Unless you’ve been hiding out in Nadia Sirota’s basement for the past couple of weeks you know that those nice “don’t be evil” folks at Google have launched a new social networking platform called Google+ that blows both Facebook and Twitter out of the water with one swell foop, IMHO. (Hey, Mark Zuckerberg’s sister just bailed out of F-book today so you know the panic has set in.)
Being the world’s oldest early adopter, I have been nose down in Google+ since day one and have used it more in two weeks than I’ve used Facebook in three years. Here’s why. You can organize your contacts in G+ in Circles so that you can slice and dice the incoming flow anyway you like. You can, for example, create a Circle called “Family” and put all the relatives you don’t really want to hear from but don’t want to offend into it, and never look at it again…ever. You can have an “Inner Circle” with just your real friends. You can have one for “People I Hope to Get Money From.” The point is that people know you are following them but they don’t know the Circle they are in and, thus, where they rank in your social hierarchy. There are many other great features, but the opportunity to avoid learning that a third cousin, twice removed, has bought a tractor in Farmville is what I love most.
But, as usual, I digress. I have a Circle called “Musicians” and from it I put together a list of 100 Mostly Nonpop Composers/Musicians on Google+ and posted it as an editable Google Doc so other composer/musicians/music types could add their names. Dennis Tobenski was kind enough to turn my doc into a sortable spreadsheet. You can find that amazing spreadsheet here.
If you need an invitation to Google+, send me an e-mail: sequenza21@gmail.com
I have just shared it on http://sharethiscircle.com/2011/08/10/nonpop-composersmusicians-spreadsheet/
Oh, there was a Wiki that Jeff Harrington maintained on a different server. I’ve heard several explanations but I don’t really know what happened to it.
If you’re talking about Google+, Paul, you’re already in my Musicians Circle. If you’re talking about real life, I don’t have enough friends to make a circle but you can meet me anytime at the Starbucks on 57th between Eighth and Ninth. Bring a friend and we’ll make a Triangle. BTW, the Google+ musician/composer list had 213 names last time I looked.
Wasn’t there a Sequenza21 Wiki at one time? Maybe the spreadsheet can be a working replacement. Thanks for setting it up…
So how do I get into your circle of ‘people I would give money to..’ ?
The list of 100 Mostly Nonpop Composers/Musicians/Music Industry folks on Google+ is now up to 149 names. You can be number 150 if you run over now and add your name. The permanent spreadsheet is at: http://bit.ly/oLROOT Try to remember to copy and add the URL link to your Google+ profile page so people can just click on it, go to your profile, and Circle you. It’s the thing in the narrow horizontal box at the top of the page that looks like this https://plus.google.com/101166074611681212431/
Hey, Chris. Rest assured that my musicians/composers circle is by far my largest and the one I spend most of my time hanging out in. BTW, the “People I hope to get Money From” list includes Steve Speilberg who I loaned $20 to buy a lid in 1974 so it’s not promising,
Don’t worry Chris, I’m sure both you and I are not in the “People I Hope to Get Money From” circle — which suits me just fine… It is nice to be able to, like Jerry says, be able to one-click filter family & etc out when you just want to read what your musician friends are up to. Or, maybe group everyone by geographical circles so that you can see at a glance what’s happening with people you know in Princeton, Fargo or Barcelona.
“You can have an “Inner Circle” with just your real friends. You can have one for “People I Hope to Get Money From.” The point is that people know you are following them but they don’t know the Circle they are in and, thus, where they rank in your social hierarchy.”
Gee, Jerry. Way to make us all feel so welcome!
Jerry,
What an honor it is to be mentioned in the same breath as Christian Carey, James Holt, Ken Ueno and all those others!
This post is very timely, in fact, because I just saw a performance by Gabriel Kahane (one of the “favorite under 40” composers) last night. It was very interesting, I’ll have a review about it up here Sunday or Monday.
– Garrett