Youth Music - Music is Power

Youth Music Box launches at London's Southbank Centre

Posted Thursday, 16 July 2009

Research commissioned by Youth Music found that up to 2.5 million young people in the UK – or 1 million aged between 12 and 18 – have been inspired to progress into 'real' music-making because they have played music-based console games. With the knowledge of this, we are launching the Youth Music Box on Friday 17 July at London’s Southbank Centre. A free interactive music experience, it will enable people of any age to create their own music track and video using cutting-edge technology, all in under 10 minutes.

Opening on Friday 17 July until 31 August, Youth Music Box has been developed by music and graphics experts Silent Studios with interactive artist Chris O’Shea. It is a state of the art, cubed structure that visitors can enter, providing an easily accessible musical experience through a mix of real instruments and a 'walk-up and play' technology interface.

Christina Coker, chief executive of Youth Music says: 'Our research found that for many young people, their first experience of music making happens via technology. We wanted to create a truly unique and exciting experience that gives young people of all ages the chance to access music technology.'

'As an entry point to making music, console games such as Wii Music and Guitar Hero are more mainstream than anything that has been available before. We are hoping that our Youth Music Box will enable young people to be creative and inspire them to go and find out more about music-making opportunities in their local area.'

Four players can use the Box at any one time and will have the choice of four instruments: two Edirol MIDI keyboards (one for vocals and the other for melody) a Roland TD-9K drumkit, and a Denon 3700S digi-media turntable, which will create and record the track. Users will have a choice of six musical styles: reggae, drum and bass, urban, afro beat, classical and disco/electro. After selecting a sample track to keep the beat and play along to, there will be a chance to rehearse before the final recording.

Behind the scenes, two technicians in the control room will deploy professional video mixing facilities from Edirol and digital audio controls in the shape of the RSS V-Mixing system. Inside the Box there are remotely-operated cameras built in, ready to film the creative process. Edirol’s V-8 vision mixer will be used to combine these camera feeds with graphics to create a finished package.

The control room also houses a RSS M-400 digital audio console which is used to provide a live mix for the participants and to lay down the final track. This will then be uploaded to our website where people will then be able to view and share their videos.

Youth Music Box, located adjacent to The Clore Ballroom on Level 1 of the Royal Festival Hall, will be open from 11am - 7pm daily until 31 August. Following this, it will then tour the country to celebrate our 10th birthday.

Find out more about Youth Music Box

* The research, which was compiled by industry expert Andrew Missingham on behalf of Youth Music over the course of 2008, drew on online surveys, focus groups, industry luminaries, existing research and personal experience. Music-based console games are big business with SingStar, GuitarHero and Rock Band, having sold over 4Million, 5.5Million and 3Million copies worldwide respectively. Download a copy of the report
 

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