Homespun catalog on the Cafe

**Rob Fowler** · Nov-07-2009, 1:13pm

Unstrung, thanks for the reply. It's funny I spend TOO much time on the computer but I never use the arrow keys for some reason...too much "mousing" I guess.

Yeah, it's not too hard to figure out how to get around the videos but my main point was that I didn't see any instructions to help view the videos to your best advantage...I'm just used to there being a "dummies guide" for people that might not be so computer savvy.

Thanks again

**Happy Traum** · Nov-09-2009, 1:26am

Originally Posted by Rob Fowler

This has nothing to do with the titles from Homespun but more the functionality of the program.

I just downloaded Mike Marshall's 2 disc set. STOKED! But I didn't notice any keys like fast forward, rewind, pause, etc. so I played around with it a little bit. If you click on the video on the right hand side it will fast forward and to the left....it rewinds. I just decided to hit "enter" on the keyboard and that paused the video for me.

Am I just a slow learner or did other users of this awesome resource find these little tricks out, also? I didn't really see any instructions on how to watch the video or these little tips and tricks? Are there other little tricks to know about with these videos? Did I miss something?

Hi Rob,

There should be a little progress bar under the video window that you can "slide" to scan back and forth to find the spot you want to watch within a chapter. We probably should post instructions on the various features of this player.

In the near future the geniuses at Leaping Brain Labs, our Homespun Instant Access technical partners, will be adding some great new features that will be very useful, most notably a "looping" function so you can choose a passage and play it over and over. When this version is released you'll be able to upgrade your player to get this and other new features.

Thanks for using Instant Access. I'm glad you're enjoying the lessons. There'll be more coming, so stay tuned.

Best regards,

Happy

Happy Traum
Homespun Tapes
www.homespun.com

**Rob Fowler** · Nov-09-2009, 2:22pm

Thanks for the reply, Happy!!! For some reason I can't see the progress bar but only see black where it should be. Possibly related to this...I can't ever see a quicktime player on my screen either so it might have something to do with my computer (yes, I've tried to download quicktime many times). I did click on the dark area where the progress bar is and was able to toggle it around with trying to guess where the progress bar was at the moment.

Thanks again Happy, for providing such a great service and I can't wait to try out the other mandolin titles in the future!

Rob

**Scott Tichenor** · Nov-18-2009, 7:23pm

The folks at Leaping Brain put together a very nice video tutorial on how to download and access these lessons. Here's a link to the video. There's a version on their server but we have an exceptional pipe and I was getting much better performance through our server so put it here.

You may want to just download the movie on your PC or Mac (do a File > Save Page as...) to your hard drive and wait for the download to finish before watching for best performance. Viewing over the web, unless you have really good bandwidth, you might run into some delays. The file is around 64MB. Enjoy.

**gfioravanti** · Nov-19-2009, 2:30pm

Originally Posted by Rob Fowler

Thanks for the reply, Happy!!! For some reason I can't see the progress bar but only see black where it should be. Possibly related to this...I can't ever see a quicktime player on my screen either so it might have something to do with my computer (yes, I've tried to download quicktime many times). I did click on the dark area where the progress bar is and was able to toggle it around with trying to guess where the progress bar was at the moment.

Hi Rob,

Are you on a Windows 64-bit machine? There is a known incompatibility with Quicktime player. But here's a little workaround:

1. Find the Homespun Instant Access shortcut icon on your Desktop
2. Right-click the shortcut icon and select "Properties"
3. Click the "Compatibility" tab
4. Check the "Run this program in compatibility mode for" option
5. In the menu, select "Windows XP (Service Pack 2)".

Then, relaunch the Homespun Instant Access and play your course again.

Thanks,
Grace

**Happy Traum** · Dec-01-2009, 11:01pm

Hi Mandolinists,
As of tonight we've got two more DVDs available for download on Homespun Instant Access: "The Bluegrass Mandolin of Ronnie McCoury" and "Classic Bluegrass Mandolin" by the legendary Jesse McReynolds. Mandolin Cafe has a link right on the home page that will take you to our download catalog. We'll keep working to bring you great instructional stuff on this wonderful instrument.

All best,
Happy Traum
Homespun

**Rob Fowler** · Dec-01-2009, 11:44pm

Grace,
Thanks for tip! I can see the progress bar now!

**fishtownmike** · Dec-05-2009, 5:32pm

The reason i prefer to buy the hard copy is that i can watch it on the big screen in comfort. Sitting at the computer with mando in hand is not really pleasant to me. I own many homespun dvd's and will probably stick to buying hard copies...Mike

**Wendolin** · Dec-09-2009, 11:31pm

I bought the Mike Marshall set, and they are great. I prefer the download to the DVD because you can take it anywhere and because it is more convenient to use.

This is a great idea.

**auburnboy** · Dec-20-2009, 10:29pm

Well I posted somewhere else asking which video I should start with. I have been playing guitar for some years and want to change things up a bit, I have the Mando, but need some instructional stuff to get going. I have been playing guitar for about 9 years, so I am not really a beginner on stringed instruments, but am brand new at the Mando. Really don;t know which instructional videos to start with through Homespun. Thanks so much for assistance. I played Violin about 20 years ago, in first grade, so I can play twinkle twinkle little star

Please just help me with where to begin.

**tnt2002** · Jan-11-2010, 4:03pm

I love this app, it's nice to have my lessons in one place with no disks to locate.

My one issue, has anyone else experienced this?

The video and sound do not match. I can't recall if this only happens when I click a chapter on the left, or if ith just starts happening when it advances to the next chapter in the lesson.

The work-around is to pause the video, then hit play, and it synchs up.

More of an annoyance,

but for the > $90 I've invested so far, I hope a permanent solution is in the works.

Tom

**Erik Gran** · Jan-22-2010, 12:07pm

I can't seem to access an updated catalog, everything works as normal, but the titles that should be added lately according to emails form Homespun and their website doesn't show up in my catalog. Is this just a problem in my end, or have anyone else here experienced the same?

**Richard Morrison** · Feb-10-2010, 8:47pm

Are these an actual file you save on your hardrive? From reading the posts it almost sounds like you can just stream it anytime you log on using a player that homespun provides. I'm hoping its an actual mpeg or similar so i can convert it to put on an ipod touch.

**gfioravanti** · Feb-10-2010, 11:17pm

Originally Posted by tnt2002

I love this app, it's nice to have my lessons in one place with no disks to locate.

My one issue, has anyone else experienced this?

The video and sound do not match. I can't recall if this only happens when I click a chapter on the left, or if ith just starts happening when it advances to the next chapter in the lesson.

The work-around is to pause the video, then hit play, and it synchs up.

More of an annoyance,

but for the > $90 I've invested so far, I hope a permanent solution is in the works.

Tom

Sorry for the trouble you're experiencing (and the delay in getting to your message)!

What operating system are you running?

Also, we are working on an update to the system that will likely resolve this issue for you.

Thanks,
Grace

**gfioravanti** · Feb-10-2010, 11:18pm

Originally Posted by Erik Gran

I can't seem to access an updated catalog, everything works as normal, but the titles that should be added lately according to emails form Homespun and their website doesn't show up in my catalog. Is this just a problem in my end, or have anyone else here experienced the same?

Hi Erik,

Are you still experiencing this problem?

Thanks,
Grace

**gfioravanti** · Feb-10-2010, 11:20pm

Originally Posted by Richard Morrison

Are these an actual file you save on your hardrive? From reading the posts it almost sounds like you can just stream it anytime you log on using a player that homespun provides. I'm hoping its an actual mpeg or similar so i can convert it to put on an ipod touch.

Hi Richard,

All the course files are saved on your hard drive. And if you ever need to re-download the files, you can do so easily from the Instant Access catalog, at no additional charge.

But you currently will not be able to convert the course files for use on your iPod.

Thanks,
Grace

**EddieA** · Feb-24-2010, 5:53pm

Can anyone tell me on average, how much hard drive storage is required for each lesson?

**wsugai** · Feb-26-2010, 5:52pm

Most people know Happy from his successful Homespun Tapes venture, but I saw the guy play on a small stage in a crowded room in Seattle back in 1977 when he still went out on the road. Just him and his guitar and a pair of heavy workboots for percussion. I never heard so much sound come out of a single musician ever. Thirty-three years later, and I'm still shaking my head. A great, great performer.

**gfioravanti** · Mar-03-2010, 6:03pm

The courses are about 800 - 1000 MB in size. We are working on adding a feature that will allow you to designate an external or secondary drive.

**Scott Tichenor** · Oct-20-2010, 8:46am

Not sure when this happened because I don't often check the software, but all of AcuTab's products have been added to the Cafe's Homespun software download. That gives us immediate access to Adam Steffey, Herschel Sizemore, Sierra Hull, Alan Bibey and Wayne Benson. Hard to complain abut that line-up.

**bobsault** · Jan-02-2011, 1:39pm

I have downloaded the homespun catalog and bought Adam Steffey and Butch Baldassari and all was going well and I was very much enjoying learning from them and a couple of days ago the program would not open up for me it would just stay on the launching stage . I removed it from my computer and re-installed and still the same problem. I contacted Leapinbrain and got a reply back from Grace but no solution for my windows xp install. There is a 20 percent off downloads sale on but now this problem. Any suggestions ? Thanks
Bob

**robert.najlis** · Jan-02-2011, 2:57pm

I was having this problem too, but on my mac. Sometimes the program would hand when I was trying to start it up. I restarted a few times, and then just waited a while, and it finally started up.

Also, the discount is only available via the version of the program downloaded directly from the site (not the Mandolin Cafe version or any other version).

**bobsault** · Jan-02-2011, 3:50pm

[QUOTE=robert.najlis;875577]I was having this problem too, but on my mac. Sometimes the program would hand when I was trying to start it up. I restarted a few times, and then just waited a while, and it finally started up.

Also, the discount is only available via the version of the program downloaded directly from the site (not the Mandolin Cafe version or any other version).[/Quote
Thanks for the info Robert, I have tried this also and so far no-go. I will do so again. I received an e-mail from homespun about the discount and as far as I know there are not multiple versions they are all downloaded from the same source at homespun, only the name changes a bit as in Homespun at Mandolin Cafe.
Bob

**robert.najlis** · Jan-02-2011, 4:11pm

Originally Posted by bobsault

as far as I know there are not multiple versions they are all downloaded from the same source at homespun, only the name changes a bit as in Homespun at Mandolin Cafe.
Bob

This is from Grace at LeapingBrain:

Are you using the Homespun Instant Access program? Or are you using one of the affiliate catalogs? Like Mandolin Cafe?
this coupon is only available through the Homespun version.

**Mandobar** · Jan-02-2011, 4:39pm

I've been having a problem downloading too. With windows 7 64 bit it is plain impossible. It just hangs and hangs. On my Mac it does download eventually. It almost seems like the server they are using is overloaded.