Mobile Gorillaz in North America!
Late last year the popular alternative rock group Gorillaz released a new album, named The Fall, that was recorded almost entirely on an iPad during their 2010 North American tour. Using both apps downloaded from iTunes and real instruments, the band was able to record when and where they wanted, with every track captured by their tiny iPad mobile recording studio. By selling millions of songs worldwide, the Gorillaz definitely had the finances to book regular music studios or bring along more expensive ‘mobile’ recording equipment…
Why then use an iPad?
Well, listen to the album and you won’t know that it was recorded differently than any of their other albums. This is a great example where the quality of the apps and devices don’t suffer from much, if any, of a discounted experience because they are ‘mobile’. In fact, part of the appeal for a band like the Gorillaz is the mobility.
So what’s next? Great user experiences!
Well, Apple has upped the ante by releasing a new version of it’s recording app GarageBand for the iPad 2. While GarageBand is not new, it’s just frosting on the cake for both casual and serious musicians wanting the ability to record cheaply at home or on the road. The list price for this wonderful piece of software – only $4.99 (plus the cost of your iPad 2, of course). What do you get for the money?
Lots of touch sensitive instruments – keyboards, pianos, guitars, strings, horns, drums, organs, and almost anything else you could want for your musical masterpiece. Amps – for plugging in a real guitar and adding that Clapton like solo. Effects – to make it sound like you are playing in a large concert hall or an intimate coffee shop. Audio Recorder – for plugging in that mic and letting the fat lady sing. Recording Studio – to mix and master your tracks so they are ready to upload to iTunes.
In other words, everything you need to get the job (or gig) done, all bundled into an engaging device and software package. The mobile products we produce should take note and strive for the same excellent user experiences.
What this means to bands today:
Anybody can now take their music to a deeper level. Previously bands would work on perfecting their songs and then head into a costly studio to record. Under this paradigm a highly trained engineer would attempt to capture the band’s sound, to tape or digital form, to the best of his/her abilities and then a highly skilled music producer would mix and master the songs for release, and ultimately the top of the pop charts. Because of a lack of experience and money, this process usually left the bands out in the cold during the most important stages of creating an album.
The Beatles would have sounded very different had George Martin, their famed producer, not become the informal 5th Beatle and taught them how to use a recording studio to enhance their creativity. Think Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Now, thanks to the iPad 2 and GarageBand, any musician or band member can become the skilled sound engineer and/or music producer. The software is easy to learn, does not charge by the hour, and is forgiving of mistakes.
Again, all elements of the perfect user experience. While Apple did not create the first mobile studio or device, it has done what is usually does, it nearly perfected it.
How iPad 2 & GarageBand will change an industry:
Of course digital downloads, legal and illegal, have changed the music industry forever, but I think another wave will be coming in the near future. Big stars like U2, Jay-Z, Lady GaGa, and others will always be around because we need super-sized personalities in pop culture, but I’m thinking music markets will start growing in size at a local level.
Previously local music was usually a code phrase for poorly recorded, with no talent, and destined for dust bin oblivion. Imagine now my little town of Bothell, WA and it’s good sized population of high school and college students. Lets say five bands, a small percentage of those that currently exist here, start recording using their iPad’s and releasing songs for sale. iTunes will need to create tracking charts for small markets so we can tell who is #1 in my town. Local bands will compete against each other for the top of the local charts and the sophistication of their tools will enable them to produce music as if George Martin has joined their band as well.
Coming to the coda:
All of this because a group of Gorillaz used Apple technology to show us a sweet spot in the mobile universe. We should all strive to compete at this level…
∞
Tags: Apple, Ed Dekema, iPad, Mobile Apps, Mobile Devices, Mobile Dog, UI, User Experience
