Cool new online cafe for musicians

CanuckTodd · #1 May 3rd, 2007

Hey folks,
Good article in the Globe & Mail, one of Canada's national newspapers.
It's about a new online social networking site for musicians. The site interface is pretty cool with a virtual tour guide navigating you around to the various parts of the site. (Make sure you read the fine print in the user agreement, especially about use of content you post.)
Here's a link to the article.
Music artists reach for long tail in 3-D virtual community
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...sonalTech/home

Snippet
"Enter cafesonique.com, a Winnipeg-based site that is becoming one of the most respected 3-D virtual communities for emerging and independent musicians around the world. Recently named as a nominee for the "Excellence in the Use of Social Media" category of the 2007 Canadian New Media Awards, cafésonique.com is only a year old, but they have already registered more than 700 musicians in 23 countries worldwide along with international music-based service providers such as Sabian Cymbals."

Here's a link to the site:
http://www.cafesonique.com/launch/flash.php

It's a totally different animal than this forum, and isn't about instruction and training, (as far as I can tell) but for people here who progress and start to post their own original tunes regularly, they might want to check it out.

If for some reason, this post is viewed as a threat to this forum, then I'll understand if the moderators delete it. I don't want to create any grief for the fine folks who run this great place.

Doug · #2 May 3rd, 2007

that's a pretty wild user interface. Hate to try it from my home dial-up, though. Maybe someday they'll have broadband out in the country...

Dewy · #3 May 3rd, 2007

I'm with you Todd, this seems to be more like Soundclick than competition with this site.

Pretty neat though... I really have got to get some of my tunes polished up and posted.

allthumbs · #4 May 3rd, 2007

Hey Clancy. Can we set up our site like that. I'm sure it wouldn't take more than a couple of years and 1/2 dozen nervous breakdowns to do.

Lcjones · #5 May 3rd, 2007

They are, no doubt, well above the learning curve in flash.

CanuckTodd · #6 May 3rd, 2007

Hey guys,
Just realized the link to the story doesn't work and the story is no longer on the home page. Man, news gets old fast! I tracked it down and will see if this works. In any event, you can check it out for yourself. I agree it is a slick interface, and artists can upload pictures, songs and videos. I think Kirk, RB, LcJones and dozens of others here could create virtual home pages to showcase their stuff.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...sonalTech/home

Clancy · #7 May 3rd, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by allthumbs

Hey Clancy. Can we set up our site like that. I'm sure it wouldn't take more than a couple of years and 1/2 dozen nervous breakdowns to do.

What's a couple more nervous breakdowns to add to the list.

Clancy · #8 May 3rd, 2007

Someone's put a great deal of work into setting that site up (the use of flash is very well done) but I loath having to point my mouse over icons to see where I'm going to be taken... From a flash point of view, very clever, from a navigation point of view, it fails miserably IMHO. I don't think it'll take off. Too complicated.

Clancy

eddiez152 · #9 May 3rd, 2007

Well it is an interesting place. Thank for the link got some good stuff there.

krissovo · #10 May 4th, 2007

I looks cool, I agree that its a pain to get around but I signed up anyway to have a play

CanuckTodd · #11 May 4th, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clancy

Someone's put a great deal of work into setting that site up (the use of flash is very well done) but I loath having to point my mouse over icons to see where I'm going to be taken... From a flash point of view, very clever, from a navigation point of view, it fails miserably IMHO. I don't think it'll take off. Too complicated.

Clancy

Hey Clancy,
You make a good point. To build community requires more than technology, and your/our forum has community in spades and then some. Having said that, you too have done a great job of always adding cool new features and user functions and pushing the technology to help make this forum even better.

But I was taken aback by some of the features at the cafe. It felt more like being in a video game like Myst then it did a website. As I poked around some more I realized that there are a lot of talented web folks out there who are going to blow our minds when they start building more web 2.0 functionality.

Imagine, for example, the same type of functionality for that site when shopping for a guitar in an online store. Hello, welcome to XYZ guitar shop, do you want an acoustic or electric? Gibson or Fender? Then you swoosh inside and interact with the guitars, video, pictures, 3D cutaway views.... Wow! Bring it on!

Clancy · #12 May 4th, 2007

I didn't mean to put the site down. I have to admit, I didn't even spend all that much time there... Graphically it is incredible... and yes I agree it is like a video game which I guess would appeal to many people (especially guys) - I personally like to find what I'm looking for faaaast (having the attention span of a gnat). I guess it depends on whether you are looking for an experience or information.

Clancy

AX7221 · #13 May 5th, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clancy

Someone's put a great deal of work into setting that site up (the use of flash is very well done) but I loath having to point my mouse over icons to see where I'm going to be taken... From a flash point of view, very clever, from a navigation point of view, it fails miserably IMHO. I don't think it'll take off. Too complicated.

Clancy

I agree, but i think people who are computer illeterate would disagree. I remember hearing about (i was too young) that people preferred command line instead of gui's b/c they can concisely type in what they want instead of pointing and clicking all over the place, which your post reminded me of. i thought it was a pain that once i clicked on something i had to watch the graphic and everything only to immedately realized this wasnt what i wanted. however i think it can work, just i wont be using it.

Clancy · #14 May 5th, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by AX7221

I agree, but i think people who are computer illeterate would disagree. I remember hearing about (i was too young) that people preferred command line instead of gui's b/c they can concisely type in what they want instead of pointing and clicking all over the place, which your post reminded me of. i thought it was a pain that once i clicked on something i had to watch the graphic and everything only to immedately realized this wasnt what i wanted. however i think it can work, just i wont be using it.

Uh oh, I've become one of those people I used to roll my eyes at.

Stratrat · #15 May 8th, 2007

It's an interesting site, and a very novel design. I found my way to the artist search page, and their list of genres is absolutely mind-boggling! Definitely a cool place to check out to hear some new music once you get used to the interface, but I'm with Clancy - it's more complicated than I like. Todd's analogy of it being like Myst was right on.

AX7221 - I was one of those people when Windows first came out. I was used to the DOS command line, had learned how to write batch files to automate what I wanted automated, and the GUI really felt "dumbed down" to me. When I first got on the internet I had to learn Unix because most all the apps (mail, newsreaders, etc.) were command-line based. The WWW was there, but it was text only at that time.

I've gotten over it to a large degree and I enjoy the convenience of a GUI now - but I still turn off a lot of the automation stuff in Windows wherever I can.....I don't like the OS or programs doing anything I don't explicitly tell them to do. I'm one of those guys who disables all the automatic features in cars, too - if I want my doors to lock, I'll push the lock button....I don't want my vehicle locking the doors automatically when I put it into gear.