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Page updated: 03/22/2008

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Internet Communication

  
 
  

There are various reasons for using, as well as ways to use the internet for communicating with others in the bluegrass community.  Those who provide bluegrass music and support, such as promoters, associations, bands, venues, etc. use the internet to reach the bluegrass community.  And members of the community use it to reach and communicate with each other.

 

They are divided into the following categories:

  • Live (instant) online communication (includes chats and instant messaging)

  • E-mail lists, message boards/forums, and blogs

  • Web sites (free and for fee)  

  • Miscellaneous

Of these resources, online groups (listed under web pages) are often the most comprehensive, in that they often have features that include all the other methods of internet communication (bulletin boards, chats, etc.).

 

All underlined words below are links to other web sites.  Click on them, and they will open the web sites in a new window.

Live (instant) online communication resources:

Over time, as the internet has grown and developed, a whole range of methods for instantly connecting with others online have been developed and utilized.  As a result, there now are two ways to instantly communicate with one or more other bluegrassers over the internet. One way is through chat rooms. 
 

Chat Rooms:

These are interactive websites where people "chat" live with each other by posting messages that are read by everyone who is in the "chat room" at the time. To participate in these chats, it is necessary to log into the chat room, and there are instructions for how to do this. Chat rooms come and go, and these are currently (as of 2/14/07) operating:

Instant Messaging:

The second way to instantly communicate with bluegrassers (or anyone) over the internet is by using instant messaging software. This software allows the user to communicate instantly through typed messages, and often voice as well (using a computer microphone), with another person over the internet.  Think of these as typed conversations.  More than one can go on at the same time, but, unless others have been invited into the "conversation," each is a separate internet interaction.

 

There are several free sources of instant messaging software. Some are associated with websites that provide internet searches, such as Yahoo and Google.  And some are from internet service providers, such as America Online and Microsoft.  In order to send and receive instant messages, it's necessary to go to the instant message service desired and download the free instant message software.  Here are four such websites for obtaining instant messaging software:

The key thing about all instant messaging is that the people who wish to instant message each other must be online at the same time, and they must both be signed on to the instant message service (such as, AIM, MSN Messenger, Yahoo IM, or Google Talk) at the same time.  This may sound difficult, but it's actually relatively easy.  Most people simply start the instant message software (that is, open and run it), when they get on the internet and are looking for people to message.  Then, they wait to see who shows up as online at the same time.  They are able to tell this by means of a list that each instant messenger automatically provides of who in the person's contact list is online.  Of course, it is also possible to prearrange instant messaging by e-mail, or even telephone. 

 
 
  E-mail lists, Message Boards and Blogs
 

    
 

E-mail is perhaps the most common way for anyone to communicate with someone else via the internet.  But there are some additional methods, some of which are based on e-mail.  These are presented below.
 

  
 

E-mail Lists:

Another way to interact with other bluegrassers via the internet is through e-mail lists. This involves joining a list by putting one's e-mail address on the list, and then, whenever anyone writes e-mail to that list, that e-mail is forwarded to people on the list. 

 

Some of these lists are more sophisticated than others. On some, any e-mail sent to the list automatically goes to EVERYONE on the list. On others, it is possible to request just one e-mail each day, a daily digest that lists all of the e-mails. The latter is often preferable, because it keeps down the amount of e-mail received by the list subscriber.

Message Boards/Froums

This is similar to an e-mail list, but it does NOT involve forwarding messages to members. Instead, those wishing to read the messages have to go to the specific web site for the message board, or forum, and they may have to become registered members and to sign in to the message board, or forum  to post messages and, in some cases, to read the messages posted there.

Blogs:

A blog (a shortening of web log) is a website where entries are usually written in reverse chronological order, with the most recent entries at the top.  As a result, they are is similar to a message board.  The main difference is that a particular individual, group, or organization runs the blog, and sometimes the entries are limited to them, while other times people visiting the blog have the option of becoming members and contributing.  Here is a list of some of the most popular bluegrass blogs:
 
  Web Sites
 

There are several ways those involved in bluegrass can establish websites for communicating with others via the internet, several of which are listed here.  

 

There are two categories of web site: (a) those that cost money, and (b) those that are free.  Here is a general discussion of both with links to some resources.

 
 

For Fee - The cost for these can vary a great deal, including the price of establishing a domain name, renting space on a server to host the page, and possibly paying someone who can do the graphics and language (html) for web pages.  A little research on the internet will reveal what these costs can be, but it's possible to put up a fairly basic web site with more than one web page at very little expense (some of the free resources listed below offer very low cost web pages in addition to their free ones).
 

For Free: There are many resources for different types of free web pages, almost all of which involve advertising placed on the web pages to pay for site.  Most of them allow anyone to view the pages, but many also require folks to log-in (for free) to access all the pages, as well as the interactive portions (such as message boards, chat rooms, etc.)

The online sites that offer free web pages can be found rather easily by doing a search (using Google, or Yahoo, etc.) for "free web pages."  As of October 16, 2007 (when this was posted) a Google search turned up 205 million sites with free resources for web pages and for software to manage them.

Here is a list of some of the most-used:

Free Webs:

These folks already host over 17 million free web sites.

 

Geocities (on Yahoo):

This is one of the oldest locations for free web pages.  They provide free web pages and blogs, plus free, online software to set them up.  For a modest fee, these can be upgraded.  People have to have a Yahoo account and sign in to set up these sites.  As of October 17, 2007 (when this information was posted), there are 153 bluegrass web sites on Geocities.

 

MySpace:

More and more musicians and individuals have been using MySpace as a means for establishing a free websites. They are able to set up a single page with all sorts of things, including pictures, sound files, messages, bulletin boards, etc. 

 

If they are musicians, they post under the category "myspace music," while individuals put up their pages under "people."  As of October 16, 2007 (when this information was posted) there are eleven pages of bluegrass sites on MySpace.  

 

Groups:

Internet groups are perhaps the best way to stay in contact with other bluegrassers via the internet, and they are available through various internet websites. Musicians, fans, promoters, etc. can and have used the Group approach to setting up a web site.

 

In some ways, they are like the MySpace sites, but they offer multiple pages and can be somewhat easier to navigate and read. Some offer chatting (this depends on the group and the host site for the group). They all offer message boards, with two general options: (a) functioning like a message board the the member has to sign onto in order to read the messages, or (a) functioning like an e-mail list, with all messages being forwarded to members, or a single daily digest of messages being sent to members. Additionally, groups offer links, photos, calendars, data bases, and filed documents. All of this makes groups very good resources for anyone interested in connecting with other bluegrassers over the internet.

 

Yahoo groups:

MSN Groups:

Google Groups:

MySpace Groups:

Free SWBA Member Band web page:

Bands that become members of the Southwest Bluegrass Association that do not already have their own web page can obtain a free one from SWBA.  Click HERE for more information, or visit the SWBA Member Band page.

 

 

In combination: Finally, there are those who set up both for fee and free kinds of web sites.  They have a relatively low-budget for fee site with their own domain name with all the basic information they want to communicate (usually that which will require little ongoing revision), and they set up a free online group, or MySpace website as an adjunct, where than can relatively easily (and without paying anyone else to handle it for them) make updates and changes, plus communicate with others, all at no cost.  And some post videos of themselves on YouTube (see below), with links to them on their home web site, or their MySpace web site.
 
 

Miscellaneous
 

Here are internet communication resources that don't quite fit into the categories above, but which have some features in common, which are free, and which can be used in adjunct with, or in place of some of them.

 

Acoustic Friends - Created to provide a social network for acoustic musicians, fans, and others that have an interest in Americana, Bluegrass, Folk, Irish/Celtic, Old Time Stringband and the music of Singer – Songwriters.

 

YouTube - A free resource for posting videos, so it is included here.  Many bluegrass performers and even fans post (upload)  videos of bluegrass performances on YouTube.