When recording the Addicted to Lacrosse podcast, we recently changed from using YouTube Live to a service called UberConference. It allows us to set up conference calls but we can use our computer (à la Skype) or a regular phone to join the call, and then we can download an MP3 (assuming one actually clicks the “record” button before we start…) immediately after we’re done. This is much easier than waiting for YouTube to process the video, downloading the multi-hundred megabyte video mp4 file, and then extracting the audio from it. It also has the advantage of not being a video chat, so I don’t have to worry about cleaning up my office before we record. We usually start recording around 10pm EST but if we’re starting late, I can record in my pyjamas – and I have. The downside of not having video is that you don’t see which current or classic NLL jerseys we’re wearing and we won’t get any more cameos from Tyler’s cat, though we did have Melissa’s dogs make an audio appearance in one show.

Anyway, UberConference. This is not an ad, and nobody’s asked (or paid) me to talk about them, but I’ll get to that. The basic service is free, but you can pay for an upgrade and get more features. We’re happy with the free service, but one of the cool little free features you may never notice is the default hold music you get after you start a conference call but before anyone else joins. Rather than your typical generic boring hold music, you get a boppy little country-ish acoustic guitar tune. If you wait long enough, you realize that the song has lyrics and if you pay attention, they’re pretty funny. I looked it up: the song is called “I’m on Hold” by a guy named Alex Cornell (who is one of the co-founders of UberConference). Here are the lyrics:

Well I’ve been sitting here all day, I’ve been sitting in this waiting room
And I’ve been waiting on my friends, yes I’m waiting on this conference call
All alone

And I’m on hold, yes I’m on hold
I hope it’s not all day

Well I wonder where they are, yes I wonder where my friends have gone
(Where’d they go?)
Tell me where could they be while I’m waiting on this conference call
(I don’t know)
Well I’m holding on my phone yes I’m holding on the line
I don’t know where they are I don’t know why I’m still alone

I’m on hold, oh yes I’m on hold
I hope it’s not all day

Well, let me tell y’all a story about a man who was on hold all day. Yes he was.
Now, maybe he had the time wrong and maybe he didn’t. There’s just no way for me to say
Yes, I have seen some long hold times in my day, yes I have, and this was one of the worst
Now this young man did not hang up the telephone and you guess what happened
Yeah, that call began. That call started.

Stay on hold, you gotta stay on hold
Don’t go away

We’ve recorded half a dozen podcast episodes with this service and we’re pretty happy with it. I wasn’t planning on writing a blog article about it and like I said, nobody asked me to. But once I heard that awesome hold music I had to tell people.