Tag Archives: My Space

Singing update from 4/2009

 Today on my main page, JayBeacham.com, there was a visitor from the Czech Republic who went to a post I’d done back in April of 2009 on the old MySpace. I’m glad that I reposted it in it’s entirety, as My Space deleted everyone’s accounts earlier this year.

It was about singing and so I want to repost it and let you readers think about the points I raised then.

“Last year in July, I started on the karaoke available here on My Space.

I did the ten free songs. One I re-did.  I’ve gotten some nice compliments and some more critical too. But as I wrote on July 11, 08, this is for fun not to try to impress anyone. I’ll probably pay for a year when I can afford to and try some more.
And singing can be fun.
The computer I now have actually plays the recordings so I can listen to other great singers and even some not so great. But like I said then if you’ve got the guts to try, that says a lot.
I hate auditions. Let me explain. Once I did an audition for a college group. I passed the first one and then for the second one I changed songs. A mistake I’m sure. I didn’t really like the rules of the group.  And even though the group represented the university, students were the judges. They were kind but the audience, mostly the girls would have stoned me I’m sure had rocks been available. I didn’t get in but lost no tears over it.
Still I dislike auditions as generally the director of, say a play, picks who he or she wants or thinks will fit the part. I know this having been a director myself..
At another college audition, a non-singer got a singing part because the director had promised him a part. The funny thing about that was that at the performance time many of the fine singers had the flu and sounded worse than the non-singer did. But the play’s several showings went well anyway inspite of some less than perfect warbling.
Fast forward to 2009, I was very impressed with Susan Boyle and Paul Potts on Britains’s Got Talent. They both proved what I’ve always said: “Many of the best singers, male and female, and actors and actresses will never get the chance to be known by the world.” Its great that they got their chance.
Also on that series, a trio of young girls (Soul something or other) started but were stopped by the judges who exclaimed that they were very bad. And they did this in a less than kind fashion. The one girl admitted that they were perhaps bad but that their rude handling by the judges was not right. I agree. I think that it would take a lot of courage to go onto a TV broadcast and before an audience of 4000.  This should have at least brought an acknowledgement of their bravery if nothing else.
The girl had another good point, Wouldn’t it be great if the judges there or in any such thing, performed something to show that they had a right to judge?
I’ve been to karaoke nights where when things are slow or not very good, the DJ will do a song or two to demonstrate how it can be done. They are always very good but of course they do have an advantage having heard the arrangement and practiced before showing up that night, where the audience members have no clue what is even available before that evening.
A member of the Master Singers, a male chorus I belong to, and his wife stopped me at the Boy Scout Expo this morning to ask why I was missing practices. I’ve been busy with Lincoln Shows and my own storytelling-singing shows. Sunday we are to sing in a Church service. Not having practiced, I’ll not go.
I have been invited to join the Southern Utah Heritage Choir by two of its members. That’s twice in a week. They go to Singapore in October to sing. It would be fun. But what with dues, travel costs and lost wages,etc.(I can sing in the church choir for free). Etc. being that planes and I don’t get along to well. Which brings me to my close. I leave you today with my poem to airsickness.
To Airsickness
When I was but a little lad,
I used to think I’d be quite glad
To be above the clouds, you see,
My parents would be proud of me.
But since I’ve grown a little bit,
I’ve several times been forced to sit
Aboard those airplanes, both big and small,
And pleasure from the flying feat
Was all lost there in my seat.
You think it funny, what I say?
I used the bag again today,
And rued the day as little lad
I’d thought that flying would make me glad.

Jay”

I made several points and this was basically just telling about what I’d been doing in the area of singing but the points about rude judges and rude audiences in singing, rodeo or whatever are worth your consideration. Those judges and audiences ought to be chastised and should be made to try the feat themselves before being critical of those who do try. Those who try should be applauded for their courage and willingness to try difficult tasks before an audience.

What do you think?

Catch you next time.

Jay Beacham

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What of social sites and singing?

There are on line karaoke sites and I think they are the best social sites.

Let me explain with some old blog posts.

I have noticed that with the changes on facebook, that unless I go to somebody’s wall, I seldom know what they are up to because FB decides what it thinks I should know or not know. I couldn’t connect with the guy I sit by in a men’s chorus I’m in or even with my own younger brother because all knowing FB said I didn’t know them. Finally did get my brother on the list. And about the posts, you are so right. On My Lincoln FB page the current month’s posts are only listed as one line notifications. Which is distressing. On Squidoo they closed my popular “A Healthy Me” page as I told you once before and now have locked another one saying it has to many out links. I couldn’t edit it for a long while and when I did and only put in One link to one spot but several times it has been locked. I’m not even sure that real people ever review these things or robots.On Linkedin, a person must know someone’s email address before they can send a message or connect sometimes. How often do you ask a person for their email address when you talk to them? And if you haven’t seen that person since high school, college, a mission or childhood, how are you supposed to know their email address which people change like they change their socks.I wrote a blog post on my main page about social sites ( http://jaybeacham.com/2012/02/06/is-there-a-best-social-network/) that post links to a longer post at:http://www.myspace.com/177349516/blog/545268093That explains my thoughts on the subject.Its long. At the end I mention a sing site I participate in. A member in Alabama has paid my way for a year and a half. A member in Florida talks to me on occasion on the phone and has bought dvds and cds from me. A member in Norway wrote today and asked for my prayers in her behalf with the surgeries she is having. When a friend in Brazil had a birthday, members world wide gave her a surprise birthday celebration.All on line of course. Most of my fans and singing partners and favorite singers are from Australia to Finland, Malta to California, Brazil to Canada. It is truly a friendship place unlike the sterile rule bound FB.You are right about Twitter. The more one follows, the more posts, that would take 24/7 watching to catch even a portion of it let alone anything what might be of interest to me.I’ll pass Real Fame on. It has great merit. Thanks,And please let me know what you think about my little article.Jay Beacham http://jaybeacham.com/ .

Social Networks.(March 6, 2012)

I have been on My Space the longest.

Then Facebook, Stumbleupon, Twitter, Linkedin, etc.
When I didn’t record more on My Space K-solo Karaoke site, a fellow singer invited me to SingSnap.
I’ve been on Karaoke Play, Karaoke for Cash, Karaoke Channel. K-solo, and Sing Snap.
I like Twitter and my connections with people on a number of other sites.
And for the time my daughter has lived in the South Pacific, I’ve found Facebook invaluable in keeping in touch with her. She messaged me from Figi today. Weather is sunny and no rain so the plane may leave as scheduled.
I’ve run into many problems at some of these sites.
but the most frustrating ones seem to be at Facebook.
Let me explain some of those with my post, the responses and my take on things as follows:
1/28/2012
Question of all friends:
How do you respond to this?
“We received feedback that you sent friend requests to people you don’t know, so you won’t be able to send friend requests for 30 days. Learn more.
If you think you’re seeing this by mistake, please let us know.”
If I try to request a friend of someone I know I get this message.
How does one “let us know”?
Can’t even send a message to my own brother because I can’t possibly know him.
I know a girl, her grandfather sings with me in the Master Singers, I knew his parents, know his brothers and sister, but fb claims I can’t know them because we have no mutual friends. But I get hundreds of “why not add as friends suggestions from fb for people I’ve never heard of just because we have mutual friends.
Do these actions by fb make any sense to anyone?
Unlike · · Share · January 29 at 1:29am
You, Sherry Milne and Relle Hansen like this.
1 share
Accalia Hancey Hinton: Strange… I don’t know, maybe close your account and start a new one??
January 29 at 1:56am
Relle Hansen: I’ve made a few requests that were not friends of friends when I found them by facebook search, but maybe they’ve changed their policy, though they still offer “search friends”. Could you make requests via Email address? That’s how I got my first friends – imported from my Email contacts list….
January 29 at 2:11am ·
Jay Beacham I’ll try that Relle.
January 29 at 2:14am ·
Steve Brunton: Isn’t this called a social networK? I have made alot of friends that I wouldn’t of known had I not sent out friend invites to friend of friends but apparantly if someone complains which I dont understand why they would, all they have to do is decline, big brother facebook steps in and cuts you off from sending out anymore. Apparantly, if someone doesn’t respond in a timely manner it is considered you sending someone a request you dont know. I have had this happen as well Jay. The other thing is, they do this and there is no way to fight it, it is like guilty before innocent. Maybe it’s time to start a petition like they did to get the banks to back down from adding fees. I am glad you brought this up, it has bothered me as well.
January 29 at 7:58am ·
Relle Hansen: Another tactic might be, when you do know the prospective fb friend, to call them or ask them in person, giving them your E address to “friend” YOU! Or you can Email them the request if you have their E address…
January 29 at 2:09pm ·
Sandy Davison: Wow, that’s crazy. A request for a friend is just that. They can always deny it! They don’t know what they are missing, Jay!
January 29 at 2:40pm ·
Jay Beacham: ofttimes I don’t know the e-mail address. That is what Linkedin demands. Like I ask people for their email address and not their phone number.
January 30 at 1:12am ·
Jay Beacham: Almost as if a person doesn’t exist unless they have an email address and everyone knows what it is, as if there were directories published like phone books telling us everyone’s email address. Let’s start one of those and put it out in hard copy. Steve, I like your idea of a petition. Where do we start to petition FB?
January 30 at 1:16am ·
Jay Beacham: Do you folks mind if I use your ideas in my weekly video blog?
January 30 at 1:17am
Steve Swapp: No, they don’t. It’s nonsense. If someone doesn’t want to be my friend on Facebook, it’s easy for them to deny my request.February 2 at 3:05pm
One of them said go ahead.
FB won’t let me contact my younger brother or the guy who stands or sit next to me in the men’s chorus we’re in because I don’t know them.
But 90% of the friend requests I get on facebook are from people I don’t know but have mutual friend with.
Does FB believe that mutual friends is the only way to know people?
And the tech help?
No one to email or call at FB. How do “I let us know” as the message said?
I have no way.
At My Space, Tom, the boss, emails all the newbies and welcomes them to MYSpace.
At Sing Snap, Trevor, the boss, video messages everyone on a regular basis telling of contests, events, or other happenings at SingSnap.
If I have a tech problem, I get a response from a real person within 24 hours to help me solve my problem.
We all have the common interest at Sing Snap: the love of singing.
If I record a song and people listen and comment on it, I listen to a recording or more of theirs and comment on those and visa versa.
There is messaging, which is as good as online chat.
If someone is ill, prayers, songs, and messages of support go out to that person.
Links are shared and people follow them whether to a SS spot or
to somewhere else on the net.
And people are helpful. If they find something good, they share and no one is offended.
People become real friends even off line who didn’t know each other before Sing Snap.
A world of difference between Sing Snap and FB.
Of the two, Sing Snap wins as the best social network.
There are others that are okay and there are those who really don’t care about the people in the network.
The other day I was in a $Tree store and a lady at the check out stand in front of me asked the clerk if the store
carried balloons that sang Happy Birthday.
No was the reply,
“I’ve got to have one for my husband’s birthday.”
The lady just in front of me said her husband had bought her one several years back at Albertsons for $6.
“Oh thank you”, came the reply and she left.
Then the clerk at the next register asked if my clerk had told the lady about the Party Store as that is where she had found that item.
No, she hadn’t thought of it.
To this I said to my clerk, as I got to the register, that this was true word of mouth advertising and no one was offended
but grateful for the information.
“Yes”, she said unlike the internet where people are offended if anyone shares such useful information with them.
Sing Snap is like that experience in the store.
People at Sing Snap like people and enjoy helping each other and are grateful for the help.
If someone is ill who is a member on Sing Snap Karaoke, Prayers are requested, names put on prayer lists. These people care. Isn’t that social?
Do you have a comment about this subject? Let’s hear it.

 

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