U. of Louisville student creates artist-friendly MP3 site

Mark Ingram, a University of Louisville junior in computer information systems and economics, has always had a vision: to alter the face of music downloading. \n“I am always looking for a chance to change the (music) industry,” he said. Ingram found his opportunity by accident, with www.mavizon.com, a Web site offering local underground and unsigned musicians the chance for more Internet exposure in an artist-friendly way. \nIngram realized that he could do more for musicians than MySpace, YouTube and Facebook.\n“I never meant to be in this music business,” he said.\nHe did, however, decide to take pieces from each one of the ever-popular social networking Web sites. Before starting, Ingram wanted to get input from the sites’ main users, the artists themselves. He found out the pros and cons about the other sites and used that in designing his own site. He felt it was essential in attempting to reform the online music industry. \n“(The name) Mavizon.com is short for ‘my vision,’” Ingram said. In regards to his goals he said, “I just want to make the MP3 legally free.” \nThis is not Ingram’s first creation. He previously produced a communication system that gives car owners complete access to the status of their car from their cell phone. His work on the project has earned national acclaim by CNN among others for his inventions. \nMavizon.com gives users access they did not have before. The site is full of possibilities, all driven by Ingram, such as the proposal for signed CDs available for sale from the site. \n“I want this to grow locally out of Louisville,” he said, which helps him work with the artists even more closely. He admitted that he does not want the Web site to get out of hand, but said he will “let it evolve into what it is.” \nInstituting legal downloading is a fairly new concept, and in order to create this, Ingram used a new networking system called A2P, artist to person, instead of peer to peer or P2P connections currently used on illegal downloading sites. Ingram is trying to completely redo what he considers a “flawed system.” \n“If downloading becomes legal, record companies may begin to end their ongoing losing battle to online piracy. Mavizon.com is opening a new frontier for Internet music,” Ingram said. \nThe Web site launched for beta testing July 7. Though the site has been open to the public since Aug. 6, it is still undergoing testing, but Ingram wants users to know that the site will be operating at full speed in the near future. The anticipated product of Mavizon.com may be home to legal downloading, videos, memorabilia and other sales. \n“Simplicity” is the idea that Ingram wants users to remember about his Web site. It has a “clean look” and is very user friendly. Artists and music fans now have a site that permits instant access to local underground musicians that have yet to be discovered. \n“Now listening to the garage band down the street is a few clicks away, and Mavizon.com is a locally owned and operated Web site that Louisvillians can take pride in, as well as giving people access to artists otherwise unknown,” said Ingram. Students interested in the site can visit mavizon.com and sign up for an account to learn more.