Forum

This is in support of the Busking threads and a shout out to all TGers to play it and post it!

I've had a couple of TGers recently, and several more over time, ask me if they are posting too much. My answer is always the same: Its impossible to post too much! IMHO posting videos of yourself playing a song or working on something or asking a question is the life blood of TG, that and then the replies and support from teachers and members. TG needs YOU!

Nobody should be worrying about how much they post, this is your forum and you are a member of this fabulous site contributing to the content and connections between members and teachers and anyone else who looks in on us. If someone does not want to see your video, they are free not to tune in and go play Candy Crush or something else. If there are no post, there is no life at TG. We live from the social connections and sharing of our love of guitar and music, we add something to the world when we post. Posters are givers.... and ultimately receivers, the balance is healthy. If I couldn't post here, I may well have given up playing or, at least, reduced my time spent with guitar. Unless I am with another TGer, I am home alone with my guitar and, frankly, most people around me show no interest at all, I am almost never asked to play by anyone, hardly ever! So this is the place I can share and connect and grow. This is my motivation.

I think the only time that folks have not appreciated someone posting is when they post something but do not interact with the community or answer posts or comments and this, I think, is understandable. However, otherwise, people react very well to encouraging comments and constructive criticism. I have never seen a negative comment yet. After all, we are all in the same boat.

Who was it who said, "Don't die with your music still inside you!"?

So this is a plea to Play IT & Post !T, you make TG a greater place!

Let me use this post to make an announcement: Today, I finally played right through Gypsy (Moody Blues) without error and including all the correct vocals and tricky ah hahs for the first time in 2 1/2 years of trying! Yeeeeha! On a sun-filled balcony, in a nice hotel in the Swiss Alps, on vacation doing my favourite thing in one of my favourite places! Life is GOOD!

SO MANY congrats on nailing the song! Woo hoo! :woohoo:

Mark

What an AWESOME thread Chris, I whole heartedly say amen to that! :cheer:

And many congratz on nailing the song, enjoy your vacation!

Ness

As if looking out on the Swiss Alps, wasn't enough. That's a really cool song Chris. I was looking at that lesson about 10days ago, and thought of you. I figured you could handle it.

But the Alps? Really? Your killin me !

neverfoundthetime wrote:

Unless I am with another TGer, I am home alone with my guitar and, frankly, most people around me show no interest at all, I am almost never asked to play by anyone, hardly ever! So this is the place I can share and connect and grow. This is my motivation.


Let me use this post to make an announcement: Today, I finally played right through Gypsy (Moody Blues) without error and including all the correct vocals and tricky ah hahs for the first time in 2 1/2 years of trying! Yeeeeha! On a sun-filled balcony, in a nice hotel in the Swiss Alps, on vacation doing my favourite thing in one of my favourite places! Life is GOOD!

Well said Chris! I'm with you on the nobody asks me to play. My family will, and a very dear 92 year old aunt will, but not many others. If I voluntarily pull out the guitar they will listen and appreciate it, but it bothers me that I don't get asked. I think it might have something to do with people who regard music as "background" for their social conversations. I recently heard someone express dislike for a bar that has an open mic area called the "Listening Room" where conversation is not allowed. The person said "I want a place where I can have live music playing while we all drink and talk". Hmm...to each his own. :side:

Congratulations on "Gypsy" And congratulations on vacationing so beautifully.

Bill

For Example: In January, I was happy to host a house concert with David Nachmanoff. He also had Mike Lindauer fly in from Texas to join the fun on the bass guitar. The entire evening was a blast and was a done as a celebration for my wife's birthday. After being married for 33 years, it is getting harder to come up with new and exciting ideas to surprise her with. Anyway, we filled the house with over 50 guests, including a few IGC friends that could make arrangements to join. I even rented a moving truck to take all of our furniture out of the living room area so I could set up folding chairs and make room for everyone.

On to my reason for mentioning this: After playing for about an hour, Dave and Mike took a short, 15 minute break. When it was time to gather again for the second half of the concert, I had some stragglers that decided they would stay in the game room and continue playing pool. It wasn't that they didn't appreciate the music, talent or efforts put forth to provide an exciting evening of fun and something that just frankly doesn't happen everyday, they just didn't know any better. Non of them are musicians so they basically just wanted to listen to the music in the background. Obviously, I politely asked them to stop the game so the noise of the billiard balls (and their individual conversations) wouldn't interrupt the music for the rest of us. After which, they joined us for the remaining hour of the concert. I felt a bit like a school teacher that had to disiplen students for not paying attention to the days lesson. I think that to everyone that has taken the time to learn how to play music, we have an understanding and appreciation for efforts to make the music happen. It certainly doesn't just happen by accident or without many hours and years of practice.

As Bill says, To each his own....

Bart

Interesting points. I find myself getting annoyed at venues where I want to hear the music and am surrounded by noisy patrons who don't care. I expect there's a difference between being "at a concert" and being at a pub or coffeehouse where the music is a secondary draw. Dunno.

I have a tangential question related to the original thrust of this thread, and it's one that's bothered me the past couple of days: what level of recording qualifies as "busking?"

For example, when I posted my strumming practice video I didn't consider that "busking" level material so I posted it in the Makin' Music forum. My most recent video, though certainly closer in concept, was still far more a "here's where I am in my practice" than something remotely performance-ready. I'm often counseled to patience, to spending the time and work to get a song down, and of course that means I am probably some significant chunk of time away from "performing" even to a sympathetic and receptive audience.

Should my practice videos still go into the Busking thread, or should I keep them elsewhere and save that for when I have something close to "down?"

Not overly stressed about it but I have wondered.

Mark

Good question Mark. I've often wondered about that too as my videos really aren't "busking" either. That's one reason why the titles of my posts don't say for example "Busking Landslide" but simply say "Landslide". I'll let the experts chime in as to what kind of video should go in which area. But the bottom line is, "the more uploads the merrier", I guess.

Chris, Excellent thread and suggestion.

Mark and Daryl - Before we had the busking uploader (which ... I don't think exists anymore) there was no official place to post things you just wanted to share rather than get advice on.

Chris started the concept of busking. If you aren't specifically looking for advice - post it as a busking song - any level is absolutely fine. If you are after a review then post it in the student reviews. If you're not a target member but you're looking for help, just post it with a clear title and say you'd like advice and then the community will offer what they can.

Busking is for fun. It's as simple as that.

M

Makes sense, Michele, thanks for clearing that up! :side:

Mark