Last year epic Canadian rockers Arcade Fire blazed a trail with their Wilderness Downtown interactive music video, which incorporates images of the place where you grew up. And if that impressed you, take a look at this similar project from Japanese band Sour, which goes further by sliding content from your Twitter and Facebook accounts into a multi-window song video. Neat.
I’m expecting a whole slew of similar stuff from bands this year – and although they call them ‘interactive’ experiences, there’s not a whole lot you can actually do other than sit back and watch.
Make your own music
If you want to really create and interact with music, you need to look elsewhere. Thankfully there’s no shortage of websites, apps and tools to unlock your inner musician.
For starters, there are heaps of smart phone apps to help you make music in imaginative and unexpected ways. It may have been around a while, but Ocarina – an iPhone app that turns your phone into an ancient woodwind instrument – will still make you smile as you blow into the microphone and hit all the wrong notes.
Then there’s BeatMaker, a monster mobile app that turns your handset into a music creation studio. See it in action here.
Android owners might like Hit It!, a fun drum machine. Tap the screen or make like you’re Keith Moon in The Who by waving your phone at an invisible drum kit. Alternatively, get hold of Musical, a good all-round app that simulates lots of instruments in one.
There’s more music on the web
Some of the most original musical ideas I’ve seen are available on the web. Take Isle of Tune. Created by Jim Hall, its Sim City-esque interface lets you lay out roads, then add trees, flowers, buildings and street furniture before setting cars off through your streets.
Here’s the trick: as the cars pass items beside the road, they make sounds, which you can build up into a tune. It’s truly delightful – and you’ll be impressed by some of the tracks other users have saved and shared.
I’m also a bit of a fan of this whimsical record player-inspired ad from VW. It puts you in the driving seat, allowing you to create your own Sunday drive soundtrack by clicking buttons and scratching a ‘record’ with your mouse pointer. It’s cute, but lacks staying power.
R-r-r-remix
Finally, if making your own music from scratch sounds too much like hard work, how about using your favourite band’s tracks as a starting point?
Swedish electropop sensation Robyn has created an online beatbox where you can rework clips from one of her songs. And Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails has long loved messing around in cyberspace, even offering a remix tool to get you started. What a great way to get closer to your fans.
January 15th, 2012 by Kris in Community, Interactive, Video 478