Virtual Folk College, May 22 & 23
Category:EventsFolk College was to be this weekend, and we’re so sad that coronavirus kept us from gathering, so we’re presenting an abbreviated version.
Welcome to our first (and hopefully only) Virtual Folk College.
It’s free, it’s easy, it’s tiny, and we want you to be there!
Friday, May 22
6:30 to 7:30 pm Zoom Cocktail Hour
This will be a chance to see each other and chat via Zoom. Bring a show-and-tell item if you’d like, and of course BYOB! Toward the end, we’ll explain the online jam that follows.
Here is the Zoom Cocktail Hour Link
7:30 Jamming via jammr.net
See the notes below on how to jam via Jammr.
Saturday, May 23
2:00 pm Zoom Open Mic / Show & Tell
If you want to perform, sign up in the chat box once the session has started.
Here is the Zoom Open Mic / Show & Tell Link
7:30 Jamming via jammr.net
See the notes below on how to jam via Jammr.
How to Jam
Friday, May 22 & Saturday, May 23, 7:30 pm
PREP
Before the jam, you’ll need to download jammr.net, create an account, and get headphones. The only rule besides HAVE FUN is YOU MUST WEAR HEADPHONES OR EARBUDS. Although you can connect without them, the result will be loud squealing feedback heard by other people. On a Mac, you’ll get a security message when downloading – go to Security within System Preferences to override.
WHAT WE’LL PLAY
Because of the way jammr is set up, rounds work really well. We’ll work from the rounds at https://kensharpbus.wixsite.com/website-1, with sheet music there thanks to Ken Sharp. We can stick with simpler rounds for those who play by ear. After a few rounds, we’ll switch to “regular” jam tunes. It takes a while to set each one up, so we’ll play through each more times than usual.
AT JAM TIME
Open jammr, login, select the jam labeled ‘Folk College’, and click ‘connect’. After a delay, you’ll hear music – you can start playing! You’ll see the names of everyone in the jam, but won’t see your own name. You can mute people by clicking next to their name. If our jam is big, mute most everyone except Linda and Karen (khirshon51), then add people back as long as it isn’t unwieldy for you. Turn ‘metronome’ off. Turn ‘send’ on. If you’re confused about ‘send’, just make sure it’s a different color than ‘metronome’. Linda will have a metronome going that we’ll follow. Any problems, questions, suggestions, type in the chat area at the bottom. Feel free to leave our jam and start others if you’d like.
TRY IT IN ADVANCE
If you have time, try it out in advance of our jam to make sure it works for you. The etiquette of jammr is that it’s fine to connect to any jam and not considered rude to leave or to just listen and not play. If you want to try a one-on-one session in advance, email jam@folkcollege.com and someone from our jammr team will contact you.
TROUBLESHOOTING
See https://kensharpbus.wixsite.com/website-1 for more tips.
