Multitouch makes “sense.”

The idea of multitouch sensors has been around for years, but multitouch has yet to see wide-spread implementation in computers. I think it’s coming. I think a wave of multitouch operating systems is going to redefine how we interact with computers. But I think they’ll be touchscreens and gesture-based systems too. I mean after getting used to the iPhone’s touchscreen, I’ve noticed that I want to touch my computer screen sometimes to move things etc. Anyone else catch themselves doing that?

Touch by chrisevans

Computing needs to be intuitive.

Computing needs to be more intuitive. UI advances will address that. Our brain’s hard wiring is capable of a lot more that pointing a mouse—we need to give it the chance to be more creative and boundless. By using our hands differently, with more intuitive movements, we’ll be helping our mind work more naturally. It will make a better fit between the brain and the computer by way of the body. One day we might we have chips that connect to our brain energy, right? Our brain is a super computer, right?

It all relies on intuitive design. Pranav Mistry talked about intuitive interface design in his SixthSense technology presentation. It virtually connects us to the computer via our gestures. According to Mistry, “We are looking for an era where computing will actually merge with the physical world.” Think about the games and apps we could make with that. While not nearly to the extent of SixthSense technology, Nintendo’s Wii is somewhat based on gesture recognition but the player has to hold the controller which recognizes movements in 3 dimensions. The Wii is essentially a wireless mouse with an extra dimension—it’s fun but I wouldn’t characterize it as intuitive. Even still, it’s extremely popular.

With the smartphones coming, and all these apps coming, the music business gets one more kick at the can, and I hope they don’t fight this one, because there’s a huge opportune to grow the business faster than what they’ve ever considered. I think there’s a huge sense of optimism for the first time in about five years that this business can actually grow. –Terry McBride in his 2009 interview with tech reporter Matt Hartley [video above].

Music is becoming more of a service than a product and Terry believes that in these digital times, context trumps content, access trumps ownership, and customer service is as important as ever. P2P filesharing should cease to be an issue as listeners increasingly prefer instant-access streams.

The second interview details the history of the Nettwerk Music Group as a DIY all-in-one company that developed by adapting to meet the needs of musicians and their fans. Towards the end he talks about joint ventures between musicians and non-music brands as being likely in the next five years.

I really think that the paradigm is shifting. I think within the next five years you’re going to have other brands inside the market signing artists. Brands will look at this going, well, we already use music within all of our TV, and radio, and, you know, internet media. Um, why don’t we just sign the artist? –Terry McBride, in his 2008 CMU-Tube interview [video below].

On my previous post, Musicians—Money Is Not Motivation, Dave MacDonald had commented that Terry McBride recently spoke positively about the music industry at TEDxVancouver in November 2009. That video isn’t available yet, but I hope they air it soon on TEDxTalks—I’ll keep you posted.

[homepage thumbnail photo: Flickr/stephen_dyrgas]

It looks like a new generation of Beatlemaniacs could be on the rise—wouldn’t you say? Thanks to YouTubers kevineseri0 and ponkiejp for the videos and to voteprime on Flickr for the peace sign photo displayed on the homepage. Thanks for watching—please share this post if you like it. :)

Gary Vaynerchuk has animatedly vlogged about how the internet itself just hit puberty. Online music collaboration and virtual jamming are even younger. The arena for virtual music is huge. The best music is live music, and this is what comes next: We’re going hear, feel, and see live music live in the virtual realm—a drummer in Sydney, a bassist in New York, a singer in Tokyo—connecting with their fans live through web-based applications. You’re going to virtually bump n’ grind across the globe in virtual clubs with DJ’s pumping sound to the world. There will be video chat so big, real, live, and interactive that it will be like being there. The experience, and the emotion, will be real.

Where changes to anywhere in the virtual realm, and the technology is breeding as fast as we can imagine it. The clubs and venues of today will have to embrace the technology to survive, and they could be some of the best portals for connecting to the virtual space in a hybrid mix between the techology and the old-school dance floor. By the way, these clubs will recycle their electricity from the music. It’s only a matter of time before video chat goes 3D and beyond. Imagine how people will connect from club to club, venue to venue, and party to party in the virtual space.

The video game industry has already tapped the music vein with massive success, and they will continue to play a major role in this dynamic shift to the virtual realm. Mobility is still vital in the virtual realm, but how might its role evolve? Bringing music to the phone was one giant leap for musickind. Berkleemusic started the #bmusic hashtag for musicbiz conversation. Their 2005 book The Future of Music, published by the Berklee Press, discussed how mobility trumps quality. They were so right. But what trumps mobility? I think virtuality is the answer. Virtuality trumps mobility? Virtuality and mobility will likely breed to create new offspring. Mobility is the ability to move, or the ability to be connected wherever you are. In the virtual realm you can be anywhere with anyone. Virtuality is reality. Music is an experience. The quality of the experience could become greater than ever.

Evolution has proven that the most valuable survival feature that any creature can have is adaptability. Those who adapt the fastest to change always thrive. The controversial survival novelist Ragnar Benson advised that those who fail to embrace the latest technology are at a severe disadvantage. Music and musicians will continue to adapt to new technologies. As for the designers and developers: bring it on. Your imagination has no limit. Every technology that you can bring to life will be used. Musicians will continue the shift away from selling tangible products, and will cash in selling experiences—via licensing, sponsored shows, endorsements, subscriptions, etc. Music will be everywhere.

This post might sound a little far out but I think it’s meaningful for us to think about. Thank you for taking the time to read it, and I’d love to spark conversation below in the comment section and via twitter (I’m @ryanve). What will the future bring? How will the ever-expanding music population contribute to our future, and future generations?