Only one question for now...where is everybody?

[mahayana]

So what is the deal here? Will I get to discuss with anybody? I just arrived via a google search, am checking out this program. Do you want to have a more active board? I am up for conversation/ sharing ideas with anyone. I've been playing jazz pretty exclusively for 12 years now. I know it's not much, there are lots of things I don't know. Haven't got the computer setup to record, for instance. Wonder how many are still into this place.

"Hello...is anybody out there..."

[mahayana]

Another comment/question/suggestion.

The words at the top, "home", "help", "search", etc are almost impossible for me to read (I have astigmatism). Is there any way to get rid of the outlines, make them plain script?

Don't mean to be complaining, it's no big deal, just thought you should know that what looks pretty to some people is a problem for others. I'm getting around ok, so far so good.

[jazzalta]

I just found this site and am amazed it's not very active. Is there a reason for this?

[mahayana]

Hey jazzalta. Just came over and saw you were here. I never got an email notice that you had posted. You are the second person to join since me, I think.

It is kind of a mystery, like jazz, hah! Looks like this was a sponsored messageboard, and people never really got it going two years ago. Do wonder about the people who started it. Maybe they lost interest?

Anyway, I'll check here every day for awhile. Maybe we can talk? What songs are you into right now?

I did load "audacity" so I can record. Do you use a program to practice your guitar on?

[jazzalta]

Hi mayayana. What a lonely place here. Anyway, I having been playing jazz for awhile now, rank amateur tho. Just ordered a new Gibson ES-175 and am looking forward to it. I pretty much play solo ala Joe Pass because there's not too many folks here that play jazz. I use Band-in-a-Box exclusively for practice. Well, that's about it. I'll check back occasionally. If you want to chat outside this arena I'm at [e-mail]. Talk to ya later.

[mahayana]

Tell me about the Band-in-a-Box. Is this software, or CD, tapes? What progressions are you playing against? Is there a melody line, etc?

I'd really like to learn more rhythm stuff. I'm surprised there aren't more chords illustrated on this site. I may post "Mac the Knife," it's pretty simple, just goes up a half-step every verse.

Are there any standards you like to play with? "Scotch and Soda" is another one I like.

[jazzalta]

Hi again. Band-in-a-box is a software program. It costs around $100.00 Canadian and is available from pgmusic.com or most music stores. It provides all you need for playing with. You just type in the chords and it does the rest, or you can download BIAB files from the internet. A great program!

I play most of the established standards (eg., Misty, Georgia, Girl from Ipanema, yadda yadda), and can read melody lines from charts like you'd find in the Real books. I also play jazz piano so I tend to be pretty busy with practicing. But jazz is my passion, even tho I play in a weekend country band. I have TONS of guitar arrangements in Tabledit format if you'd like to give them a stab. Keep in touch.

[mahayana]

Wow, it's great to have someone to talk with here!

Did you learn Misty in E flat, from the sheet music? That drives other guitar players crazy. You can do Georgia in the country style like Willie. I do most of the songs on his Stardust album, all standards. I've never really tried to jazz them up, but Poncho and Lefty, and The Highwayman are a couple other songs I do of his.

Another great song you could do in a country band is I Only Have Eyes For You, Flamingos style. My favorite DooWop song.

Tell me about tabledit. Is that something you could put in an e-mail?

[jazzalta]

I learn the tunes in original keys as much as possible (as found in the Real Books: www-user.tu-chemnitz.de/~adams/realbook).

The tablature edit program is 2,135,830 bytes. I don't know if that can be sent in an email or not. But I might be able to burn you a CD copy. Also, for the sake of conversation you might want to consider logging into either Yahoo messenger (my handle is "jazzalta" there) or MSN messenger. Might be a lot more convenient. Just a thought. Talk to ya later.

[mahayana]

I do have MSN messenger, not Yahoo though. The CD sounds good, I'll PM you my email and snail address. Did you notice how many posted their addresses in Members? I haven't ever done that on a messageboard, just wary I guess.

I looked at the RealBooks link, will wait till I have more time to check that out. I get up about 4 in the morning, that's my real free time (before work).

Anyway, near as I can tell, there is no place here with blank chord diagrams to fill in, or music staff to put notes on. I was hoping it would be easy to communicate music here, but I'll try one way or another. Probably start a thread somewhere, see how it goes.

[mahayana]

Hey Jazzalta, just wanted to say that I've read through most of the 358 posts, whatever it is here, read through the first 3 pages of Members, and I figured out some stuff. This really is an empty ship, but there are still visitors. I'm going to try getting some to join, start over from scratch. It still works, and could turn into a going thing again. Did you check out Mack The Knife, over in Theory?

[jazzalta]

Hi again. Yeah, I've done Mac before with my son (vocalist) but I've never done it as a solo arrangement. There's so much I'm working on now but maybe someday I'll get after ole Mackie. Talk to you later.

[mahayana]

Hello, JA. Just wondering how you are reacting to Shawn's experiments. Hope this thing with site3 crashing doesn't worry you too much. It'd be sad to lose the Joe Pass/Ellington thread, other efforts over there, but I'm just going to keep posting here. It can all be moved later, if he gets the site back.

Really, I'm cool with ambiguity. No one said change was easy (or even desirable? Hah!) Best laid plans of mice and men, Murphy's Law, etc.

Play a tune on that new guitar for me, I've got a 3 day weekend so will get to hang out here more the next few days. Any word from anders? Regards.

[anders]

Hi everyone, what's happening with the new site? I've been away for a day.

[mahayana]

I think you figured out the latest snafu. Just wanted to say it's good to see the four of us talking today.

I've been having my own computer problems for a week now. Have you ever heard of Bubba Wintools? ("a new variant of Huntbar, it is very persistent and extremely difficult to remove" as the site PC Hell describes it). Still haven't got my display settings back to normal, it's annoying but not something that crashes everything.

Maybe we'll even talk about jazz and guitars again soon, hah! Not that I don't enjoy brainstorming board improvements.