On 08/05/2015 11:35, Mark Sandler wrote:
> with thanks to max wilson and apologies for sitting on this for so long….
>
> max came up with the attached sketch/concept for DMOs at the oxford meeting.
>
> i’ve been meaning to share it for too long. we should use it to shape our ideas.
>
> thanks max

It just happens that I recently circulated a rough proposal for a DMO 
demonstrator to my Oxford colleagues, which I think meshes with the ideas that 
have been raised here in response to Max's thoughts.  Having been through some 
of these debates in the context of Research Objects (which arguably serve a 
similar role in research activity that DMOs serve for musical activity), I think 
it is helpful if we can talk in terms on concrete proposals rather than abstract 
descriptions, which I think it is very easy for people to interpret in ways that 
reflect what they expect to hear.

I also note that the project has been described as intending to proceed by way 
of demonstrations which can allow us to explore and develop our ideas.  In this 
spirit, I offer my suggestion more widely, with the following caveats and comments:

1. It's just a rough idea at this stage, not something that has been worked out 
in great detail.
2. It's a personal suggestion, and doesn't represent the views of my Oxford 
colleagues.
3. It is of limited scope w.r.t. the range of research proposed for FAST, but 
even so I think it illustrates points raised by Max about having "different 
value to different people", and also by Natasa that "digital media ≠ content 
files" (though not necessarily developing in the same direction).

...

So here is what I suggest as one possible DMO demonstrator:

# "Performance DMO" demonstrator proposal

I understand that Digital Music Objects (DMOs) act as a kind of "glue" layer to 
pull together other aspects of the project.  The "Performance DMO" is a 
suggestion to demonstrate such "glue" capabilities.

The "Performance DMO" was discussed in the brainstorming breakout session I 
attended at the FAST all hands meeting (not using that name), but was not 
presented as it was seen as being more complex to implement than the option our 
group eventually presented.  The group was tasked with coming up with ideas 
relating to musical performance, and the underlying idea was a suggestion for 
using digital technology to create a richer, less ephemeral connection between 
performers and their audiences.

This proposal is informed in part by my experiences of attending concerts by 
less well-known musicians, often given by ensembles of 1-5 performers and held 
in smaller local venues with an audience size in the range of 100-300 (e.g. 
Nettlebed Folk Club, Abingdon's Unicorn Theatre, Oxford's Holywell Music Room). 
  These performances are often given as part of a tour of 10-30 dates within a 
period of a couple of months or so.  Because these performances are relatively 
easy and inexpensive to access, I have often seen performers whose works I had 
very little prior exposure to.  The performers themselves seem to be using the 
concerts in part to promote themselves and their work.  Thus, I posit there is a 
desire on both sides to create a deeper connection between the performers and 
audiences.


## User stories

1. As an attendee of concerts by little-known musicians and bands, I would like 
to have access to information and recordings related to a performance I have 
attended so that I can further explore the music and its associations, with a 
view to possible purchase of recordings by the performers seen, or attending 
further performances by them.

2. As a "small-time" or "up-and-coming" performing professional musician, I 
would like to create a longer-lasting connection with the audiences who attend 
my performances, and encourage them to purchase recordings of my music or attend 
further performances.


## The proposal

Imagine that performance tickets are printed with (say) a QR code that links to 
an online resource that is a Digital Music Object.  Or, if concert bookings are 
processed online, an "e-ticket" could be a document that links to such an 
object.  The exact mechanism is not important, but I imagine it being integrated 
with the purchase and distribution of performance tickets.  The key is that each 
attendee receives a personal link or token that can be used online to access a 
Digital Music Object.

What does this DMO offer?  It could be like a personalised version of the 
performers' general web site, offering direct access to information and 
recordings that relate directly to the performance attended.  Here are some 
possibilities:
- link to a downloadable and/or purchasable live recording of the performance 
attended (a kind of "official bootleg"?)
- a set list for the performance attended,
- for each composition on the set list, links to more detailed information; 
e.g., composer, performers and instruments, recording and performance history of 
the composition, information about variations, downloadable and/or purchasable 
recordings, sheet music, etc.
- more detailed information about the performers seen (recordings, compositions, 
other associations, links to other ensembles with which they have performed, etc.).
- "family tree" for the ensemble seen (past members, past recordings and general 
history).
- future performances by the performers seen
- future recordings to be released by the performers seen
- links to critical and/or scholarly reviews of the performance and performers' work
- sharable links to music samples that audience members can use to recommend the 
performers to their friends, etc.
- links to details of instruments used,
- links to settings used for keyboards, sound processing equipment, etc.

The online Digital Music Object could further be a dynamic entity, providing 
updated information about performers' future activities as and when they become 
known, or providing time-limited access to downloadable recordings.  It might 
also provide links to social networking features that would allow performance 
attendees to communicate with each other and/or the performers about their 
experience of and thoughts about the performance and related material.  Links 
might be provided to Wikipedia-like resources that can be used for crowdsourcing 
reviews of performances.


## Technical outline

Most of the Digital Music Object resources offered are based on existing 
technologies and platforms.  The "Performance DMO" would mainly be an 
aggregation of basic information and references to resources.  I expect we would 
build upon ideas developed for Research Objects (Linked data, ORE, annotations, 
etc.).


## Minimum viable product

I see a minimal viable product for a "Performance DMO" consisting of something like:

1. overview of the performance (who, where, when)
2. a list of compositions performed (title, composer, performers, etc.)
3. some feedback mechanism to allow audience feedback to the performers - this 
might be as simple as a "like" button, or allow more nuanced forms of feedback. 
  The DMO content might just be a (personalised?) link to an existing service.

...

Does something like this reflect any of the capabilities that people are 
expecting to be addressed by DMOs?

#g