Pipeline building?
July 31, 2008 5:58 PM
How can we attract more folks from the other parts of the site?
Looking at cortex's old ditty 'matthewchen is spamming' after it bobbed back up into the 'most favorited' five, there are lots and lots of listens and comments from folks who don't usually comment in MeFi Music. Right now, this only happens when there someone links to a song in the blue or Metatalk. Without necessarily writing songs that are soundtracks to threads (although that can be fun), how can we create a more reliable pipeline between Mefi Music and Metafilter, AskMeFi and/or Metatalk?
posted by umbú (58 comments total)
Looking at cortex's old ditty 'matthewchen is spamming' after it bobbed back up into the 'most favorited' five, there are lots and lots of listens and comments from folks who don't usually comment in MeFi Music. Right now, this only happens when there someone links to a song in the blue or Metatalk. Without necessarily writing songs that are soundtracks to threads (although that can be fun), how can we create a more reliable pipeline between Mefi Music and Metafilter, AskMeFi and/or Metatalk?
Very funny. But there are other highly played tunes that this has happened to by other folks, too...
posted by umbú at 6:19 PM on July 31, 2008
posted by umbú at 6:19 PM on July 31, 2008
But seriously... Over the last few months I've taken every opportunity, when posting comments or even sometimes FPPs to the blue, to link to songs here (my own and other folks' tunes) whenever there was even a shred of a connection. This has been my little way of trying to get more people to really think of the Music subsite as an integral part of MetaFilter. I imagine I'll keep doing that, whenever appropriate.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:21 PM on July 31, 2008
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:21 PM on July 31, 2008
Also, the new system under which the Challenge is operating is hopefully going to have a part to play in strengthening this "pipeline". Opening up the Challenge suggestions to all MeFiers, and selecting random comment quotes from the blue to use as the LYRIC Challenge... Did you see this month's yet? It's from the ever-eloquent and cuddly loquacious.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:25 PM on July 31, 2008
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:25 PM on July 31, 2008
I'm with flapjax on this, dropping comment links in threads to relevant music submissions feels like a legitimate thing to do, especially if it's someone else's song. I do that with songfight songs right now, in fact.
and now I've made a daisy chain...
posted by davejay at 6:30 PM on July 31, 2008
and now I've made a daisy chain...
posted by davejay at 6:30 PM on July 31, 2008
I guess I'm just kinda naive to the metafilter rules, I didn't know we could self/buddy link to Mefi Music.
posted by BrnP84 at 6:33 PM on July 31, 2008
posted by BrnP84 at 6:33 PM on July 31, 2008
I didn't know we could self/buddy link to Mefi Music.
They ain't banhammered me yet...
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:44 PM on July 31, 2008
They ain't banhammered me yet...
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:44 PM on July 31, 2008
Now, see, davejay, I missed that Max and the Marginalized thread on the blue, but if I'd seen it sooner, I would've linked to some MeFiMu songs. Oh well, better late than never...
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:09 PM on July 31, 2008
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:09 PM on July 31, 2008
I hope this isn't too off topic but I just finally started realizing how awesome of a place the rest of Metafilter really is. When I first started here I just wanted a place to post some songs but after surfing the rest of the site I started to notice what a cool and diverse community Metafilter has. It sucks that there's so much action going on on the rest of Metafilter and the music section kinda hides in the shadows because I think the stuff getting posted to MeFiMu would be really appreciated by the rest of MeFi if more people came over here more. As for pipelining I gots nothin....
posted by BrnP84 at 7:25 PM on July 31, 2008
posted by BrnP84 at 7:25 PM on July 31, 2008
As for pipelining I gots nothin....
Here you go.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:29 PM on July 31, 2008
Here you go.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:29 PM on July 31, 2008
That's really weird because I just burned a Ventures cd today...
posted by BrnP84 at 7:33 PM on July 31, 2008
posted by BrnP84 at 7:33 PM on July 31, 2008
Those individual efforts are really important, flapjax, and I think it's awesome that you've been lobbying so hard to put the site on the map. Is there something more formal we could push for as well? Like maybe something at the bottom of the sidebar with a revolving link from one of the five favorited or playlisted songs.
posted by umbú at 9:15 PM on July 31, 2008
posted by umbú at 9:15 PM on July 31, 2008
Just installed another little section in that pipeline...
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:20 AM on August 1, 2008
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:20 AM on August 1, 2008
I don't know if this has been done before, but since so many mefites are so good with words, we could have a challenge/competition - announced/held in Metatalk - for people to write lyrics that the musicians on here can pick and choose to write and record music to? Having done this for non-musicians before, I think most people are delighted to hear their words put to music.
Or, have a rap-style beef in here between two well-known Music mefites, where they write songs to insult each other in an escalating battle. That's how to pull them in - words and drama. Or, we could have a month where personal insults are not only tolerated, but encouraged - as long as they're in song. The atmosphere might become toxic - but it'd be musical. (I just miss Dr. Horrible.)
Seriously, I really quite like Music as it is right now - I think it's been mentioned before how much of a contrast the supportive atmosphere here is to the rest of Metafilter. I'm glad that nobody's likely to post meh to a piece of music someone has made out of love. Music's not exactly hidden - it's right there at the top - and I think the people who really love and care about it are going to find their way here. The people that, say, come with cortex's Mefi-related songs know it's here - most of them didn't hang around. I think there's a lot of music here that while great, have rough edges, and it takes a certain kind of willing ear to be able to hear how good they are.
It'd be good for every month's music challenge to be mentioned in the sidebar on the main page though, I think. As a notable thing, like other posts and comments that get sidebarred.
Also, I really wish Music weren't in this black - it's harsh on the eyes, and a pretty desolate colour. I think colour affects people that way, but that may be just me.
posted by Ira_ at 7:56 AM on August 1, 2008 [2 favorites]
Or, have a rap-style beef in here between two well-known Music mefites, where they write songs to insult each other in an escalating battle. That's how to pull them in - words and drama. Or, we could have a month where personal insults are not only tolerated, but encouraged - as long as they're in song. The atmosphere might become toxic - but it'd be musical. (I just miss Dr. Horrible.)
Seriously, I really quite like Music as it is right now - I think it's been mentioned before how much of a contrast the supportive atmosphere here is to the rest of Metafilter. I'm glad that nobody's likely to post meh to a piece of music someone has made out of love. Music's not exactly hidden - it's right there at the top - and I think the people who really love and care about it are going to find their way here. The people that, say, come with cortex's Mefi-related songs know it's here - most of them didn't hang around. I think there's a lot of music here that while great, have rough edges, and it takes a certain kind of willing ear to be able to hear how good they are.
It'd be good for every month's music challenge to be mentioned in the sidebar on the main page though, I think. As a notable thing, like other posts and comments that get sidebarred.
Also, I really wish Music weren't in this black - it's harsh on the eyes, and a pretty desolate colour. I think colour affects people that way, but that may be just me.
posted by Ira_ at 7:56 AM on August 1, 2008 [2 favorites]
since so many mefites are so good with words, we could have a challenge/competition - announced/held in Metatalk - for people to write lyrics that the musicians on here can pick and choose to write and record music to?
Ha! That might not be a bad idea, actually. It's certainly happened organically more than a couple times—I'm probably the prime example, yeah, but others have picked up stuff and run with it as well.
posted by cortex at 9:31 AM on August 1, 2008
Ha! That might not be a bad idea, actually. It's certainly happened organically more than a couple times—I'm probably the prime example, yeah, but others have picked up stuff and run with it as well.
posted by cortex at 9:31 AM on August 1, 2008
I'm gonna have to pipe up and applaud flapjax' efforts too! The process of getting from A to wherever seems kinda slow with Music, but, hell, I think we're already at C!!
Regarding the original question here, I've noticed that most if not all of the songs that have had a really wide audience from the blue, have been like "companion" songs to posts or songs that directly add to the MeFi experience.
So THAT might be a good place to start. Write/post some funny stuff that jacks with MODS or other MeFites. (People will always memail thier buddies with, "OMG did you hear that song about the fart thread? OMG!!!352!"
posted by snsranch at 9:32 AM on August 1, 2008
Regarding the original question here, I've noticed that most if not all of the songs that have had a really wide audience from the blue, have been like "companion" songs to posts or songs that directly add to the MeFi experience.
So THAT might be a good place to start. Write/post some funny stuff that jacks with MODS or other MeFites. (People will always memail thier buddies with, "OMG did you hear that song about the fart thread? OMG!!!352!"
posted by snsranch at 9:32 AM on August 1, 2008
since so many mefites are so good with words, we could have a challenge/competition - announced/held in Metatalk - for people to write lyrics that the musicians on here can pick and choose to write and record music to?
I REALLY REALLY like this idea. I have major troubles writing my own lyrics, and I almost never like them. I never have any shortage of guitar ditties and melodies, but the words, man! The words!
posted by ORthey at 10:05 AM on August 1, 2008
I REALLY REALLY like this idea. I have major troubles writing my own lyrics, and I almost never like them. I never have any shortage of guitar ditties and melodies, but the words, man! The words!
posted by ORthey at 10:05 AM on August 1, 2008
I agree, ORthey. If I never had to write any more words, I'd be happy. I much prefer to be a sidekick multi-instrumentalist.
posted by umbú at 12:50 PM on August 1, 2008
posted by umbú at 12:50 PM on August 1, 2008
...a challenge/competition - announced/held in Metatalk - for people to write lyrics that the musicians on here can pick and choose to write and record music to?
Me too thinks really good idea. Really good idea.
And this would definitely need a bigger profile on the site than the usual monthly Challenges on the Music Challenge page, for it to work. The suggested announcing in MetaTalk would, I think, be the way to go. Maybe it could be an annual event, like some of those others here. The annual "Write Lyrics For a MeFi Musician" challenge.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:00 PM on August 1, 2008
Me too thinks really good idea. Really good idea.
And this would definitely need a bigger profile on the site than the usual monthly Challenges on the Music Challenge page, for it to work. The suggested announcing in MetaTalk would, I think, be the way to go. Maybe it could be an annual event, like some of those others here. The annual "Write Lyrics For a MeFi Musician" challenge.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:00 PM on August 1, 2008
The annual "Write Lyrics For a MeFi Musician" challenge.
"Annual" seems too infrequent -- I'd prefer "ongoing," but lord knows it's hard to sustain challenges, etc.
I was actually going to start a thread about lyricist/musician collaboration one of these days. It's something I've been thinking about for a while. I'm happy there seems to be a demand for words (for once). I've got drafts of poems I'm not likely to publish that might could make good song lyrics, particularly for somebody with an adventuresome taste in subject material. Even if I can't deliver a finished, liner-notes quality lyric, I can at least supply some seeds; language, as we know, is eminently modifiable, particularly when it comes into contact with notes and vocal cords.
So I say unto you all, give a holler in this thread, or send me a memail, and I'll send you something to work with. Anyone too timid for that who still wants some words to work with, feel free to check out my long-term and more or less open source poetry project and its accompanying guidelines for use. (I'm going to do a projects post on it when it turns one year old)
posted by sleevener at 11:33 AM on August 2, 2008
"Annual" seems too infrequent -- I'd prefer "ongoing," but lord knows it's hard to sustain challenges, etc.
I was actually going to start a thread about lyricist/musician collaboration one of these days. It's something I've been thinking about for a while. I'm happy there seems to be a demand for words (for once). I've got drafts of poems I'm not likely to publish that might could make good song lyrics, particularly for somebody with an adventuresome taste in subject material. Even if I can't deliver a finished, liner-notes quality lyric, I can at least supply some seeds; language, as we know, is eminently modifiable, particularly when it comes into contact with notes and vocal cords.
So I say unto you all, give a holler in this thread, or send me a memail, and I'll send you something to work with. Anyone too timid for that who still wants some words to work with, feel free to check out my long-term and more or less open source poetry project and its accompanying guidelines for use. (I'm going to do a projects post on it when it turns one year old)
posted by sleevener at 11:33 AM on August 2, 2008
And flapjax, if this turns into an official Thing, complete with Metatalk post, count me in.
posted by sleevener at 11:43 AM on August 2, 2008
posted by sleevener at 11:43 AM on August 2, 2008
"Annual" seems too infrequent -- I'd prefer "ongoing,"
Ongoing would be great, but I fear "ongoing" would quickly become "nothing going on"... Seems to me something like this probably needs to be annual, so it's sort of a "big deal" enough for people to take notice and actually do it. Otherwise, I dunno, just seems like it'd probably peter out.
Glad to see cortex seems to think (from his comment upthread) that this might be a good idea. Anyone else watching this thread care to put in your two cents?
posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:06 AM on August 3, 2008
Ongoing would be great, but I fear "ongoing" would quickly become "nothing going on"... Seems to me something like this probably needs to be annual, so it's sort of a "big deal" enough for people to take notice and actually do it. Otherwise, I dunno, just seems like it'd probably peter out.
Glad to see cortex seems to think (from his comment upthread) that this might be a good idea. Anyone else watching this thread care to put in your two cents?
posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:06 AM on August 3, 2008
Call it my cautious nature in the face of new creative excursions, but I think the best modifier the first time out would be none at all. If we do it again a year later, okay: then it's annual, or ongoing. But the first one is just Hey, It's An Idea.
posted by cortex at 3:21 AM on August 3, 2008
posted by cortex at 3:21 AM on August 3, 2008
But the first one is just Hey, It's An Idea.
Hey, I hear that. Wouldn't disagree.
Think someone oughtta put up a MeTa thread announcing such a thing? Maybe we could discuss it here abit more, work out some finer points, and set it into motion?
posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:32 AM on August 3, 2008
Hey, I hear that. Wouldn't disagree.
Think someone oughtta put up a MeTa thread announcing such a thing? Maybe we could discuss it here abit more, work out some finer points, and set it into motion?
posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:32 AM on August 3, 2008
It could be pretty free form, right? Unless someone had some constraints in mind I hadn't thought of (constraints being thought of generally positively by me). I was imagining something like:
"Calling all writerly mefites: why not collaborate with some mefi musicians? [more inside]
Following the revelation over in Music Talk that some of our musical members are often in need of lyrics to go with their musical ideas, it seemed like a good idea to open up a space for those kinds of collaborations to take place. If you have lyrics for a song, or anything you think could serve as lyrics, and if you'd like to give a fellow mefite the chance to sing your words in a song, post them in this thread. If you don't have anything sitting around right now, why not write something new? No constraints on form or subject material are being offered at this time. Go crazy, enjoy, let's see what happens."
How's that sound? I didn't even try to preemptively address the inevitable intellectual property concerns bla bla...
posted by sleevener at 9:02 AM on August 3, 2008
"Calling all writerly mefites: why not collaborate with some mefi musicians? [more inside]
Following the revelation over in Music Talk that some of our musical members are often in need of lyrics to go with their musical ideas, it seemed like a good idea to open up a space for those kinds of collaborations to take place. If you have lyrics for a song, or anything you think could serve as lyrics, and if you'd like to give a fellow mefite the chance to sing your words in a song, post them in this thread. If you don't have anything sitting around right now, why not write something new? No constraints on form or subject material are being offered at this time. Go crazy, enjoy, let's see what happens."
How's that sound? I didn't even try to preemptively address the inevitable intellectual property concerns bla bla...
posted by sleevener at 9:02 AM on August 3, 2008
I think that sounds great. Do we have to address intellectual property, or is that for each person to clarify alongside their lyrics?
posted by umbú at 1:01 PM on August 3, 2008
posted by umbú at 1:01 PM on August 3, 2008
Yeah, having thought about it some more, maybe that's for each person should clarify for themselves if they see fit.
I'll give flapjax and his time zone a few hours to comment, and then I'll go ahead and post this to MeTa? Anybody else wanna jump in and suggest anything?
posted by sleevener at 2:06 PM on August 3, 2008
I'll give flapjax and his time zone a few hours to comment, and then I'll go ahead and post this to MeTa? Anybody else wanna jump in and suggest anything?
posted by sleevener at 2:06 PM on August 3, 2008
About the whole "so much action elsewhere, what about here?" thing -- I used to do improv in Chicago. Not often, and not well, but I did it. And there were tons of people on the same stages doing incredible things with spoken-word improvisation.
But music? Not a lot, and those who did it well (including myself) received a ridiculous level of respect from the awesome spoken-word improvisers. Just as we couldn't get a grip on how to do what they did, they couldn't do what we could -- and there were a lot fewer of us than there were of the spoken word guys.
The rarest animal, however, was the person who could lead/follow us musical improvisers with live accompaniment, in real time, without any pre-planning or rehearsal. Those people who could do it well -- and boy, there weren't many! -- got the love and respect and admiration of everyone in the other groups.
So I like that the number is smaller here...but gee, I'd love to see them fawn over anyone in Music who is doing it well, sure enough.
posted by davejay at 4:23 PM on August 3, 2008
But music? Not a lot, and those who did it well (including myself) received a ridiculous level of respect from the awesome spoken-word improvisers. Just as we couldn't get a grip on how to do what they did, they couldn't do what we could -- and there were a lot fewer of us than there were of the spoken word guys.
The rarest animal, however, was the person who could lead/follow us musical improvisers with live accompaniment, in real time, without any pre-planning or rehearsal. Those people who could do it well -- and boy, there weren't many! -- got the love and respect and admiration of everyone in the other groups.
So I like that the number is smaller here...but gee, I'd love to see them fawn over anyone in Music who is doing it well, sure enough.
posted by davejay at 4:23 PM on August 3, 2008
A fine good morning to you all!
I think sleevener's upthread mockup for a MeTa post is pretty good, and I think this could be a pretty cool thing (kudos to Ira_ for coming up with the idea).
I wonder, can we kick it around some more in this thread before somebody posts it in MeTa? I just think it'd be good to get more feedback, more ideas, etc. from more MeFi musicians before a MeTa post goes up, cause once it goes up, then it's sorta carved in stone. More hive-minding among us musicians, before this thing is formally announced?
Gotta go make the coffee.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:16 PM on August 3, 2008
I think sleevener's upthread mockup for a MeTa post is pretty good, and I think this could be a pretty cool thing (kudos to Ira_ for coming up with the idea).
I wonder, can we kick it around some more in this thread before somebody posts it in MeTa? I just think it'd be good to get more feedback, more ideas, etc. from more MeFi musicians before a MeTa post goes up, cause once it goes up, then it's sorta carved in stone. More hive-minding among us musicians, before this thing is formally announced?
Gotta go make the coffee.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:16 PM on August 3, 2008
Sounds like a cool idea, I can dig it. With all the different styles we got here at MeFiMu I think it'll be cool to see how each person interprets a set lyrics.
posted by BrnP84 at 7:45 PM on August 3, 2008
posted by BrnP84 at 7:45 PM on August 3, 2008
What about if in the Metatalk thread, musicians could post rough guidelines, like "I'm thinking of X style, or Y mood, or even topic Z. Would anyone be interested in writing something like that?"
posted by umbú at 8:25 PM on August 3, 2008
posted by umbú at 8:25 PM on August 3, 2008
Eh, I like the idea of keeping it open ended, someone might have some stuff in their archives that could turn out to be really cool but than it doesn't fit the category or something. I dunno, just my opinion.
posted by BrnP84 at 8:32 PM on August 3, 2008
posted by BrnP84 at 8:32 PM on August 3, 2008
Couldn't it be both? Some people could post rough guidelines, and others could be up for anything.
posted by umbú at 8:38 PM on August 3, 2008
posted by umbú at 8:38 PM on August 3, 2008
NO!!! Eh....well actually I don't really see a reason why not.... yea sounds good than.
posted by BrnP84 at 8:40 PM on August 3, 2008
posted by BrnP84 at 8:40 PM on August 3, 2008
I think musicians optionally throwing in some rough guidelines for writers could provide a good challenge. I like to have something to work towards sometimes.
"I need some words to go with my 8-minute country/J-pop/gothcore toy-piano anthem."
posted by sleevener at 7:45 AM on August 4, 2008
"I need some words to go with my 8-minute country/J-pop/gothcore toy-piano anthem."
posted by sleevener at 7:45 AM on August 4, 2008
Check it out, everyone. Mediocre has firmly established the pipeline!
posted by umbú at 9:12 PM on August 4, 2008
posted by umbú at 9:12 PM on August 4, 2008
I hear you, umbú... that's some serious cross-site visitation going on, probably more than ever for any single song. Amazing! And to think, all for some Juggalo!
*ducks again*
posted by flapjax at midnite at 9:15 PM on August 4, 2008
*ducks again*
posted by flapjax at midnite at 9:15 PM on August 4, 2008
I REALLY REALLY like this idea. I have major troubles writing my own lyrics, and I almost never like them. I never have any shortage of guitar ditties and melodies, but the words, man! The words!
Heh - that's totally why I thought of that idea.
Are we still gonna try this, or do we consider the pipeline firmly established? Who knew that all we needed to do was write a song about something everyone could relate to, like wanting to punch 'em in the dick?
posted by Ira_ at 10:31 AM on August 5, 2008
Heh - that's totally why I thought of that idea.
Are we still gonna try this, or do we consider the pipeline firmly established? Who knew that all we needed to do was write a song about something everyone could relate to, like wanting to punch 'em in the dick?
posted by Ira_ at 10:31 AM on August 5, 2008
If you have lyrics for a song, or anything you think could serve as lyrics, and if you'd like to give a fellow mefite the chance to sing your words in a song, post them in this thread.
I think a problem (or maybe not a problem, depending on what you're looking for from this) may be that if we ask people to post lyrics in-thread, it's all gonna be jokey lyrics out to impress each other. I was actually also thinking that we could give contributors some anonymity, if they want it.
Of course, if we're all about the pipeline building, jokey lyrics is the way to go. I just think that unless Music has funny songs all the time, the people who come for the funny aren't going to hang around.
posted by Ira_ at 10:38 AM on August 5, 2008
I think a problem (or maybe not a problem, depending on what you're looking for from this) may be that if we ask people to post lyrics in-thread, it's all gonna be jokey lyrics out to impress each other. I was actually also thinking that we could give contributors some anonymity, if they want it.
Of course, if we're all about the pipeline building, jokey lyrics is the way to go. I just think that unless Music has funny songs all the time, the people who come for the funny aren't going to hang around.
posted by Ira_ at 10:38 AM on August 5, 2008
Are we still gonna try this, or do we consider the pipeline firmly established?
I don't see any reason why not to do it—it sounds like a just plain fun creative project, and that's my motivation.
I am going to get all creepily administrative for a second and be clear that I don't really want this to be treated like a "we've got to storm the barn" thing so much as, yeah, fun thing for non-Music regulars to do that has a musical aspect to it. There's a thin fuzzy line between happy gentle advocacy and the getting-on-of-nerves as far as cross-subsite promotion goes, and I'd rather folks not get overly tactical about this stuff.
Which is more a general observation than a specific worry here, but I kind of wanted to get that note sounded. You may commence with the "Gee, thanks, Dad"s at your leisure.
What I would suggest, having thought about this for a couple days, is a keep-it-simple metatalk post, just hitting on the main points:
- Hey, there's a bunch of musicians over at (or not yet over at—hi!) Music who like the idea of putting other people's lyrics to music.
- Hey, there's a bunch of clever people on mefi who have a knack for rhyme, for euphony, for meter and meaning. Your words could be our missing lyrics.
- If you have some lyrics knocking around, or feel like writing some, this thread can be a clearinghouse for just that. Mefi writing funtime go!
- The spirit here is implicitly open creative license—copyright remains yours as with any mefi comment, and sticky details of rights handling is probably something for the parties involved to figure out in the unlikely event of something turning into A Big Deal.
posted by cortex at 11:07 AM on August 5, 2008
I don't see any reason why not to do it—it sounds like a just plain fun creative project, and that's my motivation.
I am going to get all creepily administrative for a second and be clear that I don't really want this to be treated like a "we've got to storm the barn" thing so much as, yeah, fun thing for non-Music regulars to do that has a musical aspect to it. There's a thin fuzzy line between happy gentle advocacy and the getting-on-of-nerves as far as cross-subsite promotion goes, and I'd rather folks not get overly tactical about this stuff.
Which is more a general observation than a specific worry here, but I kind of wanted to get that note sounded. You may commence with the "Gee, thanks, Dad"s at your leisure.
What I would suggest, having thought about this for a couple days, is a keep-it-simple metatalk post, just hitting on the main points:
- Hey, there's a bunch of musicians over at (or not yet over at—hi!) Music who like the idea of putting other people's lyrics to music.
- Hey, there's a bunch of clever people on mefi who have a knack for rhyme, for euphony, for meter and meaning. Your words could be our missing lyrics.
- If you have some lyrics knocking around, or feel like writing some, this thread can be a clearinghouse for just that. Mefi writing funtime go!
- The spirit here is implicitly open creative license—copyright remains yours as with any mefi comment, and sticky details of rights handling is probably something for the parties involved to figure out in the unlikely event of something turning into A Big Deal.
posted by cortex at 11:07 AM on August 5, 2008
I don't really want this to be treated like a "we've got to storm the barn" thing so much as, yeah, fun thing for non-Music regulars to do that has a musical aspect to it. There's a thin fuzzy line between happy gentle advocacy and the getting-on-of-nerves as far as cross-subsite promotion goes, and I'd rather folks not get overly tactical about this stuff.
I agree.
If you have some lyrics knocking around, or feel like writing some, this thread can be a clearinghouse for just that. Mefi writing funtime go!
If you had lyrics that you personally cared about, would you really post it in an open Metatalk thread, next to everyone else's submissions? God forbid a metatalk thread go by without an attempt to crush someone's spirit, as you said in another thread. (Actually I guess you might cortex, because you're well-respected and feel comfortable in Metatalk. But I'm thinking some people wouldn't, and their contribution would be valuable too.) While people may be less critical/snarky than in other threads, it still doesn't strike me as a particularly welcoming place for people to post their words - at least unless the words are obviously funny or crowd-pleasing, or not that important to the poster. So that would be limiting in that respect.
I was thinking we could have someone that people could message lyrics to, or have somewhere off-site where lyrics could be submitted? What do you think?
posted by Ira_ at 11:56 AM on August 5, 2008
I agree.
If you have some lyrics knocking around, or feel like writing some, this thread can be a clearinghouse for just that. Mefi writing funtime go!
If you had lyrics that you personally cared about, would you really post it in an open Metatalk thread, next to everyone else's submissions? God forbid a metatalk thread go by without an attempt to crush someone's spirit, as you said in another thread. (Actually I guess you might cortex, because you're well-respected and feel comfortable in Metatalk. But I'm thinking some people wouldn't, and their contribution would be valuable too.) While people may be less critical/snarky than in other threads, it still doesn't strike me as a particularly welcoming place for people to post their words - at least unless the words are obviously funny or crowd-pleasing, or not that important to the poster. So that would be limiting in that respect.
I was thinking we could have someone that people could message lyrics to, or have somewhere off-site where lyrics could be submitted? What do you think?
posted by Ira_ at 11:56 AM on August 5, 2008
If you had lyrics that you personally cared about, would you really post it in an open Metatalk thread, next to everyone else's submissions?
Well, I figure it depends a lot on the person. See the limerick threads that pop up on mefi sometimes, which run the gauntlet from really good and really bad—some folks don't mind posting dreck that might get ridiculed, and some folks don't mind posting stuff they think is good, and some folks will just plain recuse themselves because they don't want the criticism.
The thread could totally be a prompt for private contact-of-people, but at that point I think it'd be better to treat it as like a Projects deal: put together a simple place for people to submit Mefi Lyrics to a trusted, not-so-public repository run by some curator-inclined Music person to do some wrangling. Which is a fine idea, but maybe a little out of scope of a simple post-if-you-like/dare metatalk thread, which is more of what I envisioned this as being when the idea came down the pipe.
If someone wants to do that, I think that'd be great, but I don't have the time or the spare energy right now to bootstrap it and I don't really want to try to set up some sort of tricky on-site messaging channel for the stuff when it'd be easier to keep it simple and just see what happens.
posted by cortex at 12:12 PM on August 5, 2008
Well, I figure it depends a lot on the person. See the limerick threads that pop up on mefi sometimes, which run the gauntlet from really good and really bad—some folks don't mind posting dreck that might get ridiculed, and some folks don't mind posting stuff they think is good, and some folks will just plain recuse themselves because they don't want the criticism.
The thread could totally be a prompt for private contact-of-people, but at that point I think it'd be better to treat it as like a Projects deal: put together a simple place for people to submit Mefi Lyrics to a trusted, not-so-public repository run by some curator-inclined Music person to do some wrangling. Which is a fine idea, but maybe a little out of scope of a simple post-if-you-like/dare metatalk thread, which is more of what I envisioned this as being when the idea came down the pipe.
If someone wants to do that, I think that'd be great, but I don't have the time or the spare energy right now to bootstrap it and I don't really want to try to set up some sort of tricky on-site messaging channel for the stuff when it'd be easier to keep it simple and just see what happens.
posted by cortex at 12:12 PM on August 5, 2008
Oh, I wasn't thinking to ask you or Matt or anyone else to do any extra coding for this stuff - and while that repository may be a good idea, it's more long-term and probably not in the spirit of what we're discussing - but y'know, with your example, they're limericks - I'd imagine few people care that much or feel that personally attached to them.
I just wanted to raise the point that we may be limiting the kind of lyrics we get if we do it that way - if you all think it's fine, really, I'm not fussed.
posted by Ira_ at 12:34 PM on August 5, 2008
I just wanted to raise the point that we may be limiting the kind of lyrics we get if we do it that way - if you all think it's fine, really, I'm not fussed.
posted by Ira_ at 12:34 PM on August 5, 2008
Yeah, okay, I follow you now. Personal opinion: it probably will be a little limiting as far as what would show up in the thread, I think you're right to think that, but as a one-off let's-see-what-happens compromise that seems acceptable. If this blossoms into a long-term thing one way or the other (and I wouldn't be surprised to see a bunch of brainstorming on that front from non-Music folks), problem solving can commence at that point.
posted by cortex at 12:40 PM on August 5, 2008
posted by cortex at 12:40 PM on August 5, 2008
Regarding users potentially feeling timid about putting "real" lyrics up: Yeah, there'll probably be some really jokey lyrics, with a lot of favorites next to them. Nothing wrong with that whatsoever.
Me, I'm also excited about this as a fun form of collaboration -- I've been scraping some things together for a few days now, and while a few are kind of light, none of them are jokey. But that's what I've got. Maybe somebody sees a sincere/non-funny attempt being made, maybe they don't get all freaked out about making a sincere attempt themselves.
And, anybody starts shit, you know where to punch 'em.
posted by sleevener at 2:51 PM on August 5, 2008
Me, I'm also excited about this as a fun form of collaboration -- I've been scraping some things together for a few days now, and while a few are kind of light, none of them are jokey. But that's what I've got. Maybe somebody sees a sincere/non-funny attempt being made, maybe they don't get all freaked out about making a sincere attempt themselves.
And, anybody starts shit, you know where to punch 'em.
posted by sleevener at 2:51 PM on August 5, 2008
Re-reading my previous comment, it seems like I conveyed mainly crankiness, rather than the élan and fellow-feeling I was shooting for. Also, the esprit de corps didn't come across nohow.
Anyways, anybody else have any ideas to kick around?
posted by sleevener at 8:40 PM on August 5, 2008
Anyways, anybody else have any ideas to kick around?
posted by sleevener at 8:40 PM on August 5, 2008
I'm fresh fucking out of ideas.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:53 PM on August 5, 2008
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:53 PM on August 5, 2008
cortex: Okay, awesome.
I'm getting the feeling that everyone's getting cranky, and I'm not sure why, but I'm gonna back out of the thread and leave you guys to decide what's best.
posted by Ira_ at 3:44 AM on August 6, 2008
I'm getting the feeling that everyone's getting cranky, and I'm not sure why, but I'm gonna back out of the thread and leave you guys to decide what's best.
posted by Ira_ at 3:44 AM on August 6, 2008
So, just to be clear, I'm not cranky at all, & remain genuinely excited about this, which maybe has led me to step on toes; I apologize if I gave the wrong idea (trying to be funny, dick-punches, etc). The discussion has been really good so far and brought up a lot of things I hadn't thought about. I imagine the (eventual) discussion in the Metatalk thread will sort a few more things out. Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing this come through, & I hope everbody else is too.
posted by sleevener at 9:10 AM on August 6, 2008
posted by sleevener at 9:10 AM on August 6, 2008
I think we're making this out to be too big of a deal. It's just an idea, a pretty cool idea so what's with all the hesitation with it. It's not like we're trying to draft the declaration of independence, we're just offering people a chance to write lyrics.
posted by BrnP84 at 12:44 PM on August 6, 2008
posted by BrnP84 at 12:44 PM on August 6, 2008
My comment just above came off as cranky, I know, but it's just cause I was kinda bummed in general, when I made it.
I think this lyric idea is really good, as I said upthread, and I think someone should post it to MeTa.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 1:23 PM on August 6, 2008
I think this lyric idea is really good, as I said upthread, and I think someone should post it to MeTa.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 1:23 PM on August 6, 2008
Yeah, ditto; I hope I didn't come off as too Angry Grampa or anything above. Someone who feels daring should just go ahead and do that thing, I figure, and we can see what goes from there.
posted by cortex at 1:30 PM on August 6, 2008
posted by cortex at 1:30 PM on August 6, 2008
Well, I've posted my precious snowflake of an orphan song.
So fuck you all!
I guess.
posted by Jofus at 4:31 AM on August 7, 2008
So fuck you all!
I guess.
posted by Jofus at 4:31 AM on August 7, 2008
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posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:17 PM on July 31, 2008