NetMusic: Groovin' on the Internet

by Dan Wellman

The Internet's fast transfer speeds and distanceless destinations have made long-distance research, personal communication, and image acquisition a reality today, but what does the Internet SOUND like? Music enthusiasts around the world have been experimenting with this technology to find that cool groove, that hip sound, that movin' jam session, and it seems like they're starting to find the beat. If Paul Simon can go to Africa and add a new dimension to his music with a different sound, why can't we? With today's fast networks we'll be able to do just that, without the hassle of plane tickets, passports, and thug-like roadies. Canton Becker and Matt Moller are working on the Distributed Real-Time Groove Network (DRGN), which will make possible the creation of music in real-time with users from across the globe. Imagine playing bass while your friend in England lays down a cool keyboard riff and another user from Brazil jams out a funky percussion with a funky backbeat - that's the goal of the DRGN project. The Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) makes the computer-to-instrument communication possible, and the Internet handles the user-to-user interaction.

After the introduction of this technology, it was only a matter of time until the first Internet band popped up, Res Rocket Surfer (RRS). At last count, the band totalled around one thousand folks worldwide from thirty countries. There are no nail-biting auditions and you don't even need to know how to play an instrument! All that's required is a little bit of creativity, your own unique contribution to the group. Because of the broad accessibility of the band, your poem about Bantha cubs just might get picked up by a raver in Germany and end up a hit someday. The vast human resources of the Internet just might give you that fresh new idea, or the inspiration you've been looking for.

If you want to learn more about these projects, join RRS, or quench your thirst for magentic melodies, information is only a click away. Fire up your web browser and look for DRGN info at http://ctdnet.acns.nwu.edu/hugo/drgn.html, and Res Rocket Surfer info at http://www.resrocket.com/. As Jim Morrison of the Doors once said, "I am the Lizard King, I can do anything."

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Last updated 4 March 1996