Anyone want to run with this?

[Anyanka]

Dear all, this thread is a bit wonky now... and as some of you may have noticed, I rarely manage to join in with the tunes I pick! Neither do most other people... except for our ever reliable Jarvoid.

Shall we call it a day, or would somebody like to take on the moderatoring of the Tune of the Month?

 

[jarvo]

No ...I don't think that it's too " wonky " ..... but I definitely think that I shall not be participating any more....I have been more than prepared to have a laugh and share my bloopers and inconsistent playing ..or persistently poor playing-----except there does not seem to be any sharing !!....

I think the best one has been the Italian "Tarrentella" month of November and some good posts on "I Did That " forum from some other people.....

No disrespect to anyone and top marks to Anyanka for hosting the thread...I think and hope that it will kick off ....but I'm giving it a miss.

(hoorray I hear some say !! :lol: )

 

[Glenn]

I'm trying to think what to say here.
It's a great pity if we axe it but on the other hand hardly anyone is participating (mea culpa).
I am nearly ready with the Christmas number :roll:
One problem for me is sourcing the sheet music. The few ive participated in had oven ready notes.
Thus could we move to tune of the month with plenty of advanced warning and some music source which is useful?
Tune of the season anyone?

 

[Matt Butcher]

I always think that grass roots playing is one of the strengths of this instrument and everyone has their own individual waybof playing, so I love to hear people's recordings, whether they are pros or amateurs. So I like the idea of a Tune or Theme of the month (a Theme would let people play things they already know, a Tune encourages people to try something new, I learnt three tunes that I play regularly from this forum.). Personally I haven't been able to pick up a full size accordion for months due to circumstances, i mean that literally, only a diatonic occasionally when I can sling it in the car boot, I haven't even got round to recording Metsakukkia (when I do record it I'll put the umlauts back in).

(Go on Chris don't stop, we'll miss 'em)

The forum's going to evolve as more people get involved (which they are) and so it makes sense that the material on here will change over time as well. I'd quite like there to be something encouraging members to post their recordings, for those who do want to.

I haven't answered the question...

 

[Bella]

I haven't got anywhere near being able to join in, but would be really sorry to see it go. I guess, when people are busy, it can be difficult to find time to embrace a completely new genre (eg Cajun, when it's not something you would normally play).

Is there any mileage in making it into a 'What I am currently playing/learning' thread? That is less time consuming than learning another new piece. Or have we already got one of those, and I just haven't noticed it.

 

[george garside]

Sadly it seems as if forum members have 'voted with their feet' as far as TOM is concerned. It works well on melnet ( but is a minority thing) perhaps due to a much larger membership or maybe because melodeon players tend to go for 'folk'/'traditional' stuff and therefore have more shared musical interest.

The world of piano accordions ( and continetals) is in many ways very different from melodeonland in that the range of musical interests is comparatively vast so dropping on a tune of the month that will interest several people is difficult.

Another didfference may be that probably the majority of melodeon plyers certainly in the UK are byearists whereas piano box players tend to want the dots and so are less into spontaneous playing of 'tune of the month'

Perhaps the occasional sharing tunes rather tahtn a monthly job could work with each ''sharing '' being suggested spontaneously and informaly by a ? different member on the basis of suggest it and see if anything happens.


george

 

[Soulsaver]

Yep - vote of appreciation to Anyanka for efforts to date.

Although interested I didn't partake for a couple of reasons:
1) Too busy with doing my set pieces for my tutor to make time to try the pieces.
2) Trouble accessing soundcloud via Chrome which I still haven't resolved after much fiddling with settings - frustrating.

Suggest a tune a quarter (or a season with couple of months advance notice, like Christmas tunes, Easter tunes, Summer etc) with links to suggested dots and option to do your own choice?

I'd also suggest a 'sticky' link to a 'how to record yourself' help.

Or park it.
Relaunch it when membership grows and it's suggested again?

 

[Anyanka]

I quite like Bella's suggestion: perhaps we could reformat this & take it to the "I did that" area; i.e. anyone could start a thread with a recording of a tune they like, and invite others to join in.

Matt, I've been playing Metsäkukkia for months, off and on, but still not to recording strength... but you can have söme of my Ümläüts för nöw.

 

[jarvo]

I quite like Bella's suggestion: perhaps we could reformat this & take it to the "I did that" area; i.e. anyone could start a thread with a recording of a tune they like, and invite others to join in.

Matt, I've been playing Metsäkukkia for months, off and on, but still not to recording strength... but you can have söme of my Ümläüts för nöw.

This is what I don't understand about this place ...."Not to recording strength ...level...not virtuoso "

Hey....it's us ...the "family" ----- The whole premise should be "what do you think of this ? This is my effort......"

" Good Effort,Well tried {} :b ...or ...crikey ..not bad for a month/week/day/ just done this 'arvo(P.M.)..... :ch . "

Or the possibly initially uncomfortable but undeniably usefulConstructive critique.....even if just one person has the balls and good sense to say ..."eh you know what Jarvo ...your bass playing is all over the place...try and make it thus...."that happened to me and I am grateful and I think that I have improved over the last year no end....

There seems to be , and forgive me for this ,but it is an impression that I get ..that the view of the forum , on the whole is that if you cannot play like a pro' then you should not be playing ....well if you don't play and put it out there you won't develop from advice and suggestions and a little light applause......



Chris Jarvis

 

[Soulsaver]

There seems to be , and forgive me for this ,but it is an impression that I get ..that the view of the forum , on the whole is that if you cannot play like a pro then you should not be playing ....well if you dont play and put it out there you wont develop from advice and suggestions and a little light applause......

Chris Jarvis

Nahh - cant say thats an impression I get. Even the pros or near it arent putting material out here that Ive noticed. I think ts just similar to my circumstances. Or they just dont want the criticism, or couldnt be bothered.
Each to their own.
Im always keen to hear others efforts even if I dont get round to commenting so whatever heading their under, post em up. {}

 

[erictheaccordionist]

For what its worth, I am going to submit, but...I got my accordion last July, love metsakkakia.. ( however it is spelt), and can play it on the right hand only, can't put left hand, to it so was going to polish it up before I recorded it....
BUT, if I can get time away from my PHD this weekend I will record it and .. pour encourage les autres.. as they say in Wiltshire...

Cos, my left and right hands really don't want to talk to each other yet......

I also like the idea of turning it into a show case/learning/encouragement area where we can play what we are learning, and possibly struggling with to get some tips on how to overcome those little niggling problems that we all suffer from..

Eric..

 

[Matt Butcher]

Id also suggest a sticky link to a how to record yourself ?

Soundcloud can be a bit frustrating, I get the impression that they run out of server space every so often. I have found out you can put up YouTube recordings with just an audio file and some still photos from a phone. Perhaps everyone knows this already but if not I can try to summarise on the recordings thread.

Oh and thanks for the umlauts.

 

[Soulsaver]

Id also suggest a sticky link to a how to record yourself ?

.. you can put up YouTube recordings with just an audio file and some still photos from a phone. Perhaps everyone knows this already but if not I can try to summarise on the recordings thread. [/quote]

Thatd be great Matt. :tup:

 

[Anyanka]

This is what I dont understand about this place ....Not to recording strength ...level...not virtuoso

Hey....its us ...the family ----- The whole premise should be what do you think of this ? This is my effort......

Good Effort,Well tried {} :b ...or ...crikey ..not bad for a month/week/day/ just done this arvo(P.M.)..... :ch .

Or the possibly initially uncomfortable but undeniably usefulConstructive critique.....even if just one person has the balls and good sense to say ...eh you know what Jarvo ...your bass playing is all over the place...try and make it thus....that happened to me and I am grateful and I think that I have improved over the last year no end....

There seems to be , and forgive me for this ,but it is an impression that I get ..that the view of the forum , on the whole is that if you cannot play like a pro then you should not be playing ....well if you dont play and put it out there you wont develop from advice and suggestions and a little light applause......



Chris Jarvis

Good point. However, its not that Im afraid of criticism from the other forummers - everyone is so nice here! Its my own ambition/my inner critic that wont let me put out half-baked stuff... once its recorded and on here, the mistakes are there for all to hear for a long time. But youre right: I should use it as a teaching resource rather than try to impress yall with my virtuosity (HA!). Ill try to make time for some recording in the Easter hols.

 

[Glenn]

If anything Anyanka, this thread has made us all the more determined to get something recorded and put out there, even if posted in "I did that" and not "TOTM".

 

[dunlustin]

I'm still trying to get organised (brave?) enough to use the "I did That" section.
I suggest, Anyanka, that in answer to your query you should be "Excused Boots" on the TOTM and people can post there if they wish.

 

[jarvo]

I was not aiming that comment at you in particular Anyanka , please do not think I was ....but your line about the level of proficiency required before recording reverberated with me and gave me an "in" so to speak.......

The shite that I produce is , in real terms , just that , shite , but it is my level and a bit of music that has started to gel and it's put up there to be appraised , approved (or not ) and to learn from......(even if that learning is a stern "do not do this again , ever !!" :b)

So I thought , in my naivety perhaps that is what the TOTM was all about ....an opportunity to display to each other what was happening at the end of your fingers on them chest strapped wheezing bellow driven monstrosities that we play....(and I Did That !)

That's all I was saying ........

To close ...I am not having a pop at Anyanka ...you done a good job hosting the ToTM ...I would be sorry to see it go.......but if not utilised then maybe best to let it slip ,slide away.....

 

[jarvo]

If anyone wants to know about how to get started home recording I have a couple of ideas here ....I am NOT a recording expert but do quite a bit of it .

To be honest ...the simplest way is to get a GOOD web cam ,this should come with the software required and the built in mic should be a good standard (if not take it back after discovery).

If you only want to record audio then still go this way (WebCam)and then download something like Factory Format ...or similar File Conversion Software is the generic name and there are loads of freebies ,just watch out for the junk that may come with...not all are bad..but if you do get some stuff you dont want remove it from the Control Panel Uninstall page ) . Or if you want to avoid the junk ,spam whatever , buy (pay for , swap money...anathema to me I know ,but sometimes its the safest way) Software. This will swap or convert your vid File into an audio File , and you will have a myriad of choices of which sort of file ...

You wont be able to edit these (except possibly for trimming the ends to the required length) and your recordings will be as out of the box ,so to speak ....so you cant reverb ,add EQ etc.....which is not always a bad thing. For this you need Cubase , Audacity (Free and free of junk if I remember correct) Cakewalk and others.

You may need an interface ...sorry ...a box of some sort to put your mic (s) through...often the box ...like Yamaha audigram 3 will come with the software (Cubase - Which is Steinberg Technologies and good if a little complex ..I only scratch the surface of what it can do) Behringer do a similar package .....

Try Amazon, Gear 4 Guitars , Guitars and Keyboards or other online dealers and look at their technical or recording pages . Another good and much cheaper (potentially ) source is Maplins.

Right last entry for Cajun ToTM and an example of how you can make a sound recording from video.



and



...its a supposed to be Joli Blon ...but I dont think its right ...learned it from a score on the PA and transcribed it in my head to the Castagnari...but the fact is that having only played that for a munf ...its probably me !!

 

[Jim the box]

I thought that TOTM was to share some good music from different genres (ones that you wouldn't normally try) so a good thing.
I must admit that I didn't realise that we had to compare efforts? :?

Stop putting yourself down Jarvo, your playing is improving (I've even got one of your clips on my Soundcloud favourites) and I would imagine there are quite a few members who would like to play to your standard. :tup:

This forum is one of the most friendliest I have ever had the pleasure of joining in and we all know what it is/ was like to start playing the accordion. Any "I did that" music is to be applauded whatever the level as it takes guts to do it and also gives us something to go back to show that we have (against all the odds) improved. :ch

 

[Anyanka]

Jarvo, don't worry - but thank you! - I did not feel got at for a moment. Have known you too long for that now, anyway.