A month or two ago, as I was looking through the discussion archives, I found this discussion about something called the "Mighty Craic Album." I read the whole thing and found out that it was an album in the making with one track recorded by each of the session members that wanted to contribute. Anyone who recorded a track for it would then receive a copy of the album.
I thought, "Wow, what an awesome idea!" and did a search for other discussions on the topic. I found one that was asking why it had never happened. I wrote to Zina and asked the same question. She said that people had been working on it and a lot of people had sent in tracks, but production had come to a standstill. I asked her if we could try to get it started again, because it really is an awesome idea. She told me to wait until after Christmas. I did, and I just wrote to her recently asking if it really was a possibility. She said:
"...the first thing is to find somebody who would be willing to collect all the recordings and re-master them so they sound more or less the same sort of quality overall. That someone will have to have time, equipment, and know-how in order for this to come out even remotely something any of us would play more than once!"
Is there anyone out there willing to do this? I understand that this is a huge job, and if this does get started again, I would be glad to do anything I could to help. Unfortunatly, I don't have the equipment and know-how to re-master all the tracks, so I woudn't be able to do that.
What I'm really getting at is this: is there still interest in such a project or would it just flop again? It sounds really fun, so let me know if you are all still interested, or if you would be able to help with the production process.
Good on ya, Max. If we can find someone who's willing to do the re-mastering (Kerri's life got in the way, you might say, on the last one), then we'll do another "I've got dibs on this or that tune!" thread again...
HAH, The Mighty Craic album! That goes up there with the Easter Bunny, world peace & solar energy. It's a lovely idea but I have a feeling it will never happen.
Please make me eat my words.
LOL -- Bradfordly, never change...I'm off to work now, don't go dibsing tunes yet, you guys, we still have to find someone willing to re-master all the tracks and that's going to be a fun free job for someone...
Come on guys, doesn't this sound like fun? When the idea first came up, lots of people were interested. It's open to absolutley everyone! It doesn't matter if you just started playing. Just jump right in!
If the remastering is a problem, why not just scrap the album idea for a while, and just let anyone that wishes submit one mp3 file, and have a kind of virtual album. Consistent quality be damned. Plus no limitations on space. Then possibly later a "best of the session" could be produced if there was interest, enthusiasm, and someone with time and knowhow at a computer with the right hardware and software.
I, for one, would be fascinated to hear the differing styles and tunes. In fact it might be a bit like a real session, in that perhaps one might wish to produce something that others in "thesession" would appreciate, rather than something for general audience consumption...
Max is going to collect the stuff, we think, stuff to work out there; Tusong has generously volunteered to master the things and put 'em into MP3 format (the very biggest job of all), and I will take care of the packaging, replication and such.
Once we get closer, I'll be asking people who want a copy to send me a spot o'cash by Pay Pal or such to pay for the shipping and physical CD. So stand by on sending everything, more news shall appear here as it comes available.
The point of the CD is to share our music with each other, not to stun the Irish traditional music world with our virtuousity, so everything from a tape recording in your living room/local session to a full blown studio track is welcome. However, these are the stipulations:
1) All tracks, sets, and arrangements must be original to you -- no doing a Bothy Band set or Michael Coleman or Lunasa or for that matter, anyone else but you, etc. Please do not send something off your band's CD, though a track of your band (so long as #2 is followed) is fine. A copyright infringement suit is not *my* idea of a fun time.
2) The track must be of you, not of a huge session where we can't tell which instrument is you.
3) Doesn't matter what format, Tusong says he can handle them all.
4) Please be prepared to send your track by March 31 of this year. (Hopefully that way everyone can get their St. Pat's commitments out of the way, and/or record themselves performing said commitment if they so wish.)
In the meantime, I shall go start a "dibsing" thread. No hogging a bunch of tunes "just in case", although one or two is okay to hedge your bets. You may also change your mind so long as someone has not taken the tune in the meantime. Please keep discussions of the album OFF that thread, it'll just be for tune dibs, discuss any issues here rather than there.
(For you more experienced players, it would be *kind* to leave the more familiar tunes -- Sligo Maid, Maid Behind the Bar, etc. -- to those for whom they make up their entire repertoire. But if you have to, you have to.)
I'll let you guys know about where to send the tracks soon.
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album Begins!
And BTW, yes, we're going to do this by MP3, because that way we can get a whole lot more files onto a CD. Since everyone here has a computer, we figure that should be okay; besides which, many of the newer players play mp3s these days...we DON'T want to put them on websites because of the possible server bandwidth loads and attendant costs.
I would say that if you want to send an mp3 by e-mail, you should send it to me (since as a former employee, my ISP tends to be a bit more forgiving of me) to burn into a CD to send to Tusong. No troubles there, contact me by my member id here, and I'll send you the e-mail address to use. Or of course you can burn it onto a disc and send that once we have an address to send it to.
Remember, guys, no repeats on the dibs list, if it's at all possible! More allowable in those who don't have as many tunes, but youse experienced types have NO excuse. *grin* You know who you are, even if you modestly say you're not.
Sorry to rant, but this album is just going to be so much fun! Thank you everyone for showing interest in it and dibsing tunes in the other thread. And a big thank you to Zina and Sandy! Not only will this album help us get to know each other a little better, but it will be super for learning new tunes. Particularly for beginners like me who don't know too many tunes, and find it hard to fliter the simple melody out of group recordings with harmonies and variations and fancy arangments and ornamentations and stuff. Sorry to rant.
You know, I wasn't going to do this at first, but I woke up this morning immediately thinking about what tune/s I was going to do and I just know I had been mulling it over in my sleep all night long as well...
I think Max's enthusiasm and "go get it" mentality is rubbing off on all of us!
Anybody ever heard of these guys? http://www.mixonic.com I've been casting around for ways to make this easier and more efficient, and while this is maybe a dollar or so more expensive than we could do ourselves (since we're not going to be doing a large run), it would mean that somebody (like me) won't be sitting at my computer copying cds or begging favors off former colleagues or such...it'd be $4.00 USD plus whatever the shipping would be. It's nice because there's no upfront cost, no minimums, and everything is done per order.
I've got a note in to them asking about shipping out of the States (they're in San Francisco), and that may be a deal breaker, but worth checking it out. Great for people without upfront costs on hand. Hopefully other companies will start doing this soon, to drive the price down a bit.
And, guys, if they DO ship overseas, do you think this is a good idea, or should we go ahead and do it the other way (ie: bore me to tears sitting and duplicating discs)? Your vote, please...
Heh. Me too. As Zina said though, we are just trying to share our music, not impress the world. And the simpler the recording, the easier the tune is to learn. I am really looking forward to being able to learn so many new tunes.
Hey, now, not to worry. We'll have everything on this thing from really really good players to the most beginning of beginners. I know it's tempting to say, "oh geez, who's going to want to listen to me, and why would I want physical proof of how bad I once was for in the future?", but again, this is about sharing where we are right now with each other, not proving that you're the next "insert your hero player's name here"!
Besides, there's room in the tradition for players who ornament every note they can, and room for players who never ornament at all --- there've been fine players of both persuasions and everything in between.
BTW -- Zina, that Mixonic site looks like a good idea. And less work for you too, right?
My dad gave me the OK, Zina. So if anyone has a tape or other non-digital format, just email me through my profile and I'll give you my address. Once I get them all, I'll ship them to Sandy for mastering. The deadline is March 31, right Zina?
A LOT less work -- gotta love that. Yup, March 31, completely arbitrary date given that I figure some people will want to tape themselves at St. Pat's performances and send that in...and also we won't be as rushed after the 17th...right? right? We won't be, right? Please? LOL
No, not yet, Max -- wait til we've left this subject and no one (besides you and I) is posting to this thread from not knowing where to find it -- otherwise it'll just mean more work checking all the threads to get information.
Having had experience w/ cd replication & duplication(I used to work for a software developer), Mixonic seems to be a great deal. If however, they do not ship outside the US, I would be more than happy to take care of duplicating, printing (cd label would be sticker) & shipping internationally. Just let me know, email to member ID. If there is anything else I can help w/, I would be glad to.
Um, I think I've misunderstood (and re-reading above, it doesn't seem too clear): is *any* tune in someone else's copyright disallowed? I had the impression it was just sets, or direct copies.
Well, I'd avoid tunes like Ashokan Farewell that are very definitely under copyright, but no, what I meant was sets off recordings and a rendition of someone else's arrangements, etc. I will be going through and investigating all the tunes to see if I can spot any totally copyrighted tunes (such as Jay Ungar's, who gets very definite about his copyrights), but not as strict as I might on an album with a formal distribution. Best if we stick with tunes we know are firmly "traditional"...
Which reminds me -- I don't know if we'll have room in the liner notes, but please do prepare a SHORT blurb about your set/tunes and where you learned them. If we do have room, we'll use them. I may prepare liner stuff and then include a file on the CD with the full liner notes including blurbs that can be printed out by the user.
Deb, thanks for the offer! If Mixonic doesn't work out and if the CD replication stuff at my husband's office isn't available to me, perhaps I'll take you up on that!
Re: copyright questions -- if you want to do a tune with a known composer (ie: Liz Carroll or Jay Unger) and that composer is still living, before you give up the idea of recording it for this, WRITE (e-mail) THEM AND ASK IF YOU MAY RECORD IT FOR THIS. First, they can only say no. Second, they will be flattered. Third, they will be exceedingly grateful that you bothered to ask. Just explain the project and say that you'd like to use their tune "Not a Gan Ainm" and would that be all right with them? 8 times out of 10, they'll say yes.
You can reach Liz Carroll, Jay Ungar, and lots of the other artists through their websites. (Liz Carroll, the only one on your list I've personally had contact with, Rog, is one of the nicest women alive, and I can't really see her saying no, though I suppose it's possible.)
Anyway, if y'all will do this, it will save me the time of doing it myself and besides which it never hurts you to have contact with those we consider the leaders of our community.
Will, I think you ought to do a set of your own tunes, btw.
The price is definitely right and I'm thinking that, combined with the iMic from Griffin (http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/imic/), it could be just the job for some home recording.
Are there any other Mac users out there intending to give GarageBand a spin?
$49! Whoa, that is too cool, Jeremy! Bet I can talk my husband into getting it (though getting the ti-book away from him long enough to do something with it could be a problem...
Hey, I WAS going to find a pic of a real plumber, preferably male and hairy, but it was 1 am, I'd already found that one, and I wanted to go to bed, okay? *grin* The young lady is copyrighted anyway, that's just a placeholder in the mockup, and I need to talk my boss or co-worker into taking an original one for me...
I guess I forgot to mention. That's Danny in the back, and me half hidden behind the pillar, and Sensei Harmon -- well, the top half of him anyway, it's somebody else's bottom half.
The easy, less-stress way to record yourself: put the little switch on "record" -- forget about it -- play through your tunes over and over again and enjoy them and forget the thing is on -- turn the recorder back off and find the best time through...
Can I have my bum on the record cover? Maybe if everyone had to submit a 'Greek Cleavage' shot with their track.....
We could have a multi page booklet ...?
It'll be a listing of each player's name, their id on the site, their location on the planet, and any liner notes that they provide for their tracks. If people send a pic, I'll put it on the liner notes next to their info.
Ooh, good idea. Everybody send a pic, please! Would they need to be digital pictures, Zina? If so, people could send non-digital ones to me and I could convert them.
Well, you sort of had to be there, BowHand -- it was a joke making fun of the whole "craic" thing at the time...(and also why I generally use the older English form of "crack" although that's misunderstood a great deal these days) which is why the visual pun on the mockup...but I'm willing to change the name if everyone thinks it too twee...
Market! What, d'you think we're selling the thing!? It's for ourselves, BowHand. The girl on the stool is from an ad -- she's copyrighted, so she's only a placeholder until I get a pic taken of someone we can actually use...
Yeah, me too. Although I do hope you replace her. I would have to request a coverless album or drop out of it altogether. Unless I wanted my parents to end my "thesession.org" days for a long time.
So, would a hairy male plumber be more suitable for you, Max? *grin* Actually, I was thinking...if I EVER hear back from Mixonic, which is not a good sign that I haven't, anyway...they have all sorts of ways to get the CD; with a cover, without a cover, with an insert, without an insert, etc. If we go that route, then I'll probably do the album any amount of ways and put all the artwork on the disc -- that way people can choose to pay for covers or not as they want. Deb, the other thing to consider is that perhaps if Mixonic does NOT ship international, perhaps we could gather up all the orders and order all the ones for our outside-the-US members from Mixonic together, send it to one of our places and send out all the internationals from there. If you'd be willing to do that, I'd say that we'd then be a go to do that...
Sorry, I didn't see this yesterday. Your idea would be fine. If you don't hear from them, I'd be a bit leery as it sounds to good to be true etc. If you decide to duplicate, let me know. I have 3 systems here at work which can duplicate while I work and then of course my home system.
Whatever I can help with. As I don't feel comfortable offering my musical skills(perhaps Vol 2), I'd be happy to be involved on the "production" end!
Zina - Funny you should mention Uriah Heep. I refer here to the 70's British rock band, not the Dickensian character. Their keyboard player, Phil, who lives quite near me and nearer to The Woodman, is now an Irish-music fiddle player - left-handed - and doesn't even bother to change the strings round - just plays it!. There you go - a little useless anecdote, but true.
We had the drummer from Sheena Easton's band sit in with us once on bodhran. He was good, and a decent lad too. Maybe even a little embarrassed by the Sheena connection....
Yay! Just heard from Mixonic (there's only one customer service guy, Mark, and he's swamped, apparently), and yes, they DO ship internationally off their selling pages (which was what I was going to use since it's a free service) -- the ordering customer can use either the US Postal Service or UPS Global, their choice. So I think we should go for that!
Likely I will do the same album with everything in files on it (besides the MP3s of course) needed to print out labels and such, so we can order either just a single CD, or a CD in a paper sleeve, or a CD in a case, or a CD in a case with the two page insert. (Liner notes will be separate from the two page, because it's highly unlikely I'll be able to get everything on that two page insert.)
Anyway, once we have all the tracks re-mastered and MP3'ized, I'll put it up and then order one test copy to make sure that all is well. At which point we'll be a go. So I'd say we're probably looking at June depending on how busy Tusong is when he gets the original tracks from Max.
Jeremy, Mixonic also has a reseller/affiliate program. Given that we're all a bunch of musicians, perhaps you could make a few cents as you do at Amazon by getting The Session.org onto that program? Just a thought...if just a few of us used Mixonic every now and again and used your affiliate stuff...to help pay for the site and your time and all...
I tried recording my playing this afternoon. My microphone is quite cheap and I found it can't catch high notes very well. I can't afford to buy the good new one, but am I still qualified to join this big project? Or does it not matter if the sound quality varies from track to track, just like the level or style of playing?
That's correct -- doesn't matter. The re-mastering will largely be to bring everything to the same overall volume level, mainly. The point is that we're sharing with each other, in a sort of rather round-robin way...
So uh, tell me again, what are the guidelines for the actual submissions - they should be regular uncompressed audio, yes? Or if MP3, what is the minimum acceptable bitrate? This is for a CD so 44.1khz sample rate, not 48k, yes?
Regular audio, whatever format, preferred to mp3, but mp3 would be okay although Tusong is going to re-master them all together so they're at least all the same volume and compress them.
The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Hello Everybody,
A month or two ago, as I was looking through the discussion archives, I found this discussion about something called the "Mighty Craic Album." I read the whole thing and found out that it was an album in the making with one track recorded by each of the session members that wanted to contribute. Anyone who recorded a track for it would then receive a copy of the album.
I thought, "Wow, what an awesome idea!" and did a search for other discussions on the topic. I found one that was asking why it had never happened. I wrote to Zina and asked the same question. She said that people had been working on it and a lot of people had sent in tracks, but production had come to a standstill. I asked her if we could try to get it started again, because it really is an awesome idea. She told me to wait until after Christmas. I did, and I just wrote to her recently asking if it really was a possibility. She said:
"...the first thing is to find somebody who would be willing to collect all the recordings and re-master them so they sound more or less the same sort of quality overall. That someone will have to have time, equipment, and know-how in order for this to come out even remotely something any of us would play more than once!"
Is there anyone out there willing to do this? I understand that this is a huge job, and if this does get started again, I would be glad to do anything I could to help. Unfortunatly, I don't have the equipment and know-how to re-master all the tracks, so I woudn't be able to do that.
What I'm really getting at is this: is there still interest in such a project or would it just flop again? It sounds really fun, so let me know if you are all still interested, or if you would be able to help with the production process.
Thanks!
-Max
# Posted on January 6th 2004 by Max Becher
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Good on ya, Max. If we can find someone who's willing to do the re-mastering (Kerri's life got in the way, you might say, on the last one), then we'll do another "I've got dibs on this or that tune!" thread again...
# Posted on January 6th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
HAH, The Mighty Craic album! That goes up there with the Easter Bunny, world peace & solar energy. It's a lovely idea but I have a feeling it will never happen.
Please make me eat my words.
# Posted on January 6th 2004 by B Rad
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
No way! This is way too awesome an idea to let fall into oblivion. Hopefully it will happen, and if there is enough interest, I'm sure it will.
# Posted on January 6th 2004 by Max Becher
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Dib's on the Wee Man Frae Skye
# Posted on January 6th 2004 by Pádraig
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
LOL -- Bradfordly, never change...I'm off to work now, don't go dibsing tunes yet, you guys, we still have to find someone willing to re-master all the tracks and that's going to be a fun free job for someone...
# Posted on January 6th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Come on guys, doesn't this sound like fun? When the idea first came up, lots of people were interested. It's open to absolutley everyone! It doesn't matter if you just started playing. Just jump right in!
-Max
# Posted on January 7th 2004 by Max Becher
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
If the remastering is a problem, why not just scrap the album idea for a while, and just let anyone that wishes submit one mp3 file, and have a kind of virtual album. Consistent quality be damned. Plus no limitations on space. Then possibly later a "best of the session" could be produced if there was interest, enthusiasm, and someone with time and knowhow at a computer with the right hardware and software.
I, for one, would be fascinated to hear the differing styles and tunes. In fact it might be a bit like a real session, in that perhaps one might wish to produce something that others in "thesession" would appreciate, rather than something for general audience consumption...
# Posted on January 7th 2004 by rog
The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album Begins!
Well, okay, lads, here we go...
Max is going to collect the stuff, we think, stuff to work out there; Tusong has generously volunteered to master the things and put 'em into MP3 format (the very biggest job of all), and I will take care of the packaging, replication and such.
Once we get closer, I'll be asking people who want a copy to send me a spot o'cash by Pay Pal or such to pay for the shipping and physical CD. So stand by on sending everything, more news shall appear here as it comes available.
The point of the CD is to share our music with each other, not to stun the Irish traditional music world with our virtuousity, so everything from a tape recording in your living room/local session to a full blown studio track is welcome. However, these are the stipulations:
1) All tracks, sets, and arrangements must be original to you -- no doing a Bothy Band set or Michael Coleman or Lunasa or for that matter, anyone else but you, etc. Please do not send something off your band's CD, though a track of your band (so long as #2 is followed) is fine. A copyright infringement suit is not *my* idea of a fun time.
2) The track must be of you, not of a huge session where we can't tell which instrument is you.
3) Doesn't matter what format, Tusong says he can handle them all.
4) Please be prepared to send your track by March 31 of this year. (Hopefully that way everyone can get their St. Pat's commitments out of the way, and/or record themselves performing said commitment if they so wish.)
In the meantime, I shall go start a "dibsing" thread. No hogging a bunch of tunes "just in case", although one or two is okay to hedge your bets. You may also change your mind so long as someone has not taken the tune in the meantime. Please keep discussions of the album OFF that thread, it'll just be for tune dibs, discuss any issues here rather than there.
(For you more experienced players, it would be *kind* to leave the more familiar tunes -- Sligo Maid, Maid Behind the Bar, etc. -- to those for whom they make up their entire repertoire. But if you have to, you have to.)
I'll let you guys know about where to send the tracks soon.
Zina
# Posted on January 7th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album Begins!
And BTW, yes, we're going to do this by MP3, because that way we can get a whole lot more files onto a CD. Since everyone here has a computer, we figure that should be okay; besides which, many of the newer players play mp3s these days...we DON'T want to put them on websites because of the possible server bandwidth loads and attendant costs.
# Posted on January 7th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
So... would that sending the mp3 be by email, or would it be better to burn it onto a cd (one of the mini ones) and ship it that way?
# Posted on January 7th 2004 by Pádraig
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
I would say that if you want to send an mp3 by e-mail, you should send it to me (since as a former employee, my ISP tends to be a bit more forgiving of me) to burn into a CD to send to Tusong. No troubles there, contact me by my member id here, and I'll send you the e-mail address to use. Or of course you can burn it onto a disc and send that once we have an address to send it to.
# Posted on January 7th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Remember, guys, no repeats on the dibs list, if it's at all possible! More allowable in those who don't have as many tunes, but youse experienced types have NO excuse. *grin* You know who you are, even if you modestly say you're not.
# Posted on January 7th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Zina, if you want me to sift through the dibs list and email them all to you to save you the time, I would be happy to.
-Max
# Posted on January 7th 2004 by Max Becher
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Sorry to rant, but this album is just going to be so much fun! Thank you everyone for showing interest in it and dibsing tunes in the other thread. And a big thank you to Zina and Sandy! Not only will this album help us get to know each other a little better, but it will be super for learning new tunes. Particularly for beginners like me who don't know too many tunes, and find it hard to fliter the simple melody out of group recordings with harmonies and variations and fancy arangments and ornamentations and stuff. Sorry to rant.
-Max
# Posted on January 7th 2004 by Max Becher
Just so the Web Ferret'll take her teeth outta my ankle...
... I will make the request here, in the Correct Forum, that someone record my currently-favourite tune Otter's Holt for this compilation album.
8>)
# Posted on January 7th 2004 by Tish
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
You know, I wasn't going to do this at first, but I woke up this morning immediately thinking about what tune/s I was going to do and I just know I had been mulling it over in my sleep all night long as well...
I think Max's enthusiasm and "go get it" mentality is rubbing off on all of us!
# Posted on January 7th 2004 by Andee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Going by the number of sets posted already one CD won't hold them all. Shall we have "Europe" on one and "other continents" on the second?
# Posted on January 8th 2004 by kuec
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
We're making an mp3 disc, so it will hold lots. I noticed ottery didn't put dibs on Otters Holt..
-Max
# Posted on January 8th 2004 by Max Becher
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Sorry!
I could stick it on the end of those other two.....
In fact that might go quite well.
# Posted on January 8th 2004 by Ottery
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Anybody ever heard of these guys? http://www.mixonic.com I've been casting around for ways to make this easier and more efficient, and while this is maybe a dollar or so more expensive than we could do ourselves (since we're not going to be doing a large run), it would mean that somebody (like me) won't be sitting at my computer copying cds or begging favors off former colleagues or such...it'd be $4.00 USD plus whatever the shipping would be. It's nice because there's no upfront cost, no minimums, and everything is done per order.
I've got a note in to them asking about shipping out of the States (they're in San Francisco), and that may be a deal breaker, but worth checking it out. Great for people without upfront costs on hand. Hopefully other companies will start doing this soon, to drive the price down a bit.
# Posted on January 8th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
And, guys, if they DO ship overseas, do you think this is a good idea, or should we go ahead and do it the other way (ie: bore me to tears sitting and duplicating discs)? Your vote, please...
# Posted on January 8th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Thumbs up, I say, without even looking at it.
And would it be alright if my stuff is a bit slow and sparsely ornamented?... I hate to admit it, but I am a Rank novice.
-P
# Posted on January 8th 2004 by Pádraig
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Heh. Me too. As Zina said though, we are just trying to share our music, not impress the world. And the simpler the recording, the easier the tune is to learn. I am really looking forward to being able to learn so many new tunes.
-Max
# Posted on January 8th 2004 by Max Becher
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Hey, now, not to worry. We'll have everything on this thing from really really good players to the most beginning of beginners. I know it's tempting to say, "oh geez, who's going to want to listen to me, and why would I want physical proof of how bad I once was for in the future?", but again, this is about sharing where we are right now with each other, not proving that you're the next "insert your hero player's name here"!
Besides, there's room in the tradition for players who ornament every note they can, and room for players who never ornament at all --- there've been fine players of both persuasions and everything in between.
# Posted on January 8th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
BTW -- Zina, that Mixonic site looks like a good idea. And less work for you too, right?
My dad gave me the OK, Zina. So if anyone has a tape or other non-digital format, just email me through my profile and I'll give you my address. Once I get them all, I'll ship them to Sandy for mastering. The deadline is March 31, right Zina?
-Max
# Posted on January 8th 2004 by Max Becher
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Oh, and I have a couple of tune requests. If someone happens to know Boys of Malin, Musical Priest, or Humors of Kesh, that would be really awesome!
-Max
# Posted on January 8th 2004 by Max Becher
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
A LOT less work -- gotta love that. Yup, March 31, completely arbitrary date given that I figure some people will want to tape themselves at St. Pat's performances and send that in...and also we won't be as rushed after the 17th...right? right? We won't be, right? Please? LOL
# Posted on January 8th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Zina, should I start another thread for mighty craic comments like this? This thread is getting old and is almost off the page. Just an idea.
# Posted on January 8th 2004 by Max Becher
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
No, not yet, Max -- wait til we've left this subject and no one (besides you and I) is posting to this thread from not knowing where to find it -- otherwise it'll just mean more work checking all the threads to get information.
# Posted on January 8th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Besides, you can always look at the comments bit.
# Posted on January 8th 2004 by Pádraig
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
OK. Just an idea.
# Posted on January 8th 2004 by Max Becher
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Zina, et al.,
Having had experience w/ cd replication & duplication(I used to work for a software developer), Mixonic seems to be a great deal. If however, they do not ship outside the US, I would be more than happy to take care of duplicating, printing (cd label would be sticker) & shipping internationally. Just let me know, email to member ID. If there is anything else I can help w/, I would be glad to.
Thanks, D.
# Posted on January 9th 2004 by Agnes Nutter
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Um, I think I've misunderstood (and re-reading above, it doesn't seem too clear): is *any* tune in someone else's copyright disallowed? I had the impression it was just sets, or direct copies.
# Posted on January 9th 2004 by rog
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Well, I'd avoid tunes like Ashokan Farewell that are very definitely under copyright, but no, what I meant was sets off recordings and a rendition of someone else's arrangements, etc. I will be going through and investigating all the tunes to see if I can spot any totally copyrighted tunes (such as Jay Ungar's, who gets very definite about his copyrights), but not as strict as I might on an album with a formal distribution. Best if we stick with tunes we know are firmly "traditional"...
Which reminds me -- I don't know if we'll have room in the liner notes, but please do prepare a SHORT blurb about your set/tunes and where you learned them. If we do have room, we'll use them. I may prepare liner stuff and then include a file on the CD with the full liner notes including blurbs that can be printed out by the user.
Deb, thanks for the offer! If Mixonic doesn't work out and if the CD replication stuff at my husband's office isn't available to me, perhaps I'll take you up on that!
zls
# Posted on January 9th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Re: copyright questions -- if you want to do a tune with a known composer (ie: Liz Carroll or Jay Unger) and that composer is still living, before you give up the idea of recording it for this, WRITE (e-mail) THEM AND ASK IF YOU MAY RECORD IT FOR THIS. First, they can only say no. Second, they will be flattered. Third, they will be exceedingly grateful that you bothered to ask. Just explain the project and say that you'd like to use their tune "Not a Gan Ainm" and would that be all right with them? 8 times out of 10, they'll say yes.
You can reach Liz Carroll, Jay Ungar, and lots of the other artists through their websites. (Liz Carroll, the only one on your list I've personally had contact with, Rog, is one of the nicest women alive, and I can't really see her saying no, though I suppose it's possible.)
Anyway, if y'all will do this, it will save me the time of doing it myself and besides which it never hurts you to have contact with those we consider the leaders of our community.
Will, I think you ought to do a set of your own tunes, btw.
zls
# Posted on January 9th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
In order to record a track for The Mighty Craic album, I'm thinking of getting the new GarageBand software from Apple:
http://www.apple.com/ilife/garageband/
The price is definitely right and I'm thinking that, combined with the iMic from Griffin (http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/imic/), it could be just the job for some home recording.
Are there any other Mac users out there intending to give GarageBand a spin?
# Posted on January 9th 2004 by Jeremy
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Okay, guys -- this is a mockup of a possible CD cover. Like the idea(s)? http://www.zinalee.com/images/mightycraic -- comments and suggestions, please...
# Posted on January 9th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
$49! Whoa, that is too cool, Jeremy! Bet I can talk my husband into getting it (though getting the ti-book away from him long enough to do something with it could be a problem...
Thanks for the tip off!
# Posted on January 9th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Hey, I WAS going to find a pic of a real plumber, preferably male and hairy, but it was 1 am, I'd already found that one, and I wanted to go to bed, okay? *grin* The young lady is copyrighted anyway, that's just a placeholder in the mockup, and I need to talk my boss or co-worker into taking an original one for me...
# Posted on January 9th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
And the political correctness brigade will descend on you if the *only* female in the scene is a listener
Seriously though, it looks good, Zina!
# Posted on January 9th 2004 by Tish
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Hey, there's half of me in the background there. ;)
# Posted on January 9th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Er...I *think* I still qualify as female. hehehe
# Posted on January 9th 2004 by Zina Lee
Oh.
I guess I forgot to mention. That's Danny in the back, and me half hidden behind the pillar, and Sensei Harmon -- well, the top half of him anyway, it's somebody else's bottom half.
# Posted on January 9th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Sorry Zina, couldn't see you well enough 8>0 Must go have another look. (I recognised Will and Danny, though.)
# Posted on January 9th 2004 by Tish
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
And *what,* exactly, is so wrong with my bottom half that you couldn't use it in the photo?! *snort*
Um, I don't think I've ever worn such bright white socks....
# Posted on January 9th 2004 by Will Harmon
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
I'll color them pink, if you like.
# Posted on January 9th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
I was thinking kelly green.... *splorf* Oh, and the socks too
# Posted on January 9th 2004 by Will Harmon
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
LOL -- a socks change? Wilbur! ;)
# Posted on January 9th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
The easy, less-stress way to record yourself: put the little switch on "record" -- forget about it -- play through your tunes over and over again and enjoy them and forget the thing is on -- turn the recorder back off and find the best time through...
# Posted on January 10th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Thanks you so much Andee, for dibsing Boys of Malin! I really love that tune, but I can't really play it yet.
-Max
# Posted on January 10th 2004 by Max Becher
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Can I have my bum on the record cover? Maybe if everyone had to submit a 'Greek Cleavage' shot with their track.....
We could have a multi page booklet ...?
# Posted on January 10th 2004 by Ottery
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
And my mum always told me never to trust fiddlers wearing shorts....
# Posted on January 10th 2004 by Ottery
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Max--don't thank me until you hear my playing of it!
# Posted on January 10th 2004 by Andee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Oi, Zina, I take it all back, I'm hanged if I know how I'm supposed to work out that's you hidden behind the column in the dark
(I hope Danny feels flattered - we get a good look at his mug and you hide yourself in the corner!!)
# Posted on January 10th 2004 by Tish
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Zina, what is going to be in the liner notes? Or do you know that yet?
-Max
# Posted on January 10th 2004 by Max Becher
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
It'll be a listing of each player's name, their id on the site, their location on the planet, and any liner notes that they provide for their tracks. If people send a pic, I'll put it on the liner notes next to their info.
# Posted on January 10th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Ooh, good idea. Everybody send a pic, please! Would they need to be digital pictures, Zina? If so, people could send non-digital ones to me and I could convert them.
-Max
# Posted on January 10th 2004 by Max Becher
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
If you want to do that, Max, I'll let you.
Digital is okay, though I have more control over the print stuff...
# Posted on January 10th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
You mean you'd rather not have them digital?
# Posted on January 10th 2004 by Max Becher
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Doesn't matter, either way.
# Posted on January 10th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
OK
# Posted on January 10th 2004 by Max Becher
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Zina. I wouldn't call the album "The Mighty Craic". "Craic" is a kind of corny word which the likes of Bord F
# Posted on January 11th 2004 by BowHand
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Well, you sort of had to be there, BowHand -- it was a joke making fun of the whole "craic" thing at the time...(and also why I generally use the older English form of "crack" although that's misunderstood a great deal these days) which is why the visual pun on the mockup...but I'm willing to change the name if everyone thinks it too twee...
# Posted on January 11th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Zina, what's your market?
# Posted on January 11th 2004 by BowHand
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Who's the lady on the stool in Craicsample2?
# Posted on January 11th 2004 by BowHand
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Market! What, d'you think we're selling the thing!? It's for ourselves, BowHand. The girl on the stool is from an ad -- she's copyrighted, so she's only a placeholder until I get a pic taken of someone we can actually use...
# Posted on January 11th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
"What, d'you think we're selling the thing!?
You're beginning to sound like Dr. Frankenstein! LOL
# Posted on January 11th 2004 by BowHand
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
I'm pretty sure the fiddler is Will H. But who's the flute player?
# Posted on January 11th 2004 by B Rad
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Only half of the fiddler is me. The flute stand is our own Danny.
# Posted on January 11th 2004 by Will Harmon
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Franken STEEN.... And it's the top half of Will, at least.
# Posted on January 11th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Just curious, but whose bottom half is that? I can't really tell.
-Max
# Posted on January 12th 2004 by Max Becher
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Whoever it is, he's taller than I am, by about a yard. My guess is Pete, aka Spidey. Zina's other project
# Posted on January 12th 2004 by Will Harmon
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
LOL -- I've no idea who that bottom half belongs to. Some guy who was sitting at that table with his friends in The Field when they took the pic...
# Posted on January 12th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
I like the one where the girl is at the bar a little better than the one where she's bent down by the players.
# Posted on January 12th 2004 by B Rad
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Yeah, me too. Although I do hope you replace her. I would have to request a coverless album or drop out of it altogether. Unless I wanted my parents to end my "thesession.org" days for a long time.
-Max
# Posted on January 12th 2004 by Max Becher
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Maybe we can get two contributers to strike a pose similar to John & Yoko's on their "Two Virgins" album cover....
# Posted on January 12th 2004 by BowHand
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
So, would a hairy male plumber be more suitable for you, Max? *grin* Actually, I was thinking...if I EVER hear back from Mixonic, which is not a good sign that I haven't, anyway...they have all sorts of ways to get the CD; with a cover, without a cover, with an insert, without an insert, etc. If we go that route, then I'll probably do the album any amount of ways and put all the artwork on the disc -- that way people can choose to pay for covers or not as they want. Deb, the other thing to consider is that perhaps if Mixonic does NOT ship international, perhaps we could gather up all the orders and order all the ones for our outside-the-US members from Mixonic together, send it to one of our places and send out all the internationals from there. If you'd be willing to do that, I'd say that we'd then be a go to do that...
# Posted on January 12th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
LOL BowHand -- are you volunteering there, buddy?
# Posted on January 12th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Sorry Zina. Musical talent should always take precedence over eye candy.
)
# Posted on January 12th 2004 by BowHand
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
*snort* That's an interesting brand of modesty you use there, BowHand...LOL
# Posted on January 12th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Zina, think Orson Welles in "Touch Of Evil" and you've got me pegged!
# Posted on January 12th 2004 by BowHand
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
And here I was thinking Uriah Heep... ;)
# Posted on January 13th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Zina,
Sorry, I didn't see this yesterday. Your idea would be fine. If you don't hear from them, I'd be a bit leery as it sounds to good to be true etc. If you decide to duplicate, let me know. I have 3 systems here at work which can duplicate while I work and then of course my home system.
Whatever I can help with. As I don't feel comfortable offering my musical skills(perhaps Vol 2), I'd be happy to be involved on the "production" end!
Just holler! Deb.
# Posted on January 13th 2004 by Agnes Nutter
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Zina - Funny you should mention Uriah Heep. I refer here to the 70's British rock band, not the Dickensian character. Their keyboard player, Phil, who lives quite near me and nearer to The Woodman, is now an Irish-music fiddle player - left-handed - and doesn't even bother to change the strings round - just plays it!. There you go - a little useless anecdote, but true.
# Posted on January 13th 2004 by Rudall the time
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Yikes, his arm must get tired being up all the time just to reach the A and E strings....
# Posted on January 13th 2004 by Will Harmon
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
I wouldn't know, mate. I merely report.
# Posted on January 13th 2004 by Rudall the time
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
We had the drummer from Sheena Easton's band sit in with us once on bodhran. He was good, and a decent lad too. Maybe even a little embarrassed by the Sheena connection....
# Posted on January 13th 2004 by Will Harmon
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Yay! Just heard from Mixonic (there's only one customer service guy, Mark, and he's swamped, apparently), and yes, they DO ship internationally off their selling pages (which was what I was going to use since it's a free service) -- the ordering customer can use either the US Postal Service or UPS Global, their choice. So I think we should go for that!
Likely I will do the same album with everything in files on it (besides the MP3s of course) needed to print out labels and such, so we can order either just a single CD, or a CD in a paper sleeve, or a CD in a case, or a CD in a case with the two page insert. (Liner notes will be separate from the two page, because it's highly unlikely I'll be able to get everything on that two page insert.)
Anyway, once we have all the tracks re-mastered and MP3'ized, I'll put it up and then order one test copy to make sure that all is well. At which point we'll be a go. So I'd say we're probably looking at June depending on how busy Tusong is when he gets the original tracks from Max.
Zina
# Posted on January 13th 2004 by Zina Lee
BTW, O Benevolent Dictator...
Jeremy, Mixonic also has a reseller/affiliate program. Given that we're all a bunch of musicians, perhaps you could make a few cents as you do at Amazon by getting The Session.org onto that program? Just a thought...if just a few of us used Mixonic every now and again and used your affiliate stuff...to help pay for the site and your time and all...
Zina
# Posted on January 13th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
I tried recording my playing this afternoon. My microphone is quite cheap and I found it can't catch high notes very well. I can't afford to buy the good new one, but am I still qualified to join this big project? Or does it not matter if the sound quality varies from track to track, just like the level or style of playing?
# Posted on February 25th 2004 by slainte
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
That's correct -- doesn't matter. The re-mastering will largely be to bring everything to the same overall volume level, mainly. The point is that we're sharing with each other, in a sort of rather round-robin way...
# Posted on February 25th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
So uh, tell me again, what are the guidelines for the actual submissions - they should be regular uncompressed audio, yes? Or if MP3, what is the minimum acceptable bitrate? This is for a CD so 44.1khz sample rate, not 48k, yes?
# Posted on February 26th 2004 by HighlandSun
Re: The Reforging Of The Mighty Craic Album
Regular audio, whatever format, preferred to mp3, but mp3 would be okay although Tusong is going to re-master them all together so they're at least all the same volume and compress them.
# Posted on February 26th 2004 by Zina Lee