What's Out There? [Post 13.0]

The point of these images are to show how systems now use tagging and sharing based on location. All of these are good ideas but lack the zest I want my system to have. What makes my solution better than what's out there and what makes it different?

Another idea is looking at existing iPhone applications and tools that recommend songs. As mentioned before, the Ping and Genius options in iTunes work, but they lack the emotional connected and give you artists that sound like other artist you enjoy. Not many people care about finding new bands as they once did when they were younger. Entering an age and personalizing what you want to get out of the application is what will set my system apart. 

I Still Want to Make Packaging, Dammit! [Post 12.2]

I was thinking about how I could include packaging for the user in through my experience. Once a user picks enough "memory tied songs" to their playlist, their playlist can be made into a sentimental belonging. This belonging will might mark a time in their life; it might make them look forward to the future. Just a thought. Meh.

Bookmarking 24 February 2012 [Post 12.1]

Smiley face!

Why An iPhone Application [Post 12.0]

Pulse, Beat, Brainwaves [Post 11.0]

Radial Artery – The radial artery is the pulse point most commonly used to determine someone's heart rate.

How to check: Face either hand palm up and use the fingers from your other hand to locate your pulse. Your radial artery is on the thumb's side (or outside) of your other hand to locate your pulse. Your radial artery is on the thumb's side (or outside) of your write when the palm of your hand is facing you. Place your fingers half way between the tendons that run down the center of your forearm and the edge of your arm, on the thumb side, right at your wrist. Make sure one finger is close to your palm than the other, so they appear "stacked"; your fingers should be vertical on your wrist, not side-by-side. You should feel a strong pulse here.

The reason I bring this up is I am suggesting that I use speculative technology. Party of my iPhone application is that it reads the pulse when the thumb is pressed on the iPhone. Then, it asks you what your emotion is. After learning your heart rate and emotion [after a period of time] your phone will be able to cater to what you want to listen to from what it learns and from what you've listened to in the past, pulling from your iTunes.

Something Old, Something New [Post 10.0]

Over the past week I have started to consider different avenues for my degree project. I have started reading the book This is Your Brain On Music: The Science of a Human Obsession. And it has really started to help me form the connection that I want to make with other people and music. Maybe all along, I wanted my audience to share things to give them a sense of belonging when all along, this sense of belonging and connection can be made with a good song and a memory tied to that song.

I was direct to this conclusion from a series of statements and quotations in the book. Most of the quotations were very lucid but this was good because it left more room for interpretation. 

"The unnatural gap that has grown between musical performance and music listening has been paralleled by a gap between those who love music (and love to talk about it) and those who are discovering new things about how it works."

"By better understanding what music is and where it comes from, we may be able to better understand our motives, fears, desires, memories, and even communication in the broadest sense. Is music listening more along the linees of eating when you're hungry, and thus satisfying an urge? Or is it more like seeing a beautiful sunset or getting a backrub, which triggers sensory pleasure system to the brain? Why do people seem to get stuck in their musical tastes as they grow older and cease experimenting with new music?"

After some of these ideas and questions were placed in my heads I want to make my degree project more personal. I believe music controls the mind and controls emotion. So why do we listen to music when we do? How do we know if we're in the mood for some Michael Jackson or some Queen? Is there a difference?

Now, let's circle back around to personal customization. When you're angry, do you want to listen to music that will cheer you up? Or do you want to just sit in that anger for a little longer?

Let's face it, music inspires.

So, here's the question: how can I use graphic design to personalize music playlist that can learn what a single person wants to listen to when they want it and also create an outlet for those people to share with others? 

I am going to create a application that will teach itself what people like or don't like based on what they listen to when they're in certain moods. Let me explain: If an iPhone application can help you change your mood based on what music you hear, it can cheer you up, it can motivate you, it can remind you of what it felt like when you were 16 and driving in your car for one of the first times on a super sunny road with the warm wind blowing. Wouldn't that be nice? 

Difference in Tempos [Post 9.0]

What's the difference between Portishead's Heather Nova cover and this Jason Mraz song?

Do you hear the difference? Do you feel the difference? Where do you feel it? Is it different at all?
What does it make you think of and are all personal music experience personal?

Schedule for Degree Project [Post 8.1]

This is my calendar of dates I have sent to myself. Dates may change 

Interesting Inspiration [Post 8.0]

Presentation Update [Post 7.0]

My last presentation lacked answers and accidentally took charge for a solution to my project. I need to give myself more time to list more possibilities and answers and not just pick up one and run with it. Part of the reason for this is the allotted amount of time I want to start making and "get on with it" for the design system part but I realize that that is the most important part, the backbone and structure of the project.

Here's the critique feedback I received:

- This is not about what the form is definitively, still remain open to what the final artifact is.
- You're not so much "teaching" as musch as you are trying to customize and add personality to the interaction.
- More visuals in presentation from now on.
- What makes people want a physical copy rather than instant gratification from .mp3?
- Make sur you research the genres so it really fits and isn't just stereotypical.
- Create scenarios, so you can really focus.
- There is an issue of exchange and community / building value into packaging. (Pick what issue you want to tackle because these are two different issues).

presentation1_seniordegree

"Progress" [Post 6.0]

The process on my project has taken the place of a questionnaire with the following questions:

1. Do you like getting packages in the mail?
2. Would you rather: get a package from a stranger through an online music site or get a package from someone you know?
3. Scrapbooking or blank canvas?
4. Do you enjoy finding new music for your personal enjoyment or is showing people the music that you find more fulfilling?
5. Do you enjoying being classified or are you intrigued by personality tests?
6. When learning about a new genre, what kind of details are you most interested in?
7. What are your top five favorite genres of music?

After getting over 40 replies back, I made a collection of the most common answers and variable answers to consider in the quest to target an audience and their needs.

Do you like getting packages in the mail? 

-100% Yes. (Feels like birthday or Christmas) 

Package from a stranger or someone you know?

- Stranger is creepy

- If it's from a music site then, yes.

- From someone I know. (Makes me smile)

- Someone you know, it's more personal and tailored to the person getting it

Scrapbooking or blank canvas?

- Blank canvas (so much more possibility).

- Scrapbooking

- Blank canvas

- Scrapbooking if someone helps me get started

- Blank canvas inspires creativity 

Do you enjoy finding new music?

- Yes

- Yes

- Takes too much time to find music I like.

Classified or personality tests?

- Personality tests are intriguing. (6)

- Personality tests have more detail.

- Personality tests are fun and can be interesting.

- Personality tests can get old and just the same thing reworded

- Think they're accurate

What do you want to know about a new genre?

- You have to be able to dance to music to understand it.

- Where did it originate? What is the background? (2)

- The words and the meaning of the song.

- It's history

- The lyrics

Top 5 genres?

- Folk, Classical, Easy Listening, Classic Rock, Independent

- Country, 80's, 50's, Pop, R&B

- Classic Rock, Folk, Opera, Classical, Traditional Pop

- Classic Rock, Alt. Rock, Christian, Country, Top 40

- Country, R&B, 70's, 80's alternative

- Country, Gospel Easy Listening, Musicals, Classical

- Folk, Alternative, Rock and Roll, Jazz, Rockabilly

- Country, Pop. Hip-hop, Rock, 80's

- Ska, Post Rock, Dubstep, Ambient Electronica, Hip Hop

- Pop, R&B Soul, Alternative, Country, Hip Hop
- Classic Rock, Alternative Rock, World, New Age, Latin

Systems like 'Ping on iTunes creates an easy way to tell users about songs they'll like. Also, with Genius, users are made a playlist focused on similar songs. 

From feedback of my presentation, I will be changing my question. I just have to figure out what route I'm going to narrow myself down to and what road my senior degree project takes. 

Conundrum [Post 5.1]

After choosing a couple different direction for my project, I need to make a %*@( decision. (M. Kidwell, I promise, I'll be on it ASAP). After some discussion, I have realized that designing the package for this parcel is only about 36% of the battle on this puppy.

In order to create a system that is user friendly and reaches an interest of the audience, I need to talk to the audience. Within the next 24 hours I will hand out a little questionnaire to some misc enthusiasts to see what they want and need. Or just want. I'm not really sure yet.

Due to the fact that my senior project doesn't even surface on things like "inventing a system for work piece" or "feeding the hungry",  I feel I need to make my project as important as it can be by creating a fluid design system for an audience, ages 18 – 50 (give or take a couple of years depending on coolness level and height of passion for all things music).

When questioning my audience, I am interested in creating system that involves personalization for each user. For instance, when approaching the subject of skincare, SkinID has created an easy to follow system online that personalized skin products on the consumer. Levi jeans has a system that follows the same formula but for how jeans fit.