Thing 49: So Many Great Music Sites, So Little Time!

Since this is my last post and I couldn't decide which site to choose, I will share them both!

The first is www.soundsnap.com. This is a free library of over 30,000 sounds and more are being added every day. This site allows you to download sound effects and loops or upload your own sounds to the site. All sounds are available to download in .mp3 and .wav format. Creator Tasos Frantzolas is a sound designer and producer from Greece who says he wanted just such a service for himself. The goal of this site is to provide “high-quality” sounds, categorized by use, with everything from music loops to sound effects. You can search using tags, categories or keywords.

This is a fun website just to play with and an amazing resource for electronic music geeks. You could also use these sounds to spice up a library website or program. Be sure to check out the Ant Stereo sample of “a mic stuck into an anthill.” (To find it, enter “anthill” in the search bar.)

The second is www.musigy.com. Using this (free!) music conferencing platform, musicians can sign up, download Musigy Maker to plug in and play music over the Internet with anyone, anywhere. This technology enabled the world's first remote real-time jazz festival with musicians playing together while 3,000 miles apart. “Imagine: remote, real-time performances, rehearsals, auditions or lessons. It’s as if you were in the same room!”

You could use this website to schedule and coordinate online “jam sessions” through your library website. What excellent partnership opportunities for libraries! Musicians visiting local universities or performance groups (symphony, jazz ensemble, etc.) could schedule an online “jam session” in which library patrons would have an opportunity to perform with that artist.


Oh, one more thing! Well, not a "thing" thing, but anyway.... I have been keeping my eye on a site called Dancejam.com. This site was created by MC Hammer (yes, that MC Hammer!) to be a sort of Youtube for dance moves. How fun is that! The twelve year old girl in me can't wait for this site to be up and running. (It is expected to be up in January/February.)

Discovery Exercise:

1. Go to Soundsnap.com. (I have found that this site is sometimes slow to load)
2. Find a sound that you like and download the MP3.
3. In your blog, discuss how you could use these sounds. Are they just for musicians? How could librarians use them? Do any of you tech-savvy folks see a way to enhance your library's website with these sounds?