Pandora - A whole new way to hear music

Written by: admin

August 13, 2008

Have you ever wished you could program your own XML/Sirius stations?   Now you can.  Pandora.com has created a new FREE online service which lets you do just that.  In a nutshell the service allows you to create your own “radio stations”.  Not just one, but as many as you could ever need.    Each station is “seeded” by a particular artist or song.  This “seed” then sprouts more music related to it.   You are able to save and rate music which is played within your station, and in doing so you “teach” Pandora what music fits within this station’s play list and what does not.  In addition you can add new “seeds” to a station to broaden it’s play list.

How does it work? The key to the system is it’s database of music definitions called “The Music Genome“.  This is a far more complex way to categorize music than what we are used to.  Simple genres based on broad context like Blues, Rock, or Pop are not used.  Instead The Music Genome Project has “genes” which capture the unique and magical musical identity of a song - everything from melody, harmony and rhythm, to instrumentation, orchestration, arrangement, lyrics, and of course the rich world of singing and vocal harmony.  Using these “genes” the Pandora system keys in on music related to the “seed” song or artist.

Why is this better? In my opinion the best part of this whole concept is it’s ability to bring music and artists you would have never heard nor discovered from around the world, to your ears.   There is a large world pumping out music all the time, but it’s hard to find new music that you like.  And the more obscure your musical tastes, the harder it is.   Pandora doesn’t just bring you new music.   It brings you new music that is tailored directly to music you already like.   By creating new music stations with completely different musical styles you can quickly begin exploring artists from around the world.

Learn about your music. Pandora has other features which I found to be very exciting.  For instance during any song you can not only rate it as suitable for this particular station, but you can learn about the song and artist and “genes” of the song.    Pandora provides detailed background on artists, albums and songs so that you can learn more about the new music you are hearing.   In addition you can even find out why a particular song was chosen to be part of your station.   Click on “why did you play this song” and it will detail the features of this song that makes it relate to your original “seed”.  Here’s an example of why an “island style” version of the song “Brown Eyed Girl” was chosen to be part a station of mine.

Based on what you’ve told us so far, we’re playing this track because it features acoustic rock instrumentation, a subtle use of vocal harmony, acoustic sonority, major key tonality and acoustic rhythm guitars.

Cool Features!

• Random -  For example you can randomize multiple stations.  I could take my “disco Abba” station and mix it with my “Metallica Metal” station.  Weird mix, but you can do it.
• Take it on the road - Pandora also integrates into many cell phones (for instance the I-phone) allowing you to take your stations with you wherever you go while giving you all the same functionality.
• Home Stereo - Don’t like using your computer?  You can purchase accessory systems which will bring Pandora directly into you home stereo system.   The remote has a screen which allows you to navigate the Pandora interface just as if you were on the computer.   But instead you’re lying on your couch listening to exciting new artists.   If you don’t want to buy anything, do what I did.  Just take a laptop and hook it directly into your stereo.   Now you have a juke box of all you MP3 plus the best radio stations you could ever ask for.
• Explore an entire album - You may hear a song you like and want to hear the whole album.   You can do that.  Just click the album name and Pandora will take you to a bio of the album with links to listen to all the songs.   Same can be done for an Artist, where Pandora will show you all the artist’s albums available and give you “similar” artists you may enjoy and wish to add to the station.
• Purchase music - since you will be introduced to all sorts of new artists you may find songs and albums that you really would like to own.   No problem.  You can click “buy” and be taken directly to that song/album in Itunes for download.
• Bookmark songs - You can bookmark any song you hear allowing you to go back at your leisure and further explore that artist, song or album.   You may even wish to create a new station based on some new artist you’ve found.
• Share your Stations - You can even share your stations with other Pa ndora members.   So let’s say you have spent time developing the perfect “German Death Metal” station and you know your buddy Jack loves German Death Metal.  You can send him your station and he can add it to his profile.

Tips!

• Try creating stations using songs which are most representative of WHY you like an artist.  If you like Jimmy Buffett because of it’s Xylophone and Harmonica sounds.  Make sure to choose a “seed” song that is rich with that sound.
• Try creating albums using obscure songs you don’t even know.  For instance maybe you would like a station of Traditional African Music.   You don’t own any such thing or even know of an artist name, so what do you do?   Just do a search in Google for “Traditional African Music” find some artists in that genre and add them to your Pandora station.  Then as the music starts playing you can fine tune the station using the rating system until it’s playing just the right kind of African Music for your taste.  (note: National Georgraphic’s website has a fantastic collection www.timelife.com and click on “music”.  Then check out their selection of music from all around the world.  Great place to find “seed” artists and songs).
• Combine Artists - Pandora lets you use multiple “seeds”.   As such you should not make two separate stations for “Brittney Spears” and “Janet Jackson”.  You will end up with two stations that play nearly identical music.   So use them both as “seeds” within the same station.  You can name the station “Really Crappy Music”.  

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Posted in Cool Stuff!, Software and Hardware