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Comment: Migrated to Confluence 4.0

User analysis

Users we're targeting

are primarily of two types:

1. Musical amateurs

  • Enjoy listening to music and know what sounds good to them, but definitely aren't music majors. May not even be familiar with Western musical notation.
  • As such, don't own and don't see the point in investing a great deal of time or money in composition software. Discussions with users of advanced software showed that they would be reluctant and see no reason to use something less powerful.

Details:

  • Age: Ages at which one can use a computer effectively. So, not so young that you wouldn't buy them a laptop, and not so old that they refuse to touch technology.
  • Gender: Either.
  • Motivation: Want to compose because they like how music sounds, not music theory. 
  • Technology: Own a laptop and a smartphone
  • Musical experience: either avid music listeners with no theory (learning the notation), or people who've learned a bit of theory (the typical "quit piano in middle school" crowd)
  • Technological experience: Know how to use a computer, but not how to use composition software, or very little experience with composition software.

2. Maestros

  • You don't always have your USB keyboard midi recorder, computer, and Finale on you.
  • Specifically, people who do own powerful tools and software, but don't necessarily have it available when they are struck by inspiration right this instant omg. pen. now.
  • This would be useful as a sort of musical notebook to bring home and start hacking on when one's busy schedule allows.

Details:

  • Age: As above. You'd think they'd be older but you'd be surprised.
  • Gender: Either
  • Motivation: "I am brilliant and I need to write this down before I forget it"
  • Technology: Own a laptop and smartphone
  • Musical experience: Arbitrarily high.
  • Technological experience: Know how to use a computer and composition software.

Users we surveyed

on the other hand, hadOur users have:

  • 5+ years of music experience from elementary and middle school
  • College level education (probably not relevant)
  • High technical level (probably not relevant)
  • Own a laptop + microphone
  • Don’t necessarily own a smartphone
  • Casual composer (produce a piece over a long time)
  • Either gender
  • No expensive composing software or electronic music hardware (although they have access to it through MIT)

...