From Song Child

==Song Child Help==

Contents 1 General 1.1 What is Songchild? 1.2 How can I participate? 1.3 Which programs should I use to create/edit the music ? 1.4 Where Can I get instructions for using Garageband and Audacity? 1.5 Is there a Garageband for PC? 1.6 Is the site limited to only children's songs? 1.7 Can you give an example of how a song child project would work? 1.8 What are the languages in which songchild functions? 2 User Administration 2.1 Why does Songchild use a Wiki? 2.2 If I do not have typed lyrics to a song, or understand the language of the lyrics in a song, should I still participate? 2.3 Is there an ethics system to the talk pages? 2.4 who do I contact if I have suggestions or complaints about songchild? 2.5 What if I forget my password? 2.6 Should I still contribute with a low quality recording and if I can't afford expensive equipment? 3 Uploads and Downloads 3.1 Is there a limit to how many uploads or downloads one user has? 3.2 What file formats can I submit? 3.3 Why is Songchild not using ogg format as the preferred format? 3.4 Why Are my files not uploading? 4 Licensing 4.1 If I submit a song, do I lose ownership? 4.2 Can the files created and collected by Songchild be used for purposes outside of songchild?

General

What is Songchild?

Currently, Songchild is in pre-beta form. It is a space for exploring options on open license children's music and how to create and share them. The project's goal is to create a web space in which average people can sing the songs they love, with music and lyrics and post them on our site, for others to download, and alter to create new, or modified children's music. The result will be a library of international and public domain cultural works.

We hope to do this using Creative Commons Licenses, so that the on-line community formed here can be free to use, contribute to, and share the material on this site as they please.

How can I participate?

participation in the community is simple.

1. Make an account through theLog in/ create account page.
2. Fill your user page with whatever information you choose, such as hobbies, interests, reasons for being with songchild and prefered music etc...
3. You can add your own music to the open source audio archive: Load your own music onto the site using the Uploads page. Add as much information about this song as you can in the "description" section of that page, and please add lyrics to the song, music score, and brief history, if available, on the uploaded file's page once you have created it.
4. You can download music which is already in the audio archive. Use this music for whatever purposes you wish, within the limits of its Creative Commons License. Also, if you have altered the song in anyway, please add that version to our archive to expand the library even further.

Which programs should I use to create/edit the music ?

There are several useful pieces of software to create and edit music for the Songchild program.

• Garageband is an audio editing tool created by Apple Computers for the Mac OS X operating system. It is a very powerful editing tool in which a person can plug in and play their own instruments in real time, or use the library of already made sound loops for a composition. Garageband comes standard on Mac OS X computers. GarageBand can only be purchased as part of iLife, a suite of applications intended to simplify the creation and organization of users' digital content. In addition to GarageBand, iLife includes iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iTunes, and iWeb.
• Audacity is an audio editing application which can be freely downloaded from Audacity.sourceforge.net. With many sound editing options (but no library of sound loops) it can help you produce some powerful compositions
• Other applications for windows can be found on Jake Ludington's Mediablab page.
• You can also use Youtube to participate in the Songchild project. Simply record your song on video, post it on Youtube, and then use mediaconverter.org to convert your Video file to mp3 format. After that, upload your file as usual.

Where Can I get instructions for using Garageband and Audacity?

Songchild already has quick tutorials for using these applications.

• Garageband Tutorial
• Audacity Tutorial

Is there a Garageband for PC?

Technically, no. Garageband (the powerful audio editing tool that comes standard on Mac computers) has no PC version. However, PC users can download Audacity, a free, open source software for recording and editing sounds. It have almost every feature of garageband, minus the library of open source loop tracks.

Another solution, is to purchase a more advanced audio editing tool which functions with PCs. For links on several leading programs, please visit Jake Ludington's Mediablab page.

Is the site limited to only children's songs?

Yes, Songchild is focused on only children's music from around the world. There are other websites you can use to post other music genres. For Example, try My Virtual Band.

Can you give an example of how a song child project would work?

Sure! There are many different ways to use songchild. Here are some examples:

1. If you have an old children's song that you love that was sung to you in your native tongue, please record it and post it here so that it may be shared with the world. This is one way to preserve those songs, and have new songs develop through inspiration.
2. let's say you have written amazing lyrics for a children's song and need music behind it. Here, you can search through the opensource audio archive and find music with which your lyrics can mesh. You can then download that song, and using a recording program, such as Garageband for Mac Os X, or Audacity for Windows and Mac, sing your lyrics through a microphone.
3. You can also post your orchestral pieces and lyrics without finishing them, simply so that others may be inspired and add to your work to create a new children's song.
4. take the lyrics of a song and translate them into a different language. You can simply post the translation, and/or you performing this piece.

What are the languages in which songchild functions?

Currently, Songchild is functioning in English as it is a Toronto, Ontario, Canada based project. However, Ethnic diversity already exists within the members of the Songchild project. Languages of French, English, Japanese and Serbian are already spoken, and we hope to expand this website to include as many children's songs from as many cultures as possible.

Another of songchild's aims is the translation of children's songs into other languages. By having an expanding, ethnically diverse, multilingual community, this becomes more and more likely.

User Administration

Why does Songchild use a Wiki?

We are exploring different ways of organizing and sharing songs as we grow. One of our primary concerns is that we ensure that people have as open access to content as possible. At this point wikis are the best tool for what we want to do, but we are testing others to see if they add anything to the task at hand without losing this openness.

If I do not have typed lyrics to a song, or understand the language of the lyrics in a song, should I still participate?

Yes, most definetly!

• Many and probably most children's songs are sung to groups. Post as much of a song as you can, whether it's only you singing to a song without posting written lyrics, or just creating the orchestral piece with no vocals. It is possible that someone else in the community will see your song and understand the lyrics, and will make the edits instead.

Is there an ethics system to the talk pages?

Currently, Songchild is running under the same ethics system for talk pages and user communication as Wikipedia.org. Please familiarize yourself with this until songchild creates a system of its own.

• Link to How to communicate on talk pages
• Link to content rules. please pay attention to the information under "conduct" and "neutral point of view"

who do I contact if I have suggestions or complaints about songchild?

Please post any suggestions or complaints on the talk page of Nemanja Filipovic for now. He will handle all issues or revert you to someone who can.

What if I forget my password?

For now, just make a new account until we can solve this problem.

Should I still contribute with a low quality recording and if I can't afford expensive equipment?

Please do. Of course, the song itself needs to be audible i.e within the human realm of hearing between 20-20,000 Hz. However, cheap equipment can be bought for everyday users to post simple and easy to make children's music onto our site. Expensive audio editing programs are not required.

Uploads and Downloads

Is there a limit to how many uploads or downloads one user has?

Not at all. Please contribute and use the website as much as you wish. Any help to expand the community's open source audio library will be appreciated.

What file formats can I submit?

Songchild currently holds MP3 files as the preferred file format. However, it also handles MID and ogg file formats for music. Images that are compatible are jpeg, bitmap, gif.

Why is Songchild not using ogg format as the preferred format?

We at Songchild understand that ogg formats are very high quality, but online audio and music is currently dominated by MP3 files, ranging anywhere from 60-70% of total file swaps in P2P networks. Ogg files are growing in popularity in Asia with BitTorrent technology, however. With that, Songchild will monitor ogg format development and make the appropriate changes. To learn more, please visit News.com's article on P2P file swapping.

Why Are my files not uploading?

• You could be attempting to upload a file that Songchild does not support
• The file size may be too large

For help, please post your issue on the user page of Nemanja Filipovic

Licensing

If I submit a song, do I lose ownership?

Not at all. According to the Creative Commons Licenses, even a song which is completely open source requires the one who reuses/changes the song in any way to give credit to the original creator. Thus, your work should always be attributed to you.

Can the files created and collected by Songchild be used for purposes outside of songchild?

Definetly, but only as far the the Creative Commons Licenses allow. For example, if a file is set to a "non-commercial" license, then one can edit and use the song in any way they see fit, even performances, but the work has to be attributed to the original creator and can not be profited from, economically.