Big changes coming to Pianobook

[Lee Blaske]

I wish!

SoundCloud is finally profitable after years of losing money. Between 2018 and 2021 they have almost tripled their revenue and doubled their users.

In case you don't know, I'm working on something like a SoundCloud competitor. Not the social media network but only the audio hosting.

Decrease in number of tracks, though. They had 200 million in 2020, but were down to 150 million in 2021.

 

[titokane]

I wonder how a page where everyone can just submit their sounds can be more inclusive though?

Again, inclusive is my word and I feel like a lot of people are confusing inclusiveness with "woke" or something like that.

Inclusiveness can look like a lot of things.

Sure, it can be seeing that there are people on the platform that look like you. It can be seeing people who are from the same country as you. Same age as you. It can be seeing people at the same point in their career, or earlier but are doing something interesting, or later but are examples of being a successful member of the community. It could be about connecting like-minded people or about creating an environment where people who are very different and never would have otherwise met can stumble upon each other and learn from each other.

It can be a website that is easier to navigate, or has more user-friendly tools to take advantage of. Maybe it appeals to different types of composers than just one people who score to picture. Maybe it automatically translates to different languages, or has formats that are available to more DAWs or samplers. Or works better on a wider range of browsers.

Maybe it's about getting the word out that some of these things are already in place, since just because we know about it doesn't mean everybody who could eventually be interested in it knows about it.

Inclusiveness is not necessarily a political thing, or a political correctness thing, and even if it is it's not necessarily a bad thing.

But, again, I'm the one who said "inclusive" -- I'm honestly not even sure that word was ever actually said in the video.

 

[SonOfPeter]

I wonder how a page where everyone can just submit their sounds can be more inclusive though?

Probably in the same way big corporations like Xbox, Netflix etc do it. They’ll have promotional sections like “instruments made by lgbtq2+” or “instruments curated by the black community”. Maybe add some rainbow flag badges or something.

 

[Casiquire]

I'm pretty sure they mean that it's opening up to more instruments, so it "includes" focus on much more than just the pianos which were its origin. And that's inclusive to people who don't have the resources to own and maintain acoustic pianos, since they can create whatever sound they want

 

[Digivolt]

She also specifically mentions that she would like to get more women samplists on board as a personal initiative. Overall she wants it to feel even more open, inviting, accessible, etc. -- not that it currently isn't. Just alterations here and there for the better.

Without focusing on the inclusiveness term and politics that surround it, it could definitely be about redesigning the website to make it less ugly and more user friendly, that would certainly be welcome

 

[SonOfPeter]

I'm pretty sure they mean that it's opening up to more instruments, so it "includes" focus on much more than just the pianos which were its origin. And that's inclusive to people who don't have the resources to own and maintain acoustic pianos, since they can create whatever sound they want

That’s already the case. Christian mentions that in the intro to the video. Early on it became more than just pianos.

 

[Lionel Schmitt]

I'm pretty sure they mean that it's opening up to more instruments, so it "includes" focus on much more than just the pianos which were its origin. And that's inclusive to people who don't have the resources to own and maintain acoustic pianos, since they can create whatever sound they want

That's how the page works since I can remember it. Not sure why they chose the page name...

Again, inclusive is my word and I feel like a lot of people are confusing inclusiveness with "woke" or something like that.

Inclusiveness can look like a lot of things.

Sure, it can be seeing that there are people on the platform that look like you. It can be seeing people who are from the same country as you. Same age as you. It can be seeing people at the same point in their career, or earlier but are doing something interesting, or later but are examples of being a successful member of the community. It could be about connecting like-minded people or about creating an environment where people who are very different and never would have otherwise met can stumble upon each other and learn from each other.

It can be a website that is easier to navigate, or has more user-friendly tools to take advantage of. Maybe it appeals to different types of composers than just one people who score to picture. Maybe it automatically translates to different languages, or has formats that are available to more DAWs or samplers. Or works better on a wider range of browsers.

Maybe it's about getting the word out that some of these things are already in place, since just because we know about it doesn't mean everybody who could eventually be interested in it knows about it.

Inclusiveness is not necessarily a political thing, or a political correctness thing, and even if it is it's not necessarily a bad thing.

But, again, I'm the one who said "inclusive" -- I'm honestly not even sure that word was ever actually said in the video.

Well, I've just been going off the Spitfire vibes where there is a very clear and obvious bias towards anyone who isn't a 40 year old white composer.
So it wasn't a stretch to assume this continuing at PianoBook.
But well, if there is nothing obvious in that regard in the video there is no point in getting into it.
Probably no point in it in general. I just try to ignore it since I feel like it actually creates more bias psychologically, but that's a new can of worms.

 

[rMancer]

But, again, I'm the one who said "inclusive" -- I'm honestly not even sure that word was ever actually said in the video.

It was; they mention inclusivity in the context of redefining the idea of what a modern composer is (i.e. it's not just classically-trained people writing notation for orchestras), and wanting to remove some of the barriers that many newer composers and samplists face (e.g. money, publicity, lack of help/community, lack of education, etc).

I feel like some of the people commenting are doing so strictly based on your summary that you posted, rather than actually watching the video for themselves. It's understandable, as time is valuable (and to be fair, the first half of the video is pretty devoid of meaning), but it's also a great way for nuance to be thrown out of the window.

 

[titokane]

It was; they mention inclusivity in the context of redefining the idea of what a modern composer is (i.e. it's not just classically-trained people writing notation for orchestras), and wanting to remove some of the barriers that many newer composers and samplists face (e.g. money, publicity, help from the community, lack of education, etc).

Ah well there you go -- I didn't feel like rewatching the video just to listen for a single word. Appreciate the more precise context

 

[venustheory]

I guess @venustheory won't have to quit PianoBook after all.

For reference:

Just to quash any speculation, I won't be returning. I have very little faith that things are going to happen the way I'd expect them to before I'd consider any sort of return or further involvement.

I've decided to host things on my own site until an alternative is available.

 

[Technostica]

Have they included a way to add favourite libraries?
I think you can follow specific developers, but I would like to track a library without needing to download it.
As the catalogue grows, it seems more important to be able to track the content.

I recall a previous overhaul of the site which left me cold.
CH did say in the new video that he wasn't impressed with his handling of the project.
Sounds like a new leader is a good thing.
It has a lot of potential for sure.
I haven't really tracked it much, but do recall the negative responses in some quarters to adding a tip jar or whatever they did.

 

[TheWhat]

Mom's 1974 Baby Grand and Pneuma - Eleni - Pianobook (Teaser) are really neat from pianobook. But some of it isn't that great. I don't mean that to be a mean, ungrateful, sniveling A-hole - I just don't like a lot of it. After finally picking up Kontakt full and doing some research I can see that making a sample library is a monumental undertaking and I have great respect for the process but just like anything else that offers wide access (ehem 2023 music creation) there is a lot of blubber before you get to the creme.

Good luck! But I like the name Pianobook.

 

[Zedcars]

Christian is handing the reins over to Loren, who has been with Spitfire for 7 years and previously made Composer Magazine the quality online publication it is. She has big plans to make Pianobook more inclusive and foster the community, and plans to change the name to something more representative of it being a collective of composers making sounds for composers, rather than a piano-centric sampling project. Loren will be supported by a team of people from Spitfire, including the designer from Composer. The spirit of the project will remain the same — mostly free sounds from composers, with opportunities to monetize. Strong intention to highlight the members of the community, educate, and show off interesting uses of the samples if and when they end up in bigger projects.

I think that covers most of it, just going on my recollection from watching last night.

I’m going to guess Samplebook?

 

[psy dive]

are we in for a treat?

 

[robgb]

It's in his twitter thread (or whatever it is called in twitterese).

I try to avoid that cesspool.

 

[Zedcars]

I have a big bone to pick with Pianobook, well more the people working on it in the early days. Pianobook itself is great, but I worked really hard during Lockdown cleaning noisy samples, translating Logic EXS24 formats into Kontakt formats, scripting new ways to present and affect the samples. I even got permission to present a new version from the original sample creators as I felt this was the right thing to do. I was promised in writing these would be uploaded. After multiple chase up emails I was eventually ignored and none of my work was uploaded. I’m aware that they may not have been happy with my work (I’m biased of course, but I think it was alright and was, at least, a little above average). I’d have accepted an email reply to thank me but it’s not what we are looking for. But to promise it would be uploaded and then to just ghost me I think is pretty disgusting for a free community project. I was giving my work for free and just to be ignored has left a sour taste in my mouth. I was quite active on the old forum until that happened and in the end just moved on. I never go there anymore.

 

[Michel Simons]

I try to avoid that cesspool.

Me too. But curiosity got the better of me. I just read a couple of posts to get an idea why he decided to leave.

 

[KEM]

I’m still wondering where the samples Christian made with Charlie Clouser for Pianobook are…??

 

[SonOfPeter]

I’m going to guess Samplebook?

Samplebook is cool.

 

[SonOfPeter]

Just to quash any speculation, I won't be returning. I have very little faith that things are going to happen the way I'd expect them to before I'd consider any sort of return or further involvement.

I've decided to host things on my own site until an alternative is available.

Just to quash any speculation, I won't be returning. I have very little faith that things are going to happen the way I'd expect them to before I'd consider any sort of return or further involvement.

I've decided to host things on my own site until an alternative is available.

Great way to boost engagement on the YouTube channel! Gonna use this same technique.

For all you creators out there, follow by example. This is the way. Stir shit up.. it’s kinda like day of our lives but IRL.