Comments for Improv Media http://improvmedia.com Making it up as I go along Thu, 29 Mar 2012 23:13:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Comment on Pandora and The Whiz Dumb of Crowds by daretoeatapeach http://improvmedia.com/2010/08/31/pandora-and-the-whiz-dumb-of-crowds/#comment-391 daretoeatapeach Thu, 29 Mar 2012 23:13:00 +0000 http://www.improvmedia.net/?p=107#comment-391 PS: I landed here while looking for BlogGlue partner sites for The Institute for Innovation. Nice blog! PS: I landed here while looking for BlogGlue partner sites for The Institute for Innovation. Nice blog!

]]> Comment on Pandora and The Whiz Dumb of Crowds by daretoeatapeach http://improvmedia.com/2010/08/31/pandora-and-the-whiz-dumb-of-crowds/#comment-390 daretoeatapeach Thu, 29 Mar 2012 23:12:00 +0000 http://www.improvmedia.net/?p=107#comment-390 Your idea could work, but probably not with Pandora. The problem is that Pandora is helping you find music that's constructed the way you like it. They look for structural features like acoustic guitar, harmonizing, or synthetic keyboards. Quality is not a measure, it's more about finding a style you like. But a general call for "great songs" is going to confuse Pandora, because structurally the songs are going to be all over the place. This is why, even though Ani Difranco is an all-time favorite, I never had an Ani Pandora station---it would be sure to recommend other folk singers, which isn't generally my style. For Pandora to function best, each station should reflect a singular style, and one that you consistently enjoy. By the way, I used to be a big fan of Pandora but I think there are much better options out there, especially since they've added audio ads. Audio ads for me are a dealbreaker. Though they have less songs than they used to, Blip.fm is still my favorite, and still much better than Pandora. My station is at blip.fm/daretoetapeach. I also recommend hypem.com and thesixtyone.com. Your idea could work, but probably not with Pandora. The problem is that Pandora is helping you find music that’s constructed the way you like it. They look for structural features like acoustic guitar, harmonizing, or synthetic keyboards. Quality is not a measure, it’s more about finding a style you like. But a general call for “great songs” is going to confuse Pandora, because structurally the songs are going to be all over the place. This is why, even though Ani Difranco is an all-time favorite, I never had an Ani Pandora station—it would be sure to recommend other folk singers, which isn’t generally my style. For Pandora to function best, each station should reflect a singular style, and one that you consistently enjoy.

By the way, I used to be a big fan of Pandora but I think there are much better options out there, especially since they’ve added audio ads. Audio ads for me are a dealbreaker. Though they have less songs than they used to, Blip.fm is still my favorite, and still much better than Pandora. My station is at blip.fm/daretoetapeach. I also recommend hypem.com and thesixtyone.com.

]]> Comment on A Beginner’s Guide to Attending SXSW by mikekmcclure http://improvmedia.com/2012/02/27/a-beginners-guide-to-attending-sxsw/#comment-388 mikekmcclure Tue, 06 Mar 2012 20:42:00 +0000 http://improvmedia.com/?p=170#comment-388 Thanks for the advice. I've talked to friends who've gone and some of your advice echoes theirs. But this was a good concise primer! Thanks for the advice. I’ve talked to friends who’ve gone and some of your advice echoes theirs. But this was a good concise primer!

]]> Comment on A Beginner’s Guide to Attending SXSW by Jeff Moriarty http://improvmedia.com/2012/02/27/a-beginners-guide-to-attending-sxsw/#comment-387 Jeff Moriarty Mon, 05 Mar 2012 22:10:00 +0000 http://improvmedia.com/?p=170#comment-387 Thanks, Peggy, I'm glad it helped! If you see me running around SXSW be sure and say Hello! Thanks, Peggy, I’m glad it helped! If you see me running around SXSW be sure and say Hello!

]]> Comment on A Beginner’s Guide to Attending SXSW by Peggy Keefe http://improvmedia.com/2012/02/27/a-beginners-guide-to-attending-sxsw/#comment-386 Peggy Keefe Mon, 05 Mar 2012 21:59:00 +0000 http://improvmedia.com/?p=170#comment-386 I live in Austin but am a SXSW newbie this year. This is one of the most concise beginner's guides I've read in my frantic search today. Thanks for the tips! I live in Austin but am a SXSW newbie this year. This is one of the most concise beginner’s guides I’ve read in my frantic search today. Thanks for the tips!

]]> Comment on A Beginner’s Guide to Attending SXSW by More Tips & Guides for #SXSW http://improvmedia.com/2012/02/27/a-beginners-guide-to-attending-sxsw/#comment-385 More Tips & Guides for #SXSW Wed, 29 Feb 2012 22:04:06 +0000 http://improvmedia.com/?p=170#comment-385 [...] Beginner’s Guide to Attending SXSW by Jeff Moriarty RETURN TO TOP [...] [...] Beginner’s Guide to Attending SXSW by Jeff Moriarty RETURN TO TOP [...]

]]> Comment on A Beginner’s Guide to Attending SXSW by Raul Colon http://improvmedia.com/2012/02/27/a-beginners-guide-to-attending-sxsw/#comment-384 Raul Colon Mon, 27 Feb 2012 20:05:00 +0000 http://improvmedia.com/?p=170#comment-384 Jeff,  I think your approach with business cards is great. Last year while at the Airport coming back @waynenh:twitter also gave me the advice of putting them into 3 stacks: 1. A pile of Biz cards you took from the Biz Card Ninjas (which you did not request) and discard them immediately.  2. People you want to keep in contact but have no urgency in getting a hold of them. 3. People who are high in your priority list.  Your approach of taking notes can actually serve as a reminder if I want to contact the person back. Then I can the ones I am interested in working and made notes on them less stuff to carry.  Will let you know I already have a compilation of guides on my blog will add this post also to my curated list of posts!  Jeff, 

I think your approach with business cards is great. Last year while at the Airport coming back @waynenh:twitter also gave me the advice of putting them into 3 stacks:
1. A pile of Biz cards you took from the Biz Card Ninjas (which you did not request) and discard them immediately. 
2. People you want to keep in contact but have no urgency in getting a hold of them.
3. People who are high in your priority list. 

Your approach of taking notes can actually serve as a reminder if I want to contact the person back. Then I can the ones I am interested in working and made notes on them less stuff to carry. 

Will let you know I already have a compilation of guides on my blog will add this post also to my curated list of posts! 

]]> Comment on A Beginner’s Guide to Attending SXSW by Jeff Moriarty http://improvmedia.com/2012/02/27/a-beginners-guide-to-attending-sxsw/#comment-383 Jeff Moriarty Mon, 27 Feb 2012 19:15:00 +0000 http://improvmedia.com/?p=170#comment-383 Let me know when that post is live, Paul! I tried a scanner device one year, but even by the time I got back to the hotel after 9 hours of walking around I sometimes had a tough time remembering who was who. I'd love to hear your approach to it. Let me know when that post is live, Paul!

I tried a scanner device one year, but even by the time I got back to the hotel after 9 hours of walking around I sometimes had a tough time remembering who was who. I’d love to hear your approach to it.

]]> Comment on A Beginner’s Guide to Attending SXSW by Raul Colon http://improvmedia.com/2012/02/27/a-beginners-guide-to-attending-sxsw/#comment-382 Raul Colon Mon, 27 Feb 2012 18:58:00 +0000 http://improvmedia.com/?p=170#comment-382 Love the feedback on the Business cards. Last year I ended with many decks of cards of people I never got to reach back. I will be creating a post on gadget and will include keeping a small scanner at least at the hotel so you can easily scan any item like a business card and not have to carry it back. Love the feedback on the Business cards. Last year I ended with many decks of cards of people I never got to reach back. I will be creating a post on gadget and will include keeping a small scanner at least at the hotel so you can easily scan any item like a business card and not have to carry it back.

]]> Comment on Pinterest for Men by Jeff Moriarty http://improvmedia.com/2012/02/06/pinterest-for-men/#comment-381 Jeff Moriarty Fri, 17 Feb 2012 21:17:00 +0000 http://improvmedia.com/?p=167#comment-381 Quite welcome, Rex! It has a whole different method of sharing that I'm excited to see. We need more variations than just the Status Updates of MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Let me know how it goes, and what you end up doing, hating, or liking about it! Quite welcome, Rex! It has a whole different method of sharing that I’m excited to see. We need more variations than just the Status Updates of MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Let me know how it goes, and what you end up doing, hating, or liking about it!

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