Like pandora.com but with a graphical interface

July 11, 2006 8:43 PM

MusicLens enables users to find pieces of music using very vaguely described criteria, such as loudness (perceived volume), mood or purpose. The search or recommendations query can be enhanced or limited by adjusting the ten control sliders. Example : All slow titles by Madonna from the 90s that also sound sexy. (Note: FLASH)
posted by crunchland (15 comments total)

I couldn't find any good queries to use... I just seemed to get random things, even if I pulled individual sliders to the top or bottom...
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 9:03 PM on July 11, 2006

another stellar find by crunchland.
posted by marvin at 9:09 PM on July 11, 2006

Wow. Excellent. Thanks.
posted by dobbs at 9:41 PM on July 11, 2006

I still prefer my discumbobulated theory over this or pandora.
posted by Mach3avelli at 10:17 PM on July 11, 2006

i put in my mood etc. on the sliders and it gave me back a list with 2 songs in the first 8 choices i already have on a mood appropriate playlist...awesome
posted by nile_red at 10:29 PM on July 11, 2006

i am too stupid to understand how to use it.
posted by dydecker at 10:33 PM on July 11, 2006

Wow. This is mint.
posted by bunglin jones at 10:35 PM on July 11, 2006

Mint is mint. Thanks for the laugh. Now I'll actually have to check out the tool, which sounds novel.
posted by diastematic at 10:52 PM on July 11, 2006

doesn't seem to have a very wide selection of music. it'd be pretty cool if it did, though, it's a great interface and a nice idea.
posted by ab3 at 11:35 PM on July 11, 2006

Well it's worked for me. I dialed in what I was hoping would get me some sad, smooth jazz, and that's exactly what I got. A pile of artists I've never heard of, which is even better.

Then I dialed in what i was hoping would get me some 90s skate punk, and on this count it fared a little worse. It picked the Ramones. But also Alien Ant Farm and Kelly Osbourne. Maybe it needs another slider for "Good" and "Shit".

Apart from that, very nice.
posted by Jimbob at 11:50 PM on July 11, 2006

Needs some work, I feel.

Tried to find slow music for 'sex' and it gave me 'Deeply Dippy' by 'Right Said Fred'...
posted by metaxa at 12:04 AM on July 12, 2006

Not bad, anything that gives me 'Very Ape' when I look for angry music is ok in my book. But like all these sort of things it's limited by the metadata entered and the choices of facets, both of which in this case seem fairly average. I'm waiting for an n-dimensional music machine, which will let you add and browse music by any angle of your choosing.
posted by MetaMonkey at 4:34 AM on July 12, 2006

It has an inordinate fondness for Steve Winwood.
posted by Tuwa at 8:50 AM on July 12, 2006

Metal selection is pretty atrocious... and Hardcore is grouped in there too... Meh.

Amazing design though!
posted by yuletide at 9:17 AM on July 12, 2006

Needs some work, I feel.

Tried to find slow music for 'sex' and it gave me 'Deeply Dippy' by 'Right Said Fred'

Obviously you've never made sweet sweet love to the dulcet tones of Mr. Said Fred. If that an music to horizontally-tango to then I don't know what is!
posted by sycophant at 1:48 PM on July 12, 2006