Student SoundCloud

Student+SoundCloud

Zach Halling, Staff Photographer

In today’s day and age, there’s an endless stream of music listening, streaming, and sharing programs. From Pandora to Spotify, the possibilities are endless as our technology adapts to cater society’s modern interests. Amidst the multitude of programs, we find SoundCloud. SoundCloud has been around since August of 2007, and continues to grow and connect people through music. It enables users to stream music from their favorite artists for free, and even allows people to create playlists or listen to other’s playlists. However, SoundCloud has a few very special attributes that set it apart from the others.

SoundCloud allows people to create and upload their own music, without cumbersome contracts and agreements. For aspiring artists, it’s the perfect gateway to put their name out there. In another context, people can share their final productions with their friends and other people with similar interests. Browsing can be done by name, artist location, or genre of music. Another fantastic feature is the ability to upload an already recorded audio, or recording it on the spot. Users have the option of either sharing their music and audio messages privately with friends, or publicly to blogs, sites, and social networks. Unlimited publication is another great advantage. Being limited to just the website they’ve subscribed to won’t offer any exposure, especially if the goal is to market their own personal songs.

With the introduction of the new SoundCloud app, iPhone and Android users are able to take the program to a whole new level. File size is unlimited and there are endless applications for different types of people. From simple voice memos, to professor lectures, the opportunities are endless and convenient mobility is finally possible.

SoundCloud is popular among many students but a perfect example is senior Max Haydon. When interviewed, he shared keen insight on the process of making your own music, as well as his reasoning for it.

Advocate: What type of music do you create?

Max: “I make Hip Hop music. Not to be confused with rap. Rap is gangster, I’m not, hence the softer version called Hip Hop.”

Advocate: What inspired you to make music?

Max: “My dad was always a good singer, and growing up I was introduced to the band Atmosphere by way of him. I like Atmosphere a lot and after seeing them perform live for the first time, I was like ‘I wanna do that’. My inspiration came from the fact that Atmosphere is based out of the twin cities, which gave me the thought that Hip Hop doesn’t have to link to the East or West coast powerhouses.”

Advocate: Who do you make it for?

Max: “Primarily myself. That sounds conceited I know, but poetry has always been a way to relieve the stresses I had at the time. After awhile I realized that making music about the good times is awesome too, so that’s where this whole thing started.”

Advocate: What’s the production and editing process like?

Max: “It’s nice. I bought a mic online sophomore year and just started messing around with Garage Band on my Mac, taking instrumentals off of YouTube. Now it’s about the same. I record in our wine cellar because that’s the most soundproof room in the house, and I just go in. I’m usually by myself, and it takes a while. Tougher rhymes can sometimes be tongue twisters, and I’m kinda a perfectionist. After the recording, I do my best with background vocals, and other effects to make it sound professional, and then onto Soundcloud it goes.”

Advocate: Why Soundcloud over other platforms?

Max: “SoundCloud is more popular than other sites like Bandcamp. It’s also a lot easier to use. When I’m done with a project, I export it to my iTunes folder, and then when you click upload on SoundCloud, you can drag the files in and voila, you’ve got people listening to your voice.”

Advocate: What’s your favorite thing about the program?

Max: “The ease of use. I’m not at all technically inclined when it comes to computers or the internet, so it’s kinda the dummy’s guide to posting music. For iTunes you need a contract, and that’s too confusing for me, so SoundCloud will suffice until (laughs) I have a manager or agent”

Although Max Haydon’s gone above and beyond the average standards of Soundcloud potential, the program continues to be a great platform for even the least musically inclined users. It’s ease of use make it one of the top sites for music streaming/sharing, and the new iPhone and Android app boost accessibility and mobility on a large scale. The future of Soundcloud appears promising, as people from all over the world continue to take advantage of its many features. Mayo students have certainly showed their enthusiasm and if the app reviews reflect anything, it’s that the majority feeling is mutual.