Thank you, Jay. Yes indeed, I want to be all about encouragement too,
especially during these unprecedented times.
Bringing it back to music, I have taken advantage of this recent slower pace
to use two wonderful iPhone apps which I would encourage all of you to check
out. The first is called iRealPro. It costs something. I cannot remember
the price. Maybe 15 dollars? But whatever I spent for it was well worth
it. It comes with backing tracks for about 2,000 songs. Many of them are
from the classic Real Book which many of you may have wanted to use in the
past.
I still need to learn how to do it, but one can even export the charts as
MusicXML and import them into notation applications including, of course,
our own favorite, Lime. Once in Lime, it can be automatically transcribed
into braille by our other favorite software application, GOODFEEL.
The other app I have been loving is called Amazing SlowDowner. It can slow
down any of the tracks in my Apple Music library but retain the original
pitch. I have been using it to transcribe solos from favorite players such
as Clifford Brown, Harold Land and other famous improvisers. It has helped
me to identify a few notes in passages that I thought I had learned but
which I actually heard wrong at the original tempo. I think Amazing
SlowDowner costs 15 dollars. Again, if you like to take down solos, money
well spent.
IRealPro is accessible with VoiceOver for the most part but I would welcome
any tips others may have on how they have used it. I definitely could use
some help with using the features of Amazing SlowDowner independently. So
far, I have had to ask a sighted assistant to help me slow down a track.
Meanwhile, now more than ever, keep making the music that you love, listen
to the music that you love, and, most of all, keep in touch with the people
that you love. If you start to notice that you haven't laughed in a while,
make an effort to find something funny. As my friends, customers, and
colleagues, you are all in my prayers especially during this time. I pray
regularly in thanksgiving for our customers and, of course, for the success
of any potential Dancing Dots competitors.in some other business, that is.
Cheers,
Bill
Bill McCann
Dancing Dots
Tel: +1 610-783-6692
<http://www.dancingdots.com/> www.DancingDots.com
From: ddots-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ddots-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of jay@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Sunday, March 22, 2020 5:22 PM
To: ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [ddots-l] Re: Hello from MS again
If you guys have ever talked to Bill on the phone, you know he is a great
guy, and I doubt that especially in these days and times, with all that is
going on, he likely doesn't mind if we talk about happier things like the
Dooby Brothers or Chicago, or anything we have in common concerning music.
For me, I would love to hear about projects folks are working on, and in the
course of all these things, encouragement is never a bad thing for
individuals, or this list.
Thanks,
Jay Pilkington
From: ddots-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <ddots-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf
Of Stacy Blackwell
Sent: Sunday, March 22, 2020 4:08 PM
To: 'ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx' <ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [ddots-l] Hello from MS again
I know this list is not for socializing, but I am going to write this one
post. Jack Conti, I do remember your name as well, as I also remember Chris
Smart. Some of the other big boys I recall are, and I'm not going to spell
these write I'm sure, Phil Muir, DJX, Brian Smart, Kevin Gibbs, Jeff
Carlisle, Omer, etc. I use to enjoy reading about their thoughts and quick
fixes for those of us who were fumbling around with Sonar and accessibility.
In regards to the Doobies, I saw them 2 years ago at an old "hall" here in
Jackson, MS-I think 3 of them were from the original group. In that hall
they sounded awesome and sounded just like their old vinyls. Even though my
current genre is country and classic rock, I went to see KISS in Birmingham
last year. Oh my gosh! Gene and Paul still have it, even though I have
heard that some tracks were being played during the tour. I am writing this
to tell you that I videoed with my iPhone many many songs that turned out
reasonably well, considering I can't see a thing. Paul zip lined from way
up and landed on a platform not far from me. My wife had to guide my phone
to where he was. I didn't know what she was doing. It wasn't until after
the concert that I learned what had happened during the show. But being
blind didn't hinder me from visualizing from what I heard and what I was
told, thus recreating the concert's special effects and events. That night
put a new spark in me to continue my music-performing and recording. If
Paul and Gene can do it at their ages, then so can I. So my band is back
decently strong, and I will be recording demos of us in the future.
Thanks, guys, for listening. I am here at home for a while, not sick, but
just distancing. We all may be sharing things to one another to pass away
the time. Like I said, this list is not for that purpose, but I just wanted
to share why I have returned. Thanks again, S.
