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Tonos Calls Far-Flung Musicians to Jam
Tonos Calls FarFlung Musicians to JamSite/software combo provides a recorder on your desktop and a virtual
studio of colleagues.
Mark Richardson, special to PCWorld.com
Not long ago, musicians had to be in the same room to collaborate. Now,
virtual collaboration over the Internet is possible through a tool on a music
Web site backed by some musicindustry heavyweights.
Making music with
Tonos involves
using the company's multitrack digital recording software, called TC8,
together with the Tonos site. The TC8 software costs $29.95, but you can
preview the 3.1MB download free for thirty days.
First, musicians record tracks at home using the TC8, then upload the
tunes to the Tonos Web site and advertise for collaborators. Other registered
Tonos customers can download existing songs and add their own instrumental or
vocal parts. The site and software were set up by Carole Bayer Sager and Kenny
"Babyface" Edmonds, among others.
Building a Virtual Band
The TC8 interface is similar to an analog recording console. Each of the
eight tracks has a fader to adjust levels and a pan control to create a stereo
mix. A small bank of effects, including distortion, compression, and chorus,
can be added to each individual track. The TC8 operates at a 44.1kHz sampling
rate and 16bit depth for CDquality sound.
To record with the TC8, you patch a microphone or instrument into your
computer's sound card, click the button that corresponds to the track you're
working with, perform the music, and click stop. As with any multitrack
recording software, it's important that your soundcard is full duplex, which
means it can play and record sound simultaneously. This lets you hear what you
previously recorded (such as a guitar part) while recording another track (such
as vocals).
The real power of Tonos comes from a part of the Web site called the
Collaboratory. Let's say you've recorded the vocal and guitar parts of your own
song at home using the TC8, but you need somebody to contribute a drum
track.
You can upload your song to the Collaboratory and advertise for a
drummer. A musician from across the country could download your song to his or
her TC8, add a drum track, and return it to the Tonos Web site. You can then
retrieve the embellished song from the project folder and save it as a.wav
file, ready to burn on a CD.
A Chorus of Resources
The first step in using the Collaboratory is to go online and register
with Tonos. You'll enter such information as your preferred instrument, style
of music, and any relevant personal data. You can then search for projects to
join, preview clips from potential collaborators, or create a project of your
own by uploading it from your TC8.
Songs uploaded from the TC8 use a Qdesign compression scheme to give
file size and sound quality comparable to an MP3.
The TC8 software is primitive compared to most popular multitrack
recording packages, and experienced homerecording artists will especially miss
having a visual interface for editing tracks. But at price of $29.95, the TC8
isn't meant to compete with Cakewalk or
CoolEdit. For
those just getting started with home recording on a PC, the TC8 offers ample
flexibility and is very easy to use.
The online, collaborative component of the Tonos experience is where the
product shines. Searching for and joining projects is a snap. As a bonus, the
site is loaded with contests, forums, and information for both amateurs and
those looking to make a career in music. Tonos should become even more powerful
as the number of registered users (and potential projects) grows. It can
certainly help you turn the Internet into your virtual recording studio.
