Some Mudcatters get together for on line chats and sing arounds and even concerts. Here are a few ideas:
- Paltalk: To use Paltalk, you need to download software from Paltalk and install it on your PC (no Mac support unfortunately). There are several rooms used by Mudcatters outlined below. When open, these rooms can be found in the Music Category of the Group menu. Please note that to see these rooms in the listing, it is necessary to have the show adult groups box checked.
- Mudcat Snug: This is a closed (password protected) room operated by Nynia which is used by Mudcatters and invited guests for a get together and a song circle. The password is dt This room maybe opened by any Mudcatter, details are as follows; Owner - Lurkio, Admin Code - 0898.
- Mudcat Concert Room:This room, operated by BigChuck, hosts concerts where one or more Mudcatters provide the entertainment. Concerts are generaly on Thursday evenings at 7:00PM EST. Please check this thread for details of future events.
- ICQ: This provides a text chat facility and is popular amongst Mudcatter's for personal conversation. Details can be found at http://www.icq.com. In addition, an ICQ active list called FolkChat (ICQ #62415725 ) is run by Max and is opened used during the Mudcat Radio show for communication between Mudcatters and the Radio hosts.
Alas, most of these online gatherings are no longer. We used to have wonderful, worldwide song circles on PalTalk, but we haven't found a good replacement for PalTalk.
-Joe- (29 Aug 2009)
But COVID-19 hit us in 2020, and Mudcat responded in June 2020 with the Mudcat Worldwide Singaround, which meets on Zoom at 8 PM London time every Monday (noon in Los Angeles). Email Joe Offer joe@mudcat.org to get on the email list for notifications and the Zoom link, which is updated weekly. (Joe Offer, April 2022)
Jon
Hints, and Links and pointers to helpful threads (links submitted by various Mudcatters)from Wolfgang:
- an idea from another thread:
we might tell them not to ask for E-mails to them but to come back to the thread. And in this case we should tell them how to do that: (a) to remember (or write down) the thread title and (b) to search their thread using 'filter' and 'age'.
from Pene Azul:
- There's a thread in the Help Forum on setting up multiple users on one computer.
from Shambles:
- WHAT IS FOLK MUSIC
- TRY MAX'S PERSONAL MESSAGES
- How about a link to a thread like the 'Mudcat (THE WORLD)' thread (parts 1 [click] and 2 [click], to enable new folk to introduce themselves and to find out about everyone else?
from MMario:
- A Thread on how to search and link to more tips on searching: How to search for songs
- How about mentioning that BOTH the MudCat and the DT are not for profit and pointing out the contribution (help the Mudcat) links...?
from Caitrin:
- Mudcat Radio: A really cool radio show that occurs on Wednesday nights. It includes traditional music of all sorts, music by Mudcatters, and pretty much whatever the Radio Gods decide to gift us with. All you need is a RealAudio player, and you're all set. Click here to download RealPlayer 8 Basic (free).
- PalTalk: Another spiffy Mudcat feature. PalTalk allows Mudcatters to sing and play for each other. Unfortunately, it does not accomodate Mac users. However, if you've got a PC, come join in! There's usually a sing on Sunday evenings, starting between 7 and 8 Eastern time (AKA Mudcat Time).
- ICQ ActiveList: Creates a Mudcat Chatroom. Jon Freeman would be able to more adequately explain this than I can, though, so I'll leave it alone.
from Mark Clark:- If the newcomer would like to include guitar chord descriptions in posts, read the Chord Diagram Primer thread. It provides a way to include chord diagrams in the form of a link so they don't interfere with the loading of threads.
from Jon Freeman:- Where to find tunes
from Sugar Dog:- Figuring out chord equivalencies
from an unnamed GUEST:- A Link to a Search Engine Thread would be helpful
from Joe Offer:- Hey! Don't forget our Links Page!
Lonesome EJ has volunteered to maintain the list below:Mudcat Classic Threads
The following links will take you to prime examples of the musical knowledge, humor, and thoughtfulness to be found in the Forum of the Mudcat Cafe.
I had originally asked Rick for suggestions for a Classic Thread under the topic Technique and Instrument Discussions, which was why he started the Pickers Tips Thread. I had also planned a Traditional Music Discussions topic, but a lot of the ones I considered are already named in Alice's Memorable Threads. At any rate, I'll give you my picks at the risk of overlapping Rick and Alice. The individual threads may be changed from time to time, but the Topics should be ongoing.The master list is in a thread called Mudcat Classic Threads
- Traditional Music Discussions These are the threads where Mudcatters shine; free-form discussions of song lyrics, meanings and origins.
snows they melt...author?- Mudcat Mythology Tiples? Possums? The Neil Young Center for The Terminally Screwed? See where these odd Mudcat allusions and delusions began.
Paw,Cletus,Buford and the Reg Boys- Technique and Instrumental Threads The Mudcat Cafe is fortunate to count among its members some of the finest Folk and Blues performers around. Here they discuss the specifics of musicianship.
What is Clawhammer Style- Mudcat Humor Classics of the Absurd and the Goofy.
The Day They Came for Mudcat- Song Challenges Mudcatters display their creativity and songwriting abilities as they compete for Aine's trophies, such as the Guinness Crest.
Willie-O's Song Challenge- The First Thread Early voices in a thread that explains what it's really all about.
The Mudcat Cafe- Heated Debates Mudcatters are rarely shy about expressing their opinions. Here are great examples of the good-natured arguments often found on "the Cat."
Guns, to my friends here at Mudcat- Mudcat Fiction Round-robin literary works where the only requirement is imagination.
TAVERN STEAMBOATIN'- The Albert Hansell- The Thought for the Day Peter T and Katlaughing give us daily food for thought that often provoke surprising discussions.
Thought for the Day-Jan 20- The Heart of the Mudcat Real communication on a heart-to-heart level is not rare in the Forum. It is celebrated.
Music Therapy
-Lonesome EJ (updated 13 September 2000)-
Alice's Memorable Mudcat Threads
Thanks also to Alice Flynn. For quite some time, Alice has maintained links to memorable Mudcat threads on our Mudcat Links Page: