Maestronet Gallery

[lwl]

I'm tempted to start up a just-for-fun collection of sound clips of Maestronet players.

We'd pick a couple of one-minute excerpts from works at varying levels of technical difficulty, so everyone can participate.

You'd send me an MP3 of your playing (or some other format, like WAV, that I could turn into an MP3). I'd post it to the gallery -- anonymously, if you'd like.

Any takers?

Update: Here's the link.

New clips posted: Wednesday, 11/14/2001.

[This message has been edited by lwl (edited 11-15-2001).]

[oldgeezer]

I think it’s a great idea. I’d like to pick my own excerpt, maybe twinkle. The time limit helps. Nobody could hear more than 1 minute of my sawing away on the old fiddle without feeling distinctly ill.

[iupviolin]

I'd love to. I just need to get my Wav Recorder working. Count me in!

[rainyann]

Lydia,

Nice idea. I certainly can't post a clip but I welcome hearing fellow fingerboarders, even if they are going to be anonymous.

Renee

[Emma Lily]

But why anonymity? Aren't our screen names enough?

I love the idea (posting sound clips, not anonymity!), and hopefully wouldn't go crazy trying to guess (if you didn't tell) whose clips are whose, but I can't make any guarantees....

If I get a microphone and figure out how to record myself, then I'll do it.

[paganiniboy]

How do I record something on my computer? I'd love to do that. I'll be nervous, but playing for a computer - nah... Just, somebody help me.. Is there a program? or what?

P

[fiddlefaddle]

Can anybody tell me how to load a mini disc recordingonto my computer, digitally that is with a second analog transfer.

thanks

bud

[administrator]

Lydia, excellent idea, count me in too.

I like the anonymity option, it will encourage more players.

One other idea: Folks should have the "option" of posting their names, AND if they wish criticism or not.

Let's also remember that there are many different levels of playing around here, and many different styles. I personally love hearing fiddle tunes, I know little about it,which makes it even more interesting for me.

One more thought: This isn't a competition, it is a way to share music with your pals and be proud of what you have done. Things have gotten a bit nasty again around here, so

I hope Lydia's great Idea will be treated as something brand new, not a continuation of "Who's the greatest violinist" stuff. We already know who the greatest violinist is; it's Lydia, because this will take some work on her part!!!!!!!! I am sure I speak for everyone around here in saying Thank You for giving everyone an opportunity to show there stuff, and I personally will be crushed if anyone messes this up.

[Laurel]

Sounds great to me! I'm sure hubby and I will figure out a way to record my playing.

Nope, no competition here! just a place to show off! I'd welcome some constructive criticism; I haven't played in a recital almost all year (the whole baby thing) so could use some feedback.

Looking forward to hearing everyone!

Laurel

[lwl]

All right!

Here's how it'll go.

1. Figure out what you want to play.

Please pick an excerpt from anything that you'd like people to hear. You may choose to submit multiple excerpts if you'd like. For now, please don't submit more than two excerpts, 'til I see how much response I get and thus how much disk space will get eaten by this project.

The excerpt should be no longer than ONE MINUTE. If you go a few seconds over it's okay, but if you go much over that, I will trim down the sound clip. Thirty seconds would be a fine length -- think shorter, not longer.

2. Make a recording of your playing.

You can do this in one of several ways. I'll post some tips for doing this separately.

I would prefer WAV format, so I can convert it into a variety of encoding formats, and it has higher sound fidelity than most MP3 files. However, if you can't do WAV, please send me an MP3 file encoded at a 56 kbps CONSTANT bitrate (CBR), which is the likely final format that the files will end up in.

3.Email me the sound file as an attachment.

My email address is in my profile.

Please include with your email the following things:

A. What the excerpt is from. (Composer and name of piece, at minimum.)

B. Your Maestronet screen name.

C. Do you want this posted anonymously?

D. Do you want to hear criticism?

I will post these clips in streaming MP3 format, and will likely make them available in a downloadable format as well.

[This message has been edited by lwl (edited 06-07-2001).]

[Theresa]

Sounds like fun. I'll talk to our school computer tech. and see whether we can do anything. Thanks, Lydia.

T

[Violinflu]

Cool! I've been saving soundclips whenever they pop up, so I've got a mini collection already But it sounds like a lot more people would participate in this, which would be Great! You can count on me posting a little something pretty soon

-Jesse

[paganiniboy]

What program do you use to put you're clips on the computer? I dont know how to do that... help me please!

: D

P

[Mu0n]

MusicMatch is a badly programmed piece of resource-hogging software.

If you run one the variants of Windows, go to Start menu/Programs/Accessories/'folder whose name escapes me (but which contains the win cd player, sound parameters and the recorder, which you want)'

with this, you can record wav files - then, use musicmatch to convert to mp3s, or flood Lydia's mailbox with your bulky wavs!

[Ellaphant]

It's a great idea but I'll listen if that's ok, no one should be subjected until I get better. I only play in public in an orchestra or group. I might, I suppose I could do it lots of times couln't I, maybe. I'll think about it. It's a great idea though.

[paganiniboy]

lWl, I have a question. Is there any preference for the sound quality for the WAV file? Using windows, I get many choices - and the default is "Radio" set at 22,050 B Bit 22 K/S" cool? or what.

P

[altogirl7]

Great idea! I can't wait to listen but must wait to participate--no recording capability. (I think, considering my level, that's a good thing.....)

altogirl

[lwl]

If you have a fast connection (cable modem, DSL, etc.), or the patience to wait for a long upload time when you send me the email, I would suggest that you record at "CD Quality" (44 KHz, 16 bit stereo). One minute of music will be about 10 MB of space.

If you have less patience, I would suggest 44 KHz, 16 bit mono. (If anyone has a better suggestion for which setting would result in the best quality, please speak up.)

By the way, these settings are for the Windows Sound Recorder. You click on the Edit menu, then on Audio Properties, and click the "Customize" button to select a setting.

[MicaelaB]

I'm in- once I get a microphone for my computer.

[Loren Feffer]

Great idea!! I'll send a clip as soon as I get a microphone for my computer -- this gives me a reason to actually do that soon.

Lydia, thanks again for your efforts to make the Fingerboard fun & interesting.

[Crushen]

you can take my soloist mp3 and lower the bitrate or whatever if u want to use it

[paganiniboy]

you know what? I got musicmatch just not, and figured out how to record from my mic. the only problem is, my computer frezes for like a quarter of a second every 3 seconds... I didn't think it would effect my recording, but it did... even after I closed Music Match.. maybe I should try restarting my compie.. any similar problems? fixes?

P

[Jane]

Well, yes I'm awfull, but willing to have a go. Should be a laugh.

So tell me if I have this right. If I plug a microphone into the computer, using windows sound recorder, I just play into that and the then email the .wav to Lydia.

Won't it be huge!

Have to wait to next weekend for me to get the time (and courage) to do this.

Jane

[iupviolin]

I just put a new sound clip on my webpage if anyone is interested. Its only about 38 seconds long. If you go to my sound clips page please ignore the mess...I still need to clean up that page.

http://www.geocities.com/martindalton77/page1.html

P.S.

Please sign my guest book. Hvala!

[This message has been edited by iupviolin (edited 06-11-2001).]

[oldgeezer]

This is to kick this topic back up to the top. I sent lwl an e-mail this AM with a clip.

I hope others join in. You don’t have to be some great player. The audience can’t see you. You can masquarade as the unknown violinist so we can’t find you.