How to Stream Your Music Into Second Life - Six Software Source Clients Compared by Joe Bear

How to Stream Your Music Into Second Life
Six Software Source Clients Compared
By Joe Bear

Were you aware that your music can be streamed into Second Life using the same technology as internet radio? Bringing your music to this new audience requires a Shoutcast source client, which sends your music to a streaming server, which subsequently rebroadcasts your music to all the listeners in Second Life.

This article lists the leading choices in Shoutcast/Icecast source clients. This source client is the piece of software that runs on your computer, connecting the music you play with the streaming server.

What it does
The Shoutcast/Icecast streaming source client takes audio input from a program or hardware device, encodes it into a media stream, and sends the media stream on to a streaming server. Each step of this process requires configuration, and each program differs in the specifics of where you may find these settings. However, the settings themselves are fairly universal.

Music source
The input to the source client may come from a media player such as iTunes, Winamp, or Windows Media Player, or it may also come from a hardware device connected to your computer -- such as a mixer connected to a sound card or even an integrated laptop microphone. Your chosen source client will present a list of possible inputs from which you can choose to broadcast.

Encoding
Some source clients may be able to encode into multiple media formats. However, for compatibility with Second Life, you will need to use mp3. The Second Life viewer on your listeners' end does not support WMA, AAC, Ogg, or other formats. Further, you will find that if you try to use the most pristine mp3 encoding settings, your listeners will experience skips in the stream. It is best not to use anything higher than 44.1 kHz, 64 kbps, stereo. You should be able to find these settings grouped together.

Specifying the stream server
Lastly, you will need to specify the Shoutcast/Icecast streaming server to which the source client will connect. This will be in the form of a URL or an IP Address, a Port number, and a Password. Some streaming clients allow you to build a 'library' of servers, each with their own URL, port, and password. This is handy if you regularly perform at a number of venues. Each venue will have its own server. This allows you to, once configured, merely select a given venue's server from a list, and have all the values set at once. If your source client does not have this feature, you will need to manually enter this data every time for each venue.

Criteria
For each listed software streaming client, I list the price, where you can obtain it, what platform it runs upon, and other attributes. After reading this article, you should be ready to choose a streaming source client that meets your needs.
Before I list the choices, I will first define what the various attributes mean.

Operating System (OS) - This tells you what operating system the streaming source client is compatible with. There are choices for Windows, Mac OS, Linux, and other UNIX-like OSs.

Plugin vs. Standalone - Some Shoutcast/Icecast source clients are 'plugins', which operate inside of other programs. An example is the Shoutcast DSP Plugin, which installs 'into' Winamp as a host. Other source clients run in their own window, providing all needed functionality themselves.

Record functionality - Some source clients will also record (or 'archive') your stream. The stream is not only sent on to the streaming server, but it also is written to your computer's disk as an mp3 file. This allows you to play back your stream at a later date.

Presenting the candidates:

butt (broadcast using this tool)

• Free
• Linux, MacOS and Windows.
• Open source project hosted on Sourceforge
• Standalone
• Streaming and recording simultaneously with different bitrates

This relative newcomer provides all the functionality that you would need or want. The fact that it is free, and runs on almost any computer, makes it a great choice.

Winamp with Shoutcast DSP Plugin

• Free
• Windows, Mac OS, Linux, other UNIX
• Winamp makes Winamp Standard
• Shoutcast makes the Shoutcast DSP Plugin
• Host media player and Plugin
• No built in recording functionality

This solution has been the mainstay in the Windows arena, mostly due to its price.

Nicecast

• $40 (free demo)
• Mac OS
• Rogueamoeba is the company behind Nicecast
• Standalone
• Archive function

For years, this has been the standard in the Mac arena. Full featured.

Simplecast

• $139
• Windows
• Spacialaudio produces simplecast
• Standalone
• No built in recording functionality

This selection comes from a company with a full line of professional internet radio tools.

Reaper with Shoutcast plugin

• $60 (free demo)
• Windows
• Cockos makes Reaper
• Landoleet is where you can get the reaper_shoutcast.dll plugin (this is NOT the same as the Shoutcast DSP Plugin for Winamp)
• Host DAW and Plugin
• Full multitrack recording capability

Reaper is a full-functioned DAW, from a company founded by the guy who first invented Shoutcast technology. Extremely powerful, with complexity to match.

EdCast

• Free
• Windows
• Oddsock makes edcast
• Available either standalone, or as a plugin for Winamp or Foobar2000.
• Recorder not built in.

Both EdCast and its precursor Oddcast are from the same developer, along with a number of other useful music tools (including a stream recorder).

The envelope, please
If you are just getting started in streaming your music into Second Life, I recommend that you start with butt. Silly name, I know. However, it is free, does everything you want it to do, and runs the same way on any computer you're likely to have. Plus, it is an open source program, meaning that its future is pretty much assured.

Any of the other choices would be fine as well. They all work pretty much hiccup-free. If your needs are unique, there may be some reason to prefer another over butt.

Myself, I use Reaper with the Shoutcast plugin. Reaper is a full-featured music production DAW like Pro Tools, Logic, Sonar, etc. In fact, it was my DAW before I started streaming into Second Life. The fact that Reaper is from the guy the guy that invented internet radio (as well as Winamp, Gnutella, and other modern necessities) holds strong sway with me.

Get going!
You really can't go wrong with any of the above. Just grab one, grab the free Second Life viewer, create a free Second Life account, log on, and start performing for the eager Second Life audiences!
I hope you join us in this journey to a strange and wonderful new world. In the meantime, you may wish to do some early exploring on your own - it is free to get started! Just click the link below:

Joe Bear is an Ezine Articles Expert Author! Join Joe in Second Life -- you can find the tools you need to get started with a free Second Life account at his website Metaverse Musician -- just click here to get started!

Joe Bear has been making music for several decades on a commercially-successful basis. Bands and solo acts; live and in the studio; rock, blues, jazz, country, bluegrass, pop, and others; guitar, voice, keys, bass, drums, mandolin, and other instruments; singer, songwriter, producer, instrumentalist, teacher, engineer. With the demise of the traditional recording industry, and the plethora of new outlets for enterprising musicians opened by new technologies, he has been focusing upon these new markets.
Always a believer in extending a hand down to help the next person up, he is now sharing the knowledge he has gained in this uncharted territory. He is sharing this info on his blog at http://MetaverseMusician.com/blog/about. Please register at the Metaverse Musician blog for regular updates on these and other topics. This will entitle you to exclusive information -- including detailed step-by-step instructions on setting up to be a Second Life musician at no cost. Hurry -- time is limited on this offer!

(c) Copyright - Joe Bear, All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joe_Bear

POLL: What do you think of the new Second Life 2.0 Viewer?

Please, post your opinions in comments. What are the pros to the new 2.0 SL viewer? What are the cons? Is the new 2.0 viewer going to be a workable viewer for all Second Life residents, old and new? What do we gain from the new viewer? Is it easier to use and find things? What is the new viewer lacking that is needed, and can only be found in the old viewer? I would love to hear all perspectives and usage commentary on the new Second Life 2.0 viewer.

5 of the Best Classic Drum-n-Bass Music Videos

Doubledown Tandino's selections:
5 of the best classic drum-n-bass music videos

1)


2)


3)


4)


5)


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See Also: Doubledown Tandino's 13 Favorite Sexy Electronica Classics of All Time

Panel Discussion on the film "Avatar" at Inside the Avatar Studio at Rockcliffe University in Second Life - Tuesday, January 5th, 2010 - 3pm SLT

Jan 5th 2010  -  3:00-4:30 PM PST

Rockcliffe University : Inside the Avatar Studio
Corrimal Hall, Rockcliffe X
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Rockcliffe%20X/200/200/30

(Event on Facebook Link)

The visual appeal of the movie "Avatar" has taken away the breath of just about everyone who has seen the film. The movie is an ultimate example of a graphic novel brought to life.

Join us as our panelists discuss which implications "Avatar" will have as virtual worlds continue to gain traction and what future avatars may gain from the stunning futuristic vision James Cameron has offered up... Inside The Avatar Studio.

This event will be filmed live by Stuart Warf of Rezzed TV.
(for those not able to attend the panel discussion live in Second Life, there will be a taping of the event. I will make sure to announce when the taped version is available on the net.)

Facilitated by Phelan Corrimal/Kevin Feenan - Dean of Rockcliffe University

Panelists:

Beyers Sellers/Robert Bloomfield - Metanomics Host, Cornell University

Dirk Talamasca - Virtual Real Estate Developer, Builder

Doubledown Tandino - Social media marketing, Second Life specialist, musician, and DJ

Botgirl Questi's human avatar, fourworlds Ra - A beautiful thought experiment personified through the imagined perspective of a self-aware avatar.

References:

Thoughts on How The Avatar Film Relates to Avatars in Virtual Worlds by Botgirl Questi -
http://botgirl.blogspot.com/2009/12/thoughts-on-how-avatar-film-relates-to.html

I Saw Avatar Today and it Blew Me Away by Doubledown Tandino -
http://djdoubledown.blogspot.com/2009/12/i-saw-avatar-today-my-review-it-blew-me.html

James Cameron's Avatar is about Transhumanism -
http://secondtense.blogspot.com/2009/12/james-camerons-avatar-is-about.html

Gizmodo Avatar Review : Yes it Changed Everything -
http://gizmodo.com/5429424/avatar-review-yes-it-changed-everything-after-all

Understanding Interaction in Virtual Worlds  -
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-12/uon-uii122309.php#

UPDATE POST by Botgirl: Avatars on Avatar. Narrative vs. Meaning.

What is the current rate of service charge for (Second Life) DJs - A Thread in the Second Life Blogs

There is an active conversation thread in the Second Life blogs:

What is the current rate of service charge for DJs

If you're interested, have a read.  There are many valid points from various people.  The discussion is in regards to the "average" pay for a DJ in Second Life, and why a DJ/performer may or may not charge for an event.

Just wanted to bring it to your attention if you are a venue owner, a booking manager or agent, or a DJ looking for gigs in Second Life.   This thread is also relevant to live musicians, singers, and performers as well.

I saw "Avatar" today. My review: It blew me Away!

James Cameron's "Avatar" is one of the most monumental films of this decade, and decades to come. Some may not realize it yet as to why, but, trust me, this movie will be so important for years.  It's on the same caliber of movie as Citizen Kane, Dances with Wolves, and Schlindler's List.

The visual effects and colors were the most magnificent I have EVER seen in a movie (the only movie that even comes close in color is a short segment in the movie "What Dreams May Come"). The 3D technology was brilliant, and the movie was not about trying to make sight gags using the 3D. 

Aside from the technical aspects being phenomenal and innovative, and the visual beauty, the story has so many layers and meanings to our real lives.

There are comparisons, undertones, symbolism, parallels and metaphors that strike deep into the core of any human viewer. Our societies, our races, our world; it hits home.  This movie has so many layers to it. ( I will not reveal anything, so I do not spoil it for anyone.  I don't want to reveal what I picked up from watching the movie.  You will want to go in fresh and absorb on your own. )


James Cameron spent $500 million on it, and it is worth every penny.

This movie is an epic brilliant masterpiece of this century. You may not realize it when you walk out of the theater... but this movie is going to be so important to the entire movie industry, and will last as one of the greatest movies ever made.

You NEED to see this film in the theater and in 3D.   Do not wait for the DVD.


UPDATE:  This Avatar review arrived on Gizmodo:  

Avatar Review: Yes, It Changed Everything After All

This review is a much better write-up on exactly what I am trying to relay in my review.  I am not a movie reviewer, but this review is what I was trying to say.


The point is,  whatever you've heard, or read, or seen in previews, it's nothing in comparison to what the movie actually IS.

2010 Predictions for Virtual Events

One of my favorite blogs "It's All Virtual" (hosted by Dennis Shiao) has posted a predictions for 2010 in Virtual Events. It's definitely worth the read.

2010 Predictions For Virtual Events
"Virtual events have incorporated a lot of on-demand and live video – however, to date, the majority of attendee interaction has been via text (e.g. private text chat, group text chat, etc.).  Many platforms have enabled the use of attendee webcams (a la Skype) and that was a nice start.  In 2010, I believe that the virtual event platforms will integrate with third party video conferencing technologies in a big way – stirred largely by client demand for it."   Full article is HERE

Plus, make sure to check out 2009 Virtual Events : Year in Review

Youtube is Dying - YouTube Exposed!

Thank you Goldbar.tv for delivering this to me
Follow Goldbar.tv:

Positive Reviews of the new Tune Multiple Worlds are Flying in!!

Recently Slim Girl Fat (Slim Warrior inSL) and Brad Reason (Doubledown Tandino inSL) released a collaboration track entitled "Multiple Worlds."  The track has receive a phenomenal warm response filled with comments and praise.


"I like the keys at the top, they lend to a certain mystery that the track creates. I like how the song develops and keeps me interested. Good melodies, good loops, good sounds, good mix. Well done."

"I like the use of the synthesizer, I think this brings a unique qualtiy to the track. Additionally, the rhythm used is very choppy and bouncy and works to enhance the track by giving it an intricate extra layer. As a dance track I feel that this builds up gradually and works really well."

"Quite cool intro the music was very pretty with the musical instruments played very perfectly. The drum beat was good also."

"This is quite nice and relaxing- very ambient. It is a well arranged piece of music, and it sounds like a complete track."

"great song. Nice and chilled, making the perfect background music. Buildups and general structure are well done. Seriously reminds of beaches, summer and good times. Love it."


....There were over 60 comments and reviews on the tune received within just 48 hours of releasing the song!!  Thank you to everyone who has offered the support, feedback, and responses.
       -Doubledown & Slimmie

PS:  Music Video coming soon!!!  Details will be announced soon.

"Multiple Worlds"
- A New Collaboration Song by Slim Girl Fat and Brad Reason

10 Geeky Laws That Should Exist, But Don’t

10 Geeky Laws That Should Exist, But Don’t
By Matt Blum of Wired's GeekDad

There are many, many laws having nothing to do with government that are useful to know because they tell you something about how the universe works. There are Newton’s laws of motion, the laws of thermodynamics, Boyle’s Law, Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle, among many. Most of these laws have been known for a long time, but it wasn’t until a mere 19 years ago that Godwin’s Law was written.

If you’ve ever been involved in a discussion on Usenet, or have been following politics in the past decade or so, you’ve probably encountered Godwin’s Law. While Godwin’s Law is, alas, as true today as it was then, it seems unfortunate that there aren’t more widely accepted axioms to help us geeks define the characteristics of our world.

To that end, then, here are 10 geeky laws (axioms) that should exist, but don’t … at least, they didn’t until now:

xkcd © Randall Munroe

1. Munroe’s Law: A person in a geeky argument who can quote xkcd to support his position automatically wins the argument. This law supersedes Godwin, so that even if the quote is about Hitler, the quoter still wins.

2. Lucas’s Law: There is no movie so beloved that a “special edition,” prequel or sequel cannot trample and forever stain its memory.

3. Tolkien and Rowling’s Law: No reasonably faithful movie adaptation of a book will ever be quite as good as the book it adapts. Thus great movie adaptations can only be made out of truly amazing books.

4. Somers and McCarthy’s Law: There is no dangerous unscientific theory so preposterous that no celebrity will espouse and advocate it.

5. Jobs’s Law: No matter how well last year’s cool tech gadget still works, it will seem utterly inadequate the moment the new version comes out.

6. Savage and Hyneman’s Law: Blowing stuff up is fun. Blowing stuff up in the name of science is AWESOME.

7. Starbucks’ and Peet’s Law: C₈H₁₀N₄O₂, better known as caffeine, is the most wonderful chemical compound known to humankind. If the field of chemistry had never identified or produced a single other useful compound, caffeine alone would be justification enough for its existence.

8. Wilbur’s Law: Bacon makes everything better.

 Photo: Shawn Zamechek

9. Comic Book Guy’s Law: There is no detail of a movie too brief or inconsequential to become the subject of an hours-long diatribe.

10. The Unified Geek Theory: At present, the President of the United States, the wealthiest person in the United States, and the most trusted newscaster in the United States are all geeks. At the same time, movies based on comic book characters are routinely taking in hundreds of millions of dollars. The only reasonable conclusion is: We’ve won!

[Thanks Wired]

Poll of the Day: If You Suddenly Lost All of your Second Life creations, would you Start Over or Quit?

Lets say you woke up one day, logged into Second Life, and discovered everything you had built and created was suddenly erased... gone... wiped out of existence...  It's a disturbing thought, yet it's happened to quite a few Second Life long time residents.

If all of your creations, your wares, your shop, your inventory was GONE, what would you do?
Would you start from scratch and rebuild or would you throw your hands up in disgust and quit?



Another question I would like to pose is this:   Having all of your original content (intellectual property) copied and stolen; is this the same as completely losing your content entirely?   If you discovered all of your content was ripped off, would you quit Second Life?   Feel free to leave your thoughts and responses in comments.

The Making of a New Song (Part 1) by Zak Claxton

The Making of a New Song (Part 1)

by Zak Claxton 

 

I've had a lot of people over the years ask me about my songwriting process, and I never feel like I have a good answer for them. I'm also not at all sure that my process of writing a song is like anyone else's. Songwriting is kind of a private affair, and it seems to me that even in the great collaborative teams (Lennon/McCartney, Jagger/Richards, Rodgers/Hammerstein and so on), you have one guy who's the lyricist and another guy that does the music. In cases where both people do both jobs, they rarely do them together. I know it's neat to imagine multiple people assembling this audible work of art, but even in those Beatles tunes that John and Paul actually worked on together, almost all of them had Paul writing the verse and chorus, and John contributing the bridge, or vice-versa. It's not like they were sitting together saying, "Ooh, make the next chord a G minor!" and so on. Ultimately, creativity is a solo gig, at least in the initial stage... a one-person deal.

Anyway, since I'm in the process of writing songs for the next album (even though the first one hasn't hit the streets yet), I thought I'd share what my version of songwriting is all about. By the way, while I hate the fact that I have to write this, everything you hear here is copyrighted by me, Zak Claxton. This blog post is date/time stamped, obviously, so don't get any funny ideas about borrowing this little tune. I do like to share; I don't like to get ripped off. Enough said.

1. The Idea...

[READ THE FULL ARTICLE BY ZAK CLAXTON HERE] 


Zak Claxton : Demo Song Video

POLL: Should Doubledown Tandino Consider the Opportunity? (Wanted: Second Life Community Experts for Hire )

UPDATED:  First: I wanted to mention this poll is entirely anonymous.  I cannot see who voted.  The only thing I can see is the percentage results.  I want, and value your honest opinion.

Second:  This poll is not about "Should I do this."  ...this poll is about "Would the SL community WANT me as someone to be a voice for them."   I think this is the best approach.  I am asking the SL community FIRST, do you want me as someone doing this for YOU, the community.  I don't want to just apply, and then suddenly I'm the leader, and then everyone says "we didn't want you!  who elected you as king of DJ town."
I am here asking FIRST, the SL community, do YOU feel I am a good candidate.  The only reason I would potentially do this is I get an overwhelming response of people that are saying "yes, Doubledown, we WANT you to be the one"

So, please, take a quick moment, and vote on the poll.  Pass this blog post link around the SL DJ, club, and nightlife world.  Pass this link around the social network scene.  I really need to know from the SL community if you all think I would be a suitable candidate to represent us.

Again, I remind you that your poll votes are anonymous.  If you would like to create a dialog about this, leave a message in comments and we can discuss.  You can remain anonymous if you wish.   And, I promise I will not get defensive, and try to attack what you say here.  If you feel you want to leave comments about why or why not, please, let it flow.  I won't be defensive and I won't attack you either.

Here is the question I pose to you:



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Wanted: Second Life community experts for hire
Posted by Courtney Linden

Second Life Destination Guide pilot project is now up and running on www.livework.com!

As announced in a previous blog, we're looking for a few good Residents to help the community--but how? By finding the best destinations in Second Life! New Residents (and many oldbies too) aren't sure where to go, what to do, and how to find other people once they're inworld.

In a recent survey of Residents, two of the biggest reasons that they leave Second Life is that they either "couldn't find anyone to talk to" or "didn't know how to find interesting places to see, things to do."

[ALL INFO CAN BE FOUND HERE ON THE LINDEN LAB BLOGS]

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If you would like to participate and vote on past polls I have created, 
click HERE

Prokofy Neva and the FIC 2.6 List (July 2009 - Oct 2009)

Prokofy Neva every so often creates a list known as the FIC.  Feted Inner Core?  I forget.  Anyway, what once was a list (1.0) of people Prokofy believed were in cahoots with the Lindens, it slowly developed into a list of people that personally crossed her and people she hated. 2.5 was a good list of characters.  Now, it has now developed into a list of.... well... I don't even know how to describe it.  Prokofy Neva is better at describing this than I am.

It's strange.  The FIC is a combo of people doing amazing things in SL, mixed with people doing horrible things in SL.     2.6 appears to be a list of who Prokofy views as "the cool kids" of SL. 

Personally, I am very touched and honored to have made it on
Prokofy Neva's FIC 2.6

Sincerely
Doubledown Tandino

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I wanted to give a sampling of Prokofy's wikipedia entry of what the FIC meant.  I believe the wikipedia denied the entry, but here's some of the text:

The Feted Inner Core (also known as the Fetid Inner Core) is a conspiracy theory that exists among certain players of the computer game Second Life. It argues that certain groups of players use their relationship with the staff of Linden Lab, the game providers, to obtain favours that advantage their in-game businesses at the disadvantage of others. Since businesses within Second Life can be run for real-world money - the game's currency, Linden dollars, has a maintained exchange rate with the US dollar - this is considered a significant danger.

---

Footnote:  Because I am a member of this so-called FIC, and Prokofy believes I hold the values of this FIC thingy, this blog entry was created for the sole purpose of Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Stinky Footnote: Prokofy, keep doing what you're doing.  We need someone like you in the world, whether we realize it or not.

Toejam Footnote:  Prokofy, don't send me a takedown notice or anything like that.  The disclaimer is that everything and anything in this one FIC related blog post was designed, created, masterminded, fondled, and crafted by Prokofy Neva.  She owns the rights to her blog, and anything I copy and pasted from her blog.

Pinky Toe Note: Prokofy Neva is on the FIC list, although somehow, her name never appears on the list.... I think it's the inner workings of the inner core of the feted inner core?

Toenail polish note:  I was really trying to make this blog entry as long as Prokofy's blog entries,  but there's no chance in hell I'm even coming close.  I have no idea how she musters the strength to write so much out each blog post.   I'm winded already.

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Dale Innis Explains: http://daleinnis.wordpress.com/2009/07/08/the-enemy-within/
Convo at Plurk: http://www.plurk.com/p/2bbdpm

Blog Love - Pixels and Policy with Max Burns

Pixels and Policy has burst onto the virtual world news, info, and opinion net scene.  Run by Max Burns

Pixels and Policy

Uncovering the ways virtual worlds change our politics, policy, and culture.

Home
Archives
Profile
Subscribe

I highly encourage to you to read & follow the blog covering so many important virtual world issues of the present day and the future to come.

DIGG IT:
http://digg.com/people/Pixels_and_Policy_Blog_about_Virtual_World_Issues

--
(no relation to Mal Burns, who is also an excellent virtual world media expert and journalist)

 

Business of Music in the Metaverse (via Pixelsandpolicy.com)

Zak Claxton and the Business of Music in the Metaverse
via Pixels and Policy

                 Zak Claxton: Live in Second Life

Could major radio stations soon be playing the music of artists best known for their Second Life avatars?

If one well-known Metaverse rocker has his way, the tunes that have players lining up in the virtual world will soon find their way into a real-world album release.

Zak Claxton is a big deal in Second Life. His live music performances and audience-pleasing style have over the years grown into a true fan following. So when Claxton had to decide whether to release his first real-world album using his real name or the Claxton nomme de Metaverse, the choice was easy.

Pixels and Policy spoke with Claxton to find out why virtual music is bringing him real recognition.

Synthetic Solo Artist

Claxton is one of a growing number of avatars turning the expansive Metaverse into a stage for their passions and talents. From heavily publicized art showings to lectures on economics, real-world entrepreneurs are unleashing their creativity and expertise on the virtual frontier.

Claxton's muse is the guitar, and he has courted the possibility of turning his Second Life performances into a real-world album from an early stage. In the real world, Claxton helped produce the successful albums of other performers while engaging in his Second Life hobby.

"The mesh of reality and SL came when I made the decision to record and release the album as Zak Claxton," Claxton told Pixels and Policy. "I've built a nice-sized global audience that would never have been possible as an independent singer-songwriter." Claxton is proud to say that more listeners know him as Zak Claxton than as his real-life persona.

Three years after his entry into Second Life, the virtual guitarist has a mastered CD and a scheduled a December 11, 2009 release date for his first record, "Zak Claxton."

Taking Virtual Music Global

In 2008, Wagner James Au of New World Notes reported on blues performer Von Johin, an avatar that landed a record deal through boutique firm Reality Entertainment.

At the time, Johin was one of the biggest musical draws in Second Life. His music continues to draw huge crowds at Muse Isle, and Johin's three-week "hiatus" led to a well-attended three hour "farewell set."

Claxton follows Johin by recording solely using a Second Life name: "Everything I'm doing musically now, in both real life and in virtual worlds and all over the web, is under the Zak Claxton name," Claxton told us. "It's less confusing for my audience, and the songs I'm currently performing have all been created while I've been performing as Zak.

The release of Claxton's eponymous debut album will almost certainly have a heavy Second Life presence, and if the growing popularity of digital musicians continues apace with the growth of virtual worlds, major record labels may soon see commercial potential in artists like Claxton.

As artists like Zak Claxton and Von Johin break through the distribution barrier of real world music by building an audience in the metaverse, the observer is left to wonder how long is left until established real-world performers bring their music and production teams to Second Life for virtual performances on a large scale.

[Article Via Pixels and Policy]

Doubledown's Terminology : Social Networlds

There has been a lot of talk lately about what to call "Virtual Worlds" or a "metaverse"  (right off the bat, ironically, the wikipedia entry for "Virtual World" says "computer-based simulated environment"  meanwhile metaverse on wikipedia says "The Metaverse is a fictional virtual world, described by Neal Stephenson)"

It was brought up last week at Metanomics Community Forum - The terms that floated around were "Virtual Environments" , or "Immersive Media" ... which led to "Virtual Synthetic Immerse Environments..."

It was brought up last Sunday at Metaverse Week in Review where Mal Burns has decided to change calling  "Virtual Worlds" into calling them "V-Worlds"

Facebook even has a category under 'interests' called "Virtual Social Media"  (which I'm quite impressed with so kudos to Facebook).

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When I think of labeling a technology, I tend to think about how music genres became labeled.  My example in it's simplest form "Rock-n-Roll".... what the hell does that even mean?  Literally, it means stones and the outer breaded layer of a sandwich.  As future moved onward, rock-n-roll dropped the buns, and became "rock"  soon after that sub-genres emerged (alternative, metal, punk, etc).    Lets say there's a band that categorizes themselves as "rap metal emocore electrofunk", the music stores will sell their CDs in the "rock/pop" section.  Why? because people get what that means without having to use wikipedia... even if the term doesn't even fit.

Electronic music genres are the same.  For example, there's a genre called "IDM" (Aphex Twin falls into this genre).  What is IDM you ask?   Well it stands for Intelligent Dance Music.  If you've ever listened to Intelligent Dance Music, the first thing you think is 'there's no way in hell anyone can dance to this'.  So Aphex Twin coined the term "Brain music".   Sounds more fitting in my opinion... however, Aphex Twin to this day is the only one that uses the term... to everyone else, it's still IDM.

Basically every term in history came to fruition through a chain of small conversations and events which led to the terminology just STICKING.  ... And that becomes the label... whether it fits or not.     There's never been a strong enough campaign to change a label society decides to stick with out of convenience.


Well here's what I've decided, take it or leave it:   I....  I am going with this one:    
"Social Networlds"  ... (Virtual Worlds + Social Networks is a nice simple play on words, and that is all we really need.)

Either way (and point being), the terms Virtual World and Metaverse are here to stay (with "immersive environment" as a runner up).  Those terms already stuck, and there's not going to be a way to change it.   But hey, call an inworld social universe whatever you wish... no one will understand what you're talking about until you describe what you mean anyway.  The description and definition that comes along with the label is what matters most.

-Doubledown Tandino

NEW FTC RULES: http://bit.ly/1B3xI6
Full Disclosure   :  I wrote this blog post in my underwear and my underwear is made by Hanes.

Feline Slade's Perspective from the Audience Member's Viewpoint

Slamming Shut the Door on the “Killer App”
by Feline Slade
via http://felineslade.wordpress.com

"M Linden’s now-infamous labeling of music as a “killer app” for Second Life has led to a lot of discussion and blowing of hot air. Even when some very specific and relatively easily-implementable suggestions were made during the Looking to the Future of Live Performance in Second Life session at SLCC (Really, how hard would it be to repurpose an unused subcategory in Events?), they were automatically put in the “Not in 2009″ pile. In the end, the live music community has been left to its own devices to feel its way along.

I’m pretty much a nobody on the Second Life live music scene. I don’t own a venue. I am not a musician, since I can’t tolerably play an instrument as well as sing. So why is the current music venue “to cover charge or not to cover charge” drama bothering me? Maybe it’s because I’m the supposedly deep pockets that it feels like some music venue owners and musicians seem to want to reach into for cover charges.
So in the interest of market research, let’s take a look at a few facts about Feline, a representative individual among SL Live Music Target Market... "

READ THE FULL STORY HERE:
Slamming Shut the Door on the “Killer App”

A Few Tips on how to continue working when Second Life is Overloaded

Today, literally in 5 minutes is the start of another Metanomics community forum (at Metanomics II in Second Life). Today's topic is "Getting Things Done: Effective Organization in an Overloaded World in SL". If you'd like to attend, I encourage you to hop on the SLURL... now: Metanomics II

I wanted to drop in a blog post about my thoughts and quick tips on continuing your projects and work during times of inworld technical hardships, borkery, and lagginess.

SL breaks down to the point of crawling speed often, and for days at a time... sometimes weeks... months? ... Has it always been in a broken state? No, but SL will always be in disrepair. The residents have come to accept that as a part of Second Life.

But even though SL is suckin' there are still plenty of people in SL, new accounts entering, and things occurring.

You may not be able to work on the custom build you've been wanting to do, or be able to give a good presentation at a business meeting... but you can use this sucky SL time to your business advantage.

1) Straighten up & tidy up. Use this time not to build and create, but more of a time to organize and consolidate. Use the time to straighten up your store, respond to emails, write your SL bio, write a business proposal, connect with others and offer up possibilities. Keep in mind that what is not working in SL is the graphic speed of things... so you can take care of other things on your plate without feeling the lag.

2) Focus on marketing and advertising. Even though your SL day is lagiful, others may not be.

3) Go out and party! Check the events, go to some popular and fun looking spots, and make some friends. You're not going there to explore, you're not really even going there for the event... you're going because there are other people there and you all have something in common: you all hate the lag. The best way to strike up a convo with like-minded business people is to talk about how the lag sucks and how it's affecting your business. Others will agree, and now you're networking. and this is all with chat and IM... so the event may be crazy laggy, but it won't affect your reasons for being there.

4) Spend some time promoting on 3rd party SL-related websites.

5) IM IM IM - You have a massive friends list. Send some people a personal "hi what have you been doing, here's what I've been doing"
They'll be happy receiving the IM.. even if you only ran into em once is some newbie center a year ago.

So yes, I say there's plenty of things you can do when SL is on the down-n-out that'll still keep your business active.

Virtual World Documentary "Another Perfect World" Premiers

Another Perfect World

Jorien van Nes and Femke Wolting's fascinating insight into online virtual worlds where the user can create their own paradise, far removed from real life.

• About
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UPDATE: Video on Youtube now posted:

True Stories presents: Jorien van Nes and Femke Wolting's fascinating insight into online virtual worlds. Second Life, World of Warcraft, Metaplace, U World - all virtual worlds where the user can create their own paradise, far removed from real life. People can create societies that range from the democratic to the dictatorial, have avatars that resemble their ideal and can engage in actions that their real life personality would never dream of doing, from cyber-sex to virtual crime. But who creates these worlds and are they the right people to be crafting idealized societies that pretend to address and solve the inadequacies of the real world?

DIGG IT