Google Folk Map

Subject: Google Folk Map
From: GUEST,Christopher Conder
Date: 27 Apr 12 - 09:09 PM

Inspired by Yvette Staelens and Chris Bearman's folk maps and by my often fruitless attempts to track down some real folk culture when I go travelling, here is my latest bright idea / waste of time.

I've started a worldwide Google Map that I hope will end up showing a good range of folk, roots and world music venues, locations of pub sessions, sites of folkloric customs, museums with relevant material and anything else on world folk culture.

At the moment I've just put a handful of things on there, mostly in London, but the map is open to everyone to use and edit, so my hope is that it will end up being used quite widely across the globe. Then the next time you are in the backwaters of Slovenia (or Camden), you can find out where to track down those folk dancing classes you knew were out there somewhere.

Please go and have a look and add your local sites in:

http://tinyurl.com/czzktw5

Subject: RE: Google Folk Map
From: Beer
Date: 27 Apr 12 - 11:12 PM

I like your idea. Hope it works . Here is a blue clickey and also our site for folk music.
Adrien


http://tinyurl.com/czzktw5



http://sites.google.com/site/cafenamasthe/Home/concert-musique

Subject: RE: Google Folk Map
From: Nick
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 03:48 AM

Easy to use and add things to.

We'll see if any strangers come LOL...

Subject: RE: Google Folk Map
From: Kara
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 05:01 AM

I just had a look, its a great idea. One small problem to report, when I was trying to zoom in on the map I dragged one of the venues into the middle of south america. I message came up and I put it back. Hope this does not cause problems in the future.

Subject: RE: Google Folk Map
From: Rusty Dobro
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 05:10 AM

I'm not computer-literate, so....I seem to have added the Eel's Foot Inn to the map, but can't add a note to 'My Places'. What should I be doing?

Subject: RE: Google Folk Map
From: Kara
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 05:44 AM

yes. I think you might have problems with anyone being able to edit it...

Subject: RE: Google Folk Map
From: Owen Woodson
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 06:00 AM

Great idea but I just want to mention that Steve Roud's on-line Folk Song Index has a similar feature. IE, each song entry has a link to Google maps, so you can see where the song was collected.

Subject: RE: Google Folk Map
From: Richard from Liverpool
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 10:05 AM

Great idea, I've stuck a few things in and will be sure to add more as it grows

Subject: RE: Google Folk Map
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 10:24 AM

Great idea.
We are currently working on our own Google map for our site which covers all of Yorkshire in song, but if you want to link to it we are at www.yorkshirefolksong.net

Subject: RE: Google Folk Map
From: Peter C
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 11:06 AM

Glosfolk are hoping to digitise the 'Gloucestershire Folk Map' some people have so far done some Christmas Carols -
Glosfolk

Click on 'Links' at top of page

Subject: RE: Google Folk Map
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 01:11 PM

It seems to me that the main problem with all mega systems of storing this kind of info is keeping it up to date. The bigger the less likely the info is likelt to be still current.

The best model is for individuals to take on specific areas. I tried around Greater Manchester for a while but gave up when facebook changed it's format.

Best of luck

L in C#

Subject: RE: Google Folk Map
From: michaelr
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 05:05 PM

Adrien, it would be helpful to add city and state to your postings.

Subject: RE: Google Folk Map
From: Beer
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 05:47 PM

michaelr,
Do you mean on this thread or the site that Christopher Conder started?

Subject: RE: Google Folk Map
From: DMcG
Date: 29 Apr 12 - 04:28 AM

Great idea but I just want to mention that Steve Roud's on-line Folk Song Index has a similar feature. IE, each song entry has a link to Google maps, so you can see where the song was collected.

I've been using the Roud index for years and didn't realise that feature was there - thanks for the heads up.

Naturally, I now want the inverse index: given an area, what songs were collected near there? It should be relatively easy given they have the normal index, so I've emailed them with this as a possible future enhancement - unless someone knows it is there already!

Subject: RE: Google Folk Map
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Apr 12 - 07:53 AM

From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 01:11 PM

It seems to me that the main problem with all mega systems of storing this kind of info is keeping it up to date. The bigger the less likely the info is likelt to be still current.

The best model is for individuals to take on specific areas. I tried around Greater Manchester for a while but gave up when facebook changed it's format.
........................

But then we require another page that links all the individual sites togeather so's people know they're there... or is that called (coloq.)Google?

Subject: RE: Google Folk Map
From: michaelr
Date: 29 Apr 12 - 12:08 PM

I mean on the Google map linked above.

Subject: RE: Google Folk Map
From: JHW
Date: 29 Apr 12 - 02:09 PM

I was looking for a particular car park in Bradford recently and Googled Sharpe St Car park and up came Parkopedia who have carparks everywhere shown on Google maps on their site. If the Folk Venue map becomes well established and has relevant tags then a normal Google search will find it.

Subject: RE: Google Folk Map
From: JHW
Date: 29 Apr 12 - 02:20 PM

I'm afraid I've moved a Folk Club offshore too, well two actually and clicked the Undo thingy but only one went back. Too easy to do this as what you're trying to do is drag the map over but if you're on a marker that drags instead. Good idea in principle. I tried to add a local FC but it twigged who I was! as a collaborator and led me to the Faversham FC box which I promise I left unmolested. Tricky to know how to let anyone add stuff without wrecking it.

Subject: RE: Google Folk Map
From: GUEST,Chris Conder
Date: 02 May 12 - 01:03 PM

Hello, thanks for your enthusiasm. I can see that people accidentally moving things or information getting out of date could be a problem, all I can suggest is that people keep an eye on it to correct mistakes, and check the website before they visit anywhere.

I've just fixed a couple of mistakes. It is a bit hard to get used to but you soon learn the knack. Keep it up!

Chris

Subject: RE: Google Folk Map
From: Arkie
Date: 02 May 12 - 03:23 PM

Great idea. Perhaps John from Kansas and some other Mudcat computer wizards will have some ideas about how to manage the map.

I have added Mountain View, Arkansas. Mtn. View is a town of less than 3000 at the southern tip of the Ozarks and has at least three venues with regularly scheduled concerts, informal music on the court square, and other groups playing music who welcome folk to come and listen or to play or both. I did not know whether to make a marker for the town or for each venue. I made the marker for the town.

Subject: RE: Google Folk Map
From: Nick
Date: 02 May 12 - 07:18 PM

Next time I'm in Mountain View I'll know rather than what I did...

Subject: RE: Google Folk Map
From: GUEST,Mr Red
Date: 03 May 12 - 05:19 AM

Best of luck PAL.

I restrict myself to "Gloucestershire & Attached Bits" and some bits attached thereto. see cresby.com (UK) think M5 corridor. Cardiff to Oxford.

The problem is the long-term (and short term) nature of: people, breweries, laws, and the weather (et al). Basically information has a sell-by date, but you don't get to know the date!

The task is basically logistical. Covering the world is a big ask (I tried on a floppy - remember them?), asking interested parties to update doesn't work so well in most cases. When new they are gung-ho, but when the event starts to thin out they lose interest, and it ceases, the listings are the last thing they think about.

in my experience

and I button-hole people in the know at festivals (etc) to get the latest, and that is hit & miss. But I continue to do it.

As Sam Simmons (of FolkLife West magazine) admits, we are information junkies.

Subject: RE: Google Folk Map
From: IanC
Date: 03 May 12 - 07:57 AM

Er ... how do you get a map up with the Roud index? I can't seem to do it.

:-(

Subject: RE: Google Folk Map
From: Snuffy
Date: 03 May 12 - 09:22 AM

Ian

Unlike the rest of the internet where links are in BLUE, all the bits in RED letters are clickable in the Roud Index.

So click on the information of "Place Collected" and you will see a Google map

Subject: RE: Google Folk Map
From: Snuffy
Date: 03 May 12 - 09:32 AM

D McG

For reverse lookup, simply ask it to find a village, town, county, state etc in the "Place collected" field.

For instance "Dorset" finds 1753 entries.

Subject: RE: Google Folk Map
From: IanC
Date: 03 May 12 - 11:14 AM

Thanks
:-)

Subject: RE: Google Folk Map
From: JohnDun
Date: 14 May 12 - 01:35 AM

There's a few Herts/Beds places I have been seen at...

Subject: RE: Google Folk Map
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 01 Feb 23 - 10:12 PM

Christopher's map disappeared a couple of years ago.

Here's another attempt.

I find it best to open it in a browser. Landscape format.
It's a bit fiddly on a phone.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1Tf5UnYW2tZqJO6qcaMDdT3v-4D8JutUK



black pins are most likely 'ceased'
grey pins are probably 'ceased'
white pins need more info
red , blue, green, orange are active
star shaped pins are clubs\places predominantly putting on gigs rather than singers nights.

---

if you fancy posting where just an edit is required please tell me JUST
- the club & town
- the error & tell me the correction
- how you know it's wrong(e.g. I was there last week)

If there's somewhere important missing that you want to tell me, please put the info line by line :
- venue
- title
- frequency ; day ;
- description (brief,,,)
- www \ FB \ where to find updates < as a link, not things I'd need to google

---

What have I done !?
Yes, one day I'll get bored with it. Maybe when the clocks go forward ;)
I'm just editing a handful a day.
But someone can take a copy if they fancy it.

Subject: RE: Google Folk Map
From: Max
Date: 05 Feb 23 - 06:13 PM

Holy cow that's great. How can we help?

Can I make this official mudcat? and if so can we get some volunteers to get something in the US going?

Subject: RE: Google Folk Map
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Feb 23 - 07:45 PM

Thanks Max.

'official mudcat' :)
I'm not sure what that would require or imply.

A separate map for the US would definitely be better than adding more to the UK map. It's quite unwieldy editting on a tablet already; I've been contemplating for a while stripping out the Irish pins to a separate map.


The main snag I see with having several editors is the risk of mistakes like deleting information or even the whole map(as happened to Chris' map), without a backup.
There would have to be some good cooperation going on!

I'm on my hols at the moment.
Can proffer more opinions/advice in a week or so!

Subject: RE: Google Folk Map
From: migginz
Date: 10 Feb 23 - 12:27 PM

Enochs Hammer Folk Club is currently meeting online.

Subject: RE: Google Folk Map
From: migginz
Date: 10 Feb 23 - 12:29 PM

oops might have helped if I mentioned that it is on the map as running at The Commercial, Slaithwaite, West Yorkshire.