Smule blog: Testing Potential VIP Feature (Joins as OCs)

[_SingSalon_]

This week, you may have heard about a new feature that some members in the Smule community are seeing, that allows VIP users to transform their favorite joins into joinable invites. Our goal with this test is to better understand how the technology functions in a live environment, while also considering user feedback and behavior before we determine next steps. Please note that this test feature is available to a limited number of users, which is why you may not see it. 

View the full article on the Smule blog

[SingingFool]

I had this feature for a little while but I didn’t really understand how it worked till someone explained it.  Then it disappeared before I got a chance to try it. Why did they include me in the testing a couple weeks ago and then take it away? 

[Wishchip]

This "recycled joins" feature disappeared pretty quickly I think because Smule realized the lag was terrible.

(Actually, a pretty fun theory I've heard is that it was never intended to be called a "test feature." But because people were reporting latency issues before the blog post came out, Smule did a quick spin, called it a "test feature" and promptly removed the feature to work on it some more.)

Allegedly people are seeing this feature again and at least one user has reported the lag is better.

Edited June 10 by Wishchip
italics!

[SingingFool]

Thank you for explaining. That makes sense and glad the lag is improving. Maybe we’ll all have it some day or maybe not…who knows? So the “fun theory” is that it was originally launched across the board & everyone had it? And then they disappeared it bc of lag problems but then brought it back to a select group & called it beta testing? That’s lame…the lack of transparency I mean (and this is just one instance of it). Why not just say “we had some problems with this new thing and we need  to tweak it some more.” It’s not a big deal. Hate when features just appear & disappear like that with no explanation. Like the ability to join OCs past expiration, a really nice feature which was suddenly taken away with no warning and no clear explanation.  It’s disorienting. 

[Wishchip]

9 hours ago, SingingFool said:

So the “fun theory” is that it was originally launched across the board & everyone had it? 

Yes, the theory I’d heard was that it was slowly rolling out for everyone as a “ready-to-go” feature (because all new features are slow to roll out based on region, users having the newest update, etc), but people immediately reported problems with it. So before all users had access to it as planned, Smule pulled the plug and quickly called it a “test feature” in order to save face. So those “limited number of users who had the feature” were really just regular users who got it first with the roll-out before Smule realized it wasn’t working properly. And then they removed it for everyone. As far as I know, they hadn’t brought it back to a select group for “beta testing” after the initial roll-out was cancelled, but they might have.

I mean, whether that’s all true or not, the feature was clearly undercooked and Smule was correct in taking it away, especially given the amount of resources they’ve probably put into developing this. Hopefully the lag is better, because they’ve never been able to fix the lag in Live Jams for some reason.

Personally, I think it’s a fairly situational feature that won’t get a lot of use. The only things I could see it being useful for are:

1. Scooping out the opener’s part and leaving a “blind harms” track for those who have trouble with blind harmonies; and

2. Being really proud of a join that didn’t get noticed by the opener, so the joiner recycles their unappreciated join and turns it into a “spite OC.” And then theoretically you could delete the original duet. It certainly turns a lemon situation into lemonade. #SpiteVite #SpiteInvite

[opentype]

I never had access to it, but it makes perfect sense to me. I kinda use this process anyway. I often learn new songs because someone I follow opens them. Then I join and now that I know the song, I can create an OC, often repeating exactly what I practised for the join. The feature would save some work and time and get me exactly the same result. 

[SingingFool]

1 hour ago, Wishchip said:

I mean, whether that’s all true or not, the feature was clearly undercooked and Smule was correct in taking it away, especially given the amount of resources they’ve probably put into developing this. Hopefully the lag is better, because they’ve never been able to fix the lag in Live Jams for some reason.

I had the feature (I’m in the U.S.) and my friend in Indonesia had it and she tried  it. Then it disappeared for both of us and then she got it back and I didn’t. So I was just confused about why and wish they would explain stuff & make an effort to communicate better. This is my main gripe…that they don’t communicate changes very well and people are confused about what’s going on. But you’re right if it’s not ready I don’t want to use it yet anyway so I’ll wait till hopefully the lag/timing issues are resolved. I’m also impressed that you know so much about the inner workings. Thanks for sharing this seemingly inside knowledge. I also have to appreciate smule for coming up with interesting ideas & trying to innovate. 

I’m wondering if the lag problem had to do with the age of the recording? Bc I have a friend who is still able to join old OCs & he joined me on a vintage OC, like probably over 5 years ago…the lag was pretty bad. 

If they get this feature to work, there are a few joins that I’m curious to revive. Like Opentype said, sometimes you learn a new song and it was difficult & time consuming, like I tried one in a foreign language and then lip synced on video bc there’s no way I could’ve done it a one take on video otherwise. And I’m curious to see if people would actually join me. Or I played ukulele on another join and I don’t want to learn the chords all over again. So yeah maybe laziness. 😉   
 

And the idea of the “spite OC”…lol! 🙌🏽 I’m glad I’m not the only person who has felt that way. 

[Duets.fm]

4 hours ago, Wishchip said:

2. Being really proud of a join that didn’t get noticed by the opener, so the joiner recycles their unappreciated join and turns it into a “spite OC.” And then theoretically you could delete the original duet. It certainly turns a lemon situation into lemonade. #SpiteVite #SpiteInvite

Great idea 🤣

[SingingFool]

Excited! I just tested out the “Create an Invite” feature & recycled a duet! Sad thought: what if no one joins it? 😢 Deep thought: what if the original poster (who I joined) joins mine back and then Creates an Invite out of that…and then I join her back? This might never end! 😆