Online Song and Poetry Swap via Live Video Conference: “Songs we need to hear during a Pandemic"

Performances through Zoom

PMN Members may use this registration form to sign up to share a song or a poem during this online event.  The 20 or so PMN members who are selected to perform will receive an e-mail with a link to PMN's Zoom video conference account.  They will all  perform through their own computer connection. 

Broadcast through Facebook Live

Anyone may tune in to this program at no cost, via Facebook Live.  Just go to PMN's Facebook page at about 7:30pm on Friday, March 27, and scroll down to find the livestream. Here is PMN's Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/Peoples.Music.Network/

The Topic

In this video conference event, PMN members are invited to share songs or poems on the topic of “What we need to hear during a Pandemic".  We need songs about the injustices that exacerbate the dangers of this pandemic (e.g., a healthcare system that prioritizes profits over people, the economic precarity of the working class, and the systemic incompetence and inhumanity of our government).  We also need songs about the crises that are upon us with or without a pandemic (racism, the climate crisis, sexual violence, the scourge of prisons, and more).  finally, we need songs that brighten our lives in the stressful and uncertain times we're living through.

Eligibility to Perform

Performers in this swap must:

1) be PMN members in good standing* 

2) register using this form

3) have a computer with a video camera.**

* If you are not a PMN member, you may join here: https://www.peoplesmusic.org/join-PMN

** A built in computer mic is sufficient to participate and be heard.  However, chances are that the audio quality will be mediocre, especially for instruments.  Zoom is designed to carry the human voice in online meetings, but its default audio compression filters are poorly suited for musical instruments.  A simple tool that modestly increases the audio quality of the human voice is using a headset with a built in mic.  This will not make instruments sounds good, however.  It is possible to significantly improve the audio quality of both voice and instruments if you use an external USB mic or a USB audio interface device.  Once you have this hardware in place, there are a few settings you can easily change within zoom to optimize the sound of your performance.  Please see here for a useful tutorial on that.  

A Note on Selection

Every PMN member wishing to perform at this event should register, but priority will be given to PMN members that have not yet performed in an online song swap.  We plan to hold these song swap events regularly, so anticipate more opportunities. 

Help Publicize!

Tell your friends how they can tune into this online musical event for progressive culture.  Share this event on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/584521625473585