encounter sound

So since running a band in real life isn’t enough work, I’ve decided to delve into the metaverse of “Second Life.” You can quote me on this:

I think that defining a presence in “Virtual Worlds” is going to be every bit as important as the real one in ten years. As technology gives people the ability to communicate in new vastly creative ways and as popular culture becomes less and less technophobic, when friends are unable to sit down at a real bar and drink a beer, they’ll enter into a virtual world and do it. It sounds weird and slightly science-fictionesque, but it’s already beginning to happen. In a few hours while exploring the world of Second Life, I met people from around the globe, some that kept their real-life identity pretty well intact within the world, and others that used the anonymity of the virtual world to create representations of themselves that were significantly different than what people who meet them in real-life may find. Either way is a means of self-expression and creativity, and it will catch up with the mainstream within a decade.

That’s the end of what you can quote me on. The rest is strictly off-the-record.

Anyway, assuming that people are going to meet in virtual bars and coffeehouses to hang out and have a good time, the next logical step is that there will be virtual performers strumming their guitars and singing their songs in the background. I plan to be one of those virtual performers. And when Second Life hits the big time in ten years, yours truly will be the freaking Bob Dylan of that world. OK, so maybe nothing that extreme, but I do believe that performing within Second Life is a worthwhile step for any independent musician, so here’s how to do it:

1. Go to http://www.secondlife.com and click the “Join” link. Go through the process, choose a name for yourself (You can’t currently use your own name unless you happen to luck out. There is an ever-changing list of Last Names to choose from, then you just pick an untaken first name in that “family”).
2. Download the Second Life “Client Software”. This is completely free, and you get some “Linden Dollars” just for attaching your Paypal account to your Second Life identity. Be aware that the reason for this is that the “in-world economy” is directly tied to the real-world economy. There’s even a service to convert back and forth between American Dollars and Linden Dollars, along with an exchange rate based on trade within the game. You’ll surely be tempted to spend real money in the world. If it’s something you feel like is fun and worth spending actual money on, then go for it. If not, then just be careful not to (like me). You can absolutely have a great time within Second Life without ever spending a real dime (or, roughly, 20 Linden dollars).
3. Log on to Second Life and go through the tutorial to learn the controls, the rules, and the mechanisms for communicating with other people. Don’t skip this step. When given the choice of going straight into the game or going to a “Help Island,” absolutely choose the Island. You’ll get some cool free stuff, and most importantly, you’ll meet folks that will help you learn the ropes. I’m still having great discussions with the first friend I met on Help Island when we’re both online, and it’s due to the bond we created while I was learning how to exist as a virtual person. This brings up a side note: be careful not to call it a “game.” It’s really much more than that, and some people I guess take great offense at the idea that they’re spending such a significant amount of time “just playing a game.” There’s also the fact that some people have actually begun to make a real-world living within the metaverse, and somehow I guess calling it a “game” belittles that. I don’t really care one way or the other, just be warned.
4. Meet some people. Have the folks you meet on Help Island introduce you to some of their friends. Make sure that you’re not overly pushy, and make sure that you don’t come across as someone that doesn’t care about their community, rather that you’re just there to exploit it. No one likes feeling taken advantage of, and there are real flesh-and-blood people behind the “avatars” in Second Life. Treat them with the same respect you would a normal person you meet at a club or bar. It should naturally come up that you’re a musician looking for any and all opportunity to play live. Don’t hide it, but don’t make it your sole existence to them either.
5. Attend live music events. The best way to find out where the venues are, who the players are, etc., is to attend other musicians’ performances. This should be familiar to any real-world artists. There’s a whole community of folks that do this type of thing regularly or semi-regularly. Be tasteful in your curiosity at their performances. Imagine you were in a real world venue and another artist came in just to talk to the “movers and shakers” thus distracting them from your performance. Watch the whole show and ask if you could talk to them later that day, or schedule a meeting.
6. Meet venue owners. People actually own their plots of land in Second Life. They pay real maintenance fees to build stores, houses, concert halls, parks, and everything in between on them. I could go on for days about the ins and outs of all of this, but suffice it to say that people spend a lot of time creating environments for whatever purpose they intend to serve. This may mean you play the very coolest venue you’ve ever seen. I attended a live performance last week where the small stage was set up right beneath a waterfall, and the audience was invited to sit on blankets or dance in the grass right beneath. It was stunningly beautiful, and way cool. All this to say that the folks that put these things on really care about people seeing what they’ve created. It’s the same situation as the real world. If you can draw people’s attention to a venue, you’re in higher demand. Schedule meetings with the owners of smaller venues first, then you can work your way up to the big ones. Again, this should be familiar to anyone with a real-life music gig.
7. Suit up!  You need to find some hip clothes and a guitar or keyboard (whichever you play) on the cheap.  I mean, you could spend real money and buy one, but if you look around you ought to be able to grab one for next to nothing.  You should have your free L$250 to work with, so there’s no reason not to make it work.  You might even be able to talk a longtime performer into hooking you up with a guitar or animation, and clothes are pretty easy to come by.  Also, you’re going to want a “tip jar” so that folks can hook you up with some Linden dollars as you play.  That’s right, you actually might get paid for your hour of time in SL.  The last accessory you have to find is called an “Anti Idle Ball”  This will keep you from falling asleep in front of the audience as you’re playing your set.
8. Play the shows. After setting the date and time for the performance, tell everyone you’ve met about it. Don’t spam, be genuine. Invite people because you genuinely want them to hear you play music. In the next section, I’ll go over the logistics of how to do it all technologically.

By the way, I’m playing at Bibi’s Beach on Friday. Come check it out.