Steve Lucin | Parsons MFA CDT

For complete project, please visit: Cymatic Sandbox
For Cymatic Sandbox Documentation: Download Proposal

Everyone's Smiling
Laughter Rings Throughout The Mall
Forgot To Zip Fly

Download pdf: here

"Ayo DJ! Play That Song!"
Visualizing Song Requests

Abstract
“Ayo DJ! Play That Song!” is a system that helps DJs visualize what people want to hear at any given party. Song requests are inputted into a device where the information is sent to the computer that the DJ is using for the party. The information is displayed on the computer in a fashion that tells the DJ which songs or genres are being requested the most. This visualization can also be used as a light show at the party as well.

Overview
A DJs job is to play the right music at the right time during a party. The DJ must truly feel out the crowd and assume what the people want to hear. When people really want to hear a song, they would normally go up to the DJ, sometimes many at a time, and request songs. Some songs and genres get requested many times, others are requested only one time. The “Ayo DJ! Play That Song!” system works as the liaison between the song requester and the DJ. This also helps eliminate interruption of the DJs flow. The songs/genres requested are displayed on the computer, where the most requested songs/genres will be in a large font and specified color. This visualization can then be projected to be used as either a light show, or a display with some effects added to them for people in the party to see.

There is limited software that does this similar task. “Remote Request Station” allows the crowd to browse through the Dj computer song list and send the requests from a remote computer. The DJ can then drag those songs from his computer to the DJ software being used. This eliminates a crowd of people at the DJ booth or stage requesting songs. The interface for the requester is a computer, either a laptop, desktop, or even touch screen, and seems easy to use. The interface for the DJ is a simple text list, and does not show frequency of request.

Apple has recently released a new version of iTunes (Version 8.1 released on March 11th, 2009), which has revamped the old “Party Shuffle” to the new “iTunes DJ”. This new feature allows anyone with an iPhone or iPod Touch and the Remote app to request songs from any stereo system that is running the iTunes DJ feature. The songs requested through the Remote app are placed into the iTunes DJ playlist, either near the top, or the bottom (depending if they request or add to playlist), and a frequency of votes for the song is recorded. The flaw with this is that while you are operating iTunes DJ, the DJ does not have full control of the songs, no mixing abilities, and he can not even reorder the songs.

Other jukebox softwares such as Digital DJ, once again, do not give you full control of what a DJ should be able to do, and that is mix and reorder songs. “Ayo DJ! Play That Song!” will take the best features of “Remote Request Station” and the Remote app by Apple.

Scenario

Resources
http://remoterequest.softjock.com/ - Remote Request Station
http://techblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/03/itunes-81-makes-every-partygoe.html - iTunes DJ
http://www.tuaw.com/2009/03/12/itunes-8-1-dj-gives-another-excuse-to-party - iTunes DJ
http://www.adecmusic.com/Power/digital_dj_music_system.htm - Digital DJ
http://www.toprankblog.com/2008/08/visualizing-search-marketing-blogs/ - Word Visualization on SEO
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2007/08/02/data-visualization-modern-approaches/ - Modern Visualization

Everyone's Smiling
Laughter rings throughout the Mall
Forgot to zip fly

Three different style frames to animate this haiku.

Calle Ocho Fly Through from Steve Lucin on Vimeo.