If users can already customize the movies they watch with just the power of their thoughts, it seems a pretty safe bet that they’d embrace the chance to shape the music they listen to as well. Enter “n”, a musical project by Uruguayan artist Jorge Drexler that’s designed specifically to be transformed and edited by smartphone and tablet users.

Now available for Android, iOS and through the Samsung Apps store, Drexler’s free “n” app contains three original songs: n1, n2 and n3. Each is a unique interactive musical experience with optional components recorded by Drexler himself along with nine world-class singers, a Stradivarius, a full symphonic orchestra, and male and female choruses. “n1,” for example, also known as “Room 316,” is a song that explores combinatory poetry, and users can play with the lyrics by freely arranging the lines. This song is available in both English and Spanish. “n2,” or “Driftwood,” is a song about drifting in life; by pressing “play” as they “drift” through different physical locations, users can find and unlock all the different instruments that play along with the song. Finally, “n3,” or “Décima to the power of ten,” features 10 different singers whose voices users can rearrange and combine to create an effect they like. Once they’re satisfied with what they’ve created, users can export and share the resulting audio files. The video below demonstrates the app in action:

We’ve seen that consumer curation is increasingly popular. Artists around the globe: be inspired!

Website: www.jorgedrexler.com/web/indexb.html?i=RESTO
Contact: contratacion@morganbtitos.net

Spotted by: Murtaza Patel

Earlier this year we featured Finite Films’ crowdsourcing approach to film creation, and recently we came across a like-minded effort that takes that premise even further. Based in Uruguay, LALA is a platform for movie makers, actors, directors, writers, musicians, film professionals and cinema lovers that aims to facilitate the creation and funding of Latin American films.

Interested participants begin by creating a profile on LALA, where they can browse the profiles of others who have registered there. The community is made up of artists, filmmakers, directors, writers, musicians, actors, producers, editors, sound engineers, technicians and other film workers. Users can also browse the site’s ‘projects’ section to see what films are being planned, where descriptions include not just details about the film but also a letter from the director and opportunities for getting involved, including those on the investment side. A feature-length film called The Angel, directed by Martín Sastre, is the first to be produced through LALA and will be filmed in the coming months. Fifty percent of the film’s budget will be funded through the platform and half of the technicians and actors who work on it will be members of the community, according to one report.

While not suitable for all artistic projects, there are plenty of instances where creative endeavors can only benefit from a collaborative approach and the involvement of the crowds. A model for emulation in other arts and other parts of the world?

Website: http://www.soylala.com/
Contact: info@soylala.com

Spotted by: Daniel Carranza

There are few lengths to which sports fans will not go to help promote their favorite teams, including even coughing up the cash to crowdfund them. Now, Uruguay’s Ministry of Tourism and Sport is tapping fans of its winning soccer team for their creativity instead – specifically, it’s soliciting fan-created images to include on a brand-new Olympic t-shirt.

Late last month the Ministry launched a new Facebook application inviting fans to upload photos of blue sky, the color of which plays a central role not just in Uruguay’s flag but also its soccer team’s color and nickname “La Celeste.” Dubbed “Above All, La Celeste,” the app has aready collected more than 100 fan-submitted images, a selection from which will be included on its new t-shirt. That shirt, in turn, will be given to the delegation that represents Uruguay in the London 2012 Olympics; 150 shirts will also be given away to participating fans.

Is there any limit to the creative potential of the global brain, particularly where team spirit and national pride are concerned? We don’t think so either. Similar organizations around the globe: one for inspiration!

Website: www.turismo.gub.uy
Contact: www.turismo.gub.uy/contactenos

Spotted by: Daniel Carranza