On March 23, Scoble left a cryptic note about a new Microsoft site known as Crossfader. This site is designed to promote electonic musicians and their products. Since then Silicon Beat and even MacMusic have mentioned the site. But what is it?
Some of you might suspect that it is Microsoft’s answer to the Mac music phenomenon known as GarageBand. But you’d be wrong. Crossfader is more like GarageBand.com. OK. On the surface, it looks like I’m playing with words. I’m not. GarageBand.com (the web site) existed long before Apple announced GarageBand (the software). So Apple worked out a deal to use the name. Details of the difference between the site and the software can be found at News.Com.
At the current time, Crossfader is a community site for electronic musicians to collaborate as well as educate themselves. But it is not (yet) a piece of software. Indeed, the home page for Crossfader actually lists Sony’s Sound Forge 8 on the left navigation bar. For my simple needs, the Sony product rocks! At the same time, prominent references are made to Ableton’s Live 4.0 product. While I can’t speak to Ableton’s product, I can get excited to see Microsoft mention other vendors and their products so prominently. Yet another example of the growing maturity that I am seeing from the hordes of Mordor (er, Redmond).
As of this moment, there is little of interest on the site, but things are being added at a furious pace. And given my predispositions towards sampling and mashups, I can’t wait to see who starts to join this community. Here’s hoping for a great start.
-CyclingRoo-