NotePD but for Musical Projects

When's the last time you bought an album?

Even in the 80s and 90s, an album would have one or two good songs spread out amongst filler.

We're past the age of albums. No one kicks back and actively listens to an album from beginning to end. Music streaming services have been the final nail in the coffin.

It's no longer about albums or artists, it's about individual songs.

Creators don't need an entire album, they just need one song. It's been this way for a long time, but we're finally free to admit it. Don't believe me? Name another song by Soulja Boy.

An app designed to connect musical creatives would limit the scope of the project. Many musicians don't have time to write an entire album. With this app, you can focus on one song at a time.

Some people are protective over their ideas. Some are not.

Speaking personally, I have a lot of musical ideas, but no strong desire to hang on to them and take the time to carve them out to completion.

I'm the type of person who can think of hundreds of song "seedlings", but I have difficulty fleshing things out from there.

A fully completed song would be amazing, but sometimes it's fun just to riff and jam out.

I'd love to offer my song seeds to a song 'gardener' for free.

Some musicians are much more motivated than others.

If a musician joins the app for the explicit purpose of connecting and collaborating with other motivated musicians, they should be able to find each other easily.

They can even have "locked" sound samples that can't be accessed by the free members.

Drums, piano, guitar, bass, vocals, etc.

If someone is a bassist who enjoys having a drumbeat to play off of, he should be able to find it.

If a vocalist or lyricist wants to sing over a piano piece, it should be available.

Say you share a guitar riff. A producer finds it, and he adds a drumbeat and a bass line.

Wow! His work is amazing! You love it!

You contact him about wanting to produce a completed track together. He agrees.

You then lock the original sample, so it can no longer be accessed by community members. You're officially in a collaboration together, and no one can access the original demo.

Reggie Watts is one of my favorite performers of anything ever.

If you don't know him, please do a search on YouTube. He improvises every show, using an audio "looper" to create layers. He'll beatbox a rhythm, then come over the top with a bass line, then sing over the top of that.

Some of his songs are so good that they could be top 40 hits, if they were polished up a bit. But that's not his style. He creates in the moment and he moves on.

With so many musical samples floating around, there's no need to strain and struggle to come up with something to add to each track. If something inspires you, go for it.

NotePD has the ability to "branch" off other people's ideas. The same should be done with music.

If someone has an intro riff, maybe someone can create a verse. If someone has a chorus, maybe it inspires someone to create a bridge.

Not everyone has the ability to get together in real time. Some people (like myself) enjoying ruminating on a musical idea for hours. In person, this can test people's patience and then I feel guilty. But working alone, I can explore many ideas before sending one back to the original creator.

If a musician has a lot of their work out in the market place, they should be able to advertise it.

There should be two lists: Followers and Collaborators.

If someone likes your work, they follow you. If you end up working together, you can create a deeper connection and become official collaborators.

Some people will make strong connections. Some duos might even choose to work with one another exclusively.

Now here's where it gets tricky.

How many people can contribute to a single song? If the song is completed, how is credit divided up amongst those who contributed?

Admittedly, I don't know.

But there are smarter minds than me out there.

It can be done.