five12gal - Posted - 12/21/2010:  15:18:23

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Awesome! I've been wishing for something like this! The classical music people call it Music Minus One, but I've never seen it for Old Time.
Thanks!

chip arnold - Posted - 12/21/2010:  16:11:37

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great job, thanks so much for doing this. i'll be visiting the site often.

banjoholic - Posted - 12/30/2010:  10:44:36

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Hey folks - complete backup files of the following tunes have recently been added to the player:

Dinah
Seneca Square Dance
Hangman's Reel
Leather Britches
Cider
Barlow Knife

Enjoy! And keep the tune suggestions coming :)
oldtimejam.com

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Edited by - banjoholic on 12/30/2010 10:58:17

pickinchik - Posted - 12/30/2010:  11:31:41

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HOLY COW!!! Just now saw this for the first time.

What a great resource this is. I just listened to a few tunes and I'm now gonna drop everything I was doing and go and get my banjo and try a few of them out.

ThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyou!

Mandy

Eric or a mod or someone needs to add this to the lessons portion of the site. Maybe they already have, but if not it should because this will get anyone going on playing along with other instruments.

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Edited by - pickinchik on 12/30/2010 11:35:02

banjoholic - Posted - 12/30/2010:  11:41:35

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You're more than welcome, Mandy :)

I actually submitted the site just now to Eric as a link to add. Good idea!

schlange - Posted - 12/31/2010:  10:33:31

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Love it love it love it! Keep up the good work, Josh!

jamesd - Posted - 12/31/2010:  13:41:33

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Josh, just wanted to thank you again for this site. This really is a fun place place to play. You do all the work and I have the fun...... I like that concept........... Thanks.....

Kitt - Posted - 12/31/2010:  15:21:15

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Well, like we used to say on the beach when someone would catch a good one or just do or say anything really cool: b****en!

If you can read between the asterisks, it's a fine exclamation that translates nicely into, "Thanks, Man!"

Paul R - Posted - 12/31/2010:  16:49:04

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Wow! I just found this thanks to a link from Kitt.

This is fantastic! Now I can actually learn to keep time! What a great idea, to pick the backup and fill in, in Old Time style. I'll be dropping in frequently. Progress, here we come!

Thanks loads, and Happy New Year.

Kitt - Posted - 12/31/2010:  17:51:18

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Paul, thank Banjoholic Josh for the link, not me. I can't take credit for it.

Paul R - Posted - 01/01/2011:  08:00:54

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quote:

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Originally posted by Kitt

Paul, thank Banjoholic Josh for the link, not me. I can't take credit for it.

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Right, but I found it through your friends' feed to my page. I should have explained more clearly.

Happy New Year.

Karen Kruske - Posted - 01/01/2011:  13:08:23

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Just found your site and it's great. Just the thing to get all the old time tunes in one place and be able to jam along with them. Thanks a bunch.

BanjoBach - Posted - 01/01/2011:  19:57:08

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In a word - excellent, and thanks for a great jammin resource. Do take a bow!

snaylarker - Posted - 01/04/2011:  19:32:49

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my 1st post ever...compelled to give thanks and praise for such a helpful and well done "machine".

Tackhead - Posted - 01/05/2011:  07:59:29

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quote:

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Originally posted by snaylarker

my 1st post ever...compelled to give thanks and praise for such a helpful and well done "machine".

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Welcome. Always glad to hear a new voice

~John

banjoholic - Posted - 01/05/2011:  08:07:40

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quote:

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Originally posted by snaylarker

my 1st post ever...compelled to give thanks and praise for such a helpful and well done "machine".

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Welcome, indeed. I'm honored you felt compelled to post! And you're welcome

erstokke - Posted - 01/05/2011:  13:01:08

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This is just soo great! I like very much that a) there are two tempos and b) that there are different instrument combinations. This is useful for practicing mandolin, fiddle, banjo etc. And c) very nice Flash design.

An Ipod app could be useful because one could play along with earphones. Or hook up to any sound system. Ipods do not support Flash, so your machine does not work. Probably, expanding the library would be even nicer than an app.

I have supplied backup tracks on my BHO homepage for some years now. But your "Machine" is much more convenient and sounds better, too.

Keep up the good work!

banjoholic - Posted - 01/10/2011:  07:26:17

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For those who may be interested as a few of these were by request, full versions of the following tunes have been added to the old time machine:

Cumberland Gap (2 part G version - D version to come)
Hop High Ladies (aka "Miss Mcleod's Reel", "Did You Ever See the Devil Uncle Joe", etc.)
Bonaparte Crossing the Rhine
Dry and Dusty
Fisher's Hornpipe
Year of Jubilo
Eighth of January

Domestos - Posted - 01/10/2011:  08:44:12

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Wow!!
This is just perfect for me! Many Many thanks! I've been wanting something like this for ages.

Jim

pickinchik - Posted - 01/10/2011:  18:48:01

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Josh,

Thanks again for all your work on this wonderful resource!

Mandy

DenBanjo - Posted - 01/11/2011:  14:38:49

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VERY nice job on the site! It is now in my favorites.

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Edited by - DenBanjo on 01/11/2011 14:39:48

tonehead - Posted - 01/18/2011:  15:25:39

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Thanks for taking the time. Great site!

DArcySimpson - Posted - 01/21/2011:  13:20:46

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Josh,

This is great, Thanks very much. It's a pleasure jamming with you every morning!

I knew that you could buy the tunes on cd, but recently discovered that there are two
volumes available for download. I downloaded vol 1 and copied it onto itunes and my iphone and now can jam anywhere. Fantastic!

banjoholic - Posted - 01/23/2011:  19:14:32

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Glad to be your portable jamming buddy, Michael!

banjoholic - Posted - 01/23/2011:  19:23:27

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I've got a couple of site updates to announce:

1. You'll now find that the chords to each tune are displayed on the old-time machine. Just click on the tune (any version) and the chords will appear in the left hand box on the player. For those who are not familiar with reading chord charts, there is a help file you can also listen to on the player (click on "chord charts help"). Soon I'll also have a .pdf file you can download as well with all the chords to the tunes. Those who have visited previously may also notice that the look of the player has changed a bit - this was to help accommodate the chord charts and to allow more tunes to be visible on the screen at one time.

2. Complete versions of the following tunes have now been added to the player:

Cherokee Shuffle (d)
Cindy (d)
Washington's March (d)
Old Mother Flanagan (a)
Cold Frosty Morn (a)
Rebel Raid (a)
Kitchen Girl (a)
The Old Blind Sow (g)
John Brown's Dream (a)
Old Bunch of Keys (a)

And a special thanks to Jeff Long for contributing the fiddle parts for Cherokee Shuffle, Cindy, The Old Blind Sow, John Brown's Dream, and Cold Frosty Morn!

Have fun!

maxmax - Posted - 01/24/2011:  02:45:28

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What a fantastic machine! Thank you so much for sharing this!
Max

mojo_monk - Posted - 01/24/2011:  06:02:06

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Gotta extend my appreciation for the time and effort you're putting into this project, Josh. It seems have grown by leaps and bounds every time I visit the oldtimejam.com/Jam.html site. It truly fills a huge void for those without the opportunity to jam with other people on a regular basis. Feel free to pat yourself on the back!

Most importantly, many thanks for offering the use of your machine at no cost. What a gift you're giving to the old time community. Keep up the good work.

Thanks again.


-Sean
2ftlbanjer.wordpress.com/

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Edited by - mojo_monk on 01/24/2011 06:02:45

banjoholic - Posted - 01/24/2011:  09:39:29

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Thank you, Sean! And you've got quite the awesome free resource yourself - I'd bet there are a lot more folks interested in old-time fingerpickin thanks to you, which is a good thing. That reminds me, I need to put a link up! (didn't you also have a blog somewhere about building a banjo with a pocket knife? I just looked for it again but couldn't find it. Did I imagine that?)

Like you said, one of my main motivations is to give people who don't have easy access to a jam (or who are intimidated by the idea) a chance to have something like that experience. And since I don't have to pay anything to go to a jam around where I live, I figured the same should be true for those who want to jam with the site.

Josh
oldtimejam.com

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Edited by - banjoholic on 01/24/2011 09:40:16

blockader - Posted - 01/24/2011:  18:11:15

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i live in the middle of nowhere and have a small child and farm so playing with folks is not often in the cards these days. this project has at least partially filled that gap.

greg_us - Posted - 01/27/2011:  09:20:00

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This is so cool! What a great contribution to the community! I'm really new to banjo and am totally starting from scratch on the nuances compared to other instruments i play. I know there are tons of diffent styles - but any recommendations on how to really use this awesome back up player? what are other people doing? Strumming along? Soloing? Any input or tips is greatly appreciated!

pickinchik - Posted - 01/27/2011:  11:14:28

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quote:

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Originally posted by greg_us

This is so cool! What a great contribution to the community! I'm really new to banjo and am totally starting from scratch on the nuances compared to other instruments i play. I know there are tons of diffent styles - but any recommendations on how to really use this awesome back up player? what are other people doing? Strumming along? Soloing? Any input or tips is greatly appreciated!

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Greg - here's what I do with it. This is me playing 3 songs along with Josh's Time Machine back up tracks.

youtube.com/watch?v=Pv1GQCNi0sQ

Mandy

banjoholic - Posted - 01/27/2011:  12:07:39

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quote:

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Originally posted by greg_us

This is so cool! What a great contribution to the community! I'm really new to banjo and am totally starting from scratch on the nuances compared to other instruments i play. I know there are tons of diffent styles - but any recommendations on how to really use this awesome back up player? what are other people doing? Strumming along? Soloing? Any input or tips is greatly appreciated!

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Hey, Greg. Glad you like it! I did post some tips on the site for how to get the most out of it, which you might like to look at (oldtimejam.com/Tips.html). I've personally used the tracks to work on melodic leads, backup, improvisation, etc. - lots of possibilities and how you use it will in part depend on how comfortable you are with your instrument, the genre, etc.

greg_us - Posted - 01/27/2011:  14:01:49

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Thank you both! I'm at work - can't wait to get home and mess around with the site. Saw your youtube video Mandy - awesome!

schlange - Posted - 01/31/2011:  08:56:32

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Hey folks--great news! Josh (the Old-Time Jam man) has agreed to give Banjo Hangout Players Union members an impressive discount on purchasing the download or CD versions of volumes 1 and 2 from this site! It's a 50% discount, which is great--you can purchase and download volumes 1 and 2 for only $10, which is a steal.

To purchase, follow the link from the Players Union discounts page here: banjohangout.org/store/union-discounts.asp

billy moore - Posted - 02/01/2011:  01:43:15

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Great job! My iPad doesn't support the format though, is there a way to make iPhones and ipads work? I can use it from my computer and that's fun, but my iPad is able to plug into my living room stereo and I could blast it and play along. Thanks bill

schlange - Posted - 02/01/2011:  08:46:12

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quote:

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Originally posted by billy moore

Great job! My iPad doesn't support the format though, is there a way to make iPhones and ipads work? I can use it from my computer and that's fun, but my iPad is able to plug into my living room stereo and I could blast it and play along. Thanks bill

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If you purchase the tracks, you can download them as MP3s--which will work just fine on your iPad/iPhone. It's just that the oldtimejam.com audio player is in Flash, which of course Apple doesn't support on its devices.

Jacobite - Posted - 02/01/2011:  14:00:21

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I'm glad to use my first post to say thank you for this great gift to musicians and aspiring musicians. I can't think of anything better.

I just wish someone would do this for Irish trad.

banjoholic - Posted - 02/04/2011:  15:58:01

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Hey folks, I've added a few more tunes to the site in the past week (Shove that pigs foot, big sciota, flowers of edinburgh) and with that there are now 3 volumes for those who are interested in downloading the tracks or purchasing them on CD.

I've also created a "lifetime membership" option which you can learn more about here oldtimejam.com/membership.html. And if you're a players union member, you can become a lifetime member at a discount ($15) - just follow the link on the players union discount page (banjohangout.org/store/union-discounts.asp). For those of you who've already purchased a download and would like to upgrade to the lifetime membership, just contact me either by email from the hangout or through the contact page on the site.

And, as always, feel free to send me suggestions for new tunes you'd like to see added.

Josh
oldtimejam.com

pernicketylad - Posted - 02/04/2011:  17:25:12

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What a great place to live in for a half an hour!

rcockerham - Posted - 02/04/2011:  19:16:11

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I really love to play my washtub bass but I would be embarrassed to take it out to a jam....this is the jam I was looking for...good old time with straight up chord changes I don't even have to write down. Plus my banjo and guitar are getting a good workout jamming too. Thanks to you, my fingers will get back into playing condition. Many thanks.

banjoholic - Posted - 02/05/2011:  05:24:43

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Richard - that's great. And I for one would love to hear a washtub bass at a jam, so you should definitely take it when you're ready!

ukuleletim - Posted - 02/06/2011:  12:57:32

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Many (so many that you couldn't count) thanks for the incredible amount of effort to offer this.

oldwoodchuckb - Posted - 02/10/2011:  00:03:35

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Bringing this forward.

blanham - Posted - 02/10/2011:  05:16:36

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I got the lifetime membership, and am very happy with it. What I do, is put a bunch of the mp3's on my ipod, and play it through a battery powered portable ipod dock unit (kinda like a "boombox"). I don't like playing while sitting in front of a computer, so I can take it on the back porch, or even camping, and practice anywhere. Very nice!

RTJunker - Posted - 02/11/2011:  08:35:49

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I just wanted to suggest putting a donation link on your site using paypal or something. You're providing such a great resource and donating your free time to a great idea. I'm sure there are a few people who would love to show their appreciation. Just a thought.

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Edited by - RTJunker on 02/11/2011 08:36:42

The Mighty Ant - Posted - 02/11/2011:  11:36:23

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What happened to the old fashioned "toggle switch" that you pushed up to get it started?

I thought that was ultra cool.

still love it, though.

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Edited by - The Mighty Ant on 02/11/2011 11:46:52

banjoholic - Posted - 02/11/2011:  12:04:29

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Mighty Ant - unfortunately, the interface with the toggle switch had to be scrapped mainly so I could display the chord changes with the tune. I liked it too, though, and hope to bring that look back at some point (it's on the to do list!)

RTJunker - several folks have made that suggestion as well, so I'll put a button up. I certainly appreciate people wanting to support the site - and of course folks are welcome to get something in return for their support if they want to purchase a CD or download.

Josh
oldtimejam.com

5stringpicker2 - Posted - 02/11/2011:  13:45:35

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Thank ya, Thank ya, Thank ya! I went to the site and have been Jamming out with my Fiddle to a number of tunes there.

Just what I was looking for. I'll also pick my Banjo and jam too. As well as my Mandolin

(I )===='---<::)

banjoholic - Posted - 02/22/2011:  06:31:55

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Quick update for you folks. Full versions of the following tunes are now on the site:

Forked Deer
Walk Along John to Kansas
Coleman's March
Black Eyed Susie
Old Jimmy Sutton
Spotted Pony
Cumberland Gap (3 part version in D)
Skunk in the Collard Patch
Hawks and Eagles

Happy jammin!

Josh
oldtimejam.com