Seasonistas general thread: yakking, joshing, news and pictures

Croaky Keith said:

None!

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lol !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Had an idea a while back about putting felt inside my toy piano to reduce the noise the keys make when I let go of the key. Decided yesterday to go through with the experiment.

I bought the adhesive felt and tried a few modifications for my upright Schoenhut. I found most of the noise to be coming from the hammer returning to the key and not below the key as I hypothesized. I tried felt between the key and the hammer and it didn't reduce the noise appreciably. I tried felt on a hammer and it did sound lovely but was quieter than my hammers returning so I didn't bother installing felt on the hammers. The experiment only cost me $1.30 so it was cheap to try.

I bought a Korg contact mic a couple months back to see if I could amplify the comb. I tried to attach it to the spine but that got in the way of the keys. I tried it on the soundboard and it worked very well. The bad part is that I tested it on my Vox pathfinder 10 amp that I used to use for my Risa that I sold a while back. I let my brother use it to practice his electric bass and apparently it burnt out the clean channel. Big bummer. At least I can still record it direct through my audio interface.

The good news is that I lost a bolt for attaching the comb to the soundboard of the toy piano. Doesn't sound like good news, but this actually made the instrument much louder so the key noise is relatively less prominent.

A xmas tango lesson in high heels in the snow.

hello everybody.

Sorry that I haven't posted a video lately because my camera sucks and a buddy of mine that knows computers couldn't fix a problem with my new webcam. Luckily it wasn't a hardware problem but it needs a new OS(he said he can do it after January 2nd.

In the meantime, I hope to get some knowledge from you all. Should I film in 720 at 60 fps or should I use 1080 at 30fps? My old uke videos were a bit blurry with fast motions like strumming at what I thought was 30fps but I don't know if that was just due to my old webcam or the setting.

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season!

Most web cams don't even offer 30 fps to start, and fewer still can shoot in HD. (I got a new one on order that does both)... Either one should be fine for what we're doing here, but remember that the bigger the file, the more likely people like me who live in parts of the world without the fast internet will get your video stopping and starting a lot. I'd say go with 720 and 30 fps for the sake of use paying for data by the Gigagbyte

Tough day shooting for me. The memory card that had all the video of my latest piece has decided to think it needs reformatting and the tripod... It was only 8 years old...

Webcams has come a long way since they came out, being able to shoot with those pfs.

YouTube prefer 720p 30fps. Takes up less space.
I am not sure is the automatically compress high er resolutions or fps or not, there is HD content on youtube - dont know if it is from normal amateaur accounts.
You might as well save the storage space to begin with.
More important for how nice it is to watch is the lighting, the microphone, the angle it shoots from etc.

I believe my camera records in HD, but I save the finished movie in 720p in movie maker after editing anyway.

Speaking of webcams, I did something today I've been meaning to do for some time. I upgraded my own webcam. Got the Logitech C922 - which has the option of 1080p at 30fps or 720p at 60fps, I've picked neither for the moment, going with 720 and 30fps (Viking, I think 720p is considered HD too).

I also made a discovery about something simple and interesting you can do with a baritone. I'm sure millions of others already knew this, but it's fun figuring something out for yourself regardless. Besides, I wanted to see how the new cam looks.

For the last 15 years, I've been putting together an annual CD-length playlist of my favorite songs of the year, which I share with some co-workers. I'm a song addict, so it helps me keep listening to new music and searching for new great songs. These days, I also make it into a YouTube playlist. This is what it sounded like inside my head in 2019.

Psychedelic p*** Crumpets – Bill’s Mandolin
Charly Bliss – Capacity
Gabriel – I Wanna Ahah!
Methyl Ethel – Trip the Mains
Sir Babygirl – Everyone Is a Bad Friend
Craig Finn – Blankets
Rudy Willingham – Pool Party
Billie Eilish – Bad Guy
Broods – Peach
The New Pornographers – The Surprise Knock
Sault – Don’t Waste My Time
FIDLAR – Can’t You See
Honeyblood – She’s a Nightmare
Tame Impala – It Might Be Time
Mac DeMarco – On the Square
Jade Bird – I Get No Joy
Cuffed Up – Small Town Kid
MonteRosso – Aimants
Bombay Bicycle Club – Eat, Sleep, Wake (Nothing But You)
S.O.U.L. Purpose – In Flight Movie: Dr. Goodlungs

My 2019 Playlist

Joko said:

ME: OK Google. How to tune a 4 string banjo

Google: C3 G3 D4 A4

OK: *turn" "pluck"

oUCH... That jump from the 3rd to the 2nd string... Tuned to the 7th above the G.. ouch. Painful on the ears.

What Christmas songs sound good on a banjo?

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The CGDA tuning is what's called Standard tuning for the tenor banjo, but Irish trad players often tune GDAE, an octave below mandolin. Many folks use what's called "Chicago tuning" or DGBE, like the first 4 strings of a guitar (or a baritone uke). Of course either of these tunings necessitates changing the strings.

I have also heard players who played rhythm only, use high-strung (re-entrant) tuning which means that the 3rd and 4th strings are an octave higher - dgBE

Jim Yates said:

Irish trad players often tune GDAE, an octave below mandolin.

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Not just Irish trad players but any British Isles trad players. From my experience in English sessions, banjo players often play a 5 string banjo. I'm not sure what tuning they use but I suspect open G or D. They often use a capo if accompanying singing, so very likely an open chord.

Many folks use what's called "Chicago tuning" or DGBE, like the first 4 strings of a guitar (or a baritone uke). Of course either of these tunings necessitates changing the strings.

I have also heard players who played rhythm only, use high-strung (re-entrant) tuning which means that the 3rd and 4th strings are an octave higher - dgBE

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I imagine the re-entrant tuning is used because it will cut through in an acoustic band with brass and reeds so the rhythm section doesn't get drowned out.

haven't heard enough new music in 2019, so my list is a top 5.

Lewis Capaldi - Someone You Loved.
Lizzo - Juice
Eilish - Bad Guy
Noel Gallagher's high flying birds - A Dream is All I Need to Get By
Noel Gallagher's high flying birds - Black Star Dancing(my favourite)

I remember getting into an actual argument with a close friend of mine a few years ago when he vehemently disagreed with me over this idea: there are some redeeming qualities, some good points, something to like about every style of music in the world, without exception. Somebody likes it; it wouldn't exist otherwise. A listener just should try to hear what those people hear. Oh, no, he said, there was absolutely nothing at all to like about ____ music. He wasn't about to hear a word to the contrary. I think he was disappointed I wouldn't share his hate - two people disliking something together can be a stronger connection than liking something together.

I think I know this group fairly well on the whole, and of course there's some music each of us dislike. That said, I think most of you would agree with my thesis... that there is something to enjoy in every genre under the sun. Sometimes, it's just harder to find.

I preface my news with this anecdote because it's going to help me get through my homework this weekend. In fact, now that I think about it, I think I already shared it. Anyways, my time as a music teacher at the English school is over for now. Sort of. After 3 weeks of no attendees at the student "Making Music" club (one kid did come to the last one, but that's just because he wanted to hangout with his teacher), the school pulled the plug and asked me to try to come up with a better idea, one that get more engagement from the students.

On my first day of my regular classes, I always get my students to talk a little about what they like to do in their spare time. In every class, there's at least one, usually two or three who are committed fans to one type of music. Well, we announced a club for them today. Guess who's leading it?



My goal is to get it up and going to the point where the students can run it themselves. For now though, I've got a bunch of K-pop games and activities to find.

I hope you get better luck with this one, Joko.

I agree with your thesis. My father and I used to have vehement arguments with a passion. He hated pop music with a passion and I didn't much like his particular taste in classical music, though, looking back what I really objected to was the excessive reverence with which it was treated back in those days. Over the years my musical tastes have broadened though there are genres/styles (whatever) I like and those I'm not so keen on.

Birthday and christmas money are burning a ukulele-shaped hole in my pocket.

Anyone got any new (relatively inexpensive) toys they'd like to recommend?

Very tempted by a couple of Enya models.

guitaleles are fun

RAB11 said:

Birthday and christmas money are burning a ukulele-shaped hole in my pocket.

Anyone got any new (relatively inexpensive) toys they'd like to recommend?

Very tempted by a couple of Enya models.

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I have been playing my Kmise banjolele for over a year now you should be able to pick one up for
around 50 quid. Good bang for the buck.

I was going to suggest a banjolele ... or a 6 or 8 string Kala.

A long neck - ya gotta have a long neck in your collection - no collection is complete without one! :music::smileybounce:

I'm not sure Mrs RABB would countenance a banjolele. Would love a six string but they don't seem to be massively available nowadays. Maybe I need to look better

RAB11 said:

Birthday and christmas money are burning a ukulele-shaped hole in my pocket.

Anyone got any new (relatively inexpensive) toys they'd like to recommend?

Very tempted by a couple of Enya models.

Click to expand...

I've got a Risa LP sunburst tenor , solid mahogany electric, steel strung with four pole humbucker pickups (steel strings are a dream on these magnetic pickups). Brought it half a year ago in Southerns for about £550 but never play it (because I prefer re-entrant) so its as new in mint condition, will take £400 if you want it Ryan?

Gottaukulele review …….https://www.gotaukulele.com/2019/03/risa-lp-tenor-electric-ukulele-review.html