More Online Concerts!

25 Jul 01 - 10:36 PM (#514697)
Subject: More Online Concerts!
From: wysiwyg

WOW!

It all started when I went looking in Steve Gillette and Cindy Mangsen's website for a tune. There, I found a clickable link to hear and see them in concert at the Kennedy Center! I have seen them-- they're GREAT-- so off I went!

TRY THIS!

So then I went on over to the Kennedy Center and found MORE online concerts!

Yup, you can become a FREE Kennedy Center E-Patron. Here's the FAQs.

Folk stuff seems centered on their MILLENIUM STAGE-- "Free Performances Every Day, No Tickets Required, Performance Time: 6 p.m. Eastern."

JULY AND AUGUST EVENTS

I still don't quite "get" how it all works but I am joining up for a free membership and I will keep you posted!

~Susan

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26 Jul 01 - 10:53 AM (#514923)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: wysiwyg

Don't forget to search and review the 234 Folk, Acoustic, Blues concerts using the archive search function! (And more each week it looks like from the schedule.) It comes up only five concerts at a time-- I am going to e-mail them and request a full list of that genre's archives to post here. If I get it I will post it here in the thread, and then after that date try to keep the list of folk events current.

If you register to be an E-Patron, look out for error messages once you enter your info, that are not actually errors. It kept telling me that usernames and e-mail addy's I offered were already taken and/or that e-mails had already been sent to me giving me the sign-in info and to use that-- so now I have four memberships! Wait for your e-mail if you get one of these error messages before trying another registration entry-- chances are it took you the first time.

We watched half of two different items last night-- a rockin' gospel concert and a classical violin-piano duo. The latter had been billed as jazz and were not (because one them also does appear in other Millenium Stage concerts in jazz bands), but it was worth watching anyhow.

The video quality is better than Mudcat Radio in terms of set quality and fixed camera mounts, lighting and all that, but they look like they have been shot with much the same technology-- remember the older Radio shows where the people jumped around like a slide show? The older concerts are like that and the newer ones are like the much-smoother Radio shows now.

The sound was pretty good, not as good as archived proferssional radio or a CD but pretty good-- certainly better than PalTalk. It will depend on your system's sound, too, of course.

In terms of concert quality, I think it will vary. The violin-piano duo were really GOOD. The gospel choir was OK but the soloist wasn't half as good as most non-gigging Mudcatters I have heard. (So Mudcat could take over the Millenium Stage!)

Because of the video quality we found it best to watch it one of two ways-- if you are at the keyboard, watch it small for increased clarity. Or else make it full screen and pull up a recliner at your usual TV-viewing distance.

We both enjoyed it a lot but we had a good laugh over trying to learn bowing refinements from a slide show. *G*

~Susan

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26 Jul 01 - 04:14 PM (#515215)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: wysiwyg

The Archive Search is kinda hard to find, but TRY THIS.

~S~

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26 Jul 01 - 04:27 PM (#515229)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: wysiwyg

Oh yeah, turn off the screen saver before you get too comfy!

~S~

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26 Jul 01 - 05:13 PM (#515281)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: wysiwyg

And there are 28 Gospel Concerts in the archive.

~S~

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26 Jul 01 - 05:20 PM (#515289)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: wysiwyg

Wha hoo!

SPEERCHOOLS!

(Uses Real Player)

~S~

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26 Jul 01 - 09:05 PM (#515466)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: wysiwyg

I tell you what, they got more acoustic stuff on the Millenium Stage than you can shake a stick dulcimer at.

The real fun is innocently grouped under "Country/Bluegrass."

... which actually includes, as it turns out, 87 Bluegrass, Cajun, Clogging, Native American, Comedy, Cowboy, Celtic Funk, Country, or Rockabilly Concerts...

How can you resist a group with a name like Dang Varmints?

The Millenium Stage must have a bookings manager from Mudcat is all I can figure.

~Susan

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18 Aug 01 - 10:24 PM (#530949)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: wysiwyg

Hmmm.... Scottish? No-- Irish--- no wait, Flamenco???

Ah... Cowboy tunes, first....

Yep, it's playing now-- that Sourdough Slim is a riot!

~Susan


Millenium Stage Performances from the Last Seven Days

The United States Army Chorale
August 18, 2001
The U.S. Army Chorale's repertoire includes selections from the Broadway stage, jazz standards, contemporary country, and the Top-40 charts.
Play this Performance

Martires del Compas August 17, 2001
The members of the Martires del Compas mix Andalusian gypsy flamenco with rock, jazz, African, and Afro-Cuban sounds.
Play this Performance

Sourdough Slim
August 16, 2001
Sourdough Slim is a cowboy musician and comedian who sings, plays accordion, guitar, harmonica, and kazoo, and yodels simultaneously!
Play this Performance

Kartik Seshadri
August 15, 2001
The rich tonal sensibilities and exciting rhythmic intricacies of sitar virtuoso Kartik Seshadri show why he is internationally acclaimed as one of India's outstanding musicians.
Play this Performance

Old Blind Dogs
August 14, 2001
Old Blind Dogs is on the cutting edge of Scotland's roots revival, with music built on traditional songs and fiddle tunes supported by African-flavored rhythms.
Play this Performance

2001 Sonic Circuits
August 13, 2001
Sonic Circuits is a showcase of musical works and acts involving electronic technology.
Play this Performance

Gerry O'Beirne
August 12, 2001
Irish songwriter/guitarist/singer Gerry O'Beirne is a self-taught master of the 7 and 12-string guitar; his writing is a hybrid of the passion found in traditional music and the freshness of contemporary song.
Play this Performance

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19 Aug 01 - 12:01 AM (#530986)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko

Thank you for alerting us to this! I knew about the stage, but I did not know about the internet broadcasts. This is an amazing site! I can see people using this to "sample" artists before checking out a live performance. Well done!

Ron

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19 Aug 01 - 12:12 AM (#530988)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: wysiwyg

That Sourdough Slim was a real stitch too. JUST RIGHT for the evening, and if not-- easy to pick something else!

And please let me know-- do those links work to get you to a concert even if you have not cookie'd up as a free member? Now that I am cookie'd I can't tell from here, when I check the links.

~Susan

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19 Aug 01 - 12:16 AM (#530991)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: Pene Azul

They work fine without cookies. Thanks, Susan.

Jeff

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19 Aug 01 - 12:19 AM (#530993)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: wysiwyg

Thanks Jeff. That is excellent news for the uncookie'd-by-choice and the public-computer users.

~Susan

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19 Aug 01 - 02:22 PM (#531241)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: Mary in Kentucky

Help Pene! or anyone who knows the answer to my question...

It seems when I listen to some archived programs on the 'net and also some radio stations, there is so much buffering (interruptions) that it almost impossible to enjoy any kind of continuity. I don't have buffering on the Mudcat live radio broadcasts or on PalTalk. As a matter of fact, on PalTalk I seem to have one of the faster connections considering my time of applause, etc. Is there a way I can listen to an archived program without these interruptions? It seems to me that I should be able to download the entire program and then play it off my computer. Why does it seem to depend on a connection???????

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19 Aug 01 - 02:35 PM (#531249)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: wysiwyg

Mary, I don't know if you can save them, but these are MUCH better for me now that we are on the cable modem. The cost of that, in our area, finally came low enough to be just a few bucks more than a second phone line plus cheapest ISP cost for our area.

~Susan

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19 Aug 01 - 03:04 PM (#531257)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: Mary in Kentucky

For several reasons, I prefer not to go with cable yet...

I wish I understood this technology better. It just intuitively seems that one should be able to download the whole program, then it would be a matter of the RealAudio technology to erase all the blank spots. Sabe?

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19 Aug 01 - 03:09 PM (#531260)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: wysiwyg

I am going to go look around my newer software and see if I spot something that might help, Mary.

In the meantime, do you want to e-mail the Millenium Stage folks and ask them about downloading options?

~Susan

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19 Aug 01 - 03:14 PM (#531266)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: Mary in Kentucky

Give it a day...I bet Pene can answer my question.

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19 Aug 01 - 03:21 PM (#531267)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: Pene Azul

Mary, sometimes you can download the files, but usually they are protected to prevent downloading. I tried a trick to download one of these, but it didn't work. Maybe someone has a trickier trick, though. Even if you can manage to download them, these files are quite large, sometimes hundreds of megs.

Jeff

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19 Aug 01 - 03:22 PM (#531268)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: wysiwyg

Here is what they say (HERE)at RealPlayer's FAQ:

Why is RealPlayer 8 Basic still rebuffering or giving poor playback from many sites? Packet loss occurs when information is unable to successfully travel from one server to another. Previous RealPlayers have interpreted lost information as rebuffering, hissing, crackles, and skips. RealSystem G2 (and RealSystem 8) is designed to minimize the effects of packet loss.

In RealSystem G2 (and RealSystem 8), RealProducer is used to encode RealMedia into streams of varying bandwidths. When RealPlayer 8 connects to a RealServer serving the variable bandwidth content, the server detects your Internet connection speed and sends the best stream possible for that connection. As the quality of your Internet connection changes due to packet loss, RealServer switches to a lower bandwidth stream. This causes a difference in the audio quality, but eliminates the rebuffering, hissing, crackles, and skips. When the quality of your Internet connection improves, RealServer switches back to the higher bandwidth stream. The switching is instantaneous so that there are no breaks in playback.

However, at sites where the content is not encoded using RealSystem G2 (or RealSystem 8), RealPlayer 8 will still rebuffer, hiss, or skip when the connection becomes too thin to consistently support the stream. This is expected behavior.

To minimize poor playback from those sites not using RealSystem G2 (or RealSystem 8), try playing the content during times when Internet traffic is not at its peak. U.S. business hours and weekend evenings are peak times. Connections and playback will be better at other hours.

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19 Aug 01 - 03:27 PM (#531270)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: Mary in Kentucky

WOW! Y'all are fast. I was still paging Pene in PM's!

I think I tried the same trick, but of course forgot how I did it.

What prompted my question...Mark Cohen (you know, the aloha guy) says he enjoys listening to various folk radio stations. I wonder if being in his time zone (***twilight zone music here***) makes for better prime time listening!

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19 Aug 01 - 03:31 PM (#531273)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: Mary in Kentucky

I think my trick was to go into the Internet files (or history or whatever they're called) and find the file that was on my computer. I've used this trick for getting midis that are background music on pages.

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19 Aug 01 - 03:32 PM (#531275)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: wysiwyg

Do you mean, let it play with the buffering till it's done, then capture it from the temp files?

Can you try one and let us know?

~Susan

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19 Aug 01 - 03:32 PM (#531276)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: Pene Azul

The trick is to save the target of the link, which is usually a .ram file, a small file that points to the large .rm file(s). The make a link to the .rm file listed in the .ram file and save it as an .html file. Then open that file and save the target of the link (to the .rm file).

Jeff

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19 Aug 01 - 03:38 PM (#531281)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: Mary in Kentucky

...whoosh...

over my head!

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19 Aug 01 - 03:44 PM (#531285)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: wysiwyg

Me too, Pene, I would need a step-by-step list of exact instrux to leave open alongside the window where I would try that out the first couple of times. If you wrote that up tho, and it worked, it would apply to LOTS of Things Mudcattish and belong in the Tech Hints thread once ironed out.... mmm.... pleeeeeze????

~Susan

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19 Aug 01 - 05:01 PM (#531321)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: IvanB

Mary, I use Total Recorder to record RealAudio programs when I want to save them. The technique could also work for you even if you didn't want to save them but just wanted to hear the concert uninterrupted. When Total Recorder is recording in software mode (the mode needed for recording streaming audio), recording stops when the audio stream stops then automatically resumes when the stream starts again. Sometimes you get a little 'blip' in your recording at that point, but it's not nearly as annoying as the program starting and stopping, often for long periods.

Total Recorder is found here:

Total Recorder

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19 Aug 01 - 05:21 PM (#531326)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: Pene Azul

It doesn't work for the links above, and rarely works at all these days. You're probably better off with a program like the one Ivan suggested if your connection will get you through the whole show.

Save the target of the link (In IE Windows, right-click on it and click "Save Target As" Choose a handy destination like your desktop.

If the file you saved has the extension ".ram" open that file in a text editor (like Notepad).

You'll see one or more URLs listed there. Copy the URL from the .ram file and make a link (blue clicky) out of it in a new text editor (Notepad) window. Save this file with the extension .html to your desktop. For example, you could call it test.html.

Open that html file, then save the target of the link you made (In IE Windows, right-click on it and click "Save Target As").

In the rare case where this will work, it will start to save the large .rm file.

Jeff

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19 Aug 01 - 05:29 PM (#531332)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: wysiwyg

From Total Recorder, on costs-- For unlimited recording you must register this product (registered users of the previous versions click here). The registration fee is $11.95 US or $17.95 Canadian.

Wow! So... REASONABLE! (Go Ivan!)

I think I will download the free version first and see how it works-- 40 seconds' recording time is all it allows.

Mary, I'd be interested in your opinion in the product, too.

~Susan

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19 Aug 01 - 09:03 PM (#531477)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: Mary in Kentucky

Susan, I'll let you know. THANKS IVAN!

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19 Aug 01 - 10:46 PM (#531521)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: wysiwyg

Giggling uncontrollably here. That Total Producer is a VERY NIFTY little program! "TP" is not however a good enough name!

So I'm sitting here trying to understand the instructions, then I remmeber it's Ivan who has recommended it-- I begin to suspect he's found such a gem it will surely almost run itself. (That "intuitive" design thing.)

Sure enough. I open up a Millneium Stage concert and get it going, then open the Total Producer box and find the Play/Record menu (I think that was it) and hit RECORD. An indicator starts whirling--- 30 seconds later I stop the concert, stop the Total Producer, and hit PLAY.

And there it is!

Asking, "Save Me?"

Saving, sure! That's me!

~Susan

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20 Aug 01 - 12:22 AM (#531573)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: wysiwyg

Oops, I meant Total Recorder.

CRS.

~S~

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20 Aug 01 - 02:22 AM (#531608)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: wysiwyg

OK, I got TR registered-- one song (3 minutes) was about 40MB. Heh heh heh-- so that's what the CD burner is for!

~Susan

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28 Aug 01 - 12:49 AM (#536574)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: wysiwyg

Anne Hills, Cindy Mangsen, Priscilla Herdman--

VOICES OF WINTER (1999) concert.

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29 Aug 01 - 05:20 PM (#537717)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: wysiwyg

Just found, no info yet:

VIRTUE CAST

Not sure how much folk or blues yet.

~S~

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29 Aug 01 - 05:40 PM (#537727)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: wysiwyg

At VirtueCast:

DR. JOHN

BILLY BRAGG

ELIZA CARTHY INTERVIEW

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29 Aug 01 - 06:55 PM (#537768)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: wysiwyg

Found via Google search and not yet tried. Descriptive copy (edited) is per websites listed.

~S~

WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour, broadcast live weekly from Lexington KY with a theater audience. You can watch the 300k webcast (or listen on 56k), Mondays beginning at 6:30 p.m. EST.

Twelve Bar Club (London) Live shows webcast in video every night at approx 20:30GMT (3:30EST Microsoft MediaViewer software required.

Worldwide Music Network: A webcast and streaming media search engine with listings for live audio/video broadcasts and archived streaming media clips.

Peter Himmelman Concert

CELTIC TV

The Fat Cat. There are someimes live webcasts from The Fat Cat, from CFOG.

Music Videos using Shockwave Video and Shockwave Streaming Audio.

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05 Sep 01 - 11:36 AM (#542512)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: Marymac90

Thanks Susan, Pene, Ivan, et al. I tried this once at home, and then completely forgot about it. I'm gonna try it again at work! (That's not so evil--on the doc's days off, my function is mainly just to be here to answer the door and the phone, and make appts.!)

Marymac

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05 Sep 01 - 10:43 PM (#543063)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: IvanB

Susan, don't waste CD space with wave files recorded off the web with Total Recorder. Their quality isn't usually good enough to rate that. Instead reencode them in MP3, for an 80-90% reduction in file size, depending on the quality you choose. I generally use 160 bit encoding for stuff I get directly from FM, 128 bits for webcasts. The program I use for encoding is:

Simple MP3 Maker

It's free, and, although it's slow, does a wonderful job. It's the only encoder I've used that doesn't leave me with pops or dropouts (assuming they weren't there in the wave file to begin with). I usually set it up to encode overnight while I'm not using the computer.

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05 Sep 01 - 10:58 PM (#543074)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: wysiwyg

Ivan.................. Thanks, again!

Hey Marymac-- be sure to come back with a recommendation on what you heard, or better yet, run the review in a new thread so we can add detail about the artist. Have fun!

~Susan

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04 Jun 02 - 11:38 AM (#722814)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: wysiwyg

JUNE 2002 MILLENIUM STAGE CONCERTS
(EXCERPT OF FULL LIST)

Wednesday, Jun 5, 2002, Blue Moon Cowgirls
Blue Moon Cowgirls bring a refreshing approach to country music with a repertoire raging from the 1920's Appalachia to the 1990's California.

Friday, Jun 7, 2002, Karen Ashbrook, Paul Oorts, Maggie Sansone
A Traveller's Dream: Celtic Explorations features Maggie Sansone— hammered dulcimer; Karen Ashbrook—Irish flute; Guy George—saxophone; Paul Oorts—guitar; and Jesse Winch—percussion.

Saturday, Jun 8, 2002, Eric Ross
Eric Ross, American composer and electronic musician, performs in a multimedia concert featuring the theramin, with video and computer art by his wife, Mary Ross.

Sunday, Jun 9, 2002, Beatle Jazz
Acoustic trio Beatle Jazz revives well-known Beatles songs with their inventive original arrangements and jazz improvisations.

Thursday, Jun 13, 2002, Stuart Weber
Stuart Weber, classical guitarist, has performed with acclaimed flamenco guitarist Rene Heredia, and was featured in the documentary of Robert Redford's The Horse Whisperer.

Friday, Jun 14, 2002, Shout 'n Feel It
Shout'n'Feel It specializes in swing dances from the 1920's to 1940's— the Charleston, the Big Apple, the Lindy Hop and the Jitterbug.

Saturday, Jun 15, 2002, The Greater Canton Men's Chorus
The Greater Canton Men's Chorus presents a varied repertoire of nearly 100 selections in the traditional manner of Welsh Male choirs of the British Isles.

Sunday, Jun 16, 2002, The Madison Ensemble
The Madison Ensembles String Quartet, featuring Patricia A. Smith, has performed at the White House, the National Gallery, and with the National Symphony Orchestra.

Monday, Jun 17, 2002, Lousie Taylor, Greg Trooper
Guitarists/songwriters Greg Trooper and Lousie Taylor, contemporary interpreters of American blues and roots styles, perform in this Writers Night.

Tuesday, Jun 18, 2002, Pantasia
Pantasia, a steel drum ensemble, performs a wide variety of music with a "south seas" air, from calypso to classical.

Wednesday, Jun 19, 2002, Karl and the Country Dutchmen
Karl and the Country Dutchmen bring flavor of Dixieland, ragtime, pop and country to German-American Polka music.

Monday, Jun 24, 2002, Alice Ripley
Tony-nominated actress Alice Ripley, appearing in the Sondheim Celebration as Amy in Company, performs "suburban folk" from her solo release Everything's Fine, ranging from piano tunes to guitar rock.

Wednesday, Jun 26, 2002, Vazimba Mozika, Ricky Randimbiarison
Ricky Randimbiarison, singer and composer, and Vazimba Mozika perform traditional Malagasy music and vakojazzana, a mixture of vako-drazana folk and jazz.

Friday, Jun 28, 2002, Donald Knaack
Donald Knaack, "the Junkman," composes for and performs on a variety of found materials. Selections from his Grammy nominated CD Junk Music were used by Twyla Tharp in her new work for the American Ballet Theatre.

Sunday, Jun 30, 2002, Karen Henderson Sextet
The Karen Henderson Sextet has performed at Washington area jazz clubs Blues Alley, the Cellar Door, Charlie's Georgetown, and Anton's 1201 Club.

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12 Jul 02 - 10:09 PM (#747503)
Subject: RE: More Online Concerts!
From: Lane

Refreshing this one.... these on line concerts are great. There is discussion in the thread about downloading the files so they can be viewed without interuption, but the discussion is kind of old... I'm wondering if someone now has more info about getting these files onto a hard drive?

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24 Jan 07 - 09:14 AM (#1946552)
Subject: Woodsongs
From: wysiwyg

WoodSongs Video Webcast (archive menu)
Live, Mondays at 6:55-8:15pm EST

Every Monday night, musical history is made as the WoodSongs Old-time Radio Hour begins its radio broadcast. Because it's more than just a radio show. WoodSongs is also the world first multi-camera, weekly series broadcast on the Internet.

Online viewers worldwide can watch the behind-the-scenes production heard by over 900,000 radio listeners on over 400 radio stations each week.

7:00PM Watch the 60 minute show live as it happens
8:03PM Join the audience as they record this week's promo
8:05PM Enjoy the encore performances not heard on radio

WoodSongs is cybercast in real time with four camera shots cyber-cast on two separate "streams," giving web users two choices:

DIAL UP: One for web users with a dial-up or 56k modem;

HIGH SPEED: A second full color audio/video stream (300k) for users on broadband, DSL or T1 lines.

Each show is later archived on line for 24/7 viewing in various media formats and can be downloaded.


You will find all categories of folk music there, including people for folk-purists.

~Susan

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