What if we all met?

[donjuan]

Here's a "What if" question for you.  Have you ever wondered wht it would be like if this forum where actually a meeting place where we would physically go?  Like, if we were to all meet!  we could see the various nationalities, possibly getting into political and religious arguments.  What would Bernhard look like?  What would Comme Le Vent look like? (If he were still with us..)

just wonder..  

[Philip Daniel]

Here's a "What if" question for you.  Have you ever wondered wht it would be like if this forum where actually a meeting place where we would physically go?  Like, if we were to all meet!  we could see the various nationalities, possibly getting into political and religious arguments.  What would Bernhard look like?  What would Comme Le Vent look like? (If he were still with us..)

just wonder..  

Well, here's Comme_le_Vent:
https://chopin.chopinforum.com/form/chilled.jpg

[donjuan]

how did you get the picture? you arent comme signed in with a different name, are you?

[janice]

I thought the exact same thing last nite!!  LOL  I think it would be totally cool!!  Unfortunately, I don't think that it would happen, given the fact that many members live in other countries.  The next best thing would be webcam.  I've talked with a chat buddy via webcam, but it was over our MSN messenger, and I'm not sure if that would work for more than two people.  Does anyone know?  I also have AIM.  But I don't know if you can talk over webcam via AIM.   The next best thing would be to have a chat.  We could create a room over AIM--that I know is possible.  I have a friend who has done that.  What do you guys say about that?  Unfortunately, since we live in different parts of the world, some of us will have to get up in the middle of the night to chat!  Let's pursue this!!
                                 Janice
PS--I'm DYING to see or meet Bernhard also!!  

[donjuan]

what a great idea, Janice!  we have bugged nils in the past to set something up..but he never did anything.  true, we do live in many different parts of the world..but most are from the UK or North america.  the UK people could chat together, and us north Americans could chat.  this way, we could communicate at comfortable hours for everyone.  (although I would love to chat with Bernhard..if he or me werent sleeping)
how would we set something up?
donjuan

[willcowskitz]

IRC and web-based client that automatically joins definite channel.

[Philip Daniel]

how did you get the picture? you arent comme signed in with a different name, are you?

No, I got it off the chopinfiles forum. I'm a member there, and so is Commie! He's so annoying!

[janice]

IRC and web-based client that automatically joins definite channel.

huh?

[donjuan]

I second Janice: huh?

[Tash]

i go with the 'huh' as well- whatever just tell me what to click and i'm there. haha yes i think we should all meet- which country shall we go to?! i don't have a webcam thingo- tried it once on msn with a friend (without any form of camera thingo we were just experimenting to see what happened) and all we got was fuzzy noise and a blank screen. though using the microphone thing worked like a phone which was funny as cos she didnt know i could hear her!

otherwise if people are willing we could add each other to our msn lists- you can have conversations with several people at the same time in that.

to start that add me!! edible_apple@hotmail.com i'll happily talk to anyone provided you tell me who you are:)

[shh its kaya]

I say we host a conference in some big city.  We can rent out a hotel and everything.  And then we spend a weekend together some place talking about pianos and playing pianos as well.  oooooo how luvly.

Only problem would be money.  And I'm always a bit tight on that, and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

So, as an alternative, we could do a giant conference call (which i don't think would work), or some online thing.  But these options don't allow us to actually see eachother.

Oh the problems...

[janice]

ok, since I know that you can set up a room on AIM, let's do this--if you have AIM and would like to participate in this (we'll figure out time/day later on--don't worry about what country you live in, that will be figured out later) please send me your screen name via private message on this forum.  That's a start!  Ok folks, we're gonna do this!!  

Also, if you DO NOT have AIM but would like to participate in this, please let me know.

(btw--If you happen to have MSN messenger and you DO NOT have AIM and you would like to participate, please let me know about this also.  If we have enough of the MSN people only, then we can try to organize a chat there also.  However, I think that more people have AIM than MSN.  I dont have YIM--so if someone wants to organize something there, feel free too.  The good thing about AIM, is that you can download it on a public computer, like the public library, so if someone has trouble with their home computer, they could go to the library and download it just once, chat with us, then delete it.)

[JK]

I would love to be a part of this but what's AIM?!!!!! (sorry, I know this must be a silly question!).

[bitus]

or a competition?   with a biiiig 1st prize and lots of additional encouragement prizes  

Conference sounds good to me,
De bitus.

[janice]

I would love to be a part of this but what's AIM?!!!!! (sorry, I know this must be a silly question!).

AIM=AOL Instant Messenger
Don't worry, it's not a silly question!  I can help you download it, if you would like.

[Dave_2004_G]

Yeh would be pretty cool to have a piano meet where we could like play for each other and get comments/talk about it and stuff!  

I used to post on a message board for guitarists and someone on there arranged some event where everyone came and played, it was really great - I'd imagine it's pretty hard to organise though

Dave

[squinchy]

That'd be so cool! I think AIM supports webcams, but I don't know how to make it work. I'll bug my cellist friend.

Are there certain areas with high concentrations of PF people? I'm getting the vibe that there's a bunch of Canadians near *squints eye*...Alberta, and I somehow have a feeling that there's a bunch of eastern seaboard people from the U.S. [I'm guessing.] If so, it would be easier to arrange.

In other forums, sometimes two or three forumers agree to meet at some convention (usually Anime), they take lots of pictures, and show everyone else on the forum. Ooo's, ahh's, and "That's so cool's" usually follow. That may work too.

Squinchy

[xenon]

Come to Manitoba!  This is the center of North America.  

[donjuan]

You know, I set this thread up more as a "what if" type question, NOT a "ok, let's DO IT" question.  It would never work- We have school, jobs, families, etc, we dont have time, money, or energy to actually get together.  Also, if you go to the popular "how old are you" thread in the "anything but piano" section, you will find many of us are teenagers and students.  I dont know how I would ask my parents to drive me far away to meet a bunch of people I have never seen.  Parents are typically not willing to support their kids and their forum buddies.  

OK, everyone wake up!!  WE ARE NOT GETTING TOGETHER!

However, the AIM idea of Janice is possible..

[xenon]

Just get an IRC channel (ie chatroom).  That's a great way for real-time interaction.

[bitus]

DonJuan... where's your motivation? Where's your vision?
It would worth trying to see how many of us would go, at least here in the States. I would as long as it is in the East somewhere. Got some nice confortable chairs in my car, so there's no need for booking a hotel room, and thanks God for peanut butter & other stuff to take care of the food part.
Anyone else?
De Bitus

[shh its kaya]

Peanut butter, most definitely!  However, as has been brought up, many of us are teenagers *cough ME *cough, and some of us very poor teenagers *cough ME AGAIN *cough, who don't have cars or money to fly.  So, this brings me to an important question:  If we actually meet up, anybody mind pickin' me up and giving me a ride  .  I only live in Houston, TX.

BTW, I was joking, in case nobody noticed that.

Yet, I am all for getting this AIM thing up and running!  Janice, I'll IM you as soon as you are actually online.

[willcowskitz]

IRC > AIM

Try this: https://www.irchelp.org/irchelp/new2irc.html

Or just accept this:  Its a "chat", far more reliable and flexible and practical than AIM or any other crap instant messenger.

To try it out: https://chat.ircnet.org/irc.cgi?adv=1

There only are a Swedish and English servers, so lag could be an issue.  But there are servers all over the world, and, IRCnet isn't the only IRC network, despite it's name, there are several others like EFnet, UnderNet, lamenets for gamerz, DALnet, etc...

IRC doesn't seem to be as pop as different instant messengers such as AIM, ICQ or MSN, except in Finland where it originated.

[donjuan]

Willcowskitz, I think you know the most about setting up stuff on the internet.  Maybe you could give it a try, because I dont understand your computer dialect. lol  Believe me, I am really not all that good with computers or internet html..whatever.

If you arent motivated to try, who will? Janice, are you good with computers?
donjuan

[janice]

Janice, are you good with computers?
donjuan

LOL--I have a confession. A mere 2 years ago I learned what a monitor is!  I'm totally serious!  I've lived in the "dark ages" out of choice, but now I embrace modern technology!!  ROFL


I'm not good with computers, but I have alot of time on my hands this summer.  I can set up something over instant messenger, either AIM(preferrably) or MSN.  And I am really pumped up for this!  I need more people to send me their screen name.

[Tash]

wow i didn't know that AIM was more popular than MSN in fact i didn't even know it existed until now. but if everyone would rather do that than msn then i'm all up for it.
as for the 'what if' meeting, i'm supposedly wiinning the powerball jackpot of AU$9 million so i can pay for flights and accomodation!! hahahaha i'm also apparently buying a trip to europe for all my friends and a car and a house...

[donjuan]

i'm supposedly wiinning the powerball jackpot of AU$9 million.

are you serious? I cant tell..my sarcasm detector cant read through the internet...

donjuan

[Tash]

well i SHOULD have won it! i bought my first lottery ticket yesterday and had it all planned that i would win it and then i didn't (funny that) so i'm incredibly sad sorry guys i won't be able to pay...yet...just wait until i do win it!!

[newsgroupeuan]

What puzzles me is that there are 3000+ members, yet only 100 or so actually post

[Dave_2004_G]

Not much of a puzzle...loads of people register to ask one question then just leave

Dave

[newsgroupeuan]

Not much of a puzzle...loads of people register to ask one question then just leave

Dave

Not actually,  some members haven't even posted

[Dave_2004_G]

Well they probably just register but then never get round to posting then!

Dave

[donjuan]

You know, it is quite probable that most (90+%) members signed up a long time ago, finished using the forum, or got bored, and stopped using it.  But they still count as members.  I bet less than 100 users actually use the posts.

[willcowskitz]

Uhh... so..?

[janice]

Ummm, I think we got off the subject.  The original question was, "What if we all met?"  And some ideas were thrown around.  I had said that the most feasible thing would be if we had a chat.  We don't have a chatroom here, but we can create one on AIM.  A few of you have send me your AIM screen name, but I need more.  Please send them via private message on the forum.  AIM is probably the best instant messenger for this, as you can download your buddy list onto a public computer.  Need help?  Do you want to participate but don't know what to do, send me a private message.

[Ed Thomas]

Janice, sorry to contribute to the skewing of the thread but I wanted to speak for at least some of the quiet lurkers.  

The publicized purpose of this forum is to support the professional, teaching, and studying pianists.  As a life-long sincere hobbiest, I don't really qualify for any of these labels and try to keep my mouth shut.  But I read and research quite a bit and am very grateful for the quality of help here.  So it is possible that others are listening but are just trying to be courteous by not talking out of turn.  We don't mean to be slugs, but also try not to be intruders.

I was in a chat room briefly once and it about wore me out.  I think they are probably good fun but no substitute for real contact.  Perhaps one solution to the geography problem could be to have multiple meeting points around the globe rather than trying to find one ideal location.  

Is there such a thing as a piano club?   Where people get together regularly to play and carry on for the sheer joy of being with other people who also like to create music with a piano?

[janice]

I hope you didn't feel that I (or we) was/were trying to suppress your genuine questions about piano.  I take this forum very seriously, and I think that many others do, too. I wasn't criticizing anyone, rather I was kind of getting a kick out of just how far from the original question we had strayed. I just found it amusing, and I am very glad that you have made a few posts, even if you felt reluctant to do so because you don't think that you qualify for one of the "categories" (professional, teacher, etc).

btw--a chatroom IS the next best thing to being there in person.  A person who has never chatted before might be totally taken aback by the speed of it sometimes.  Sometimes virtually nobody is talking, while other times the room seems to spin--grab a fan blade and hang on!  lol  I do hope that you decide to chat with us!  The more the merrier!

[Spatula]

Er...yeah a huge piano meet, sounds fun, but the details ...  

Anyways at least I know Don Juan lives in the "tories" province...yeah with ralph klein and the gang...yikes.
And I Get to vote for the fed election! yippe!  

Even if I did meet, all I could "do or perform" is a really super slow version of fantasie impromptu and a slow version of Rach prelude.  Yeah unless you want to hear my hanon??!  

[donjuan]

yeah!!! vote conservative!!!! June 28!! yeah!We want Harper!!
Speaking of Harper, did any canadians here see the debates last night?
That NDP Layton guy is sure beligerent, huh?

donjuan

ps- all you non canadians can ignore this post.

[Terry-Piano]

don juan where do you live.. i live in quebec

[donjuan]

Alberta.  I've always wanted to see Quebec..
So, are you voting for the Bloc Quebecois?

[Motrax]

Indeed, the topic strays further.  

To address Mister Thomas, I too sort of lurk. The past couple weeks have given me LOTS of free time though, so I've been around here more frequently. But I still don't post unless I feel I have something to contribute, or if I have a pertinent question which I feel could be answered well on a forum.

My general rule for any problem (which I must thank Orli Shaham for giving me) with a piece is to look at the fingering first. I've been surprised at how many times altered fingering can make some devillish-looking passage a breeze. Even when you have chords jumping around, the way you position your hand can be an important factor in hitting the right notes.

[altary]

Well, everyone can come to New York city, we all can camp out in my house, it's big and has a piano.