When it comes to innovation, I believe
that Ryan and Hays Holladay could be on to something. Their GPS based
sound-scape application allows users to peruse popular tourist destinations
such as Central Park and the National Mall to the beat of the Holladay's drum,
violin or cello.
The Holladay brothers’ musical
compositions are written for specific places and the music evolves and changes
depending on how the user chooses to explore the environment it was written
for. The musical passages are interchangeable and the order in which one hears
each section does not matter, it actually gives the album a renewed perspective
when the listener takes on new routes. The brothers have released three albums as iPhone applications, the first is from their home town of the nations capital, "The National Mall." The second album entitled, “Central Park
(Listen to the Light)” was released as an iPhone app by Bluebrain. Organizers
of SXSW Interactive commissioned the third and most recent installment of
Location-Aware Music entitled “The Violet Crown”. Also released as an iPhone
app, “The Violet Crown” gives festivalgoers an opportunity to engage in a sonic
adventure as they explore the festival grounds.
To experience these site-specific-compositions, one actually must be there. This concept takes interactive
content to a really unique place. The listener actually becomes the conductor
and arranger of the musical piece by choosing which path to take first,
deciding to take a right or left can engage the string section or lead to a
percussive build. Personally I always
have a soundtrack going on in my head depending on which activity I am engaging
in. This music-mapping app is actually giving you a soundtrack as you explore
the world and in my opinion that is really innovative.
Ryan Holladay’s TED presentation
entitled “To hear this music you have to be there. Literally” really inspired
me to explore new territories when it comes to media and entertainment.
Technology has opened the door to an endless array of possibilities for artist
and visionaries to express and explore their wildest dreams and aspirations.
