The prediction, in brief:

Pundits tell us the Net will simplify the distribution of music. But why not carry the idea a step further and use the Net to create music? What we would need is a real-time, multiuser program called Net Jam. Net Jam would handle musical input such as MIDI or SMPTE. The main interface would be a mixing console with which you set volume and tone for each of the participants. Current average settings of the participants in the jam would be displayed in bar graphs. This makes participation meritocratic: if you don’t play well enough for anyone to turn your music up above the background noise, then you aren’t contributing.

Predictor: Hunsberger, Peter

Prediction, in context:

In a 1995 blurb for Wired magazine, Peter Hunsberger, vice president of systems for ODIN Systems Inc., in Memphis, writes:”Pundits tell us the Net will simplify the distribution of music. But why not carry the idea a step further and use the Net to create music? What we would need is a real-time, multiuser program called Net Jam. Net Jam would handle musical input such as MIDI or SMPTE. The main interface would be a mixing console with which you set volume and tone for each of the participants. Current average settings of the participants in the jam would be displayed in bar graphs. This makes participation meritocratic: if you don’t play well enough for anyone to turn your music up above the background noise, then you aren’t contributing.”

Date of prediction: January 1, 1995

Topic of prediction: Getting, Sharing Information

Subtopic: Music

Name of publication: Wired

Title, headline, chapter name: Cyber Anthropology

Quote Type: Direct quote

Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/3.11/hunsberger.if_pr.html

This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Anderson, Janna Quitney