Urban Hat€monger ?

I have no problem with people wanting a blog.

I just think there are things that would make a bigger impact on the place that should be done first.

Like a chat room & extra PM space.
Things that people would actually use.

__________________

Guybrush

I've already sent a PM to Yac asking if it might be possible to host such a blog. I wrote perhaps we can first make a sort of draft-blog and host it on blog.musicbanter.com so that admin and others can see what it would look like/be like before it's actually implemented in the site in a proper way. I'm guessing it won't happen, but asking doesn't hurt

__________________
Something Completely Different

right-track

^ You probably guessed right, though it won't hurt to ask.

Speaking generally. So we can remove any negativity here, this should be a positive thread about where MB is going and not one about it's misconceived demise.
Just to echo Big3's opening post. He's not actually saying anything is wrong with MB as it is, but he does raise the question that this place is in danger of losing it's appeal after a while.
That certainly seems to be the case with some of the longer standing members who have left over the years. And it always seems the case that those older members that do leave, do so feeling a little disillusioned.
And it needn't be like that.
Not when you can get those members actively helping the site move forward in order to keep their interest.

Bulldog

I've felt like this occasionally myself, but most of the things I get particularly familiar with, be they message boards or, I dunno, eating tuna and pasta for dinner, start to lose their shine eventually, so it's certainly not something I blame this place for. For me it's just a question of doing enough here to keep myself interested - if this place is boring, I try my best to make it un-boring again. A kind of facelift that's already been mentioned numerous times for this place would make that a whole lot easier for all concerned.

pourmeanother

I may have jumped the gun, but it was a little hard to read your Vegangelica-esque disertation there. My bad. Not trying hard to be right- would rather be wrong, as I enjoy frequenting here. I just think that without admin support, places tend to fall off... Carry on like it never happened.

__________________
Life is just blah, blah, blah
You hope for blah
And sometimes you find it, but mostly it's blah
And waiting for blah
And hoping you were right about the blahs you made
And then, just when you think you've got the whole blah'd damn thing figured out
And you're surrounded by the ones you blah
Death shows up... anddd blah, blah, blah.

VEGANGELICA

Hey, I read that! And "dissertation" has two s's, by the way.

I'm very sorry to hear Jackhammer left...hopefully not for good...though I agree with Urban that people will come and go as suits them, and this doesn't mean the site is diminished as a whole. I continue to meet new members each month with whom I enjoy interacting and whom a genuinely like, even as I miss some of the members who never return. (AwwSugar, you better not leave!!!)

This is my viewpoint exactly, Big3. I have only skimmed the surface of the music information and opinions on MB, and so can't imagine ever running out of new music to listen to or think about here.

I agree that cruelty toward others based on their preferences or because of their attempts to contribute to MB is something I wish MB would discourage even more than it does.

During the last 8 months, there have been several cases where new or older members end up discussing their musical questions or lyrics with me in PMs partly because, I think, they feared their contributions would not receive helpful information or constructive feedback on the Boards.

In one situation, the person was a young musician whose music was a delight for me to listen to and discuss with him by PM after his thread got closed when a mod felt it was pure self-promotion. So, I felt sorry for MB because here was someone who had a great love of music and yet was not welcomed as openly as he might have been.

In another situation, someone who asked a legitimate question on the Boards, but was pounced on and accused of being The Unfan, ended up discussing music with me back and forth in PMs. That was one of the best music discussions I've had here...I learned about "counterpoint" and compared and contrasted modern and classical songs by following up his questions.

Similarly, several people who write lyrics have sent me the songs they are working on in PMs for feedback (which, if you are familiar with me on MB, you'll know I love to give!)..and I think it is sad that perhaps the Boards don't make them feel welcome to share their ideas in public, since that is what MB is for (I feel).

I agree with your first paragraph very much, duga. As for the second, I feel that saying negative things is fine, but saying them in ways that aren't insulting is important.

One of the things I like best about MB is that the mods let people pretty much express what they really feel in the way they want to. Free speech (even with limitations) is rare in the world, and it is nice to find a place where you can just be who you are, or let different sides of yourself show.

The negative side of free speech is that fear of being pounced on harshly can make it harder for some people to feel like opening up about their feelings about music, which is often very personal to people. I don't think people are pounced on often here, but it does happen occasionally.

That would be cool, right-track!

I certainly feel your opinion counts just as much as anyone else's, Phoenix!

Your post shows, noise, how hopefully MB can provide something for everyone: banter for people who don't like verbose reviews; verbose reviews (my favorite!) for people who like them; casual interactions for those who don't wish to make friends; friendships and a feeling of connection for those who came here open to that (such as myself).

Though I joined MB for the music and I stay for the music, the connections I've made with some people here are what really make me want to return with semi-addicted frequency. I feel anything that helps people feel part of a friendly community would help MB become even stronger.

This concludes my dissertation on improving message boards.

__________________

Neapolitan

I feel like that sometimes, when I get writers block I think maybe I really didn't have much to say after all. Sometimes thinking 'who cares about the bands I like,' gives me writers block. Though I don't think could ever say it all about what I know about music. I always tell myslef they is so much music out there that no one could know it all, if they say they do then their lying.

It doesn't matter how long you've been at MB or your post count, all that matters is posting highly well polished material in your posts. So quit worrying about being "newbie" or an invalid, you'll get better.

I can: Fal, ToeAndNo, Veridical Fiction, and CoreyAllen2, have all left. And I seen a lot of new members who gave up the fight and thrown in the towel after a few posts.
I go back and read the old threads (not to sound corny or sentimental or anything) but the one guy I miss is SleepyJack.

__________________

anticipation

is this a serious comment?

lucifer_sam

Fal hasn't made a substantial contribution to the music forums.
ToeAndNo changed his name to Akira and took a leave of absence.
Veridical Fiction changed his name to Freebase Dali, he's still very much active.
coryallen2 pissed off every member of this forum until we couldn't take it anymore and put him down as a courtesy to the other members. Something you might want to consider not emulating from time to time.

__________________
first.am

duga

I agree, a lot of times I would like to talk about music with as much specificity as I can here. Sadly, not many are able to do that...but most people here can so this is my outlet. I have a feeling I would get on quite well with many of you if we were to meet in person.

__________________
Confusion will be my epitaph...