May's Chetpickers Meeting Starts...

[ajbremer]

It's 10am and 1 Chetpicker club member here so far...me.

Wow, this place is a great meeting place! Not as high priced as one might think. Well, even if no one shows up, I'll get some awesome practice time in...with a nice lunch to boot. Oh ya, an awesome wireless connection too.





al
http://www.chetpickers.com

[Norm]

Did anyone show up?

And, if not, perhaps board guys can suggest what might make such a venue work next time around. He went through a lot of trouble for what should have been a fun gather

[craigdobbins]

Hey Alan, I see some familiar-looking books there...

[ajbremer]

I wonder who's a bunch a books those mostly are? I think the authors initials are C.D. or something like that. I brought all my good books to show people and to give 3 of them away as a door prize. I didn't have to give any of them away.

It was an awesome hotel with a great restaurant just a few steps down the hall, one person showed up.

I could have advertised in the paper a few days before I did instead of just on the day before. The meeting was right in the heart of OK city. I guess people just had other plans and I totally understand that. I can't quit just because no one shows up. I'm going to continually have these meetings every month. They make me a better player and give me a desire to learn at least one new Chet tune a month, I've only got about 500 more to learn.

I'm thinking that I'll have next months meeting on Saturday, June 15th and I'm also thinking about having it in the heart of Tulsa. That will give Tulsa people a chance to not travel far. I traveled 120 miles to do the OK City meeting yesterday, the one other person who showed up traveled under 15 miles. Tulsa is just a little less for me. I'm just figuring that if I travel far to one of the big cities, then that'll give more opportunity for more people to show up because they don't have to travel far.

I had an idea that I was going to talk about with the attendees. Wouldn't it be cool if everyone present was given a list of around 20 or 30 Chet tunes and their homework was to pick one of them that they didn't know yet or couldn't play all the way through by memory. Then they would have one month to get it down and then play it for us all at the next meeting.

Another thought was to have 1 to 3 people team up with another player and then pick out a Chet tune that both would work on for a month (one they both didn't know), one works on the main part and the other one the rhythm part. Then when they get together the next month, we all here some cool notes. I don't know, just some ideas to give incentive to others to keep pluck'in away and keep our minds sharp...learning new Chet Atkins material all the time. I don't know, maybe I should learn "When You Wish Upon a Star" right now?

[Norm]

You need to keep reminding people that it is happening. Repeatedly. at your site as well as here.

Also, when running something like this, join the gretschpages.com and plug it there, too.

I would keep in informal in the beginning rather than issue "challenges" Challenges might be too intimidating to some. I think it should start out as an idea swap meet. I'd encourage people to have songlists in hand but that's about it

[rhudson]

Allan, you're doing a good job and I know your heart is in the right place. I'm sorry I couldn't come, but we talked about it and I appreciate you understanding. I think Al Chastain is in Bartlesville now, so if you go to Tulsa next month, that might be a start. Good luck.