RSB NEEDS YOUR HELP!
While I think the current form of RSB is very helpful for those out to learn clawhammer, and that it is quite adequate for the purpose, I really want to see a more organized version of the book burned on DVDs.
I plan a multimedia extravaganza with:
The entire final edition of ROCKET SCIENCE BANJO. Including, Audio files of banjo, banjo/fiddle duos, trios etc. New RSB videos describing even more techniques. Drawings and diagrams of advanced techniques. Perhaps even some “rollover” animations. I plan to price it at $39.95 – Everything today sells for $39.95.
While I’m anticipating orders to top out at roughly one million per annum, I would actually settle for lifetime sales of a few hundred - or a couple dozen. It really doesn’t matter how many I sell – I want to make the DVD, even if I can’t sell a one. DVD is the best format for RSB and I want the book to be available in the best format.
While I would like to finance this myself, I simply cannot. I’ve given away my main product (the book) and painted myself right into a windowless corner.
RSB is free, so what can I possibly offer as an incentive to contribute. I don’t have any ROCKET SCIENCE BANJO tote bags or tee shirts, not even RSB cup holders or mouse pads. Basically I got bupkis, zilch, nothing to encourage your contributions.
I’m only one little guy, living on social security, (cue violins) and the pittance I make washing windshields down on 33rd and 3rd.. I can never complete my grand dream without venture funding (that’s corporate-speak for cash money).
The download version of RSB is and will remain free to all, but I have to maintain and improve it as well as clean it up, make it easier to use, and do all the things, big and small, that will make the DVD something people will actually buy. This is where you come in.
THE PITCH
To raise money for RSB improvements, I will send you
the tab
portion of it (aka The Big Tabonanza), by email. This section is not
yet complete, so it is, I will admit, a bit of a flyer for you. I could
drop dead without finishing another tab. I am 65 now, with little hope
of getting any younger.But with more than 160 tabs of about 100 tunes ready today! You would have those tabs, even if I kick off tomorrow. Every tab is fully notated and MIDI compatible. They will never be available as free downloads – only contributors and DVD purchasers will ever get them.
A $20.00 contribution will make you a sustaining contributor and a permanent member of the Tabonanza community. You will receive periodic additions to the Tabonanza and occasional other projects. You can choose to contribute more, of course, but a mere 20 smackolyans gets you all the goodies.
Besides financing “RSB The DVD” project, you will also gain input into the future direction of THE BIG Tabonanza ---- Yeah baby, You got it! If you request a tune, I will endeavour to tab it, within limits. I have no knowledge of Kyzrzky yak-milking music and basically can’t tab anything too far beyond my own current or one-time abilities. Furthermore, I do not tab copyrighted music as that is against the law, but anything in the public domain is fair game.
Every tab I write has full playing notes just like (and mostly better than) the tabs in RSB. If you email saying you don’t understand a figure or even a whole tab, I will help you get it up and running. The solution to your problem might end up in the notes to the final DVD version.
You will also immediately receive the first 160 of those tabs, via return email, and updates as they become available. If and when the DVD is ready, I will email you for an additional $5.00 to cover postage (yeah there really is a shipping and handling fee) and to get your street (snail mail) address. That’s the entire RSB and 300 + tabs and the mp3s and videos on DVD for $20.00 + shipping instead of $39.95 + shipping. Besides saving at least 15 bucks you will be able to use the tabs right NOW.
Talk about a deal – This IS a Deal!
Use the convenient paypal button on your right or if you prefer to use a check, email me and I will send you my street address.