Re: The Forum - Discussion Board

[pompeyjazz]

Great news Boydie, and the best news is that if we’re going back to 2018 I will still be in my mid 50’s and have all my teeth

[Tone]

Hello everyone!

Great to see so many familiar names here, and to know there's still such a strong appetite for my humble songwriter forum (Ok, I know it's not mine any more, but it will always be a little bit mine... )

I'm going to rebuild the forum with Boydie and hope to make it better than ever. Or at least, more futureproof than it was before.

Maybe this is a good time for people to make suggestions/ requests of things they would like to see added/ removed from the forum to improve it (subject to Boydie's approval, of course).

I apologise for my long absence from the forum. Life has taken me down a very different path than the one I had anticipated, but I still lurk from time to time to make sure all's well in songwritingland.

Let's do this!

[Boydie]

         

After all of the trials and tribulations over the last couple of weeks - this is THE most welcome news!!!

TONE and I have been talking a lot behind the scenes - and seeing this public post is probably the BIGGEST pick me up I have seen!!! (and it will always be your forum, we always celebrate the founding fathers )

I think getting it back to an operational state is the priority - i.e. on the new platform, with the upgraded software, and data from 2018 - and let the good folk here give it a good test

We can then presumably "over lay" the "pretty" on top of the working forum - you know how much of a nightmare I am making decisions about themes

I will then use the 2018 data to try and tempt the "old guard" back to the forum

Sounds like we have a plan!!!!  

[monnodb]

Great stuff both! Tone, it would be lovely to see you back on the forum too.. (Straitjacket is still one of my favourite songs of all time!)

Agree with what you're proposing Body, let's get it back up and running and we can discuss then what we want to change. I like the idea of simplifying it as well as having a more active team involved.

Look forward to hearing the good news that it's back up and running.

Thanks again to PJ for giving us a space to discuss and make this happen!

K

[Davy Vance aka Skub]

Hi Tone,good to see you still live and breathe man.

Many thanks for the time and effort you and Boydie are putting in.

I have only one suggestion. I think pomps should be limited to just 5 songs per day,just to give us all a chance.

[PaulAds]

Great news!

Brilliant to see Tone and Boydie getting their heads together...that's a massive step forward.

As has been said, big thanks to John for setting this up and getting the ball rolling

It would have been very difficult without all you guys registering and chipping in with your thoughts and ideas...fingers crossed we can all help make it work.

[CCB]

Heartening to see this discussion develop.

If I had one suggestion it would be this - although it would be hard to enforce, I think it would be great if the 'good song' posts could be minimised. By which I mean people who regularly don't actually bother to give thoughtful critique whether good or bad. The forum shouldn't be a back-slapping exercise or a way for some people to drive a few extra listens towards their songs - it should be a place where songwriters genuinely try to support and help each other - to my mind.

At least that's what I liked and they're the people I appreciated - those who listened and gave a thoughtful response. I'm not talking paragraphs but at least something that shows they listened through and gave it some thought. A few sentences not a few words, if you know what I mean - perhaps tweak the guidelines to suggest something along those line and then have mods to have a polite word of repeat 'well done' offenders (I don't object to people occasionally being short of time/words - I'm talking about people who only say a few - often the same - words over and over) and suggest they contribute more in some way. People don't need to know music theory to say 'I liked... because...' 'I didn't like... because...'. Those who can give production and songwriting advice can provide that too.

Just a thought seeing as suggestions were requested.

All best

CCB

[NickRyder]

Heartening to see this discussion develop.

 If I had one suggestion it would be this - although it would be hard to enforce, I think it would be great if the 'good song' posts could be minimised. By which I mean people who regularly don't actually bother to give thoughtful critique whether good or bad. The forum shouldn't be a back-slapping exercise or a way for some people to drive a few extra listens towards their songs - it should be a place where songwriters genuinely try to support and help each other - to my mind.

   At least that's what I liked and they're the people I appreciated - those who listened and gave a thoughtful response. I'm not talking paragraphs but at least something that shows they listened through and gave it some thought. A few sentences not a few words, if you know what I mean - perhaps tweak the guidelines to suggest something along those line and then have mods to have a polite word of repeat 'well done' offenders (I don't object to people occasionally being short of time/words - I'm talking about people who only say a few - often the same - words over and over) and suggest they contribute more in some way. People don't need to know music theory to say 'I liked... because...' 'I didn't like... because...'. Those who can give production and songwriting advice can provide that too.

Just a thought seeing as suggestions were requested.

All best

CCB

I completely agree.

I remember not so long ago someone posted a link to a full album, and one person replied with "great song man". That person had not even read the original posters comment about it being a full album never mind actually listening to it!!

I'd also like to suggest that AI generated music is discouraged as that seems to be a thing now with people who cannot play an instrument, or have any musical ability, suddenly claiming to be songwriters, It's just weird

[pompeyjazz]

Any news guys?

[monnodb]

I presume this question is for Boydie and Tone ! I'm sure they're working away in the background - would be good to get an ETA.. Not to apply pressure or anything for just out of curiosity.

So in the meantime - wishing everyone a Happy Friday!

K

[Boydie]

TONE was ready to do some work on the forum earlier this week...but can you believe it!!! - the new server hosting platform has an internal server error!

I have raised a ticket, and I am sure it will be resolved soon, but another barrier we didn't need

Hopefully not long to go now...

[shadowfax]

Someone mention that the forums seemed to be populated by mainly olduns!! I reckon that says more about the younguns than the olduns...wots a marra with the youguns..why aint they on a forum strutting their stuff?

[shadowfax]

Busy sorting a new studio in the Czech Republic where i recentely moved back to after a trial run in UK...looking forward to re joining the forum (can't remember if I joined before or after 2018 ).....great work from Tone and Boydie..much apreciation from here guys.

[Butterfly]

Hello everyone,

both @PaulAds and pompeyjazz kindly sent an invite to me to join in with this forum.  I've been sitting on the fence for a while and didn't know/still don't know if I would/will return to forum life.  Most will know me as Wicked Deeds.  I'll come right out and say that the old forum for me at least, became stale and often intolerable. Coupled with a very serious ongoing personal problem which I am at last coming to terms with, I had lost all energy for such a place.  My main complaint was about the selfish posters who give little to the forum by way of a brief, often thoughtless review then sit back whilst their latest recording is unveiled for the more generous posters to provide more in depth, quality reviews.  Against the back drop of what I was experiencing in my personal life, I had simply had enough.  Life can often move in such ways.  

So, hello to everyone who is here.  Many familiar and generous forum posters are present.  

What does the forum need?

1) Guidelines

2) Moderators to gently remind people of forum rules/etiquette and
    to act when some people are inconsiderate/rude.

3) A section for reviews (however some, like myself, probably
    wouldn't want to post their songs in this section as they/I am not
    Looking for feedback.  I rarely revisit productions  once I have
    recorded them so rarely act upon suggestions.

4) A section for lyrics writing discussion/perhaps not so much a
    review of completed works or works in progress.  I found the old
    lyric section to be quite flat.  Hardly anyone visited that area.  
A discussion about the lyrical ideas can often be illuminating and
provide others with a source of ideas and approaches.

5) A finished songs section to showcase work.  It's not necessary for
a critique.  Though perhaps questions could be presented about the
ideas behind the work that encompass the writing/musicianship and
production techniques.

6) A collaborations section for willing participants looking for someone
to share ideas and work alongside/write with.

7) A services section.  Many contributors have gained a good grounding i
in musical/production skills.  Some people might admire such abilities
and perhaps wish to hire such members for their musicianship/production
qualities/vocal processing, and other performance/recording/editing/abilities.  
I would suggest that a percentage is donated to the upkeep of the forum.  
All of the aforementioned takes time, devotion of skills and use of
equipment/electricity etc.  I don't think it's wrong therefore to offer such
services and perhaps receive payment.  In any event, I think that this is
worthy of further discussion.

Bar to discuss various topics

9) Recommendations to discuss established songs for learning
    purposes and also to simply let fellow members know what is
    happening in the world of music and what might appeal.

10) Competitions, perhaps mored aptly named "Challenges." The
      emphasis should in my opinion be on community developing a
      healthy community spirit and providing encouragement to each
      other.

Kudos to everyone involved and their efforts to provide an ongoing platform.

P.

[Sponsored content]