* Opportunity to shine very bright: for everyone it's possible to have a worldly stage, show it's talent and be proud to show friends and family their capabilities.
* Musicians and composers have the opportunity to shine very bright: for everyone it's possible to have a worldly stage, show it's talent and be proud to show friends and family their capabilities.
* Bring inspiration together, having fun in creating music: musicians inspire each other and get connected, based on their passion and shared musical vision.
* Bring inspiration together, having fun in creating music: musicians inspire each other and get connected, based on their passion and shared musical vision.
* Music bringing opposing groups together: listeners will be surprised and touched by the variety of world music, their differences, and similarities. Although we might think different and have different ethical values, we also share the same things.
* For society, music is bringing opposing groups together: listeners will be surprised and touched by the variety of world music, their differences, and similarities. Although we might think different and have different ethical values, we also share the same things.
* To communicate the relevance of continuity, of the effort needed today to make possible tomorrow and all days after it, but also of creativity and the contributions of many  
* To communicate the relevance of continuity, of the effort needed today to make possible tomorrow and all days after it, but also of creativity and the contributions of many  
* .....
* .....
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* Make use of workflow technology and the communicative power of infographics to automate the facilitation process
* Make use of workflow technology and the communicative power of infographics to automate the facilitation process
* Make use of search technology (e.g.: [https://www.soundhound.com/ soundhound], [https://www.shazam.com/ shazam], [https://www.chordie.com/ chordy]) to automatically judge handed music pieces
* Make use of search technology (e.g.: [https://www.soundhound.com/ soundhound], [https://www.shazam.com/ shazam], [https://www.chordie.com/ chordy]) to automatically judge handed music pieces
* Make use of open cloudstorage of music (e.g.: [https://soundcloud.com/ soundcloud], [https://www.youtube.com/ youtube])
* Make use of portal technology to facilitate people in working together without time and location barriers. (E.g. [https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/SharePoint Sharepoint], [https://trello.com/ Trello])
* Make use of portal technology to facilitate people in working together without time and location barriers. (E.g. [https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/SharePoint Sharepoint], [https://trello.com/ Trello])
<br />
<br />
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'''Method/process'''
'''Method/process'''
# Composers compose their music piece on the hand of certain standards and within a music theme that functions as a framework. Example of a (classical) theme is [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v93b0pXUo0c Ponce's Variations and Fugue on 'La Folia']. In this example you hear the basic chords first, followed by the variations.
# Composers compose their music piece based on certain standards and within a music theme that functions as a framework. Example of a (classical) theme is [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v93b0pXUo0c Ponce's Variations and Fugue on 'La Folia']. In this example you hear the basic chords first, followed by the variations. Each variation could be composed by another composer/musician so an never-ending piece of music can be created when they are put behind each other.
# Composers/Musicians record the piece and hand it in for verification. Verification is needed to check if it suits the standards so it can be to connected in front and behind other music pieces.
# Composers/Musicians record the piece and hand it in for verification. Verification is needed to check if it suits the standards so it can be to connected in front and behind other music pieces.
# Verifiers check the music piece on standards. These could for example be: Volume range; theme is recognizable; composition quality; performance quality; recording quality; uniqueness; end en beginning starting in a certain key, tune hight, tempo; etc.).
# Verifiers check the music piece on standards. These could for example be: Volume range; theme is recognizable; composition quality; performance quality; recording quality; uniqueness; end en beginning starting in a certain key, tune hight, tempo; etc.).
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* When composers and musicians want to work together on composing the music, they can use the online workspace area of their project in which they can chat together, work together in a music sheet, upload their part of the music, ask others to give their judgement, etc..
* When composers and musicians want to work together on composing the music, they can use the online workspace area of their project in which they can chat together, work together in a music sheet, upload their part of the music, ask others to give their judgement, etc..
* when the piece is finished, it can be uploaded where the composer has to fill in additional information (metadata) that helps to arrange the piece with other pieces.
* when the piece is finished, it can be uploaded where the composer has to fill in additional information (metadata) that helps to arrange the piece with other pieces.
* The verifications goes as follows. The first check is by algorithms. After passing this, it will be verified by humans. Every member of the community has also the role of verifier. Three members (for example) will be notified and judge online the piece and metadata by filling in a judgement form. If the judgements vary, automatically other members will be ask to judge. If it is let's say 80 % positive, then the piece passed the test. If not, then the composer gets is informed in the portal what has to be improved.
* The verifications goes as follows. The first check is by algorithms. After passing this, it will be verified by humans. Every member of the community has also the role of verifier. Three members (for example) will be notified and judge online the piece and metadata by filling in a judgement form. If the judgements vary, automatically other members will be ask to judge. If it is let's say 80 % positive, then the piece passed the test. If not, then the composer is informed in the portal what has to be improved.
* The automated system makes a suggestion which in which sequence music pieces should be played. The arranger will focus on the parts that can't be matched and has the liberty to make beautiful arrangements of it's own. The arranger can also be any member of the community that has completed the test he or she is a good arranger.
* The automated system makes a suggestion in which sequence music pieces should be played. The arranger will focus on the parts that can't be matched and has the liberty to make beautiful arrangements of it's own. The arranger can be any member of the community that has completed the test he or she is a good arranger.
* After a new badge of music pieces is arranged, the system will publish it automatically.
* After a new badge of music pieces is arranged, the system will publish it automatically.
* Additional, members can judge composers, verifiers and arrangers (like with the like system in fora). That will be used to keep the quality high. People that really don't do a good job, are excluded to participate in a certain role and have to prove after a while that they are capable of it.
* Additional, members can judge composers, verifiers and arrangers (like with the like system in fora). That will be used to keep the quality high. People that really don't do a good job, are excluded to participate in a certain role and have to prove after a while that they are capable of it.
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'''Promoting the music'''<br />
'''Promoting the music'''<br />


To promote the music the online music machine consists of the following functions besides playing the music:
To promote the music the following functions are needed besides being able to playing/listen the music:
* It shows to visitors the past playlist, with extra information about the composer and others, being able to play back the music.
* It shows to visitors the past playlist, with extra information about the composer and others, being able to play back the music.
* It shows what kinds of arrangement is coming, which famous composers/musicians/arrangers, from which countries, etc.
* It shows what kinds of arrangement is coming, which famous composers/musicians/arrangers, from which countries, etc.
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<br />
<br />


'''Creating a involved and growing community'''  
'''Creating an involved and growing community''' <br />
To get people involved and to grow certain online marketing/sales techniques must be used, as well as some event activities. Below a few examples:
To get people involved and to grow certain online marketing/sales techniques must be used, as well as some event activities. Below a few examples:
* Competitions (between conservatory)
* Competitions (between conservatory)
* Handing in music, means also verifying at least x times
* Rule for participants: handing in music, means also verifying at least x times
* Stimulating creators to invite listeners
* Stimulating creators to invite listeners
* xxxxx
* Involve radio stations to play certain parts of the music monument
* Let composers and performers share in income generated from reproducing/distributing their pieces (which would give them incentive not to publishing them elsewhere)
* .......
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />


== '''Viable product''' ==  
== '''Viable product''' ==  
''How can this idea keep existing. How do we generate income to:
''How can this idea keep existing. How do we generate income to:''
* develop technology to facilitate the process,
* ''develop technology to facilitate the process''
* pay for people that run the project/organization
* ''pay for people that run the project/organization''
* pay for people that coordinate the non-automated parts of the composition process that are of strategic importance''
* ''pay for people that coordinate the non-automated parts of the composition process that are of strategic importance''
<br />
<br />
<br />


[not worked out yet]
By:
<br />
* Paying for extra functions music, for example: playing past pieces, getting extra information about the piece of music,  
* Paying for extra functions: playing past pieces, getting extra information,  
* Paying for extra collaboration functions for musicians (Trello income model).
* Paid commercials or sponsorship by: conservatory (new students, innovative image), music studio's (recording music), city counsel (innovative image, sponsoring culture and art), radio channels, musicians (putting a link to your website or to your music channel/new album)
* Paid commercials or sponsorship by: conservatory (new students, innovative image), music studio's (recording music), city counsel (innovative image, sponsoring culture and art), radio channels, musicians (putting a link to your website or to your music channel/new album)
* let composers and performers share in income generated from reproducing/distributing their pieces (which would give them incentive not to publishing them elsewhere)  
* Providing access to a worldwide community of musicians for recruiters and bands (Linkedin income model)
* ..........
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />


== '''Start-up strategy''' ==  
== '''Start-up strategy''' ==  
''What strategy do we use to find out if this could work?''<br />
We will use the [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBlrLqsjIDw Lean startup] method with the following [http://www.bsgdelivers.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/StopGuessing.png steps]:
* Defining idea, making a business model
* Check uniqueness idea and attitude towards it with potential customers and sponsors
* Create minimum viable product (MVP) to test if early adopters want to participate and buy/donate
* Ask direct feedback and measure continuously what parts of the service/product are good and which are not
* Refine the product/service based on what customers want/use and continue measuring and refining




''What strategy do we use to find out if this could work?''<br />
Input for the MVP:
* try with a non-curated or minimally curated sequence that anyone can contribute to?
* use [https://soundcloud.com/ soundcloud] or [https://www.youtube.com/ youtube] as cloud medium so others can hand over, judge and arrange the music pieces.
* try to engage existing (internet) radio stations to hand over certain programs (e.g. reviews of new pieces) to one another and make that sequence of programs available for later access?
* try with a non-curated or minimally curated sequence that anyone can contribute to
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBlrLqsjIDw Lean startup]
** start testing the process with existing online (free) software, non-automated judgement and with a small group of musicians
** small goals first, for example: every two weeks one hour of composed music that connects to the other the next week.
* try to engage existing (internet) radio stations to hand over certain programs (e.g. reviews of new pieces) to one another and make that sequence of programs available for later access
* .........
 
<br />
<br />


[not worked out yet]
== '''Funding''' ==
<br />
<br />
''Which organizations to contact for funding''<br />
<br />
<br />
*[http://stimuleringsfonds.nl/toekenningen/monuments_of_the_future/ stimuleringsfond]
* ......


== '''Steps to get there''' ==
== '''Steps to get there''' ==
<br />
<br />
''Which first steps do we need to take?''<br />
''Which first steps do we need to take?''<br />
[not worked out yet]
<br />
<br />
Step 1:
* finish main idea
* feedback of musicians and conservatory on the idea
* engage more people to think about ideas, to try them, and to realize them
<br />
Step 2:
* create team
* make a [http://diytoolkit.org/media/business-model-canvas_preview_3.jpg businessmodel] to convince sponsors
* make marketing plan for gathering musicians, listeners and sponsors
* make design for minimum viable product and way to measure success
* test process of never ending music (could it work?)
* find sponsors
<br />
Step 3
* develop minimum viable product (MVP)
* promote project, gather participants and get more sponsors
<br />
Step 4
* Launch MVP
* Measure, Learn
* Adapt
<br />
<br />
= '''Comparable initiatives and their method''' =
= '''Comparable initiatives and their method''' =
<br />
<br />

Latest revision as of 14:05, 2 March 2017

Monuments to the future

This site aims to help identify ways for civilization to continue and to make it more likely that sentient beings will remain on this planet while life is possible (why? see here for a motivation). A way to serve this purpose might be to create monuments to the future.

Such monuments could bring to attention the possibility of a long term future that others could experience, make it tangible for us in some way and reflect on the role of our actions in shaping it or in making it more or less likely or even impossible. The 10000 year Clocks/Installations of the long Now would be such monuments but are local, remote, expensive and conceptually almost static. The Letters of Utrecht are intended as a monument to the future, are flexible, engage a large and growing number of people and pay for themselves and even good causes, but are local. Longplayer has global reach but is completely determined for its entire duration and difficult to engage with. Can we think of monuments that engage many, provide growing reason for their continuation and preferably have great reach as well as conceptual flexibility?

A never-ending piece of music / sounds for the future

Summary

This project aims to identify a way for civilization to continuously develop and refine its knowledge on this planet indefinitely through generations - as long as life is possible - as long as the sun shines. We want to create a monument to the future by creating a never-ending piece of music, composed and played by every musician in the world. This living monument gives every person the opportunity to shine very bright on a worldly stage, bringing the diversity of music globally together, overcoming cultural en religious differences. Listeners will be surprised and touched by the variety of world music.

The way to reach this is by creating an on- and offline community of millions of musicians where each person or group provide 5-10 minute compositions that can be connected to each other. Online technology will facilitate the process where people create, judge and arrange music. It will be pleasant to hear for every inhabitant of planet earth and will last as long our planet will be inhabited by human life.

Below you can read about the details of this idea.

Why


Why are we doing this? What's the higher goal, our vision?

  • Musicians and composers have the opportunity to shine very bright: for everyone it's possible to have a worldly stage, show it's talent and be proud to show friends and family their capabilities.
  • Bring inspiration together, having fun in creating music: musicians inspire each other and get connected, based on their passion and shared musical vision.
  • For society, music is bringing opposing groups together: listeners will be surprised and touched by the variety of world music, their differences, and similarities. Although we might think different and have different ethical values, we also share the same things.
  • To communicate the relevance of continuity, of the effort needed today to make possible tomorrow and all days after it, but also of creativity and the contributions of many
  • .....



How


What are the unique components that should make this thing work:

  • Make use of the creativity and the time of every musician of the world
  • Having a dedicated community of listeners, composers, players, verifiers and promoters to feed the never-ending music
  • Use internet/cloud technology to connect musicians over the world
  • Make use of workflow technology and the communicative power of infographics to automate the facilitation process
  • Make use of search technology (e.g.: soundhound, shazam, chordy) to automatically judge handed music pieces
  • Make use of open cloudstorage of music (e.g.: soundcloud, youtube)
  • Make use of portal technology to facilitate people in working together without time and location barriers. (E.g. Sharepoint, Trello)


The examples are meant to give an impression of how something could work, but does not mean that these are the technologies we have to use.

What


What would be the product/service and how does it work

Method/process

  1. Composers compose their music piece based on certain standards and within a music theme that functions as a framework. Example of a (classical) theme is Ponce's Variations and Fugue on 'La Folia'. In this example you hear the basic chords first, followed by the variations. Each variation could be composed by another composer/musician so an never-ending piece of music can be created when they are put behind each other.
  2. Composers/Musicians record the piece and hand it in for verification. Verification is needed to check if it suits the standards so it can be to connected in front and behind other music pieces.
  3. Verifiers check the music piece on standards. These could for example be: Volume range; theme is recognizable; composition quality; performance quality; recording quality; uniqueness; end en beginning starting in a certain key, tune hight, tempo; etc.).
  4. The arranger connects different pieces together to make a pleasant to hear whole. Taking into account for examaple: different styles of music (classic, pop, punk, jazz, blues, hardrock, etc); the way it is recorded; the atmosphere the music breaths (sad, happy, melancholic, angry); intensity; etc..
  5. The publisher publishes the music so it can be heard

Note: later on the music could be enhanced with music videos, but first priority is the music itself.

Online portal that facilitates the process
The online portal has the function to play the music, promote to participate and facilitate the process. The facilitation of the process is 100 % automated. The verification process and arranging process is supported by automation. The way the facilitation could work is like this:

  • The portal informs composers and musicians about the theme and standards to which the music has to obey. They can upload it and have an automated check if it meets the demands.
  • When composers and musicians want to work together on composing the music, they can use the online workspace area of their project in which they can chat together, work together in a music sheet, upload their part of the music, ask others to give their judgement, etc..
  • when the piece is finished, it can be uploaded where the composer has to fill in additional information (metadata) that helps to arrange the piece with other pieces.
  • The verifications goes as follows. The first check is by algorithms. After passing this, it will be verified by humans. Every member of the community has also the role of verifier. Three members (for example) will be notified and judge online the piece and metadata by filling in a judgement form. If the judgements vary, automatically other members will be ask to judge. If it is let's say 80 % positive, then the piece passed the test. If not, then the composer is informed in the portal what has to be improved.
  • The automated system makes a suggestion in which sequence music pieces should be played. The arranger will focus on the parts that can't be matched and has the liberty to make beautiful arrangements of it's own. The arranger can be any member of the community that has completed the test he or she is a good arranger.
  • After a new badge of music pieces is arranged, the system will publish it automatically.
  • Additional, members can judge composers, verifiers and arrangers (like with the like system in fora). That will be used to keep the quality high. People that really don't do a good job, are excluded to participate in a certain role and have to prove after a while that they are capable of it.
  • Second, every person has it's own profile that shows in which music project are participated, which role (composer, musician, verifier, arranger) and maybe a quality score. Based on that, people get certain points of involvement which give them extra powers/authorities (good composers have access to verifier options, etc.) and maybe some awards can be given (in real life)



Promoting the music

To promote the music the following functions are needed besides being able to playing/listen the music:

  • It shows to visitors the past playlist, with extra information about the composer and others, being able to play back the music.
  • It shows what kinds of arrangement is coming, which famous composers/musicians/arrangers, from which countries, etc.
  • The people that were involved in the music piece will be informed when the music will be played and also have a notification let's say one hour in advance.
  • Same counts for listeners that follow a certain composer/musician/arranger.



Creating an involved and growing community
To get people involved and to grow certain online marketing/sales techniques must be used, as well as some event activities. Below a few examples:

  • Competitions (between conservatory)
  • Rule for participants: handing in music, means also verifying at least x times
  • Stimulating creators to invite listeners
  • Involve radio stations to play certain parts of the music monument
  • Let composers and performers share in income generated from reproducing/distributing their pieces (which would give them incentive not to publishing them elsewhere)
  • .......



Viable product

How can this idea keep existing. How do we generate income to:

  • develop technology to facilitate the process
  • pay for people that run the project/organization
  • pay for people that coordinate the non-automated parts of the composition process that are of strategic importance


By:

  • Paying for extra functions music, for example: playing past pieces, getting extra information about the piece of music,
  • Paying for extra collaboration functions for musicians (Trello income model).
  • Paid commercials or sponsorship by: conservatory (new students, innovative image), music studio's (recording music), city counsel (innovative image, sponsoring culture and art), radio channels, musicians (putting a link to your website or to your music channel/new album)
  • Providing access to a worldwide community of musicians for recruiters and bands (Linkedin income model)
  • ..........



Start-up strategy

What strategy do we use to find out if this could work?
We will use the Lean startup method with the following steps:

  • Defining idea, making a business model
  • Check uniqueness idea and attitude towards it with potential customers and sponsors
  • Create minimum viable product (MVP) to test if early adopters want to participate and buy/donate
  • Ask direct feedback and measure continuously what parts of the service/product are good and which are not
  • Refine the product/service based on what customers want/use and continue measuring and refining


Input for the MVP:

  • use soundcloud or youtube as cloud medium so others can hand over, judge and arrange the music pieces.
  • try with a non-curated or minimally curated sequence that anyone can contribute to
    • start testing the process with existing online (free) software, non-automated judgement and with a small group of musicians
    • small goals first, for example: every two weeks one hour of composed music that connects to the other the next week.
  • try to engage existing (internet) radio stations to hand over certain programs (e.g. reviews of new pieces) to one another and make that sequence of programs available for later access
  • .........


Funding


Which organizations to contact for funding

Steps to get there


Which first steps do we need to take?

Step 1:

  • finish main idea
  • feedback of musicians and conservatory on the idea
  • engage more people to think about ideas, to try them, and to realize them


Step 2:

  • create team
  • make a businessmodel to convince sponsors
  • make marketing plan for gathering musicians, listeners and sponsors
  • make design for minimum viable product and way to measure success
  • test process of never ending music (could it work?)
  • find sponsors


Step 3

  • develop minimum viable product (MVP)
  • promote project, gather participants and get more sponsors


Step 4

  • Launch MVP
  • Measure, Learn
  • Adapt


Comparable initiatives and their method