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View Full Version : Cyber Jam - another great source to motivation!



Bluegrasstjej
Apr-19-2004, 5:22am
This spring has been great for my motivation to play music seriously again. First, the project, wonderful idea!! Improving to make recordings is a great way to be more motivated to practice.
Then, I became more active in a group on Yahoo called In the pines. It's a group of folks from MSN who created a group on Yahoo to try the voice chat. Then other members have come along. They have cyber jams nearly every night, around 9 pm EST, and on Sundays at 2 pm EST just so that I can come along. Isn't that sweet???
Since I joined the cyber jams, my motivation has been on top, and I've developed a lot, since I need to have new tunes and not only one or two. I've started singing, and my singing has improved these weeks.
It's a very friendly group, just like you guys, a group of bluegrass music lovers who want to learn, play, have fun and encourage each other. It would be cool to see some of you there! Go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/in_the_pines and sign up!

harwilli55
Apr-19-2004, 6:49pm
Thanks tej

I will be sure to check it out. I am just sorry that I can't be there on Sundays when you are. That is our groups practice time....Darn.....maybe somewhere along the way it will happen. But thanks for the heads up, I am excited to see what it is like.

Harlan

Coy Wylie
Apr-19-2004, 11:13pm
Looks nice, no one to talk or jam with right now. Is it clear? Is there delay? What is the jamming like?

harwilli55
Apr-20-2004, 7:50am
Hi Willard and Tej,

I put in an appearance at the cyber jam last night. Met some really nice folks. Got to listen to some good music and singing. Played and sang a couple myself. They were very supportive and warm bunch.

As far as I know, it is not a jam in the traditional sense, with players and singers, playing together. At least last night it wasn't. Each person takes a turn at a song or two solo. However, I certainly played along at home when listening to the others.

One fella was a pretty good picker from ky and knows a lot of the old bluegrass standards. He only had his guitar last night but promised to bring his mando which he has played for 17 years I think he said. If his mando licks are as good as his flat picking, it will be a pleasure to hear him.

So, for those of us, living far from places to jam, this is at least a place to stop in on a night when ya got the itch, meet some good folks, hear some good music, and play a couple of tunes. Thanks for the heads up tej. I enjoyed it.

Harlan

Bluegrasstjej
Apr-21-2004, 1:50pm
That's a pretty good description. When I've been there we haven't played together as in a traditional jam, we take turns and play and sing for the others, and get feedback from the others. It's a wonderful group of people, very supportive and encouraging. It is also great to hear the others, what songs they know and how they sound.

Stillpicking
Apr-22-2004, 12:00pm
I tried to join in but yahoo does not provide voice/sound for the MAC OS10 system. I asked all the nice folks at the site but the answer was mostly yahoo chat only works for keyboard chats, no sound for MAC users. I asked them if they would send some emails to Yahoo and get something going thinking that maybe yahoo would take the time to develop a patch for the MAC. I also sent a message to yahoo asking that they consider doing the patch.
Anyway for now it looks like Mac users have no sound on the site.
If any of you out here on the cafe know of a third party patch that provides sound for Yahoo chat let me know I am dieing to try this site out.
Thanks

Andy Morton
Apr-25-2004, 12:32pm
Can you tell me how this works--do you set a mic with your pc, sign on and play away----is there a time delay? Does it cost anything to join Yahoo Groups?

Andy in Madison, WI

Bluegrasstjej
Apr-25-2004, 1:49pm
Hi Andy!
You need to have a mic to your computer, but I suppose you have already if you're in the mando project. Then, you go to this group, it's free to join. Go to the chat. You may need to install some voice chat things. I don't remember how to do it, but you can ask in the group, those guys will know.
When you have everything installed and have entered the chatroom, there is a little button called Hands free, or one called Talk. The best is to click on the Hands free button and then you can play and sing, or talk.
I haven't tried to play together with someone else. They say there's a time delay. We normally sing and play for each other and give feedback. It's great for your self-confidence as it's a nice group of folks, very supportive and encouraging.

Coy Wylie
Apr-25-2004, 3:48pm
I just tried this again and found several people there. Bluegrasstjej you must be Susi. Great Bluegrass.... with a Swedish flair.

Bluegrasstjej
Apr-26-2004, 3:33am
Yes, I'm Susi. It was really nice last night, first I actually got booted and couldn't enter, and after about 30 minutes I tried to join the group with another username, and then I could enter chat, but everyone was gone except Rich. We talked some, and after a while a lot of people showed up. It was really fun because I know a few of them quite well from MSN Groups. I think I encouraged Tammy to start playing guitar again.

jimini_pickit
Apr-30-2004, 9:54pm
Susi,
I've been able to stop in a few nights this week...good fun (and I finally got my sound/mic rig working right). Hope to be there Sunday at 2pm (but it's not the best time for me)...maybe get to hear you sing a couple???

Jim

Bluegrasstjej
May-01-2004, 2:39pm
Neat! I'll be there tomorrow, I've had problems to not be booted but last week I actually joined on another username and then I could stay in. We were a great bunch of folks, I hope they will come this Sunday again. Certainly I'll sing some. I'll be quite tired though, I work from 6.30 am.
See you there!

Susi

Dedian
May-06-2004, 2:37pm
Hope to see you there again Susi, I'll see if I can play something this time!

Stuart

Bluegrasstjej
May-07-2004, 7:50am
Every Sunday at 2 pm EST I'm there, at least until graduation, when I start working I may work some Sunday nights. But there's also jam every day of the week (I think) at about 9 pm EST.
It was great meeting you.

Jedi Bri
May-11-2004, 8:20pm
I checked it out after reading this thread. There were a few folks online. They sang some songs with mandolin or guitar accompaniment. I enjoyed playing along on my own. I shared some of my mando picking. I was even asked to "take a break." In spite of the delay, a good time was had by all. I definitely recommend checking it out. I'll go back soon. Thanks for puting it on my radar, all.
Brian

Harrmob
May-13-2004, 8:41am
JediBri-
Thanks for showing me how that think worked last night, it was midnight and too late to pick in a house full of kids. That really would be cool if it could simultaniously use mics, then there really could be virtual jam via the internet. Nonetheless, it was still pretty neat talking to someone over the net, can't say I have ever done that before.