I call it candle shop elevator music, or maybe more correctly candle shop ambient.
It's a mix of new age and ethnic fusion. Ranges from piano instrumental to gregorian chant over a mid tempo dance beat.
It works out to be rather flexible. Music like soft jazz or folk alternative can be slipped in without disrupting the flow.
Sounds weird, but so far I like it. 🙂
The idea that your description puts in my head is appealing... I think I'm going to like this candle ambience of the air.
If you stream let us know so we can sample.
The oldest jazz and blues I could
find. Back to the 1920s.
It was perfect for a 100 mW transmitter
into a 3 meter stick at the top of the
AM band.
Bruce, Monitoring Post, CT
They say Jesus Christ played a blues guitar that he made himself.
Oh, you haven't heard that?
Could be.
I find it interesting that we humans really like to classify things into tiny compartments. Musical genres being one of them. Where exactly does, say, rock and roll end and punk begin? Or Punk end and New Wave begin? Not only for individual songs, but even groups that evolve over time (such as the Stranglers, who started off as pure Punk, to classify it, and ended up with very melodic pop music in the late 80s). I don't think that most musicians classify what they do - they just do what what they like, i.e., what makes them feel good, creatively-wise.
Artisan Radio's genre is 'What I (emphasis on the I) Like'. Which is currently late 50's/early 60's teenage oriented songs, Vintage Jazz (20's to 40's) and New Wave (late 70's to early 80's). Plus I've found an entire collection of really obscure 60's 45's that I'm thinking of adding to my schedule - psychadelic folk?.
I believe there's a certain feel to what I would call each of those 'likes'. I'm not going to classify them any further (you could take Vintage Jazz and break it down into Post 1930s blues, Swing/Big Band, Bop, Post Bop, etc., and then each of those down further still), but to say that each of my 'likes' definitely sounds very different, and you can really tell if you mix them up.
Carl has echoed a similar philosphy (i.e., playing what he likes, in his case, certain types of talk shows). I believe that this is what makes Part 15 radio unique, or, at least, as unique as each of its practitioners. There are enough radio stations attempting to get the most listeners they can, and in the process, diluting their content to the lowest possible common denominator.
Part 15 stations are just like those applications that produce ready made mix playlists tailored to a certain taste. If you like it, then you have someone doing the research and the work for you (and playing stuff that just isn't the run-of-the-mill Top 100 same-old same-old that you get on those playlists).
Artisan sparks a favorite point I like to make.
He asked, "Where does one musical genre end and another begin?"
There are no classifications when you get high enough in the air and look down at the entire subject of music...
Take the piano. There are 88-separate notes on the piano.
All of the music in the world is made from those same 88 notes.
That's it.
I've heard that there is a beginning
out there of performers "blending" with
performers from other genres and
a new mix seems to be coming
along.
My son goes to the Berklee School
of Music in Boston. He is primarily
a jazz sax player, but he plays quite
a few other musical instruments and
is one heck of a singer. He seems to have
been saying this, too. He has also played
blues, rock, (whatever that means), and
classical music. (Ochestra pit work for
shows.) The is now doing 2 shows
a day at the well known
Cedar Point Amusement Park in Ohio.
This is a big show with dancers that
get pulled up into the air on wires,
pyrotechnics, and that sort of thing.
Why am I saying all of this? Well -
I'm really proud of him.
But his observations support what
Mr. Artisan is saying. A blending
of different kinds of music is ocurring.
I never thought I would see Queen Latifa
(or whatever her name is) sing jazz ballads.
And, man, is she good!
Was it Duke Ellington who said that there
were only 2 kinds of music : either bad, or
good.(?)
Bruce, Mon. Post, CT
I'm not one with creative talent. I do better achieving goals when there's a lot of structure. At this point I don't really have a reson to broadcast locally other than fIor my own listening, and the satisfaction of doing it. In a way what I'm doing is replicating a hybrid of the two stream stations I listen to. The big plus is I can trim out stuff I don't like, and no commercials. 🙂
I do want to get a stream server online. It would be cool to be able to get it on my phone when I'm out. I'm not figuring I'll be catering to listeners. I don't expect to have any.
When a radio stream is sent on the internet solely for the personal use of its creator, maybe we could run this announcement:
"This is a private radio stream not intended for the general public. If you are from the general public you are not authorized to listen. I must ask you to stop listening at once! Failure to stop listening could have serious consequences."
Kind of like the privacy message you read on emails and unsolicited faxes.
If you run a stream from your own computer, and access it from a browser on your cell phone (or other device), you should be able to password protect it (depending on how you do it). If you don't publicize your URL, that would help as well.
There are times when someone might want their stream to be non-public, such as when using the stream as an STL (studio-transmitter-link). At least with some stream servers, i.e., Shoutcast & Icecast, there is a check-box to make the stream "Non Public," which keeps it from showing up on directories.
I have never tried this, but I think it is the reason for the non-public check-box.
Another way to make your stream non public if you serve it on your own computers is to do IP blocking at your router (much like the guys at hobbybroadcaster.net do for those who criticize what they put up on their 'open' Forum). But in your case, you would block all IP's except your own.
Lots of great suggestions. My music project sort of snowballed. Not sure where I'm going with it.
Let me preface this by saying I'm very big into DIY, especially when it cuts into territory held by corporations. So in a very unexpected way, my journey into part-15 has turned me into a strong supporter.
I'd like to contribute. So, I'm thinking about starting a syndication transport service connecting stations with content. Not MY content, I'm not that sort of talent... not even close. But, maybe I could provide streams for off hours use.