The British Steelies Society

Hi All, I'll use this thread for updates on progress with the Virtual Steelie Meets venture. If you have any questions or need help or clarification, post them in this thread or PM me. Suggestions also welcome even if it's - "You can stick your virtual steelie meets up yer " - I can take it!

Here's an explanation of how it will work.

I've set up a dedicated Youtube channel and Soundcloud channel to use for the purpose. Each month there will be a number of backing tracks to use to record your version of the chosen songs, either as a video or a soundfile. The backing tracks will be available in a Google shared folder called - Backing Tracks - which I will give you access to once you PM me with your Gmail address. I will also give you access to a Google shared folder called - Video & Soundfiles. This folder will be where you upload your completed masterpieces

I have put up a couple of How To guides which I hope will help you with the process.

Once the files are uploaded I will then upload them to either the Youtube channel - Virtual Steelies Meetings - or the Soundcloud channel - VSteel Meet. Once we have a a few submissions I will open a topic in the Pedal Steel Recordings Section of the forum which will be titled something along the lines of - Virtual Steelies Meet April - where I will post the completed submissions. Other videos and soundfiles will be added to the topic as they come in.

Doing it this way keeps it tidy with all submissions on a single Youtube channel or Soundcloud channel, it also keeps them all in the same topic thread where we can all comment on members submissions.

I thought we could start of with a wee trial run of a single song for March and see how it goes. Ken Byng has been very helpful with this and has proposed this nice melodic song to kick things off. Ken will be doing a version which I'm looking forward to hearing. In the future it would be great if someone from each "real" Steelies Meets could suggest a song for each month and supply a backing track.

https://youtu.be/KbeQa2hmznk

So if you want to get involved, PM me your Gmail address and we'll get started

I intend to do more How To's as we go along, such as - How to record a video or soundfile using your Android phone. Incidentally if you use Apple the Apple video & soundfile formats are fine, i.e. .mov and I can't remember the soundfile format, (I'm sure Calum will remind me ), but these are fine to upload to Youtube and Soundcloud.

Finally, I realise not everyone has the means to be involved, which is a real pity as we will miss out on some fine renditions. Nothing much can be done about that unfortunately

JohnDavisStringsHere wrote:Hi Geoff, I am a little disappointed I thought it was going to be in real time and did not know what was possible but it seems no different to what I do at the moment record with camera and post on you tube. I think I was expecting something like Skype where instead of having one little picture of the person you are talking to there would be as many little pictures as people attending and in real time we could play........... dream on JD maybe 5G will go further??

For real-time steelies meets look at zoom or houseparty: -

Android: -
Zoom: https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... s&hl=en_GB
Houseparty: https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... y&hl=en_GB

iOS: -
Zoom: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/zoom-clou ... d546505307
Housparty: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/houseparty/id1065781769

PC: -
Zoom: https://zoom.us/support/download
Houseparty (Google Chrome Extension): https://chrome.google.com/webstore/deta ... ggogejidim


Worth looking into!

JohnDavisStringsHere wrote:Hi Geoff, I am a little disappointed I thought it was going to be in real time and did not know what was possible but it seems no different to what I do at the moment record with camera and post on you tube. I think I was expecting something like Skype where instead of having one little picture of the person you are talking to there would be as many little pictures as people attending and in real time we could play........... dream on JD maybe 5G will go further??

Hi John, thanks for your comment.

I thought that members would probably be expecting something along the lines of VOIP. I did consider this but decided against investigating the options for this in the meantime for the following reasons. I have installed and set up video conferencing set ups in the past on a professional level, was some time ago now and I realise the technology has moved on to new possibilities, however the principles and problems of using the technology remain basically the same when used with a lot of users at the same time.

Here's a example of my experience with this which I hope will demonstrate what I mean. The last VC network I set up was for Fife Council, we set up 4 stations at each major Council office. The idea was to cut down on unnecessary travel between buildings where many had to drive to one of these buildings for meetings. So participants in each of the 4 buildings would link up in a 4 way conference and conduct a virtual meeting. In most of these meetings there would be at least 6 people at each location. The result of this was what we in Scotland would call a stromash, (confusion & chaos), with everyone trying to talk at the same time etc. The only way it worked was if someone took total control of the meeting and everyone else kept quiet until they were given permission to talk from the controller. In the end this turned out to be impractical and the VC facilities were mostly used for one to one conferences, usually with other Councils or organisations. The Social Work service used it a lot to speak to prisoners in Peterhead prison as it saved a 300 mile round trip.

I know that you can do the Youtube thing already John and I enjoy listening to your videos as I'm sure many others do, but you are one of the few doing this and I wondered why others were not doing it. I concluded that they either did not have an interest in doing it, did not have the means or didn't know how to do it. So I thought setting up a means with explanations of how to go about it could possibly kick start something, if that should develop into skype type meetings then fine it could be tried, but one step at a time.

I am a member of other music forums where they have things like song of the month where someone suggests a song and members are invited to put together their version and post it up the following month into a dedicated topic thread for all to listen to and comment. This is usually in audio format but I thought this could be done in a video format as I've set up here. On these other forums it fosters a community spirit and a lot of people get involved, it is also a lot of fun.

Another thing I considered was that if it is done in real time only the people involved would be able to hear the renditions. If it is done the way I have set up the videos will be there for all members to listen to and comment on at their leisure. It would also allow players from different countries to put forward their versions.

@Arcada

Thanks for the links Arcada, I've had a look at these Apps and think Zoom could probably work for this, House Party is restricted to 8 users at a time which would be restricting and a lot of the user reviews are a bit negative, i.e. the quality can be ropey and users often get thrown out during link ups or the App ceases to work at all.

If anyone else wants to run with this option then feel free to do so. Maybe we should learn to walk first though

I am a bit disappointed myself with the apparent lack of interest in members getting involved, I do realise we've all got a lot going on at the moment. I have set up the means to do something and will continue to keep it open for members but it's been a lot of work so far and I don't see the point of continuing to develop things such as a How To record a video on your phone, which I intended to cover everything from recording a video to getting it up onto the Google drive so it could be viewed by anyone on the forum.

So if I'm wasting my time doing this, please let me know. I won't take offense, it is not about me, it's really up to the members here if this will be a goer or not

Hi John, I'm not sure there are many fireworks left in my box to pee on these days

TBH I appreciated your comment, you most likely said what others were thinking, so it gave me a chance to clarify a few things. You have made some good points, I have witnessed similar at our meetings and been very nervous myself when you're basically playing in front of your peers, guys like yourself who have been doing it for years and are accomplished players. But we all know what a beast this instrument is to get a handle on and that it can be be a bit embarrassing to have others hear our first attempts at playing. I have found though that the more experienced players are very understanding of this, as they have been there, and are very helpful in showing the way, sharing techniques etc.

I think I must have the same affliction as yourself, some of my early attempts, and not so early attempts, at playing are pretty basic to say the least. The way I have looked at it is that I can only improve and looking back at stuff I have uploaded in the past helps me to see ways in which my playing has hopefully improved.

At Gartcosh everyone including myself take the micky out of Robert McNeil as he does a selfie of all the tunes he plays, shouting out calls like - "MAKE UP" Yet Robert takes the video home watches it and makes improvements in his playing. It was noticeable after he started doing this that his playing made big improvements.

I guess what I am saying is that there is no need to feel embarrassed about it, the experienced players here understand the difficulties and are very keen to help others progress and a good way to progress is to throw caution to the wind and just accept that we'll play bum notes or get our limbs in a bit of a twist sometimes.

I'll keep this going in the meantime and maybe when others see my renditions they will think - "I could do that much better" - and probably will.

All the best and stay safe

Ok I’m in! Not going to play any of the usual but some of my own choosing and yes I have just had two whiskies rapid! Come on folks support the forum or we might as well all go on the US one like many UK stealers seem to have decided to do.
Stay well ya old bastards otherwise the only guy getting any work in a years time will be Mathew Jut.
Drunk Calum

Geoff, Calum, Robert, John and all others. None of us are above improvement, the important thing is that we constantly contribute to the quest for excellence, that is and will ever be our legacy to this instrument of ours, some have put more seat time in than others and that is the only difference between us, you know that we all ...... Donny, Willie, Davie, Davy, Dougie and yours truly will always have your back, power to all elbows in that regard and every success with this venture Geoff! I'm up to my eyes at the minute but will jump on .. in due course. I have done my bit over the past fourteen years to promote PSG on this side of the pond and spent many, many hours doing it, I am well aware of the commitment on such an undertaking, I hope this venture works especially in our current state of 'lock down.' I look forward to the outcome of this venture!

Before I write anything I must state that I'm stone cold sober so here goes
I've been watching this post with interest and even set up a new gmail account to participate in the shenanigans, a lack of interest in replies perhaps as like me, others are waiting to see what is going to happen, I'll try to make and post a video on " the use of a phone to video yourself, just for dummies " but I have a few chores, due to being "self isolated" or "Dubbed up" as Danny would say, when the paint runs out and the screw nails are all used up I'll get round to it!

Let's all show JD that he does not have a monopoly on the use of bum notes and making a full of himself I'm lucky if I can stick a tune together and have tried recording my efforts at Gartcosh to hear what it sounds like, I have improved my "sound " in the process but cringe when I review the recording, it's been a good aid to hearing myself playing outside with a backing track so I'm glad I had a go.

I had started this post before Geoff's last post and must add that quips and comments made at Gartcosh before recording, including the use of a MA ( make up artist, I had to look that one up! ) were water off a ducks back, but I knocked back Donny's kind offer on the use of his comb, it was totally unhygienic and a toothless gesture on his part.
Regards the comment on my use of a selfie stick, it was deemed a necessity when an electronics and video conferencing expert, couldn't press the right button on my phone quickly enough and I only got half a recording in the process, just like he only mentioned half my surname in his last post!

That aside, the opportunity to try something new to gain further experience and knowledge has presented itself so let's give it a go and join JD in posting a video, the only difference is we can do it through this site and Jiffie will be adjudicator and can be held responsible for the exposure of our efforts.
I must add that the pedals are missing on my guitar as it's a 7string lap steel, but that's me at a disadvantage as there's less bum notes to hit, so I'll have to make more mistakes to keep up with PSG players.

There are a lot of experienced players on this site who will put my efforts to shame, some are very quiet and modest, others are a bit more forthcoming and tell bad jokes before dazzling us with their talents!
We're all in the same boat now, so let's try to keep this post afloat and play steel guitar while the ship's sinking,
PS I totally agree with Bob and thank all at SSGW for their help in my quest to improve my playing.

To expand on my earlier post, to merge the two ideas you can have a "virtual" steelies meet using the Zoom app, and stream that to Youtube: -

https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articl ... uTube-Live

As well as being streamed live, the live stream would be saved to the YouTube channel for viewing later as well.