How many of you use Shazam?

[wallabyFC]

I finally got a smartphone recently so now I can try and ID tunes whenever I want! I used to have to borrow a family member's tablet or smartphone to use shazam. It feels great now that I can use shazam whenever I want.

I don't understand why they haven't made shazam a priority for the desktop market yet. Well, they've at least started, but only for Windows 8.

Anyway, do any of you guys use shazam to help with your IDs? If not I highly recommend that you do! It's a great piece of technology. And I think that's where the future is heading. Automated, database driven audio recognition software. But for all the other tunes that aren't in the shazam database, that's where sites like tuneid and oldskoolanthemz come in. Those really rare and obscure records that only a small amount of people are aware of.

Any other pieces of technology you guys use to solve IDs?

 

[djperkins]

Fk me I'm old....I had no idea such stuff exists, prob developed to catch u out (copyright) rather than help tho...I can safely say that I would rely on voice to ear technology for any of my tune id's...there ain't much that gets past Pres. Ed on here with Ivan close behind and if I'm totally honest, I like the fact that some choons require a lot of digging to find out what is what, it takes you deeper into the whole thing and you find out more about the engineers etc on yer trawl though the archives...before forgetting it all after having a number...lol..nooooooooo.
Everything helps when on the quest for knowledge, amazing technology that...but it will surely only remember the main hook or rhythm, can it tell the subtle differences between mixes? You should put it through it's paces and give it a good workout with a well known tune with a strong hook...like Where Love Lives by Alison Limerick for eg...got a good strong dub mix, floaty guitar Perfecto mix and the obv classic mix.

 

[wallabyFC]

lol djperkins

I just remembered another program I had completely forgotten about! Tunatic. I have to look into that again. I don't think it was anywhere near as successful with matches as Shazam.

Shazam on the other hand was developed with the goal of making it easy for people to figure out what they're listening to out in public, on the tv, radio, etc.

I've got about like 40-50 IDs on my site that have proven to be very difficult for years. That's where occasionally things like Shazam really help out, for the really really difficult ones where I come to a dead end.

Just remembered yet another piece of technology as well! This technique can be used on any mixcloud cloudcast. What you do is open up a mix on mixcloud, skim to different parts of the mix until you find a part of the mix where it will say something along the lines of 'buy this now'. Once you find a tune that's available to buy, click on the buy button, and it will take you to a page on juno.co.uk where the automated scanning system has identified any tunes for sale from that specific cloudcast. That's how I discovered some super difficult IDs on my site recently. It's worth using this technique a couple times a year because record labels are continually converting some of their records to be for sale in the digital marketplace, so if you try again at a later date, you might find that it's identified a new record or two for you!

The whole idea behind that technology being used on mixcloud is so the system can identify tracks that are available for sale on the juno download store, where you can purchase the record as an mp3 or lossless wav. But again, this system can be harnessed as well to help in cracking really difficult IDs. On the surface, it seems that this scanning system is powered by Juno records, being used in conjunction with all cloudcasts on mixcloud.

I guess it's worth using all of these techniques at least a couple times a year as all the databases that power these technologies are always growing over time with new records being added to them.

 

[wallabyFC]

I forgot to add that Shazam can tell the difference between mixes yeah. It's pretty incredible how it can nail tunes sometimes. Other times, it will identify your ID as random songs that are obviously wrong. So keep trying. It takes a lot of trial and error to get a good volume to the microphone so you get the best chance for it being able to hear it clearly. Also, each time you hit the 'S' for it to start listening, it lasts only 20 seconds at most, so to increase your chances that it will come up with a match, it would be best to keep pressing the 'S' throughout the duration of the entire song at the end of each 20 second attempt.

But then again, I've only resorted to these techniques for the really difficult IDs that I haven't been able to identify for years yet. But these techniques do work, if you really need them.

 

[ivan]

some good ideas there, wallaby. got stuff I need id'ing so might try them.

have you got a link for your youtube channel? one of the guys on here, asp-esp, might be able to help with any goa-esque/quality trance id's. his mixes are mint btw.

 

[wallabyFC]

Not yet Ivan, that's a good idea. I just have that dummy account setup and there's been some more recent IDs since then that I need to make samples for. Think I might do that now! I'll post the link when it's ready. \o/

 

[wallabyFC]

Was just talking with my friend Gareth and we were talking about this thread. He was telling me how shazam's been so much better ever since they linked up with Beatport. So I looked it up on Google and check it out!

Article: Beatport x Shazam = awesome – Beatport News

"Today, Beatport and music-ID app developer Shazam announced a deal to add the entire Beatport catalog to the Shazam database, allowing DJs and fans to more easily and quickly identify dance tracks they’re hearing simply by holding up their phones." ...

 

[U31]

Fuckin right i use Shazam, and Soundhound, you'd be a right tit not to these days

 

[wallabyFC]

Soundhound huh, never heard of it. I just checked it out on google. Definitely going to check it out later! \o/

 

[wallabyFC]

Alright guys I'm back! Have just finished the Oakenfold IDs project I've been working on the past few days. Thanks Ivan for inspiring me to get up and do it!

 

[ivan]

sweet as a nut. six bells etc.

will have a look. everyone get on this youtube link and help the man like wallaby out.

tip: click on "show more" because he's not after the obvious track in the mix.

 

[wallabyFC]

Thanks Ivan! Yeah the notes were kind of hidden and hard to find, so I copied them into the comment section of each video if an ID has any notes.