Article: The Song-A-Week Social Group - An Interview with Barbara Shultz

You can view the page at https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/c...Barbara-Shultz

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/a...31236861&stc=1

What a kick, seeing this article on the cafe's own SAW group, and an interview with Barbara, at the top of the home page! Great idea, Scott, thanks. Barbara and the others in SAW are a great bunch of folks, and many of us learn a lot by observing them.

Tip for anyone who reads this: When you're working on any tune, use the "Advanced Search" feature in the forum, under "Search Type" tick the box for "Group Messages", then put the title of the tune you're working on in the search box and click "Search Now".

You may find that the tune has been covered in SAW group, and if so, you'll find links to various versions of the music, as well as mp3 and video takes that your fellow cafe members have produced. What a resource!

Still no love for mobile users....

The question why there is no fighting or nitpicking has been answered only partly, IMHO. One major factor is Barbara herself. A queen of hearts who never says "off with his head". You just don't misbehave in the face of a true lady.

Fascinating article. Great to see how successful the group is and how well it has preserved its original aims. The lack of aggression in all the postings is so welcome and the content always totally relevant.

Great read!

[QUOTE=Bertram Henze;1665152]The question why there is no fighting or nitpicking has been answered only partly, IMHO. One major factor is Barbara herself. A queen of hearts who never says "off with his head". You just don't misbehave in the face of a true lady.[/QUOTE

Here Here!

Thanks - a lurker here, but do enjoy SAW from time to time. I find the index wonderful!

I've really meant to post more in that group. Two things I love about it. First, if I ever need ideas for how to tackle a tune, I can be assured that there is at least 2-3 videos of people playing it. Second, if there is a more congenial place on the internet I don't think I've found it. Everyone is so encouraging to everyone else. I think that results from everyone understanding that you have to start somewhere, so a beginner's attempt at a song often gets as much encouragement as a nearly professional level take receives. Furthermore, if you're posting a video of yourself, you're putting yourself out there, and I think everyone respects that.

Little late in the day but a note that this feature interview was published one year ago today.

I posted a video on this group of me fighting with my mandolin and had so much wonderful encouragement that I’m going to do it again. You guys are great! Peace and Love.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by atsunrise

I posted a video on this group of me fighting with my mandolin and had so much wonderful encouragement that I’m going to do it again. You guys are great! Peace and Love.

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‘struggling’ I mean to say.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by atsunrise

‘struggling’ I mean to say.

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An genius should always follow his first idea. "fighting" was not bad. :cool:

Whoa, check this out. Barbara gets 43K page views on this interview in two years. Quite the stat!

Noting the anniversary of this feature.

Just saw that I had posted exactly a year ago on the positive aspects of the Song-A-Week. A year on it is still going strong and we even had a discussion recently on the levels of activity, which got a lot of positive responses. Barbara still doing a sterling job of running things from the background, and we all still talk to each other!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Simon DS

I posted a video on this group of me fighting with my mandolin and had so much wonderful encouragement that I’m going to do it again. You guys are great! Peace and Love.

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Oh, dear Lordy! :)
It’s exactly 3 years to the hour since I posted my first faltering tune to MandolinCafe to be critically examined by you, my distinguished SAW group comrades!
Always kind, emotionally generous, non-judgemental, encouraging and sharing, many thanks!

Those were difficult days though. I still remember the trepidation of picking up my new octave mandolin each morning ready for another wrestling match.
My humble, patient Asian, Ashbury Octave Mandolin, E32 style.
'No, you’re not going to play me like that, you Brute!' She would lovingly insist.
Three years later, I’ve learned so much!
Her action is a bit higher, and tone has changed slightly, but with the same set of strings I was expecting a lot worse.

Well, 320 tunes later and every one of them very beautiful (apparently). :))
So many thanks again, to my SAW group friends, my achievements were in no small part due to you.

How does it work?
You simply go here: https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/g...413&do=discuss

Or here: https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/g...856&do=discuss

...to find a tune of your liking.
-there must be about 3000 tunes with TAB and vids here now to choose from!

Then you post it here: https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/g...=67&styleid=15

Then you sit back like a professional musician onstage and read the applause, and encouraging comments. ;)

Noting the anniversary of this feature.