THE PROBIRT TOUR
The Channels
The members-only portion of the website is divided into "channels"
or categories. Each channel houses information in a specific format.
You can view a list of the channels in a menu along the left-hand side
of every page of the members' area of PROBIRT. Each channel is further
divided into subcategories such as "articles > woodwinds > flutes/piccolos"
or "classified > work > job openings", etc. Members can rate and post
reviews, questions, and comments on any item listed in any channel,
so that discussions create "threads" in each relevant topic.
The channels include:
- Articles - Essays on performing a specific repair
procedure. Some are general overviews of a method and others are in
step-by-step tutorial style with pictures illustrating the steps to
be carried out. Since there can be many ways to do the same job in
our industry, some pieces may describe the same repair using different
methods.
View an example of a band instrument
repair article.
View
the list of band instrument repair articles.
- Calendar - The PROBIRT Calendar lists PROBIRT and
industry events. Members can add their own events: anything from an
upcoming concert or workshop to a birthday!
- Classifieds - Buy, sell, trade, post a job opening,
or watch the listings for freelance work.
- Forum - The forum is divided into categories. It's
easy to follow topics of interest by cruising the forums for new posts
or subscribing to individual topics to receive the posts in email
format.
View the PROBIRT forums.
- Links - This channel is a great resource for everything
repair-related and then some. Links take members to other sites containing
quality band instrument repair information. Categories include repair
books and where they can be found, acoustics links, machining/metalworking
links, and some great time wasters for members in work-avoidance mode.
:-)
- News - Member news, music industry news, and periodic
PROBIRT newsletters are posted in the News channel.
- Pictures
- PROBIRT encourages members to post pictures of themselves, their
shops, a tool they've modified, or other items of interest to other
members. On request, PROBIRT will provide members with their own folders,
so they can post all their photos in one place.
- Streaming Videos - Streaming videos of PROBIRT
technicians giving repair clinics. Some were recorded specifically
for the PROBIRT site without an audience, some are edited recordings
of past live, online clinics, and others are edited videos showing
a hands-on method of a repair procedure. They vary from 30-second
quick tips to one-hour presentations. Clinics longer than one hour
are split into sequential segments.
View an example of a band instrument repair video:
PROBIRT member, Dana Rivard, presents a session on a variety of uses
for the "Split Tip Soldering Gun" in the repair shop. (25 minutes)
You must have Macromedia Flash installed on your computer to view
the videos. Download
the latest version here.
- Tips - Short, quick pointers or suggestions for
repairs, products, or tools. Sometimes posted with a picture for greater
clarification.
View an example of a band instrument repair
tip.
- Yellow Pages - The Yellow Pages Channel is a business
directory. If you have a specialty area of repair or service you'd
like to offer the members, this is the place to post it. If you are
looking for someone with a specific skill, contact the person directly
for pricing, turn-around time, and other info. The Yellow Pages also
contain contact information for industry and non-industry suppliers.