this is clearer M http://www.flixxy.com/top-secret-drum-corps-2012.htm Swiss, I think.
On 14 Aug 2013, at 08:26, [email protected] wrote: > Today's Topic Summary > Group: http://groups.google.com/group/hurdygurdy/topics > > HG Method [1 Update] > Vielle for sale [3 Updates] > Digest for [email protected] - 6 Messages in 2 Topics [12 Updates] > HG Method > Cali Hackmann <[email protected]> Aug 13 09:18PM -0700 > > Michael, > > Alden and I have always sent our customers to you and as others have > mentioned I have not seen anyone with a photocopy of the book. We are also > down to our last copy which is our personal one and it is much tattered > from use. For years yours has been the only tutorial book on playing the > instrument which was available. I too think that setting up an > e-publication would be a good idea. Less work for you after it is set up > and more exposure as well as ease of obtaining it. > > Our best to you and to Doreen. > > Cali Hackmann > > On Thursday, August 1, 2013 12:36:30 PM UTC-7, Michael Muskett wrote: > > Vielle for sale > [email protected] Aug 13 05:55PM -0400 > > Yes. He was a luthier in the New Orleans area (Gretna, specifically) who > made many of the instruments for the Tulane-based ensemble Musica da Camera > (http://www.nomdc.org/) for decades. You might contact the director, Milton > Scheuermann, or Thais St. Julienne, whom you will find listed on their > website. > > His output included two tromba marinas (one medium, one very large), > numerous violas da gamba (he made two for me, one for a friend, and a full > ensemble for LSU) not to mention several for the ensemble and one for > himself. > He also made the vielle for me, and a hurdy-gurdy. I asked for the vielle > because I had heard one he made for one of the da Camera musicians. There > was almost nothing he could not make, but he was mostly known among us, and > we scarfed up his instruments and were usually put on a waiting list. Last I > heard of him he was pushing maybe 90 years, and that was before Hurricane > Katrina hit. I do not know if he is still alive. > > I could play the thing for you on the phone, if we could arrange an > appointment. > > Once I attended a Viola da Gamba Society annual to-do, and there was a > vielle class. Everyone there, including the teacher, agreed that it was a > first-rate example of its kind. > > Hope to hear from you soon, > Alice Wallace > 337-856-4260 > > > In a message dated 8/13/2013 12:08:15 P.M. Central Daylight Time, > [email protected] writes: > > Hi Alice. > It looks very nice, but I can't find any information about the maker, > Chuck Foster. Do you have any references for him and his work? > > Andrew Orrison <[email protected]> Aug 13 06:01PM -0500 > > I know we are all wondering this, what does the hurdy-gurdy look like? > > --Andrew > > > > [email protected] Aug 13 11:37PM -0400 > > It was a luteback. I sold it, and purchased Balazs Nagy instruments > thereafter. Better instruments. > Alice > > > In a message dated 8/13/2013 6:02:23 P.M. Central Daylight Time, > [email protected] writes: > > I know we are all wondering this, what does the hurdy-gurdy look like? > > > --Andrew > > Digest for [email protected] - 6 Messages in 2 Topics > Michael Muskett <[email protected]> Aug 13 11:25AM +0100 > > Thank you, Melvin, Also Gary and Arle, > Am I tilting at windmills? Or will no one own up?. Colin. Searching for > 'hurdy-gurdy method' will (should) bring up my website. What could be simpler? > I had fondly hoped that the book would be available as long as people made > HG's.,but it seems to be difficult. I am really puzzled as to why sales, > which have been largely steady for 20 years should have fallen to 0. Sales > are so small that publication is not a commercial proposition and firms have > shied away from it in the past. And there is no point if copies of are indeed > being made. It seems that the only solution is to make it available on line, > but this task is beyond me personal;y. There is nothing like a book for > convenience and I would not like to read music from a screen! Most awkward. > And an online copy may still be reproduced I am told. Sheila had the bright > idea that we could tag each tune on its page!, Brilliant! But. .. > It seems that few players can read music and I wonder if the text would be > sufficient, but then i realise that most people just want the technical > details, many of which are now available on websites. This, of course, may be > the real reason for the loss of interest in the book and is more likely than > its being copied. So I'm afraid we shall just have to accept the march of > progress, such as it is. Bigger changes to our lives are on the way. > I am really sorry that I have not made it to the US to meet you guys, but I > wish you all happiness and success. I've played my part and it is time to > depart. > Michael and also Doreen, who appreciated your words of praise, Gary, with a > glow. > > > > Dave Holland <[email protected]> Aug 13 11:41AM +0100 > > On Tue, Aug 13, 2013 at 11:25:24AM +0100, Michael Muskett wrote: > > Sales are so small that publication is not a commercial proposition and > > firms have shied away from it in the past. > > Hello Michael, > > I wonder if print-on-demand might be a way forward? I've no experience > of publishing that way myself, but it would mean people could still > get hold of paper copies without you or a publisher having to hold > stock. Just a thought. > > I have two copies of your book already so I'm afraid I won't buy > another ;-) but I wanted to say I've never seen a photocopy, or been > asked for one. > > Good luck, > Dave > > Judith Lindenau <[email protected]> Aug 13 08:08AM -0400 > > Michael, > Dave is right (and I think this is what Mel means as well): think about > print-on-demand. Here's a reference for you: > http://www.amazon.com/Detailed-Self-Publishing-Amazon-Booksellers--Demand/dp/1480250201/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1376395213&sr=8-2&keywords=self+publishing > > That way, people print as needed and you don't need to fork over printing > costs, mailing and so forth. > > And as for your concern about photocopying, I would only add that most of > us have and value the Muskett books, and the market is more the new comers > to the instrument, a limited audience at best. You've reached your big > market share and from now on until the great Second Coming of the Hurdy > Gurdy, sales will probably be limited. > > judith > > > > -- > Judith Lindenau, CAE, RCE > JWL Consulting and Personal Coaching > [email protected] > 231-218-5327 (cell) > > Melvin Dorries <[email protected]> Aug 13 08:08AM -0700 > > Hi Michael, > Should have started my reply with lots of praise and appreciation for the > work you and Doreen have done on your book. It is by far the best available > and I will not part with my last copy which is now showing considerable signs > of fond usage. You guys have taught me lots of good things through that book > and my hat is off to you. > Lets take it to the next level somehow. > > Oh.... where was I....Yes, I recall now, I think..... We are all getting > older and I can't remember why I am standing in front of the fridge. > You are not alone Don Quixote. > Lets go find some windmills together. > Mel > > > ________________________________ > From: Michael Muskett <[email protected]> > To: [email protected] > Sent: Tuesday, August 13, 2013 6:25 AM > Subject: Re: [HG-new] Digest for [email protected] - 6 Messages in > 2 Topics > > > > Thank you, Melvin, Also Gary and Arle, > Am I tilting at windmills? Or will no one own up?. Colin. Searching for > 'hurdy-gurdy method' will (should) bring up my website. What could be simpler? > I had fondly hoped that the book would be available as long as people made > HG's.,but it seems to be difficult. I am really puzzled as to why sales, > which have been largely steady for 20 years should have fallen to 0. Sales > are so small that publication is not a commercial proposition and firms have > shied away from it in the past. And there is no point if copies of are > indeed being made. It seems that the only solution is to make it available > on line, but this task is beyond me personal;y. There is nothing like a book > for convenience and I would not like to read music from a screen! Most > awkward. And an online copy may still be reproduced I am told. Sheila had the > bright idea that we could tag each tune on its page!, Brilliant! But. .. > It seems that few players can read music and I wonder if the text would be > sufficient, but then i realise that most people just want the technical > details, many of which are now available on websites. This, of course, may be > the real reason for the loss of interest in the book and is more likely than > its being copied. So I'm afraid we shall just have to accept the march of > progress, such as it is. Bigger changes to our lives are on the way. > I am really sorry that I have not made it to the US to meet you guys, but I > wish you all happiness and success. I've played my part and it is time to > depart. > Michael and also Doreen, who appreciated your words of praise, Gary, with a > glow. > > > 2013, at 08:30, [email protected] wrote: > > > Today's Topic Summary > > * Digest for [email protected] - 1 Message in 1 Topic [5 > > Updates] > > Vielle for sale > > Digest for [email protected] - 1 Message in 1 Topic > > -- > >You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > >"hurdygurdy" group. > >To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > >email to [email protected]. > >For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > > -- > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups "hurdygurdy" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected] > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/hurdygurdy > > The rules of posting, courtesy, and other list information may be found at > http://hurdygurdy.com/mailinglist/index.htm. To reduce spam, posts from new > subscribers are held pending approval by the webmaster. > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "hurdygurdy" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > > Scott Gayman <[email protected]> Aug 13 09:31AM -0700 > > Hello Michael, > > As an addition to what others have stated, I did a quick search of eBay, > Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. What I found was long list of "unavailable", > "out of print", and "not in stock". The world has turned digital and it would > be far more likely that a copy of your book would appear as a PDF that is > being passed around on the Internet. It simply did not come up that way > either. > All of the members of this site may be aware of what is available but those > looking for information will have no idea what to look for and hurdy gurdy > "method" would be far less likely a search parameter than hurdy gurdy > "lessons". > If I were you, I would keep a common eBay listing that comes up under hurdy > gurdy for your books. You can have a "buy it now" price so it doesn't have to > go to auction. Also, add "hurdy gurdy lessons" to the search for your web > page and post a video of the basic things available in the book and place it > on YouTube. > This seems like a lot but it really isn't much work. I am sure that you will > see a change in the sales of your books fairly quickly. > > Scott Gayman > > > -- > Sent from my Android phone with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity. > > Kazimierz Verkmastare <[email protected]> Aug 13 11:35AM -0500 > > Michael. > > I have never met you, but I too own your book. I cannot afford an instrument > (could have just a few years ago), but I am a capable craftsman, and so I am > building stage by stage until I own an instrument I can be proud of. I am > currently working on 2 different instruments, moderately different versions > of the gurdy the satyr is playing in the Bosch tryptich, and they will > incorporate what I have learned from many sources. They should be > significantly better than my last, as it was significantly better than the > one before. They are being built in an ancient style, without many of the > techniques and technologies we use today, as I am a student of early and > ancient music, not just instruments that look ancient. > > I am not poor, I am not destitute, I can read music and have for 44 of my 49 > years. I like your book, I have absorbed much that it has to offer even > though I can not yet put it fully into use, because I am not at that stage of > instrument yet. > > I bought your book years ago, because years ago I could. But several years > ago a little thing happened to the economy, and I found that the money I > earned was no longer able to buy as much as it could just a few months > before.. Then a year later the same economic turn hit my employer, and I > found that while our household income could still feed the family and pay the > electricity and water and phone, doing anything else was a bit hard. And no > matter what they say, things aren't improving as much for the average person > as they want you to believe - discretionary money is still harder to come by > than it was. > > I have since started my own venture, building and selling (mostly) pre 17th > century instruments. I am having a hard time being able to build and produce, > every time a tool breaks or something comes up with a health or family issue, > I have to divert funds and delay production. Not because I want to, but > because I have to during this time. > > I belong to several 'hobby' organizations, I used to go to events and > meetings every weekend, spending money for gas and site entry fee and on > merchants each time. I have not been to a single event this year. And in > these organizations, the attendance at events across the board has dropped > dramatically, to the point that many events do not even break even any more. > Average, middle class folks like my family and I are simply having a hard > time coming up with money for anything more than the basics and the > emergencies. > > Your book has a specific niche. It is not required as a textbook for a > repeating class at a university, so you cannot expect to get a particular > number of annual orders. It is not a required technical manual for a > professional - most professional HG players probably own your method, but the > number of new pro players is not growing by leaps and bounds. Your book is a > 'wish list' item, not a mandatory item. It is a discretionary item. And > discretionary items aren't selling as well today as they were just a few > years ago. > > The trend is to be able to provide good instruments for lots less, Mel is > doing a great job at that, but even then the ability in the last few years > for people to spend even modest amounts of money on this musical 'hobby' is > dwindling to probably a recent record low level. For those who can afford an > instrument, it is no as easy to just go get all the 'accessory' items as it > was just a few years ago. > > Add to that the trend towards new, experimental music, and the equation adds > up to some periods where you simply won't sell a book. That doesn't mean the > book is worth any less, that means that discretionary income for a whole lot > of people can now buy fewer things on the wish list, and you book may not be > high enough on that list at this time to be purchased. > > So don't take your toys and go away, thinking that people must be copying or > stealing from you, we are not. Blame the general economy instead, it is most > likely the culprit, I know it is for many other folks with niche products as > well, including me. This is the thing I fear most about what is happening in > the world, people rely on a reasonable economy to survive, and when a > continued crunch occurs, it grates on people and they become less friendly, > less hospitable, less generous. Money in itself means little except the > ability to keep grubbers off your back, but when the effects start to alter > the general tone between people, when constant pressure wearies us to the > point where we no longer start off giving benefit of the doubt and being > decent until we have proof that we need not be, that is when we are, as a > species, really in trouble. > > My only answer? This storm must end, either well or badly, but ride it out as > most of the rest of us have to. And you know, print on demand can reduce your > risk in this time when risk is great just breathing, and keep your work out > there to help the players. > > Chris > > > Tania Opland <[email protected]> Aug 13 10:08AM -0700 > > Hi Alice. > It looks very nice, but I can't find any information about the maker, > Chuck Foster. Do you have any references for him and his work? > > > Leonard Williams <[email protected]> Aug 13 04:52PM -0400 > > I have used an on-line on-demand publishing company called Create Space, > which is affiliated with Amazon. My book would interest only a tiny niche > market, but I have sold more copies through Amazon than I could have by > trying to print and advertise by myself. Create Space requires a PDF > version--they'll give you the specifications they need. They will also > automatically deposit your share in your account. > > Hope this helps a little! > > Leonard Williams > > > > Leonard Williams <[email protected]> Aug 13 04:55PM -0400 > > I should add: Create Space produces hard copies, not digitals, and > handles the shipping. I do nothing but collect royalties at this point. > > Leonard > > > Norm Sohl <[email protected]> Aug 13 02:04PM -0700 > > Adding further - I would be willing to help (for free, of course) with the > PDF conversion, using my own copy or working from a new edition, and I'm sure > that there are plenty of others on the list who have similar skills and would > be willing to pitch in. I've never used Create Space, but I certainly use > Amazon, and my guess is that it would be a great way to reach new customers. > --Norm > > > Andrew Orrison <[email protected]> Aug 13 06:04PM -0500 > > If he could partner with lots of builders to also sell the book on their > site that would be cool too. It would be a great way to reach anyone who is > looking at instruments online. > > That combined with Leonard's idea above would do great things for your > sales In think. > > --Andrew > > > > cwhill <[email protected]> Aug 14 01:57AM +0100 > > May it also be an idea to offer the book as part of the package when > selling a HG? The price could be incorporated into the selling price. > The cost (compared to the cost of the gurdy) would be small and it sets > the buyer off in the right direction. > I did buy the HG tutor as soon as I found out about it but it would have > been great to have had it with the gurdy. > > Colin Hill > > > On 14/08/2013 00:04, Andrew Orrison wrote: > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2012.0.2242 / Virus Database: 3211/6074 - Release Date: 08/13/13 > > > -- > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups "hurdygurdy" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected] > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/hurdygurdy > > The rules of posting, courtesy, and other list information may be found at > http://hurdygurdy.com/mailinglist/index.htm. To reduce spam, posts from new > subscribers are held pending approval by the webmaster. > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "hurdygurdy" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. -- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "hurdygurdy" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/hurdygurdy The rules of posting, courtesy, and other list information may be found at http://hurdygurdy.com/mailinglist/index.htm. To reduce spam, posts from new subscribers are held pending approval by the webmaster. --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "hurdygurdy" group. 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