Thanks, Fran, for referring me to this site. I was pleasantly surprised to see how well the Jam event DVD was received.

As you know, it was my first Keyboard Convention, and I had a great time, parked in my RV right by the door. All the friendly faces at the Jam made me feel welcome. I was very glad I came to the Jam. I learned a lot. And I met very interesting and talented people, with many of whom I have subsequently developed a good friendship.

Maybe next year I will have the courage to get up there and play something. We will have to see…

Fran, collecting 7 hours of raw footage is one thing. Another thing is to produce the DVD. You have demonstrated the patience of a saint, the technology savy of a true nerd, and the seasoned experience of a clever movie editor, and the persistence and hard work of a beaver in creating the Jam DVD we now all enjoy. Thank you once again on behalf of all the KN7000 aficionados!

When I got home from the Jam and reviewed the 7 hours of digital tapes I had shot, I was quite satisfied with the result. For an amateur-level camera, this Sony Digicam delivered reasonable-quality sound, together with a fairly acceptable image. Those shots of some performers with the bright daylight window in the background were particularly challenging. As things went along, I was able to open the camera aperture setting and force the keyboard player in the foreground to appear with reasonable quality. Also, walking around to get a better shot of the performances, instead of relying on the tripod turned out to provide a much better insight on the techniques used by each player, and the total performance experience. As I was shooting the video of the performances, as a total newcomer to the group, I was wondering what people were thinking: “who does this guys think he is…he is walking all over the place, obstructing the view, and distracting everybody, including the performer”….well, I got no reaction of the sort, and I think it was worth it.


FYI, my wife Daisy and I have a website where you can find out more about us, our sailboat and RV adventures, and my work with the boy scouts as a charter captain of the sailboat SIESTA, in the Florida Keys. I carry a KN2600 aboard for singalong fun at anchor in the evenings, during the six-day trips to Key West and back. I don’t dare think of carrying my KN7000 aboard, exposed to the salt air.

All the best to the KN7000 community from Captain Ed in Marathon, Florida Keys!


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Captain Ed
Marathon, in the FL Keys
www.marill.com