Joined: Mar 09, 2003
Posts: 228
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I am really trying to get the member lessons here off the ground. As a start, I thought I would add a little tutorial here.
The first thing I want to get across is the fact that the member lessons here are very sophisticated. You can create an unlimited number of lessons, each containing as many exercises as you want. You can have a My Licks lesson and add exericises (i.e. licks) on an ongoing basis. You can create a My Scales Lesson and have a variety of scale-oriented exercises. You see the point. The member lessons look and function like my lessons. People can add comments, people can enter searches, lessons and exercises can be sorted, etc.
The most confusing thing about the member lessons is the whole Lesson/Exercise difference. Let me first talk about Lessons:
Submitting Member Lessons
A Lesson is simply a container for exercises. A lesson consists only of a category (i.e. Miscelaneous), title (i.e. My Licks), a short description, and an introduction. To add a lesson, just click the "Submit a Lesson" link above. Or click below:
Submit a Lesson
You have to be regsitered and logged in to see the Submit a Lesson form. The form is very simple. Here is what you do:
1. You first choose a category. I have already set up some categories, so all you do is select the category that makes the most sense. If you are unsure, just choose Miscelaneous.
2. Next, add a title. The title is self-explanatory.
3. Next, add a description. The description can be something like, "This lesson contains a bunch of licks that I came up with".
4. Add an intro if you want. The intro can be the same exact thing as the description, or you can talk in more detail. Perhaps the intro can be something like, "Welcome to my My Licks Lesson. In this lesson I go over a bunch of licks that I have come up with. These licks will help you become a kickass guitarist!".
So the Lesson containers are very short and simple, and creating a Lesson is always the first thing to do before submitting exercises/riffs/licks/etc. After you create a Lesson, you will then be taken to a page telling you it has been successfully submitted, and you will have the option of adding exercises to it immediately.
Submitting Member Exercises
Ok, now the tough part. You can only add an exercise to an existing lesson. So assuming you have a lesson, and assuming you are logged in, you can click on the Submit a Riff link at the top of the site, or click below:
Submit a Riff
1. The first thing to do is to add a title. If the lesson is My Licks, the title can be something like Lick 1.
2. Next, choose a Lesson for your riff to go in. It can be a new, empty lesson you just made, or it can be a lesson that you've already added riffs to.
3. Enter a description. This should be short and to the point. This is what people will see when browsing the list of member exercises. You may want to include relevant words that people might search on. If it is an exercise on a drop-d tuning riff, then say something like, "Here is a little drop-d riff I came up with that will shake your walls!"
4. Enter an intro. If you leave this blank, the description you entered will automatically be used. If you are the talkative type, then you can add more detail here. Tell them how to play it, the theory behind it (if there is any). In other words, just say your piece about the exercise or leave it blank.
5. Upload a MIDI file (optional). MIDI files are great for learning. People can adjust the tempo to fit their playing level, they can be transposed, etc. I don't want to explain MIDI. If you have a MIDI file to upload, then you probably know all about it! Otherwise just use good old google. With my lesson, I always create tab using Power Tab, and then I export a MIDI file from Power Tab.
6. Upload a Tab image (optional). I always use Power Tab to create my tab. Problem is, it doesn't output an image. But in Power Tab you can copy the tab to the clipboard, and then paste it into something like Photoshop, Paint, etc. If the tab goes on several lines in Power Tab, then you have to copy and paste each one separately. It's a pain in the ass, but it is the best, free tab software I have found.
7. Upload audio (optional). Now the fun part. Show people what kind of chops you have. You can upload 1 or 2 mp3s (i.e. a slow and fast version). Or if the file is too big, but you have it stored on another website, then you can enter a url.
That is all there is too it. Make sure you don't hit the submit button once. If you are uploading tab, audio, etc then it can take a few minutes depending on your connection speed.
I know the process might seem pretty involved, but I think you'll find it is worth it. The process ensures that you can enter lessons and exercises so that they appear really slick and professional. I don't think you will find any other site that has member lessons with this level of sophistication. And once people start submitting stuff, all I need to do is change a single line of code, and you will then be able to upload video!
rock on,
brian |
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