Music from Pandora
Some time back, Dawn told me about a free music website called Pandora. I'm not sure there is anything else like it out there. It's designed to come up with music that has related characteristics, such as complex guitar work, minor key, and so forth. Thus, rather than seeking and downloading a favorite song, the user types in the name of a song or artist and Pandora creates a "radio station" that plays the requested song or artist along with similar music. The listener discovers new music that has a good chance of pleasing, and can also fine-tune the selections by rating particular pieces as desirable or not.
I admit that the first time I tried this, the first five or six things I typed in were not even in Pandora's database. Typing in Nina Hagen was successful, but on the other hand I don't actually listen to Nina Hagen all that often. My best try so far has been Pentangle, as this brings up Pentangle, efforts by members of Pentangle, and all sorts of interesting other music that combines folk and jazz. The Pentangle "station" is also good for listening on headphones while I'm working at the library, which is about the only place I tune in to Pandora. Nina Hagen would not be very conducive to quiet reading of early twentieth-century periodicals. But perhaps I could try one of the 1920s jazz or blues greats and get something that would be more historically appropriate.
Pandora is currently expanding its database to include more Latin music, but hasn't yet really gone into Classical or World, which explains why my initial tries got nowhere.
I admit that the first time I tried this, the first five or six things I typed in were not even in Pandora's database. Typing in Nina Hagen was successful, but on the other hand I don't actually listen to Nina Hagen all that often. My best try so far has been Pentangle, as this brings up Pentangle, efforts by members of Pentangle, and all sorts of interesting other music that combines folk and jazz. The Pentangle "station" is also good for listening on headphones while I'm working at the library, which is about the only place I tune in to Pandora. Nina Hagen would not be very conducive to quiet reading of early twentieth-century periodicals. But perhaps I could try one of the 1920s jazz or blues greats and get something that would be more historically appropriate.
Pandora is currently expanding its database to include more Latin music, but hasn't yet really gone into Classical or World, which explains why my initial tries got nowhere.
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posted by Karla at 12:21 PM
3 Comments:
Margo introduced me to this a few months ago. Amazing how an hour can just zip by...
Which "stations" do you recommend?
It is pretty addicting! I like the Gillian Welch channel, and the jazz - Coltrane and (oddly enough) My Funny Valentine serve up some really great music for late night listening.
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