Full-Time Synthesia

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DC64
Posts: 830

Post by DC64 »

The good part of your job is not having to pay for insurance,
the worst that could happen to you is if you either electrocute yourself or your fingers are cramping real bad.
"And now for something completely different."
Nicholas
Posts: 13135

Post by Nicholas »

Oh, I still pay for insurance. It just hurts more having to write the checks yourself. :D
1Swat
Posts: 14

Post by 1Swat »

Nicholas wrote:I meant financial security, DC64. If people stop buying the Learning Pack, my family doesn't get to eat food... ;)
/me buys learning pack =)
MostlyHuman
Posts: 46

Post by MostlyHuman »

Have you tried to get some corporate sponsors?
For instance you are basically advertising Yamaha and EMU products on your page and I bought my Yamaha EZ-200 and the EMU Xmidi cable (btw a company that I never heard before) based on your recommendations, and even your help on this forum... they could give you a "thanks" ;)
(I could not use your amazon links since they are for the US-only store)

Some open-source projects have members that are actually being payed by companies, you could try to get something similar.
You could try to approach Yamaha, Casio and the like and show them your game and how it can help to make an entry level "piano hero" style of keyboard more accessible to anyone so that they can enter an "almost videogame" market (computers are almost anywhere, they just need a decent size keyboard with an USB cable - or even bluetooth like the Rockband one).
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DC64
Posts: 830

Post by DC64 »

The downside to that is it can cost money to advertise, and even just telling the idea to them they (anybody)
can reamke Synthesia into thier own.
"And now for something completely different."
Nicholas
Posts: 13135

Post by Nicholas »

Well, the links on the keyboards page actually sort of accomplish something similar to what you're suggesting. They've got a little referral code embedded in there, so I get some tiny percentage for sending people to Amazon.

That technically makes it an advertisement, but it's the best kind as far as I'm concerned. It's not some bizarre, vaguely related thing that pops up somewhere obtrusive on the page. Instead, they're products I've used myself (save for one of the keyboards), know they work, am sure of the quality, and have already done the shopping-around for others. I really can wholeheartedly recommend those things, so it doesn't feel dirty including the referral thing.

Regarding pack-in deals with keyboard manufacturers... I was approached by Casio a while back. They said they were going to go off and evaluate Synthesia for an OEM software bundle. Never heard back. It was earlier on in the project's life though, so I wasn't very confident it was ready for something like that. We're getting closer to that type of thing all the time now though.
MostlyHuman
Posts: 46

Post by MostlyHuman »

Yes, I noticed your amazon referrals tags but did not know if you got payed for just a click or an actual purchase.

I guess the fear of clones has some point to it, but with a company support contract you could probably just go back to open-source. And in most cases the real point is that many (different) companies support a product that is beneficial to all and just do modification of the common community-based source instead of having their own version (since it is cheaper to use something that is built and mostly supported by a free community).

But my point was, although Synthesia still has many usability WTFs (like you need to have your keyboard plugged in to see score,etc.) it is still much more fun to use than what the EZ-200 has for instance. And this keyboard is the best one I have played with, so the rest is most likely even less friendlier. This is a core feature of Synthesia, you just lack a proper (cheap) wireless or usb "barebones" keyboard to have a very neat entry level keyboard game that could, in the long term help drive sales of high-end pianos. Think how many people would like to learn to play but are turned off either by the price of buying a keyboard and the difficulty of learning to read music and whatnot.

I was thinking you could try something along the lines of approaching some of major keyboard manufactures, tell them about the game and how it reduces the learning curve of learning to play but how you are really missing a really cheap simple "barebones" wireless/usb keyboard that could really be the best kind for new players and since almost anyone has a PC it really does not need much fancy hardware (with future Android based TVs and what you could even have it play on the TV directly... eventually - there is a native, non-Java, SDK for Android dunno if it would be useful to you). If they promise to support you, you would keep the game free and update it forever. If many companies do it, it would be much cheaper than having each build and support their own game.

With a future version, you could even let them have special packs of copyrighted music and whatnot or other stuff to let each manufacture customize Synthesia to offer more than others. Or even have the scores sent to their servers so that they could suggest new songs or offer deals on more professional keyboards if you have reached a nice level, or sell piano lessons like in Garage Band (but without the sucking part).

TL;DR: Synthesia is probably the best bet any piano manufacture has to increase their high end sales in the long term by reducing the learning curve, you could try to show it to them that they have much to benefit from supporting its development (specially if you then make it open so that it can evolve more rapidly).

If you think you need some "backing" on your claims, I personally don't mind email them (since at least the keyboard has a serial number, it proves I really bought their product)... although it probably needs many others to have an impact.
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DC64
Posts: 830

Post by DC64 »

There should be some Synthesia ads we could make and use.
Like a video add, a still picture ad, and a login ad. (when you find one, log in the bar and you will be sent to Synthesia)
When i decide to make a website, i would be glad to use the ads.
"And now for something completely different."
johbone
Posts: 17

Post by johbone »

Nicholas wrote:Now Synthesia is my day job. ;)
where have all the uploads been since february. its may now i mean dont get me wrong im not complaining and i love this program.but where are the fast updates you said you were gonna do again.
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DC64
Posts: 830

Post by DC64 »

The new previw update has been here for a bit and it is getting closer to the real 8.1.
In time, it will come.
"And now for something completely different."
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