Booktrack
Encyclopedia
Booktrack is the creator of the eponymous ereader technology that merges sound with text to create an immersive reading experience. mixes music, sound effects, and ambient sound to provide an immersive multimedia reading experience. The company was founded and maintains offices in Auckland
, New Zealand
and is headquartered in New York City
, New York
. The company is privately funded by a wide range of investors including Peter Thiel
, founder and former CEO of PayPal
, and Mark D'Arcy, Director of Global Creative Solutions at Facebook
.
Booktracks incorporate both original and licensed music from a wide range of sources. To date, Booktracks have included original music composed by acclaimed sound artist Stephen Gallagher performed by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
, as well as music licensed from Sony/ATV Music Publishing
. Many authors work in conjunction with the composers to develop appropriate music for their books.
At launch, Booktracks were available for download through the Apple App Store. The company has said that it plans to develop versions for Android phones, PCs and Macs, as well as for other ereader platforms.
, the second book in the Lorien Legacies by Pittacus Lore and the sequel to I Am Number Four
. The book was released in conjunction with HarperCollins
and ames Frey | James Frey's transmedia publishing company, Full Fathom Five. The Booktrack edition of The Power of Six includes more than 70 originally scored compositions and was produced under the direction of John Neill, the head of sound at Park Road Post
, and includes contributions by award-winning composer and sound editor Stephen Gallagher.
At launch, the company also provided a Booktrack edition of Sherlock Holmes'
The Adventure of the Speckled Band. Since then, the company has published editions of Rikki-Tikki-Tavi
, The Ugly Duckling
, The Selfish Giant, Hansel and Gretel
, Peter Pan
, and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The company is developing more Booktrack editions of both new and classic books, and has deals to publish upcoming short stories by Salman Rushdie and Jay McInerney
.
, The Atlantic, Mashable
, Business Insider
, the Los Angeles Times
and The Guardian
among others. The Times of London called Booktrack "An Advance in electronic publishing" while The Huffington Post
said it was "Revolutionary", TechCrunch
called it "An effort to create a whole new genre of e-books," and The Atlantic asked whether it might be "the future of reading."
While many praised the idea, several people criticized it as a bad idea that was counter to the entire purpose of a reading experience.
After it was featured by Apple, the app took off in the iTunes store, breaking into the top 100 free apps overall by downloads within two weeks of its launch.
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and is headquartered in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The company is privately funded by a wide range of investors including Peter Thiel
Peter Thiel
Peter Andreas Thiel is an American business magnate, venture capitalist, and hedge fund manager. With Elon Musk and Max Levchin, Thiel co-founded PayPal and was its CEO...
, founder and former CEO of PayPal
PayPal
PayPal is an American-based global e-commerce business allowing payments and money transfers to be made through the Internet. Online money transfers serve as electronic alternatives to paying with traditional paper methods, such as checks and money orders....
, and Mark D'Arcy, Director of Global Creative Solutions at Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
.
Origin
The idea for Booktrack arose in 2008 when co-founder Mark Cameron regularly commuted by ferry in Auckland, New Zealand. He realized that as he read, a song would regularly come up on his music player that would complement the passage, with a bright song serendipitously accompanying a lighthearted passage. As he looked around the ferry at other commuters who were also simultaneously reading and listening to music, he realized the potential for a company that would replicate this experience meld sound with text to provide an immersive reading environment. He reached out to his brother, Paul, and they spent three years building the technology before launching the site in August, 2011.Product
The proprietary and patented technology behind Booktrack works by determining the speed at which any given reader is expected to progress through every word of a given text, and then matching music, sound effects, and ambient sound to every word. Using advanced algorithms, the audio is matched to readers' speed to provide a seamless and immersive environment in which readers experience the book. Music, sound effect, and ambient audio tracks are recorded separately, allowing readers to set their own preferences.Booktracks incorporate both original and licensed music from a wide range of sources. To date, Booktracks have included original music composed by acclaimed sound artist Stephen Gallagher performed by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra is the national orchestra of New Zealand. It is a crown entity owned by the Government of New Zealand, with 90 full-time players....
, as well as music licensed from Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Sony/ATV Music Publishing is a music publishing company co-owned by The Michael Jackson Family Trust and Sony. The organisation was originally founded as Associated TeleVision in 1955 by Lew Grade. In 1957, ATV acquired Pye Records as a wholly owned subsidiary...
. Many authors work in conjunction with the composers to develop appropriate music for their books.
At launch, Booktracks were available for download through the Apple App Store. The company has said that it plans to develop versions for Android phones, PCs and Macs, as well as for other ereader platforms.
Booktrack Editions
The first Booktrack download was a version of The Power of SixThe Power of Six
The Power of Six is the second book in the young adult science fiction series The Lorien Legacies by Pittacus Lore. It is the sequel to I Am Number Four, and was released August 23, 2011 by HarperCollins Publishers.-Plot summary:...
, the second book in the Lorien Legacies by Pittacus Lore and the sequel to I Am Number Four
I Am Number Four
I Am Number Four is a 2011 American teen action science fiction film, directed by D. J. Caruso, starring Alex Pettyfer, Dianna Agron, Timothy Olyphant, Teresa Palmer, Kevin Durand, and Callan McAuliffe...
. The book was released in conjunction with HarperCollins
HarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
and ames Frey | James Frey's transmedia publishing company, Full Fathom Five. The Booktrack edition of The Power of Six includes more than 70 originally scored compositions and was produced under the direction of John Neill, the head of sound at Park Road Post
Park Road Post
Park Road Post is a 10,200 m² motion picture post production facility, located in Miramar, New Zealand, a suburb of Wellington. Formerly the state-owned National Film Unit, the new facility was renamed Park Road Post upon completion in 2005...
, and includes contributions by award-winning composer and sound editor Stephen Gallagher.
At launch, the company also provided a Booktrack edition of Sherlock Holmes'
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
The Adventure of the Speckled Band. Since then, the company has published editions of Rikki-Tikki-Tavi
Rikki-Tikki-Tavi
Rikki-Tikki-Tavi is a short story in The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling about the adventures of a valiant young mongoose.The story is notable for its frightening and serious tone. It has often been anthologised and has also been published more than once as a short book in its own right...
, The Ugly Duckling
The Ugly Duckling
"The Ugly Duckling" is a literary fairy tale by Danish poet and author Hans Christian Andersen . The story tells of a homely little bird born in a barnyard who suffers abuse from his neighbors until, much to his delight , he matures into a beautiful swan, the most beautiful bird of all...
, The Selfish Giant, Hansel and Gretel
Hansel and Gretel
"Hansel and Gretel" is a well-known fairy tale of German origin, recorded by the Brothers Grimm and published in 1812. Hansel and Gretel are a young brother and sister threatened by a cannibalistic hag living deep in the forest in a house constructed of cake and confectionery. The two children...
, Peter Pan
Peter Pan
Peter Pan is a character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie . A mischievous boy who can fly and magically refuses to grow up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland as the leader of his gang the Lost Boys, interacting with...
, and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The company is developing more Booktrack editions of both new and classic books, and has deals to publish upcoming short stories by Salman Rushdie and Jay McInerney
Jay McInerney
John Barrett McInerney Jr. is an American writer. His novels include Bright Lights, Big City; Ransom; Story of My Life; Brightness Falls; and The Last of the Savages...
.
Reception
At its launch, Booktrack was met with a great wave of interest, with articles written about it in The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, The Atlantic, Mashable
Mashable
Mashable is an American news website and Internet news blog founded by Pete Cashmore. The website's primary focus is social media news, but also covers news and developments in mobile, entertainment, online video, business, web development, technology, memes and gadgets...
, Business Insider
Business Insider
Business Insider is a U.S. business/entertainment news website launched in February 2009. Founded by DoubleClick Founder and former C.E.O. Kevin P. Ryan it is the overarching brand beneath which fall the Silicon Alley Insider and Clusterstock verticals...
, the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
and The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
among others. The Times of London called Booktrack "An Advance in electronic publishing" while The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post is an American news website and content-aggregating blog founded by Arianna Huffington, Kenneth Lerer, and Jonah Peretti, featuring liberal minded columnists and various news sources. The site offers coverage of politics, theology, media, business, entertainment, living, style,...
said it was "Revolutionary", TechCrunch
TechCrunch
TechCrunch is a web publication that offers technology news and analysis, as well as profiling of startup companies, products, and websites. It was founded by Michael Arrington in 2005, and was first published on June 11, 2005....
called it "An effort to create a whole new genre of e-books," and The Atlantic asked whether it might be "the future of reading."
While many praised the idea, several people criticized it as a bad idea that was counter to the entire purpose of a reading experience.
After it was featured by Apple, the app took off in the iTunes store, breaking into the top 100 free apps overall by downloads within two weeks of its launch.