Hi Clark,
Here are some of the basics:
Someone in your chapter needs to pay for a Zoom Meeting Plan. This will cost $15/mth, but the chapter can cover that expense.
https://zoom.us/pricingThere is a free version, but there is a time limit of 40 minutes per session if more than 2 people attend.
Now, that person can host a meeting. Just pick the usual day and time for your meeting and set it up on Zoom. Your meeting will have a title, meeting number and a password number. Email those details to all of your chapter members, and anyone outside that list you want to invite. (I enjoyed joining a meeting of the Boston chapter recently).
Tell everyone that they will need to have the Zoom application on their computer or cellphone. It is free. Zoom.us.com
Next, line up a technical. This takes a little more preparation, but if your presenter has a PowerPoint slide show, it is easy for that person to use the "share screen" feature and do a live voice-over. I have done this for quite a number of chapter meetings around the country. I also know that Tremaine Parsons has a lecture or two he is offering on using P-scale. Everyone is trying to help out, so just ask.
Before the meeting, set up a test to see how it is working. The host has to be familiar with how the various functions work, and especially how to mute microphones.
Anyone who joins the meeting should be instructed to keep muted unless they want to say something. Otherwise, when the mailman comes and the dog starts barking......everyone gets it! -Ken
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[Ken] [Eschete]
[President]
[Bentside Arts]
[Spokane [Washington]
[01-509-828-2420]
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Original Message:
Sent: 03-20-2020 11:44
From: Clark Sprague
Subject: The PTG Academy Online / virtual learning and meeting resources
Hey, everyone. I pray all are safe and sound in these times. I am trying to explore the possibilities of having virtual meetings with the Detroit/Windsor chapter, and am not really up on all those things you mentioned. While I will look into (and have started already) some of the resources that you have listed, I think what we really need is ground floor advice from some folks who have actually accomplished virtual meetings with their chapters. My father used to say,"I may be dumb, but I am not stupid." I would add," I may be old, but not that old." I can figure this out, but some basic experiences communicated from those who have actually done this would be helpful. I think that we can benefit the entire organization by delving deeper into this. And the interactive part of it is paramount to success at the chapter level. Not just a recorded or live event that has no inter-activity. Thank you, Clint for kicking this off. Now, who can help us with their experiences??? Clark
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Clark Sprague
Bowling Green OH
419-352-2198
Original Message:
Sent: 03-19-2020 18:35
From: Clinton Sears
Subject: The PTG Academy Online / virtual learning and meeting resources
PTG ACADEMY ONLINE:
We have updated the PTG Academy Online with a few new offerings, here is our current list:
 | | Aurally Trouble Shooting The Midrange - Mitch and Mary Kiel |
| | Business 201 - Timothy Barnes |
| | Complete Piano Service - Andersen & Johnson |
| | Maintenance and Tuning - Malcolm Bilson |
| | Mock Tuning Exam - Mitch and Mary Kiel |
 | | Proficiency Playground |
| | Quick Tips - 6 Pack of Technicals - Isaac Sadigursky |
| | A Temperamental Journey - Owen Jorgensen - (AUDIO) |
| | Tips From Convention - Jeff Hickey |
| | Vertical Piano Regulation - Doug Neal |
| | Why Do We Stretch - Kent Swafford |
 | | Your Money Or Your Life - Dale Probst |
|
We are always on the lookout for more and especially so right now. If you have any instructional audio or video presentations that we can add to the Academy please be sure to reach out to me at
clint@ptg.org. It can be as long or as short as you'd like. Have you hosted a class at the PTG Convention? Feel free to recreate it at home and send it over, no need to worry about making it perfect, I can edit and clean it up for you. It's the content that matters most.
OTHER VIRTUAL LEARNING RESOURCES:
If you have your own learning seminars or meetings hosted somewhere else that you'd like to share,
please feel free to link them in a new discussion post at the PTGAO discussion group. ONLINE TOOLS FOR VIRTUAL MEETINGS/SEMINARS:Additionally, we've gathered as many FREE virtual meeting resources that we could find.
If anyone has any questions or best practices for these, I'd encourage you to post them in the replies to this discussion.Video conferencing (w/screen sharing):
Chat applications w/ video conferencing options:
- Discord - No cost - need an account - unlimited chat and video calls for up to 9 people. https://discordapp.com
- Slack - No cost - need an account - unlimited chat and video calls for up to 15 people. https://slack.com
- Whatsapp - no cost - need an account - unlimited chat and video calls for 4 people https://www.whatsapp.com
Finally, I am always available -
clint@ptg.org - for any questions you might have and if I don't have an answer right away, I'll certainly hunt one down for you.
Thanks
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Clinton Sears
Piano Technicians Guild
Kansas City KS
[913-276-5203]
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