Miscellaneous Hosting SOTM

[MikeMorrell]

Hi all,

I've seen some posts from @Jeanette inviting 'hosts' for upcoming 'Songs (or ballads) of the Month' (SOTM). I just thought I'd share my personal experience with SOTM, hosting SOTM and also ask a few questions to members.

Listening to submitted recordings for SOTM
Personally (just as a member), I love listening to all submitted recordings for SOTM! They're all different and I love listening to these differences. Often in 'interpretation' and 'style', sometimes in levels of playing ability. It doesn't matter. It's not a competition and I just love listening to how different sax players have made different interpretations and playing styles of the same song (or ballad or tune) 'their own'.

Hosting SOTM
I'm always up for hosting a SOTM. And so (IHMO) should you. Why? Because it's so easy:
a) I get to pick a favourite song/ballad/tune that I personally like playing or like listening to and which I think might appeal to other Cafe members too

b) I get fantastic support from one of various Cafe 'Wizards' who (in cooperation with me) produces one or more 'backing tracks' for my chosen SOTM plus all the
B♭ and E♭ sheet music

c) when I'm satisfied with the final backing track(s) and sheet music, I just need to post a short intro with the download link to the 'Wizard's' folder where members can find and download all my SOTM resources.

My personal experience with hosting SOTM
On the occasions that I've hosted a SOTM, I've found it highly rewarding. Firstly in choosing a 'favourite' song/tune/ballad' of mine that I think might also appeal to other members. Secondly in working closely with a genuine Cafe 'Wizard' on the backing track and 'notes'. Generally I'm just astounded by their skills and just 'approve' whatever they've come up with first. Occasionally (from an amateur/beginner sax player's perspective) I ask questions such as 'does the section in bars x-z need to be so precisely notated or can it be simplified?

And thirdly, I've been fascinated by (and very appreciative of!) all the different 'personal variations' on my chosen song!

So I personally encourage any (especially newer) members to volunteer to 'host' a SOTM. From my personal experience, it's a lot of fun, doesn't take up much of your time, you learn a lot and you get some great feedback (through the posted recordings!).

So (instead of a real poll), just a couple of questions that you might like to respond to. Either (publicly) on this thread or (privately) via a PM.
- How would you rate the ongoing SOTM series (just as a listener) from 1 (worst) to 10 (best);what factors influence your score?
- How would you rate the ongoing SOTM series (as a potential participant in recording) from 1 (worst) to 10 (best); what factors influence your score?
- How would you rate your motivation to 'host' a future SOTM from 1 (worst) to 10 (best). what factors influence your score?

 

[Jeanette]

Thanks @MikeMorrell if anyone is wanting to host do send me a DM 😁

Jx

 

[thomsax]

SOTM, IOTM, BOTM, BluesKey ....... . It's possible for members make recordings and share them on CS without using any prefix/labels. Just to record and share your music or ideas.

 

[Digger2054]

Happy to make suggestions for pieces, but I'm useless at providing the dots and backings.

I don't want to burden others with having to do so - That may not be the case, and I'm thankful of those who have the ability to produce them.

I dip my toe in every now and then, a bit of variety or I feel piece suits me.

I think I've suggested it previously, there's enough previous pieces, could we recycle those to lessen the pressure?

 

[Jeanette]

don't want to burden others with having to do so - That may not be the case, and I'm thankful of those who have the ability to produce them.

Not a burden to them 😉

We can recycle but not all the original hosts are still here. Also they can still be added to anyway.

Jx

 

[thomsax]

I use(d) to listen and watch SOTM and BOTM recordings. Lots of good saxplayers here on CS. I just record for myself to check sound, tone, timing ...... and my recordings are not as clean and good as most of the posted recordings. So that holds me back.

I can post my recordings as a misc recodings, beginner recordings ..... .

It's important that CS members continue to post their recordings ..... . SOTM and BOTM recordings are too good for me. I don't have fancy/advanced recording equipment and I don't want to spend too much time on learning to record.

 

[MikeMorrell]

Not a burden to them 😉

We can recycle but not all the original hosts are still here. Also they can still be added to anyway.

Jx

@Digger2054, I agree with @Jeanette, at least as far as my personal experience goes. Any of the (in my words) 'Wizards' who have helped me in 'hosting' with backing tracks and 'dots' have never, ever given me the impression that they consider it a burden. They all voluntarily offer to help with their considerable skills. My personal experience has been (without exception) that:
- the turnaround from 'Wizards' to me has been incredibly fast; I have no idea how much time and effort they spend but my impression has always been that they've enjoyed producing the backing tracks and 'dots'; from comments like 'nice song, new for me, but I like it'
- all (highly skilled and 'kitted-out') members who have helped me (as a SOTM 'host') to produce backing tracks and dots have been genuinely interested in my (humble) personal opinion both on their 1st version backing tracks and dots; they have all said, "if you'd like to change anything, it's no problem".

Just on a personal note:
- I have absolutely no skills or equipment for producing backing tracks or dots (though I am curious 😉):
- I'm quite good at 'restoring digital scans' of old and/or damaged photos; so I personally really enjoy using this 'skill' + advanced software voluntarily to help people out on various websites
- I can't at all speak for the cafe 'Wizards'; but I can imagine that if you have the skills, equipment and software, you might enjoy (voluntarily) using them to support the cafe (SOTM) from time to time
- I do a lot of other voluntarily work and this always has to have a healthy 'win/win' balance; in other words, I need to get sufficient enjoyment and satisfaction from my voluntary work; whenever it starts to feel like a 'burden', I either scale back or quit

So in summary, advice is not to 'assume' that you might be a burden.
Mike

 

[MikeMorrell]

I use(d) to listen and watch SOTM and BOTM recordings. Lots of good saxplayers here on CS. I just record for myself to check sound, tone, timing ...... and my recordings are not as clean and good as most of the posted recordings. So that holds me back.

I can post my recordings as a misc recodings, beginner recordings ..... .

It's important that CS members continue to post their recordings ..... . SOTM and BOTM recordings are too good for me. I don't have fancy/advanced recording equipment and I don't want to spend too much time on learning to record.

I completely understand your sentiments, @thomsax.
And it's of course entirely up to you whether you feel sufficiently motivated,and able to contribute to SOTM/BOTM or not.

Would I would say is that:
- recording your sax just on a mobile phone is fine; just google "recording sax on a mobile phone" to find some great solutions
- the same applies to 'post-processing' your recordings; just google "free DAWS" (Digital Audio Workstations) to find free solutions that might 'refine' your recorded sound. Audacity is a completely free 'Audio Editor'.
- the monthly SOTM/BOTM 'opportunities' that have been going on for very many years at the cafe have - at least in my personal experience - never been a 'competition' w.r.t. the level of playing (or recording) skills of participating members; of course, some participants are experienced and skilled sax players while others are relative beginners; basically it doesn't matter
- there are no 'implicit' feedback, critique, or suggestions for improvement in any posted recording. Some members may wish to offer suggestions which you might choose to take on board as 'helpful' or just ignore
- a major benefit to 'relative beginners' to record on SOTM/BOTM is IMHO to just to compare your own recording with those of others; and learn from this comparison: for example, how did other members play/sound differently to me? is there anything I can learn from this?
- 'learning' from SOTM/BOTM postings works (IMHO) best when the 'gap' between the skill/sound levels of participants is relatively small (so that 'potential improvements' are achievable with time).

And just as a last point, "hosting" a SOTM/BOTM in n way means that you have to post a recording yourself!

Mike

 

[LostCircuits]

@MikeMorrell has pretty much summed it up, there is a lot of help here from members who can produce the dots or help with the backing track through BIAB or similar.

Another thing that is not necessarily common knowledge is that almost all backing tracks published on YouTube carry a license to re-use as long as the platform remains YouTube.

What that means is that you can use the tracks, play along and upload your version on YouTube. In most cases, that license is not generally applicable, so, for example, Soundcloud may reject the track because of copyright violations.

To extract an MP3 from YouTube, change the URL to Yout.com (it seems at least semi-legitimate and there is a cap of 1 song per day) and leave everything as is, or some backing tracks allow to download the audio track through a click button.

Some channels have a free portion where some of the more popular tunes are hosted but if you want more specifics, you may have to take a subscription for ~ $10.- (e.g. JAZZING) or you can purchase individual tracks (price depends on the publisher but you may get the sheet music). Of course, spending some extra money for the purpose of hosting an XOTM is asking a bit but lets face it, in most cases it is the equivalent of going out and having 1 beer.

As for recordings, I've done a few "reels" in the last month, playing on my porch/garage roof in the evening and just recording with a cell phone (wedged into a guitar stand). Most phones have the ability to crop videos now (crop as in physical cropping) as well as "cropping the length or portion of the video" that you want to upload.

I know this is not sax and it is on FB but just as an example for those with an FB account: 2.6K views · 123 reactions | 'Toccata for a Wild Old Lady" (Siegfried Schwab/Peter Horton) Yes, I mean you! A bit windy tonight but it still sounds decent for a cell phone recording. | Michael Schuette

The point being, there are many ways of producing a backing track and they don't need to be perfect. If you know a guitar or keyboard player, invite him/her over and do a cell phone recording.

Which brings me to another "tangent" in reply to @thomsax: Perfect is the enemy of good. We all try to produce professional grade quality material and so many times I've wondered whether that takes the fun out of the "spiel".

This is supposed to be a "Beginner or Intermediate" recording, and even a "Hack of the Month" is better than a "Gap of the month" where nothing happens.

Music is about sharing, it does not exist in a vacuum and if somebody has something to share, do it!

And if anybody needs help with anything, I am by no means even close to being a musician but like many others here, I am always willing to help (unless I am traveling for work).