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Apple is working on a new digital music format

time.com

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Re: Apple is working on a new digital music format

#31

Post by Pxtl »

The way Bono talks about it it really sounds like bringing back DRM, since he's focused on career songwriters in his little quote. Maybe improving the way albums and additional metadata are bundled for the non-audio content. Hopefully the audio files themselves will remain as-is.

One thing that disappoints me is the way folders have stayed un-typed in OSes. I've always wished that the Reiser concept of "a file that contains files" had caught on, as that would be much more appropriate for packing metadata and other information unrelated to the main audio stream into an audio file container.

Re: Apple is working on a new digital music format

#32

Post by tmuir »

higherpurpose wrote: post #2

If it's going to be a proprietary DRM-locked file format - just don't bother, Apple.

From TFA, it sounds like they might finally understand the dynamics of piracy and drm:

"Bono tells TIME he hopes that a new digital music format in the works will prove so irresistibly exciting to music fans that it will tempt them again into buying music"

Stopping piracy isn't accomplished by punishing users, its done by making legitimacy easier/more appealing in the first place.

However, if it's truly irresistibly exciting, but $1.29 per song, that implies DRM, as one can safely assume the exciting aspect is not the act of purchasing the music.

Re: Apple is working on a new digital music format

#33

Post by izacus »

rustynails wrote: post #11
Nicholas_C wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would bet money that it will be.

Some potential ideas - pay per listen, local cache - embedded lyrics, photos - extra sound bytes (exclusive to track owners) - optional videos - asynchronous Comms with the band: FAQs. News, interviews, etc There are many things you can do that link purchased content with other content. Adding lyrics that appear in realtime would also be handy. My ideas are now patented. Pay me 5% of all future sales please... Isn't…

Hmm, I distincly remember my iPhone 3G supporting lyrics embedded into MP3 and AAC audio files... isn't that the case anymore?

Re: Apple is working on a new digital music format

#34

Post by pain_perdu »

imaginenore wrote: post #5

> Bono tells TIME he hopes that a new digital music format in the works will prove so irresistibly exciting to music fans that it will tempt them again into buying music Bono, I will tell you a secret. It's the good music that's irresistible, not some DRM garbage which you don't even have the balls to discuss.

Well-put sir, thank you for this.

Re: Apple is working on a new digital music format

#35

Post by malka »

jaimebuelta wrote: post #30
dandelany wrote: post #18

Here's something I've always wanted: A consumer music file format that preserves all of the underlying tracks ('stems') so that they can be adjusted while you listen to the song. Imagine listening to a recording and going "ooh, that bassline", and then turning up the bassist and turning down everything else to hear it better. Or easily "remixing" while you listen by eg. applying a filter to only the drums. You could…

It sounds cool, but it will be a disaster. Does anyone remember the "ultra boost" button on the old Walkman to raise the bass to insane levels? Or all the equalizer voodoo, where people will "tune" moving levels and buttons forming shapes? The sad truth is that audio engineers are way better than anyone else in mixing the music and making it shine. The better approach is not to mess with that and just trust them. The…

It might not be for simply listening to the music, but for a moment 'hey this bassline kicks ass, I want to hear it alone to study it'

Re: Apple is working on a new digital music format

#36

Post by Pxtl »

dandelany wrote: post #18

Here's something I've always wanted: A consumer music file format that preserves all of the underlying tracks ('stems') so that they can be adjusted while you listen to the song. Imagine listening to a recording and going "ooh, that bassline", and then turning up the bassist and turning down everything else to hear it better. Or easily "remixing" while you listen by eg. applying a filter to only the drums. You could…

I believe Ogg has support for this, but who publishes oggs?

Re: Apple is working on a new digital music format

#37

Post by hazz »

dandelany wrote: post #18

Here's something I've always wanted: A consumer music file format that preserves all of the underlying tracks ('stems') so that they can be adjusted while you listen to the song. Imagine listening to a recording and going "ooh, that bassline", and then turning up the bassist and turning down everything else to hear it better. Or easily "remixing" while you listen by eg. applying a filter to only the drums. You could…

I would love this, but the file sizes would be insane. We'd be talking hundreds of megabytes (possibly gigabytes?) per song. Unless each track was MP3 encoded first, but I'd imagine you'd have trouble mixing tracks together from lossy sources.

Re: Apple is working on a new digital music format

#38

Post by 72deluxe »

snowwrestler wrote: post #6

I am fully supportive of the idea that musicians and songwriters should get compensated for their work in proportion with its popluarity. Just because people love to make music, that doesn't mean they don't want to save for retirement, buy a house, send kids to college, maybe do some investing, etc. If you pirate an album you like, instead of buying it, you're taking advantage of those artists. [steps off soapbox] Th…

You're right - it seems popular even on HN where people make a living that musicians are exempt from earning a living through recording and selling music. Wrapped in daft phrases like "music wants to be free", it seems fashionable to engage in copyright infringement for music, and I think it stinks. Arguments that record labels ("fat cats") get a cut of the earnings are not relevant - the musician signed with the label (correct) but does this mean that the musician said his recorded music is free? (incorrect!)

We have disgust for software piracy here (particularly if it something we have written), yet the same disgust DOES not translate to music or musicians. It is wrong.

I think it is an attitude that needs to change. And the argument that "if I like it, I'll buy it" is wrong too; do we all pirate Microsoft Office and decide if we'll buy it after using it for a while? I don't! I buy Office if I need Office / enjoy using Office (not likely with that daft ribbon interface!).

Re: Apple is working on a new digital music format

#39

Post by post_break »

jaimebuelta wrote: post #30
dandelany wrote: post #18

Here's something I've always wanted: A consumer music file format that preserves all of the underlying tracks ('stems') so that they can be adjusted while you listen to the song. Imagine listening to a recording and going "ooh, that bassline", and then turning up the bassist and turning down everything else to hear it better. Or easily "remixing" while you listen by eg. applying a filter to only the drums. You could…

It sounds cool, but it will be a disaster. Does anyone remember the "ultra boost" button on the old Walkman to raise the bass to insane levels? Or all the equalizer voodoo, where people will "tune" moving levels and buttons forming shapes? The sad truth is that audio engineers are way better than anyone else in mixing the music and making it shine. The better approach is not to mess with that and just trust them. The…

Doesn't matter who's better at what. If consumers want to make smiley faces with their EQ let them. It's all about customization. Ask Metallica about how great their sound engineers were when they basically neutered their album.

People buy Beats because they like the way they sound (or because their idols use them). Even if you may think it's the same as ultra boost.

It's not about what sounds good, it's about what you think sounds good.

Re: Apple is working on a new digital music format

#40

Post by dbever »

jaimebuelta wrote: post #30
dandelany wrote: post #18

Here's something I've always wanted: A consumer music file format that preserves all of the underlying tracks ('stems') so that they can be adjusted while you listen to the song. Imagine listening to a recording and going "ooh, that bassline", and then turning up the bassist and turning down everything else to hear it better. Or easily "remixing" while you listen by eg. applying a filter to only the drums. You could…

It sounds cool, but it will be a disaster. Does anyone remember the "ultra boost" button on the old Walkman to raise the bass to insane levels? Or all the equalizer voodoo, where people will "tune" moving levels and buttons forming shapes? The sad truth is that audio engineers are way better than anyone else in mixing the music and making it shine. The better approach is not to mess with that and just trust them. The…

People often comment on the lack of bass in my headphone choices - I describe it as 'clinical' and much prefer studio-style response.
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