Double Bass Using Skype for A Jazz Combo

[Ric Vice]

I'm just putting this out to everyone, because I'm interested to see if it's even possible.

Have any of you had firsthand experience using Skype or something like it to deliver combo classes, in real time where the students play together and you can instruct them. "May you live in interesting times"

 

[Sean Riddle]

Notes on telematic music production (Dessen)
I have yet to try this personally, but this seems to be a great resource in figuring out how to play music digitally in some capacity.

 

[Don Kasper]

I'm just putting this out to everyone, because I'm interested to see if it's even possible.

Have any of you had firsthand experience using Skype or something like it to deliver combo classes, in real time where the students play together and you can instruct them. "May you live in interesting times"

Yes, Skype for private El. bass lessons - and it SUXXXX. Both sound and video - latency and fidelity...awful... (worse than VINYL!!!)
Thanks.

 

[Don Hergert]

I like Vinyl!!!

Don, what distances were you dealing with in the Skype lessons?

 

[Don Kasper]

I like Vinyl!!!

Don, what distances were you dealing with in the Skype lessons?

Usually less than 20miles. (1 about 1000 miles....)

 

[Don Kasper]

I like Vinyl!!!

Me Too!

 

[Ric Vice]

Notes on telematic music production (Dessen)
I have yet to try this personally, but this seems to be a great resource in figuring out how to play music digitally in some capacity.

Thanks Sean, I'll do some reading and give it a test.

 

[Eric Hochberg]

I've been teaching one on one lessons on Facetime just using my computer mic and camera through wifi and it's adequate, although far from ideal. Too much latency to play along/together on any platform, from what I understand. Quality increases with ethernet, good mic and better video cameras.

Here's a good source for ideas:
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[Happy Steve]

definitely use headphones. Try to have separate sound sources for instrument and voice - mix or switch between as required. Built in computer mics are not up to the job of capturing your bass down there and your voice up here.
Timing is problematic and gets worse as you increase from one person playing to two, three..
Just my experience (Zoom video and audio) so far with a good cable connection to people in a 20Km radius.

Take care.

 

[210superair]

Yes, Skype for private El. bass lessons - and it SUXXXX. Both sound and video - latency and fidelity...awful... (worse than VINYL!!!)
Thanks.

Oooooooooooohhh man, slapping vinyl in the face?!?!? Come on now. My vinyl copy of kind of blue keeps me living some days man.... Lol.

I'll say this in that subject tho. When I was in my 20's two of my buddies (one the road tour manager for Dale Watson at the time) were arguing over how music was meant to be heard, vinyl or cd's, while we were torqued on fungus. They said "break the argument, which is it"?

I thought a second and said "music is meant to be heard live....", and after that I got some nods and tips 'o the caps. One of the few times in my life I was right!

I cannot comment on the Skype, having never done it.

 

[Don Kasper]

I thought a second and said "music is meant to be heard live...."

Did you "Drop the Mic"??? You should have. Nice answer.
I agree.
(I just meant that Vinyl required some special handling and care of the Vinyl, and patience (NO Jumpin' around!!) while listening, along with some serious audio/analog "gear" to overcome "Wow & Flutter", etc...)
Thanks, 210....

 

[bassmanbrent]

Too much latency to play along/together on any platform, from what I understand.

I don't have firsthand experience, but I've heard the same thing from my friends that know about this stuff. Every platform available will have latency issues. There is no workaround, unfortunately.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

Notes on telematic music production (Dessen)
I have yet to try this personally, but this seems to be a great resource in figuring out how to play music digitally in some capacity.

And there is SoundJack (soundjack.eu).
Since the author of SoundJack studied with Chris Chafe (if I remember correctly) both things might be similar.

For SoundJack you might need to forward UDP-Port 50000 to the machine SoundJack that runs SoundJack if you are in a private network behind a router.
It also needs some adjustments for the best compromise of sound quality vs. latency. Also best in a wired connection. Might be too complicated for the music student.
I use two routers in series and got some problems with that configuration. No serious problems beyond jitter (delayed network packets) that give dropouts or you have to add time delaying buffers. Optimal delay is about 25 to 30 ms, useable around 500 to 1000 km, but depends on the network connection.

Might have a look at that other solution myself too.

 

[210superair]

Did you "Drop the Mic"??? You should have. Nice answer.
I agree.
(I just meant that Vinyl required some special handling and care of the Vinyl, and patience (NO Jumpin' around!!) while listening, along with some serious audio/analog "gear" to overcome "Wow & Flutter", etc...)
Thanks, 210....

I did not 'drop the mic' but I may have 'clapped back'. Lol, actually neither of those existed at that time...

Man, I second the care thought though. Whenever I have vinyl spinning that my kid likes he starts jumping around and I immediately yell "HEYNOWWWWWWW!"

Also, my wife got me a first print mono pet sounds album for Christmas a few years back. I had it playing, and my kid walked over and drug the need over it.... Screeeecccchhhhhh.... Side B destroyed....

He was very little then and had never touched the record player before, but I learned a lesson that day...

 

[Sean Riddle]

Thanks Sean, I'll do some reading and give it a test.

I imagine it will work if you have the right gear and tech know how. Michael Dessen is a collaborator of Mark Dresser who has done a lot with so called telematic performance.