If I Had a Laptop

Subject: RE: If I Had a Laptop
From: EBarnacle
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 04:20 PM

Right now, I have a rather slow, small ancient IBM [read Lenovo]ThinkPad that is waiting to go to a friend of mine who lost everything when he was evicted and became homeless. Currently, he is not allowed to have anything which plugs in so it would be a waste to give it to him now. As soon as I upgrade and he gets a real address rather than a couple of hots and a cot, he will get this one.

I have been using it to go on line and do presentations. It's a good tool but I really need more speed booting and bringing up programs.

Subject: RE: If I Had a Laptop
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 08:51 AM

...an audio reminder between tunes of his tempo and intro...

Duh, what a great idea-- strokebrain sometimes tells me I forgot a song tune just before we start-- which is actually in there, intact, but masquerading a little bit.

Especially the spirituals, and wow, even MORE especially at song circles-- BillD may remember how hard it was to even think of song titles I knew at one Gathering. Took me too long to figger out why that was-- not shy, just no song names would come while I was listening to others's turns, till long after someone else had gone ahead into what would have been my turn as I shrugged my own turn off. I can carry a list-- I have one I work from at diocesan events for example, with a few words to remind me where to start and then improvise floaters or zippers or new words-- but how great it would be to hear a snatch of the tune!

~S~

Subject: RE: If I Had a Laptop
From: GUEST,Bob L
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 07:02 AM

Whenever I'm calling at a local country dance club I take along:
   1. Amp
   2. Speakers
   3. Stands
   4. CD player
   5. Case of CDs
   6. MD player
   7. Case of MDs
   8. Case of index cards and books with calls
   9. Radio mike
10. Fancy waistcoat

I could make life a lot easier replacing items 4 to 8 with one laptop.

But probably won't. Eggs, basket.

Subject: RE: If I Had a Laptop
From: bubblyrat
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 06:28 AM

Mine's an Acer Extensa 5620,and I love it (and its portability) to BITS---and Windows Vista ain't too bad,either.But I'll stick with the guitar (also portable)for music-making : it's more natural,somehow!

Subject: RE: If I Had a Laptop
From: Mooh
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 06:09 AM

The drummer in one of my bands of misadventure often wears headphones during gigs, not as hearing protection or as monitors, but as an audio reminder between tunes of his tempo and intro. They're plugged into his laptop. He listens to a couple of seconds of his cue, then turns it off. It doesn't slow things down at all as he doesn't use it between every tune and there's always that between the song patter to distract the audience.

My laptop (Acer Aspire, 17" screen) spends most of its life on my desk where it provides recording and writing software, internet access, etc, but sometimes goes visiting to rehearsal space, cottage, or the yard.

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: If I Had a Laptop
From: Piers Plowman
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 04:41 AM

If I had a laptop,
I'd boot it in the mornin'.
I'd boot it in the evenin'.
All over this land!

I'd boot out Windows,
I'd boot out Linux,
I'd boot out, err, something
Something, something, something. something.
A -aa -aall over this land!

Don't have a laptop; don't really want one. I'd quite like to have a plain, old, ordinary computer of my own.

Subject: RE: If I Had a Laptop
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 04:25 AM

If I had a laptop
I'd google in the mornin
I Mudcat int he evenin
All over the net

I'd wiki up traditions
I'd Digi-trad lyrics
I'd learn a new song
To sing for my brothers and my sisters

A aa aa ll over the net.

Subject: RE: If I Had a Laptop
From: JennieG
Date: 21 Dec 08 - 11:39 PM

Good one, Amos! and Genie, I was half right, not bad when I didn't look it up online - I dug in my own memory bank, the one in my brain. It still works.....sometimes.

Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: If I Had a Laptop
From: olddude
Date: 21 Dec 08 - 09:01 PM

Susan
I am glad you like it
that made me smile

Subject: RE: If I Had a Laptop
From: wysiwyg
Date: 21 Dec 08 - 12:44 PM

I'se gonna need to keep losing inches before my lap will hold the notebook, Faulkner, 2 cats, and now Hardi sez he wants to do the S-shaped-Faulkner lap-sit himself so I can rub his ears. Bill-- remeber the pic you took? Hardi is sure he can take that position, especially after snow-plowing.


But mainly I want to use it to get OUT and INTERACT with folks that need interacting, musically. :~)

I COULD take it to Tana's aerobics class and play them some fun tunes for a change from my aquatics sets....

I could take it to the TOPS group that invited us to play them some carols, and give a short talk about the aquatics and nutrition stuff I know that is WAY beyond their program....

A pal here knows a lot of people I don't, so I also asked her who needs a visit... preferably one that includes a leashed "therapy" dog, music, and notebook....

OMG. I can put the Oldtime Radio episodes and audiobooks on it and let the notebook read people a story. I bet the seniors would love to hear some old radio comedies.....

===

BTW I have named the Notebook "The Hammer." All our tech toys have names so it's easier to refer to them. Later today the Hammer is gonna visit the dying Gateway a dear Catter spoec'ed for me when we had our housefire-bucks to Buy Big. All the better music programs and ministry-email addys I had are on that one, and need to travel to the E-Machine (E for El cheapo) that replaced it.


The first "little" machine I had was a word-processor that changed the world. It could also have been named Hammer. Processor and printer with disk storage in the dawn of the PC but not a PC. OMG that little bugger could write grants, and leaflets, and brochures, and social programs, and letters to (and ghostwrit for) powerful people! It was even semi-portable. But when not in use it sat innocently on a little teeny desk looking like an old typewriter under a cover. (Undercover broadsider!) I was so sad when it and its replaement died, and no more could be bought!

If I had a portaprinter to sit under this Hammer it would still be smaller than that processor was. I saw once once that a traveling salesman had, and it all fit into a nifty carrycase that unfolded to be the printer stand and notebook tilt-stand.

This notebook will fit into the straw bag I carry to workshops and meetings. If I can find the flash key Hardi bought me a few years ago.... maybe it's in that bag! :~) People can print for theyseffs nowadays.

Oh and the senior center wanted me to write up news-blurbs from the programs they present.... I'd have to leave in mid-pres to compose on their puder.....

.....

~Susan

Subject: RE: If I Had a Laptop
From: Bill D
Date: 21 Dec 08 - 12:42 PM

Clams got laptops???

Subject: RE: If I Had a Laptop
From: catspaw49
Date: 21 Dec 08 - 12:21 PM

Karen joins Bill in the "Comfy Chair" approach. She has an older laptop but hooked thru the router with Roadrunner it still does pretty well and many times I can find her ensconced in her faorite recliner with two cats, a Weimaraner, and her laptop.......All of them happy as clams.....Thankfully its a huge recliner!

Spaw

Subject: RE: If I Had a Laptop
From: Amos
Date: 21 Dec 08 - 11:58 AM

If I had a laptop
Hey deedle deedle deedle deedle deedle do
All day long and type as fast as hell
If I had a little Dell!

If I had a laptop
Hey deedle deedle deedle deedle deedle do
All the blogs my story I would tell
If I had a little Dell

I'd build a list of addresses fifty thousand strong
One for all of my extended clan
And lots of files of them nekkid goils
So anyone could see I was a man!

If I had a laptop
Hey deedle deedle deedle deedle deedle do
All day long IMs would ring   my bell
If I had a little Dell.....

Subject: RE: If I Had a Laptop
From: Bill D
Date: 21 Dec 08 - 11:40 AM

There are programs that will, with a mic added, help you tune an instrument. Even without a mic, they will play tones. For guitars, etc., there are chord charts available.

When learning songs, there are programs that will allow you to designate 'A' & 'B' points and keep repeating everything between them.


But maybe best of all, if a laptop is connected to the desktop computer by wireless router, it is possible to lean back in a comfy chair and either play music from there, or surf places like YouTube and play stuff recommended here at Mudcat.

Subject: RE: If I Had a Laptop
From: Genie
Date: 21 Dec 08 - 02:18 AM

FWIW, Jennie G, it was Sheldon Harnick and Jerry Bock (sp?), IIRC.

Subject: RE: If I Had a Laptop
From: wysiwyg
Date: 21 Dec 08 - 12:53 AM

Yabbut it would sure pinch when he slams it shut on his little weenie, though, wouldnit? Um, and it's hard to hold the notebook one-handed up in the air....

Ew. You HAD to, I know. We call that a "mandatory."

MUSIC uses. I have a new machine and I am open for ideas to steal.

I mean swap. :~) Really I'm a good girl.

~S~

Subject: RE: If I Had a Laptop
From: catspaw49
Date: 21 Dec 08 - 12:27 AM

Spaw the preevert chimes in here..........

I had this vision of some teenager that instead of digging thru the top of his closet or under the bed for a copy of Playboy/Penthouse/Hustler, now grabs his laptop and heads for the john............

Ya' know, that just can't be the same as having a hidden stash of well worn stroke books.....................Can it?

Spaw

Subject: RE: If I Had a Laptop
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 20 Dec 08 - 11:52 PM

Dear Santa: Please send me a MacBook Pro & an Apogee Interface. I've been a good boy all year long...With it, I could make nice music that nobody's ever heard before...Thanks...bob

Subject: RE: If I Had a Laptop
From: Bill D
Date: 20 Dec 08 - 10:30 PM

Mp3's, Videos,...and the Digitrad....anywhere.

Who...me? greedy?.....well, yeah.


(I have SO many....and I know there's little teeny gadgets that will hold many, many MP3's, but a laptop would hold craft pics and wood image databases, also.)

Maybe next year...

Subject: RE: If I Had a Laptop
From: Farley Buckwheat
Date: 20 Dec 08 - 07:54 PM

.

Me and many of my colleagues who perform as singles use a laptop loaded with Band-in-a-Box for gigs. I dont think this would go in a folk setting, but many who play other sorts of venues make their living with this kind of a setup. Along with the laptop you must have the right instrument samples, speakers, and such to get a professional sound.

I use a setup like this on some gigs and every day at home for practice.

.

Subject: RE: If I Had a Laptop
From: Bodbum
Date: 20 Dec 08 - 07:10 PM

If I had a laptop.
I'd laptop in the mornin'
I'd laptop in the evenin'
All over this house.

I'd take it to my work place.
I'd take it to my friends house.




Sorry about that.
I'ts getting late and me laptop is running out of battery power.

Subject: RE: If I Had a Laptop
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Dec 08 - 06:55 PM

Same thought came to me, Jennie.
Great minds think alike, eh?

I bought a cheap ($500) laptop, and now I can Mudcat wherever I go...
(with rings on my fingers and bells on my toes, no doubt).

-Joe-

Subject: RE: If I Had a Laptop
From: JennieG
Date: 20 Dec 08 - 06:24 PM

If I had a laptop...dada diddle diddle dada dada diddle diddle dum......
all day long I'd biddy biddy bom....
if I had my own laptop.....
oy....

apologies to whoever wrote Fiddler on the Roof - Sheldon Harnick?

Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: If I Had a Laptop
From: The Vulgar Boatman
Date: 20 Dec 08 - 05:21 PM

I bought a Behringer mixing desk with a USB interface and a pair of condenser mics -all for relatively small money - and it's a mini studio running audacity software (free). Very capable.

Subject: RE: If I Had a Laptop
From: Genie
Date: 20 Dec 08 - 04:48 PM

Well, my new MacBook can do all that and more, and I already do some of it.   But it takes time to learn how to use all the bells and whistles, and once you've learned that, it still takes a humongous amount of time to actually do it all.
I'm already videoing and editing things like my performances, workshops, song circles, etc., with the built-in mic and camera and the iMovie program.   I'm learning how to edit mp3s of my songs using iTunes. And I was already making sheet music and MIDIs with Finale NotePad on my older iMac and Powerbook. Now I'm learning how to do that and more with GarageBand, and I hope soon to be playing or singing directly into the computer to make sheet music (instead of putting in the notes individually).

The nice thing about having these capabilities in a laptop is that it's easy to take the computer, camera, mic, and programs with me from place to place.   It's a great help.

Subject: If I Had a Laptop
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Dec 08 - 03:45 PM

It is NOT a BS thread.

If I had a hammer.... we all know what we'd do with that.

But as a musician, if you had a laptop, what could you do with it that you can't do now?

I'd load it up with the DT and go sing for people sans instrument.

I'd put my Spirituals workshop on it, and my Aquatics movies and music, and my website backup that are about to vanish...

And....

~S~