M Mackay requested that copies of the half yearly reports to JISC be copied to the Advisory Group.

It was agreed to rephrase bullet point 3 of the remit to read as follows: "… interests of the primary users of HOTBED …"

HOTBED will supply a user leaflet for the School of Scottish Studies and copyright disclaimer and logins.

It was agreed that the minutes of the Advisory Group would be published on the web.

S Barrett presented a quick tour of the HOTBED system. Access is available to both authorised users of RSAMD and Edinburgh University. Public users can access metadata only. Demonstrations were provided using the "My Profile", "Lists" and "Message Centre" functions.

Karen Marshalsay explained the physical process of inputting data into the system and distributed the following documents [attached] to the meeting:-

printed data entry form

original "wish list"

list of HOTBED/Dublin Core fields

The HOTBED system is being developed with a view to as long and full a life as possible. Therefore it may be appropriate to include fields now which can be used at a future date. For example, key signatures or tune collections could be possible student projects. The system can have layers of information depending on what is relevant and available for any given item. All fields do not need to be completed for any one record. Also all fields do not need to be completed for similar things – it is possible to include keys for some tunes but not all tunes.

The project has no designated researcher. It is hoped to develop an ethos whereby the system is open to development. HOTBED will be dependent on information contributed by tutors. Materials such as transcriptions can be scanned into the system but there is no resource available to create transcription.

[K Marshalsay would like to see a system whereby any user can fill in a basic "form" (which would include automatically generated name and date fields and a box for additional information) and send to HOTBED for review and possible inclusion in the system.]

Consideration was given to introducing a two tier display system providing a short entry record and a full record. As HOTBED is primarily for use by performance students, the detail included should be what tutors pass on to students (depending on genre, title, composer, key, time signature). It was agreed that as we had to decide between quantity and richness of description, we would include as much sound material as possible but described in less detail. This will permit Karen’s efforts to be targetted into learning and teaching and bought in resource to input metadata.

There is a need for a more formal method of obtaining subject specific advice and input as and when required for specialist metadata questions.

It was also noted that a small metadata group be established with membership including Karen Marshalsay, Cathlin Macaulay and an external specialist to advise on metadata issues.

It was generally considered unnecessary for key signatures to be included for songs. They should be provided for tunes, where applicable and/or available.

It was agreed transcriptions should be entered into HOTBED where available. Many are already available in TOCHER and from other sources. It was decided that HOTBED should try to provide transcriptions of as many different versions of the same item as possible to allow comparative study by students. It was also suggested that in some cases a basic skeletal transcription would be appropriate while in others it may also be desirable to have a fuller transcription of the performer’s actual rendition of the piece. The HOTBED ethos should be to provide the students with as many choices as possible. Implementing a format similar to Sibelius could also be considered in the longer term.

Defining song categories was considered to be complex. It was suggested broad categories would be helpful and to use the classifications already in use within the Department of Celtic and Scottish Studies. Tune types and song types should be classified separately. Transcriptions and translations of lyrics was considered necessary.

The lack of material relating to accompanying instruments, particularly piano and harp, was noted. It was felt that HOTBED needs to have materials added to it directly relating to this important field of study of the course. The use of video was mentioned in this regard.

• Marks to skip to particular phrases
• adjusting the pitch without altering the tempo
• removing "grace notes"
• creating synthesized accompaniment [S Barrett does not think this would be technically feasible]. HOTBED may not be an appropriate arena for this facility.
• graphing a melody in real time through a frequency response graph or melograph
• date of recording shown on results screen beside the performer’s name

M Mackay advised the meeting that Professor Anne Dhu McLucas, Dean of Music at the University of Oregon, using her Fulbright Award, would be resident at the Department of Celtic and Scottish Studies from January – April 2003. She has a keen interest in the use of digital resources and may well be interested in becoming involved with HOTBED.

The group was delighted to hear that stage 2 of the Tobar an Dualchais grant has been approved.

M Mackay also advised the group that the Faculty of Law at Edinburgh University has become an AHRB Centre for the Study of Intellectual Property Rights and could be useful for advice in this area.

M Mackay suggested a smaller advisory group might be formed to look at specifics for learning and teaching.

The next meeting will be held at the beginning of next academic year. Date to be advised.