Music Resources on the Internet

Robert Willey
Center for Research in Computing and the Arts
University of California, San Diego
e-mail: bobw@carla.ucsd.edu

Survey of the use of the Internet in the service of music research, production, and education. A range of software is shown, from electronic mail to the World Wide Web. These new tools allow teachers and students to extend their reach in order to access new resources. They also challenge us to develop new methods of organization and presentation in order to keep up with the rapidly evolving world of electronic communication.

Index

What is the Internet?

Arpanet, the precursor of the Internet, was begun at the Department of Defense in 1966. The plan was to connect computers together to save money, by allowing researchers in different locations to share computing resources. It began with four computers, now 25 years later the Internet connects over two million.

As the idea of connecting computers together caught on people started making local area networks within universities, laboratories, and businesses. A system was needed to connect these smaller networks together, an "inter-net". The Internet has become the network of networks and is the model we have for national and international information infrastructures.

How does it work?

The Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) was adopted as the standard communications language by the mid-1980's. Vint Cerf, President of the Internet Society (and new Vice President of MCI) says that "the Internet is really like basic telephone dial tone, but for computers." It allows computers to communicate with each other. Packets of information are routed from one computer to another. These packets can contain a variety of types of data, such as text (electronic mail), or video (conferencing). In order for the packets to be routed to the desired location each computer has a unique Internet address, represented by four numbers separated by periods. This system will support two billion computers.

For more information consult the Big Dummy's Guide to the Internet or one of the many introductory books. Frequently asked questions about the Internet have also been answered online.

Types of software

Over the years a number of programs have been written to take advantage of the connections provided by the network. A number of them have become standard tools that are now widely available and are well supported. New programs are being continually added, some designed for general users of various backgrounds and sophistication, others meant for special purposes or select groups. A recent performance at the Center for Research in Computing and the Arts linked NeXT computers at the University of California, San Diego with the Kunitachi College of Music in Tokyo. Students of Takayuki Rai wrote the software and sent video and MIDI (controlling Yamaha Disklavier computer-controlled pianos) back and forth for an evening of interactive performance. The software survey presented here will focus on software that is commonly available and does not require special purpose hardware.

Electronic Mail (e-mail)

Electronic mail can be used to send messages from a person using one computer to someone on the same computer or to another computer on the network. Messages can travel around the world in seconds greatly enlarging the field of accessible colleagues. We are no longer limited in our collaborations to the people in our immediate physical surroundings, making it possible to communicate with colleagues in other countries as easily as we do with those in the same building. I started a computer music composition last year with a friend, Chrisopher Dobrian which came out of previous experiments in group composition. We referred to the work as "telephony" and decided to impose a rule as part of the process whereby we would never discuss the piece in person, despite the fact that we often saw each other as friends and at work at UCSD. All the development of the piece was done by electronic mail until we got to the rehearsal and performance phase. We sent each other frequent messages with text, synthesizer sequences, and fragments of computer programs which eventually were combined in a ten-minute work entitled "2-way Dream". Shortly after completing this piece he took a teaching position at Rensslaer Polytechnic Institute, but the method we worked out for collaboration could be applied to future contacts despite the fact that he is now living in New York.

finger

Knowing a person's e-mail address can sometimes be helpful in finding out further information, such as their telephone number or surface mail address. The finger command when applied to Scott Yanoff provides information on retrieving his list of Internet services. While logged on to the computer (in this particular case named "wendy") the user below issues the finger command and the computer returns the rest of the information. 
wendy> finger yanoff@csd4.csd.uwm.edu

[csd4.csd.uwm.edu]
Login name: yanoff                   In real life: Scott A Yanoff
Office: EMS 742, ex-5375
Directory: /usr/u3/yanoff            Shell:/usr/bin/tcsh
Last login Tue Jan 10 10:54 on ttyq3 from speck.spectracom
No unread mail
Project: Sunday 12/4  PACKERS: 31 Lions: 34  Packers now 6-7

Plan:
* As the author of the INTERNET SERVICES LIST, I have made updates 
available in a number of ways: (available 1st and 15th of every month)

 1) newsgroup alt.internet.services
 2) ftp ftp.csd.uwm.edu  (get /pub/inet.services.txt)
 3) gopher gopher.csd.uwm.edu  (select Remote Information Services...)
 4) mail inetlist@aug3.augsburg.edu  (Auto-replies with lists)
 5) URL : http://www.uwm.edu/Mirror/inet.services.html 
    (for WWW, Mosaic)
 6) mail listserv@csd.uwm.edu   and in the mail say:
    SUBSCRIBE INETLIST your full name
The command "finger bobw@carla.ucsd.edu" will give access to the author's current activities.

Several programs have been written to find for electronic mail addresses, such as whois and X.500 searches. For more information on locating the e-mail address of a person, read: "FAQ: How to find people's E-mail addresses", available from mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu by writing an e-mail with the message "send usenet/news.answers/finding-addresses". This document is posted regularly to the Usenet group "news.answers".

Electronic mail was first used for one-to-one communication but soon the value was seen of one-to-many and many-to-many dialogue. This gave rise to various news groups and bulletin board systems.

News

USENET is a kind of global bulletin board in which millions of people exchange information on all kinds of topics. There are currently about 10,000 groups. To join a newsgroup you send an electronic mail request to subscribe. There are various forms of subscriptions which must be made in the proper format since much is done automatically. Sometimes the subscription request is in the "subject" field of the e-mail message, sometimes it is in the first line of the message. When you join a group you may wish to make yourself a note of how to un- subscribe, in case you decide later you no longer wish to receive messages from the group. News functions in some ways like e-mail, except that one person can write to many. This is a form of desktop broadcasting.

FAQ lists

Some groups have a moderator who filters unwanted messages. Many compile frequently asked question (FAQ) lists in order to answer the typical questions that a new member has. This spares the group from having to go over fundamental information over and over, and provides new users with a convenient way to come up to speed. An index of FAQ's is available via the World Wide Web.

Information on many newsgroups is available by ftp from ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/name of newsgroup. Information about electronic mailing lists is available from the Walter Shelby Group Ltd.'s World Wide Web page.

There is a great diversity in groups and many that concern music, both academic and popular. A few examples follow:

BRASS@GEOMAG.GLY.FSU.EDU: Forum for people interested in brass musical performance and related topics, especially small musical ensembles of all kinds.

EARLYM-L@AEARN: A forum for the exchange of news and views about Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque music.

GRIND@UNH.EDU: Grindcore, Death Metal and Heavy Thrash Music.

MUSIC-RESEARCH@PRG.OXFORD.AC.UK: The Music-Research e- conference brings together musicologists, music analysts, computer scientists, and others working on applications of computers in music research.

Newsgroups offer members the opportunity to discuss issues of specialized interest, and reflect a resource that can be tapped to get answers to questions. It is a place to meet people with common interests with whom future friendships can be formed. Below is an excerpt from the news digest relating to the program Max, used to write custom MIDI software. The author of this message refers to a previous communication from David Zicarelli, Max's developer. Quick access to the top people in the field is a very powerful resource. 

Date:     Thu, 8 Dec 1994 10:09:59 -0800
From:     Peter Elsea (elsea@CATS.UCSC.EDU)
Subject:  Re: Powerbook Midi Problems ?

First I wrote:

>>Most long Mac serial cables have wires crossed (the ends are
>>mirror mages). These are sold as "imagewriter" cables and won't
>>work with MIDI interfaces. Long cables that do work are sort
>>of hard to find.

Then David Zicarelli replied:
>I'm pretty sure this is wrong. All Mac serial cables are the same.
>They are all null modem. I've been able to use cables for MIDI
>interfaces to connect two Macs together, and vice versa.

I stand corrected, it is the crossed wire versions of these cables
that work. However, there are cables out there that do not exchange
wires, and they don't work with MIDI interfaces. I got one with a
serial selector box.  Sorry about the confusion.

telnet

Telnet was one of the first network programs and still one of the most used. When a person is connected to a computer on the network telnet can be used to make a connection to access the resources of another computer. The user issues the telnet command and requests that a connection be opened on another machine. The remote machine can be specified by name. If the user's computer (client) does not recognize the name of the remote machine (server) the connection cannot be made. In this case the unique Internet address number can be used to avoid confusion. In the example below the user opens a connection to the University of California card catalog. Only affiliated users may make full use of the extended citation searches at this time, but anyone may take advantage of the system to obtain basic information about books in the collection. 
wendy> telnet 132.239.50.16
login: library

             Welcome to the University of California's

                      MELVYL* LIBRARY SYSTEM

- Catalog of books for UC and California State Library
- Catalog of periodicals titles for UC and academic libraries of
  California
- Journal article information, abstracts, and text in major
  subject areas
- Internet access to databases and systems across the world

(c)1984. * Registered trademark of The Regents of the University of
California.
===================================================================
To select a database for searching:      press RETURN

For help getting started:                type HELP and press RETURN

> find title The Whole Internet
Search request: FIND exact title THE WHOLE INTERNET 

Author:        Krol, Ed.
Title:         The whole Internet user's guide & catalog / Ed Krol.
               Sebastopol, CA : O'Reilly & Associates, c1992.
Description:   xxiv, 376 p. : ill. ; 24 cm.
Notes:         Includes index.
In addition to the generalized catalogs there are specialized collections concerned with particular topics, such as the Beethoven Bibliography Database, available from the Beethoven Center at San Jose State University. Telnet is used to connect to sjsulib.sjsu.edu, the login is: lib, and then no password is required; at the main menu for the SJSU Library catalog, select option D (Connect to another database), then select option 2 for the Beethoven Bibliography Database.

It is a growing collection of bibliographic records for first and early editions of Beethoven's music, book, essays and chapters of books, and periodical articles, primarily in English, German, and French. 

  Welcome to the BEETHOVEN BIBLIOGRAPHY DATABASE 
  The BBD currently includes 3,500 records for books and scores
                    You can search by:
                    A > Author
                    T > Title
                    S > Subject (Literature on Beethoven)
                    G > Genres (Scores and Literature)
                    U > Scores by Opus, WoO, etc.
                    W > Keywords in title and contents
                    H > RISM locations
                    N > Standard Number
                    R > RETURN to the library catalog
                       Choose one (A,T,S,G,U,W,H,N,R) s
  For information and a list of subject terms, call 408-924-4590.

SUBJECT : Fidelio

3 SUBJECTS found, with 3 entries; SUBJECTS 1-3 are:
  1   Fidelio Overture --> See OPUS 72 OVERTURES (FIDELIO)   1 entry
  2   Fidelio Quartet Beethovens Raptus Kerman Joseph 1924   1 entry
  3   Fidelio Symposium 1987 Berkeley Calif  ..............  1 entry

ftp

The file transfer protocol (ftp) was developed in order to allow a user on one comput er (client) to copy files stored on another computer (host). Thousands of sites provide an open policy to connecting, allowing you to download files without having a regular account their machines. These are known as "anonymous" ftp sites allowing the user to log in without the need for an account or password. Files include all kinds of information, including free programs and public- domain utilities. Below a connection is initiated to the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics at Stanford University. After the connection is made the user can change to the /pub directory where there are several subdirectories, including software for sophisticated computer music. There is a further subdirectory which contains online classes in digital signal processing . 
wendy> ftp ccrma-ftp.stanford.edu
Connected to cmn14.Stanford.EDU.
220 cmn14 FTP server (Version 5.1 (NeXT 1.0) Wed Sep 15, 1993) 
ready.
Name (ccrma-ftp.edu:bobw): anonymous
331 Guest login ok, send ident as password.
Password: bobw@carla.ucsd.edu
230 Guest login ok, access restrictions apply.
ftp> ls
200 PORT command successful.
150 Opening ASCII mode data connection for file list.
bin
etc
pub
.places
.dir.wmd
226 Transfer complete.
29 bytes received in 0 seconds (16.88 Kbytes/s)
ftp>
I have begun an archive of MIDI compositions for Disklavier (or piano sound) and synthesizer. It is located at the Center for Research in Computing and the Arts (CRCA) on its anonymous ftp server (wendy.ucsd.edu) in the /pub/midi directory. This archive will be used to foster a series of concerts at a number of sites around the world.

A Hypercard stack presenting this paper is in /pub/education, entitled "tdime.sit.hqx". I have also installed a Hypercard stack that serves as an introduction to acoustics and electronic music, a multimedia lesson that allows the user to compare the visual representations of basic sounds. This stack, entitled "Intro2EM.sit.hqx" is in the /pub/education directory and requires "un-binhexing" (to remove the ".hqx" extension) and then "un-stuffing" (to expand from the ".sit" form) before it can be played in Hypercard. Stuffing is a compression program for Macintosh computers used in order to save disk space. Binhex is a way to send binary information as normal characters. An un-stuffing utility is available by ftp from sumex-aim.stanford.edu in the /info- mac/Compress-Translate/stuffit-expander-352.bi

Unfortunately each hardware platform has its own compression methods. UNIX files that are compressed have ".Z" appended to the filename. They can be uncompressed using the UNIX "uncompress" program. For example, if you have copied the file "index.Z" and you would like to read it you must first uncompress it. This can be done at the prompt by typing: 

wendy>  uncompress index.Z
After this is done you will be left with the file "index" which you should then be able to read. PC compatibles "zip" their files to compress them. You can un-zip files compressed in this format using the PKzip, again available by ftp: ftp://oak .oakland.edu/pub/msdos/zip/pkz204g.exe

The Internet was developed by engineers and scientists. The user interface for ftp, as with many of the software tools used to access it, often use arcane commands that are not easy for novice users. Many of these programs have been given friendlier faces as part of the World Wide Web which is discussed below.

Searching

As the number of ftp sites grows and the number of files available for copying soars, it has become difficult to find what is being looked for. Several programs have been written to search known ftp sites automatically, returning to the user lists of files that can then be examined. One of the most popular is called gopher and follows a simple protocol for tunneling through TCP/IP Internet.

gopher

Gopher is a menu-driven system for navigating the Internet. You do not lose anything if you have a system without graphic capability since the results are words. Gopher searches can be initiated from client software or made through an available gopher server, such as the University of Nevada.

Gopher can be used to look for subjects relating to music. The general search results are collected at Rice University. Another search for music topics can be requested.

There are two USENET discussion groups where you can find out about new developments in gopher: comp.infosystems.gopher and alt.internet.services.

The Computer-Assisted Information Retrieval service System (CAIRSS) is an online bibliographic database of music research with 18 primary journals at the University of Texas at San Antonio. It is part of the Music Research Information System (MRIS) which can be reached by telnet at runner.utsa.edu. 

wendy> telnet runner.utsa.edu
Trying 129.115.50.16 ...
Connected to runner.jpl.utsa.edu.
Escape character is '^]'.

UNIX(r) System V Release 4.0 (runner)

login: imr
Password: (just press return)
Last login: Wed Jan 11  15:06:52 from 129.115.45.18

Press ? for Help, q to Quit	           Retrieving Directory...

Internet Gopher Information Client 2.0 p110

Music Research Information System
Press ? for Help, q to Quit	           Retrieving Directory..\

         Internet Gopher Information Client 2.0 pl10

              Music Research Information System

--> 1. About This Menu.
    2. About MRIS (Music Research Information System)/
    3. IMR Information (Institute for Music Research)/
    4. CAIRSS (Computer-Assisted Information Retrieval Service System)/
    5. TIME (Technology in Music Education)/
    6. Music Research Announcements/
    7. Other Music Services/
    8. Search MRIS and World/
    9. Other Selected Gophers/
   10. The World/
   11. New IMR Publications (9/28/94).
   12. What's New in Mris.
Selecting 2 takes you to: 
About MRIS:

MRIS is a gateway to research information in the fields
of music education, music psychology, music therapy, and music
medicine.  MRIS is a project of the Institute for Music Research
at the University of Texas at San Antonio and is sponsored by a
UTSA Strategic Initiative Grant.  MRIS is the gateway to CAIRSS,
a bibliographic database of music research literature, and TIME,
a bibliographic database of music software reviews and archives,
as well as remote music services.  MRIS also posts announcements
regarding music research activities such as conference
announcements, calls for papers, requests for assistance,
newsletters, and publication announcements.

Contributions of software reviews and music announcements are
welcome.  Information about submitting materials for publication
is located in the file "Publishing Your Information in MRIS."

Questions or comments should be addressed to the editor of MRIS:
Dr. Kimberly C. Walls
Selecting 4 takes you to the Computer-Assisted Information Retrieval Service System: 
CAIRSS is a bibliographic database of music research literature
in music education, music psychology, music therapy, and music
medicine.  Citations have been taken from 1,354 different journal
titles; 18 of which are primary journals, meaning that every
article ever to appear is included.

The primary journals are:

Arts in Psychotherapy
Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education
Bulletin of the National Association for Music Therapy
Contributions to Music Education
Hospital Music Newsletter
International Journal of Arts Medicine
Journal of the Association for Music and Imagery
Journal of Music Teacher Education
Journal of Music Therapy
Journal of Research in Music Education
Medical Problems of Performing Artists
Music Perception
Music Therapy
Music Therapy Perspectives
Psychology of Music
Psychomusicology
The Quarterly
Update: Applications of Research to Music Education

For more information on CAIRSS, please contact Don Hodges at
dhodges@lonestar.utsa.edu; 
phone (210) 691-5317; fax (210) 691-4381.

World Wide Web

The World Wide Web was begun in 1991 by Swiss scientists who wanted to share information with full multimedia support. "Browsing" programs are used to request, process, and display documents, written using hypertext markup language (HTML) using standard text mixed with formatting codes. "Hypertext" is a term coined by Ted Nelson in the late 1960's, referring to text that contains connections to other text or other documents. Hypertext links are made by hiding pointers to other sources of information behind certain words or phrases. Formatting can be used to indicate that other documents can be accessed by clicking on highlighted words. This allows the user to read in an order that makes sense to them, rather than from beginning to end, which encourages browsing.

This ability to jump from one location to another encourages browsing. The highlighted words represent links to other documents, which can be on the same computer, or one in another part of the world. Many web pages are mostly pointers to other documents.

Clicking on the highlighted words takes the user directly to the computer holding the desired document, which is identified by its universal resource locator (URL). Links can be made to text, color graphics, sounds, video, and other types of data.

Hundreds of new web servers come on-line each month, and 100,000 resources were found by a world-wide web worm in 1994.

Mosaic

Mosaic was the first widely distributed browser for the web and exists for both PC and Macintosh. The browser gives the user the choice of accessing web documents, whose names end with ".html" extensions. The browser can also be used to perform ftp, read news, search gopherspace, and other operations from one interface. Mosaic began as a free program and a million copies have already been distributed, many from ftp sites. Other browsers have been written and connections with other software packages has begun.

Surfing the Web from San Diego

Center for Research in Computing and the Arts at the University of California, San Diego.

Robert Willey's homepage. This page consists of pointers to the author's current projects.

Robert Willey's bookmarks.

El Camino de Silicio (the Silicon Highway) is a page developed by the author to the promote computer music in the Americas. Includes pointers to other web music resources and information on computer music in Brazil and other countries.

New Music for Disklavier and Synthesizer. Archive of MIDIfile compositions for Yamaha's computer-controlled player piano.

Robert Willey's "Music Resources on the Internet", the Hypercard stack.

Music Resources on the Internet, a service of the Indiana University Music Library.

McGill University: the Music Library of the Future

Implications

Since the network has grown quickly it is too early to grasp the eventual significance of what is being unleashed. We can make some observations on our situation and make a look towards the future. Every opportunity brings with it a challenge.

Desk Top Publishing

Word processing has been referred to as desktop publishing, when it is really document preparation. Network systems provide the opportunity for instant publication. The increasing speed of the product cycle-research and development, introduction, maturity, and obsolescence presses us to go through the process quickly, especially when the "product" is information. It seems acceptable to post web pages while still "under construction". The ability to open a document to the world does not necessary justify its widespread availability. It still remains expensive to develop quality sources. The format in which information is stored changes, as does the hardware that access it.

Volatility

The move towards desktop publishing in the electronic domain allows for instant publication, but materials created in this environment can just as quickly disappear. Information on the web has a temporary nature, its availability depends on its continual maintenance on the host computer and the host's health, the network in between the host and client being available, and the client and its software functioning correctly. Information that can be accessed at one moment may be unavailable later, there is no guarantee that it will be maintained. Citations in books serve the same purpose as links on web pages. Pointers to hard copy may have a longer life, though they depend on contact with the physical object they address.

Making an Attractive Public Space

The places where users and information meet on the network should be made easy to use by novices, so that there are no barriers between students and information sources. The electronic information space should be at least as inviting as going to the library, with corners set aside to rest, work in groups, and have questions answered.

Careful planning is required to capitalize on communication technology. Just setting up conference space does not guarantee creative thinking. There are great opportunities opened by the independence of place provided by electronic meetings. People are able to transcend geographic barriers, to join with others on the basis of common interests. It is worthwhile to develop the tools to make these interactions more productive. There is a great potential for students, educators, and educational institutions that is just beginning to be explored.

Equal Access

Educators and public planners should consider ways to insure the distribution of information in a democratic manner, to make the electronic commons open to all citizens. As the price of computing and telecommunications systems drops this should become less of an issue, but we are still responsible for at least marking the trail. FAQ lists are a step in the right direction, providing paths to acquiring the information necessary to participate in newsgroups.

Invitation to Organization

The great amount of information challenges us to devise a way to organize it. As the amount of information in a field increases it becomes harder to be an expert. It is no longer possible for even experts to know everything about a field. We want tools to access information at deep levels bypassing the requirements of specialization. It should be possible to access information without being an expert in the field under investigation. The amount of computer expertise to use the system must also be reduced.

Hypermedia

The first generation of personal computers made desktop publishing (word processing) possible. By the mid-1990's advances in hardware and software has made desktop multimedia affordable, and created opportunities to distribute what has been created to a global audience. Hypermedia is one approach for organizing information, providing a variety of paths through multimedia data collections.

The Teacher of the Future

James O'Donnell, a professor of classical studies at the University of Pennsylvania, compares electronic publishing with printing on paper. He points to the lack of the traditional review process, which has rationed access to print media. Electronic publishing does not limit the number of authors, and the problem now for the reader is not obtaining information, but rather restricting its flow. The teacher can act as a filter in order to determine what is important and worth paying attention to. He says that the role of the teacher in the liberal arts college is changing, and that the teacher can no longer be expected to represent an entire field of knowledge. The teacher can step out of the role of expert and join with students, helping them to learn from others. At the same time the teacher can become a public educator by presenting fruitful paths to knowledge to the community. This is an opportunity for public institutions to give back for the support they have received from the society.

There are also possibilities for professional development here. The teacher is often isolated from colleagues while teaching in the classroom. This online environment allows for the sharing of teaching ideas, and to demonstrate skills.

The World Information Infrastructure

Educators should take a proactive role rather than reactive one in the development of educational systems involving communications technology. Society is going to be transformed by the information revolution, the net is going to have profound effects on our culture, on a scale to be compared with radio, movies, and television. We can help to develop learning societies which are plugged into electronic campuses with virtual classrooms. The systems that we can start to imagine will be possible using the national information infrastructure that is being assembled. The integration of this into a world information infrastructure, with interactive information retrieval on demand will affect many areas of our lives. The rapid increase in the use of electronic mail and the World Wide Web illustrate the desire to make the network easier to use, and the readiness to use it for purposes no longer associated only with the research institutions in which the network was created.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Stephen Pope, Robert Newcomb, Roger Dannenberg, Christopher Dobrian, Michael Fingerhut, Scott Yanoff, Patricia Elliott, Kimberly Walls, Joe Metzinger, Don Hodges, Ruth Steiner, William Schwartz, and Peter Otto for their suggestions of interesting resources.

Bibliography

A collection of pointers to books, magazines, and URL's.

bobw@carla.ucsd.edu
[WITHDRAW]