The Pulse #19 - iBreatheMusic 2003, A Look Ahead, Predictions

	In this issue @ Yet another year ... @ Stats and The Best of ... @ A Look Ahead... @ How did we do?: Predictions for 2003 @ Eric's Predictions for 2004


	And another year ... This issue of The Pulse looks back on this last year, on how iBreatheMusic has come on and gives a glimpse of what is to come in 2004. We'll return to the normal format for the next issue in 2 weeks time. Overall, I think 2003 has been a great year for iBreathe. We've seen plenty new members sign up, a decent stream of new articles and improvements to the site's functionality. The forums have also flourished into a really special place to 'hangout'. It's also great that members actively share the same long-term vision to keep the site a powerful resource dedicated to music instruction, without the clutter. Thanks again to all of our members and authors who have made this last year a great success for the site. Happy New Year, Guni


	Stats and The Best of ... Web Statistics Here are some statistics that compare where we are now, to where we were a year ago. Total Hits (per month): -------------------------------- DEC 2002: 1503030 DEC 2003: 2695556 Top month [NOV 03]: 2936012 Total Unique Visits (per month): -------------------------------- DEC 2002: 24256 DEC 2003: 44130 Top month [NOV 03]: 45478 Page Views (per month): -------------------------------- DEC 2002: 6302 DEC 2003: 14866 Top month [NOV 03]: 15276 Forum Members (total): -------------------------------- DEC 2002: 633 total DEC 2003: 2028 total In the last 3 months 503 new members have signed up. Forum Posts and Threads (total): -------------------------------- DEC 30 2002: 553 Active threads DEC 30 2003: 2746 Active threads Forum Posts and Threads (per month): -------------------------------- DEC 02: 1329 posts DEC 03: 1971 posts* (* thats an increase of nearly 650 posts from a year ago) DEC 02: 141 new threads created DEC 03: 222 new threads created The Best of ... Top 5 Articles (based on visits and ratings) Step by Step Song Writing Guide (Chris Juergensen) http://www.ibreathemusic.com/article/126 A Closer Look At Sweep-Picking (Eric Vandenberg) http://www.ibreathemusic.com/article/124 Brett Garsed (Eric Vandenberg) http://www.ibreathemusic.com/article/100 Chord Scales - Part 1: The Major Scale (Gunharth Randolf) http://www.ibreathemusic.com/article/105 Neoclassical Shred Guitar (Eric Vandenberg) http://www.ibreathemusic.com/article/121 Top 5 Forum discussions Pulse Bites: What makes you tick? http://www.ibreathemusic.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1362 Nervous http://www.ibreathemusic.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=2278 Share Your Personel Improv Ideas http://www.ibreathemusic.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=102 perfect pitch training disks http://www.ibreathemusic.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=157 Concept: Playing a Song http://www.ibreathemusic.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=295 Top 5 active members (excluding the iBreathe crew ie. EricV, sculz, Guni, Bongo Boy) Koala Bizarro metaljustice83 The Bash Danster Thanks guys.


	A Look Ahead... What's ahead? Long term it's hard to tell, but there are a few things that we're focusing on at the moment: The long awaited forum restructure is in it's final planning phase. It is a tedious process but we'll start rearranging content and adding new topics within the next few weeks. Once this is done, we'll update the forum software which will give us all plenty of new features to play with. Furthermore, as the forum grows we'll take steps to get moderators on board to help monitor the content in the forums. One thing that I've been spending quite a bit of time on, is creating an 'iBreatheMusic Standard for Presenting Online Educational Material' (I just love all these acronyms so here we go: ISPOEM). It may not seem massively important, but it is quite a major aspect to the site ie. how material is presented including notation, graphics, sound files, powertab (which is only accessible by Windows users) etc. So, I'm looking into ways to ensure the best cross platform solution to ensure all content is accessible by all users, indefinitely. We are also looking into offering video which could be a massive step forward for the site. An important personal goal of mine is to get back into writing articles, even if I have to cut down on the site development side of things. It's about time I expand upon those theory articles I did a while ago. So all-in-all, there are some interesting times ahead and we're excited and curious to see how all this will pan out. NB: If there's anything regarding the site, or future plans that you have an opinion on, please let us know at comments@ibreathemusic.com. Feedback is very important to us and we do our best to mould the site around your suggestions. Guni


	How did we do?: Predictions for 2003 As you might remember last year we made some brave predictions for the year 2003. Now's the time to face the truth and see how we did: 1) All major record companies will be making even more losses, not due to file-sharing systems but due to their inability and attitude in terms of supporting what they are trying to sell: art. TRUE 2) The whole 'amp modelling biz' will slowly 'run out of gas'... the hype will fade, the market will reach its climax with all the different products available, and the modelling thing will be a regular standard, especially for home-recording. Well, we think we weren't all that wrong. Amp modelling is pretty much a standard thing now and everyone does it to some extent. We also think it's far less scary now than it was 1 or 2 years ago when people were running to sell their tube amps to get some virtual... 3) This year we'll hear about Van Halen's future plans after their looooong break... whether they'll continue with a new (old?) singer or whether they'll call it quits remains to be seen... http://vai.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3208 Also, have you heard the phone interview that's floating around on the web? Eddie is recording! 4) Under the watchful eye of the iBreathe community Bongo Boy will record a mind-blowing version of Autumn Leaves! Well, we know he's working hard on it .... maybe we should ask him to contribute another soundfile ... what do you say Bongo? 5) Hanging out at iBreathe in 2003 will be even more fun than in 2002, because we'll see a bunch of new features, cool articles and great talk at the forums TRUE :-) 6) We'll see countless more no.1 hits from manufactured boybands and deep meaningful ballads about love from from 16 year old teenage heart throbs. Sigh...


	Predictions for 2004 - Steve Vai has just been nominated for a Grammy AGAIN (for best instrumental rock tune). And as much as I would like to see him win, I think he won't... (and why didn't they pick 'Feathers' ?!? And why didn't he get one for 'Whispering A Prayer'?!?) - The RIAA and law enforcement will stay busy suing people for downloading stuff illegally, and this will become a regular thing in the European countries as well - lots of people are gonna have some surprise visits soon. Heck, the record industry is gonna get their money one way or another. - The record industry will attempt more collaborations with internet-companies to provide even more 'pay for music downloads' sites, and none of them will really be worth the effort. - Both Vai and Satch will release new albums (that is not a prediction, it's been pronounced already). And I think Satch will manage to surprise us again by trying something very different... - Some of those kick-a**, yet sadly unknown players (such as Marcel Coenen, Ricky Garcia, Rob Balducci and Thorsten Koehne) will finally get some of the attention they really do deserve!!! - Some well-known band is gonna release a new album. In advance, the whole album will be discussed into the slightest detail in the fan-forums, the expectations will rise to the point where it's almost unbearable... and once the album is out, everyone in those forums will do nothing but complain... I have seen this happen at least twice in 03! (nope, I am not mentioning any names!) - I WILL eventually publish that dreaded tapping-article (not only one, I think), including video (thanks again, you people!). Gosh, now there's the pressure! - iBreathe will continue to grow like crazy, we'll have some awesome new features, new design, bunches of great discussions at the forums, and I'll probably reach the 7.500 post mark (I'm sure I'm not gonna, but where's the fun in making safe bets, huh?) - At least half of these predictions will prove to be wrong (including this one... there's a brain-twister for ya!)


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