Methods for Online Collaborative Composition

• US 20140040119A1
• Filed: 06/12/2013
• Published: 02/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blog Band, LLC
• Original Assignee: Blog Band, LLC
• Inventors: Emmerson, Parker M. D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,962,964 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0025 Automatic or semi-automatic music composition, e.g. producing random music, applying rules from music theory or modifying a musical piece automatically producing a series of tones G10H1/26
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/175 for jam sessions or musical collaboration through a network, e.g. for composition, ensemble playing or repeating; Compensation of network or internet delays therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/003 Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F

Abstract

Systems and methods for creating and editing collaborative music compositions via a computer network, including remote uploading tracks by musicians, and for creating and joining a band, wherein the system and methods provide for at least one musician to join a virtual group of at least one other musician for the purpose of virtual collaborative creating and/or editing music tracks remotely, via an online network and interactive website therefor.

Claims

1. A system for creating a virtual band for providing online music composition comprising:

an interactive website;

at least two musician entities being self-selectively combinable to form the virtual band to collaborate musically to create at least one song; and

at least one device running a browser;

wherein the website is capable of permitting a visitor to the website to register as a user, the user being a musician entity or a listener;

wherein the website is further capable of receiving at least one track created offline by the musician entities;

wherein the musician entities are capable of giving the at least one track the property of being the at least one song;

wherein the website is further operable for allowing the user to create a playlist comprised of tracks, songs, or a combination thereof; and

wherein the website is accessible from the at least one device via a network.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one contributor of an item is capable of determining the item'"'"'s accessibility, the item including any of the track(s), the song(s), the playlist(s) or a combination thereof, and the at least one contributor being at least one musician entity who created the track(s) or song(s), or the at least one contributor being at least one musician entity who created the track(s) or song(s) of the playlist(s) and a producer of the playlist(s).

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one contributor is empowered to accept or reject a track or a version of a track uploaded into a song folder.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein a profit from a fee is distributed to the contributor(s) of the item:

equally by percentage;

according to a tier system, in which the at least one contributor designates the allocation of profits to contributor(s) of an item by percentage;

or according to a tier system, in which the at least one contributor designates the allocation of profits to contributor(s) of an item by amount.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the profit is distributed to the contributor(s) in the form of peer-to-peer digital currency.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the fee is converted from a native currency to a desired currency and distributed to the contributor(s) in the desired currency.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the visitor of the interactive website comprises a visitor directed to the interactive website from another website.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the musician entities are capable of self-selecting genre label(s) and at least one track is automatically labeled with a genre label based on the genre label(s) of the musician entities that created the track.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the website automatically receives a track upon the track being sent to an associated song email address, wherein the song email address has either public accessibility or private accessibility.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the track is automatically converted from a native file format to a file format compatible with the interactive website.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein a musician entity, upon invitation by a musician entity of a virtual band, or upon a successful audition for the virtual band, becomes a guest member of the virtual band, the guest member being able to collaborate on a selected song, thereby becoming a contributor on the selected song.

12. A method for creating, organizing and managing a virtual band, the method steps including:

providing a system comprising a server in communication with an interactive website accessible with at least one remote device via a browser through a network;

the website receiving a first track created off-line by a first musician entity;

a second musician entity selectively downloading and combining the first track and at least a second track;

the website receiving the combined track by the second musician entity

the musician entities being self-selectively combinable to form at least one virtual band for online music creation, editing, and social network-based distribution through the interactive website; and

the musician entities of the virtual bands giving at least one of the uploaded tracks or combined tracks the property of being a song.

13. The method of claim 12, further including the steps of at least one contributor of an item determining the item'"'"'s accessibility, the item including any of the track(s), the song(s), playlist(s) of song(s) and/or track(s) or a combination thereof, and the accessibility being either public, private, paid, or a combination thereof.

14. The method of claim 12, further including the steps of distributing any profit from collected fees to the contributor(s) of the item for which the fees were paid, the distribution being either:

equally by percentage;

according to a tier system, in which the at least one contributor designates the allocation of profits to contributor(s) of an item by percentage;

or according to an alternative tier system, in which the at least one contributor designates the allocation of profits to contributor(s) of an item by amount.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of distributing profits is in the form of peer-to-peer digital currency.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of distributing profits involves converting a native currency to a desired currency and distributing the fees in the form of the desired currency.

17. The method of claim 12, further including the step of:

the musician entities self-selecting genre label(s); and

at least one track automatically labeled with a genre label based on the genre label(s) of the musician entities that created the track.

18. The method of claim 12, further including the step of the website receiving a track via a song email address to which the track was sent, the song email address having either public accessibility or private accessibility.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of receiving the track via a song email address further includes the track being automatically converted from a native file format to a file format compatible with the interactive website.

20. The method of claim 12, further including the step of another musician entity, upon invitation by the musician entity of a virtual band, or upon a successful audition for the virtual band, becoming a guest member of the virtual band, the guest member operable to collaborate on a selected song, thereby becoming a contributor on the selected song.