Minor board reorganization and Songcrafters' philosophy/direction.

[Bluesberry]

I know what this discussion needs.......more cowbell...........keep on rocking in the free world everybody........great discussion going on.............

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKV3iCOlOMw

[64Guitars]

I share Sai's concern over discouraging posting of music involving non-members.  The majority of my postings (virtually all of the reasonable ones!) have been False Prophet colaborations involving one luddite non-internet member, as well as Nick (Nightcaller) and myself.  It would be a shame for Nick and I to have to stop posting these and getting the group's valued feedback.

Although we'd like to encourage our members to create their own music or work with other members, that doesn't mean that we want to discourage members from posting their work with non-members. You're quite welcome to continue posting your False Prophet collaborations in the General board, as are other members who are in bands containing non-members (there are quite a few of them actually, so you won't be alone).

I'm hoping that the General board will get enough activity that people will want to visit it regularly and comment on the posts. It had occurred to me that we could make a separate board for band posts. I think we have enough bands here that such a board could be quite successful. The problem with that idea is that it would leave the General board with mainly just backing tracks, loops, and midi files and it wouldn't get a lot more visitors than the current Backing Track Jams board does. So I think it's best to include bands in the General board for now. That will help a great deal to make the General board popular enough to be worthwhile.

If that third member of False Prophet ever gets on the internet and you can convince him to become a member of Songcrafters, then you'll be quite welcome to post your band's songs in the DIY boards. But until then, you can post them in the General board. Who knows, the band posts might even get more attention in the General board than they currently do because they won't be competing with all of the DIY posts. And having all of the band posts together in one place might get more members interested in them.

Although I use a Boss recorder, personally I would be inclined to encourage any home recording equipment as long as equipment used is admitted to.  We wouldn't want people using a full Protools set up yet claiming to only use a micro BR! 

In fact, now I think about it, both my main keyboards have 16-track midi recorders built in.  I mainly use the BR for audio recording my guitars and keyboard submixes, then final mix/mastering.  But I normally state this when posting a piece and always give details when questioned.  I can't see that this is a problem?

I mostly agree with you but I want to make a distinction between what's allowed and what's encouraged. As I mentioned in another of my posts in this topic, I think songs created with any multitrack recorder or software DAW will always be allowed here. I have no desire to change that. However, most of our members are BR users and always have been. But we stopped labelling the site as a Boss Users forum when we changed from BossBR.net to Songcrafters.org. I'm just starting to have doubts about that. I think we're still a Boss users site, we're just not admitting it publicly anymore. When people come here for the first time, there's no obvious clue that this would be a good place to look for information and help on Boss recorders. They'll only realise that if they take the time to read through a sufficient number of topics. Many of our members found this site when they bought a BR and Googled for help on it. I just wonder if we should admit that we're a Boss users site and make that more obvious so that new Boss users will find us. But whether we do or not, I think we'll always welcome home recording enthusiasts, regardless of which brands of hardware and software they happen to use.

And I don't have a problem with you using your keyboard's midi sequencer instead of an audio recorder. My Yamaha keyboard also has a 16-channel sequencer built-in and I use it all the time. It saves me from having to use as many tracks on my BR, and the end result is the same when everything's mixed. So please feel free to continue using the sequencers. And thanks for stating details like that in your posts. I always find it interesting to learn as much as possible about how people are making their recordings. It's much better to give details than to just say "Here's my new song. Tell me what you think" (which happens more often than I'd like).

[Geir]

yeah ... we should have a board for cowbell music !!!!

[64Guitars]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2hCJa3TJbs

[Saijinn Maas]

Music is about expression, not about assigning value. THAT is what I thought this community was about. Not whether or not someone used members to create their music. If that is what the "spirit of songcrafters" is, then you can keep it. That's the biggest thing that bothered me. I don't think you see how condescending that is. By saying that one group is the "spirit of songcrafters" you are inferring that the others are NOT.

My new suggestion is to make it as simple as possible, as it is completely irrelevant whether or not all parts were done by members or not. The spirit of this community is in the support we give to each other.

General Discussion
     General
     Introduce Yourself
     Just for Laughs

Post Your Work
     Originals
     Covers
     Musicians Wanted

In The Studio
     Songwriting
     Instruments
     Multitrack Recorders
     Software
     Other

There are two types of BTs.
BTs that are of known songs, which you then add a track of yourself playing to complete the song, is a Cover...
BTs that are created to be used for the purpose of creating unique and very Original compositions... Such as those used in most of the challenges. Gotten legally from online contests, Kings of the Blues, etc.
These can be classified as either Originals or Covers.

BTW... This site's focus has always been Home Recording, first openly Boss Recorders, then maybe not so openly. Songwriting and original compositions was never the primary focus, no matter how much some would like to think it is. 

[Oldrottenhead]

not quite cowbells


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VskVFchQp-4

[Oldrottenhead]

youhave to wait for the bells in this one


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oGkQ3a2B_8

[Bluesberry]

Saij, You make strong arguments for what you believe in, I admire that.

Songwriting and original compositions was never the primary focus, no matter how much some would like to think it is.  

I am one of the ones that you are referring to here, I would like to think the primary focus of this site is songwriting and original compositions.  But that comes from my experience, so it is the way I see it.  From the moment I got my Boss microBR and then found this site, the very first thing I did was write, compose, record an original song, it was my first thing posted on here.  I found this site, discovered Greeny and all his wonderful songs, and said to myself, "I wonder if I can do that".  I had never written a song before in my life, only ever noodled about on my guitar to backers and such.  From that point on I have had that as my focus, songwriting, original compositions, getting better and better at playing and recording so I could get better and better at writing original songs.  That is the rose-colored glasses I wear when I view this site, I always see the focus on songwriting and recording original songs/compositions as the primary goal here.  We all see things the way we do.  My way is not the best, or the only way, it is just how I see things.

[Tony W]

Damn near every one of us older members found this site looking for some level of tech support on a BR. The focus may have changed TO song writing and original compositions, but that is a change in the philosophy of the site. Look at the name changes in the site?

If this were a songwriting focused community I would have never joined, nor racked up however many posts I have. I have no interest in writing songs. Each member can interpret the site for what they want. Hell, look at migs, he's never posted a single song, yet is a contributing member, and rather fun to have around.

What the fuck is the point in putting a label on a community that's been around for 3 name changes in as many years? We are simply a community of like minded individuals that enjoy music, and enjoy each others presence.

More importantly, what does that label have to do with restructuring the boards? Try to at least stay focused on the subject of the thread instead of just arguing just to argue.

[Bluesberry]

Try to at least stay focused on the subject of the thread instead of just arguing just to argue.

Tony, we are not just arguing just to argue, we are discussing exactly what is the nature of this site.  Here is the very first sentance from the original thread...............

For the past two weeks, the admin team has been discussing the philosophy and direction we want for Songcrafters, and how we can reorganize the boards to clarify and emphasize that philosophy/direction.

I thought Saij and I (if that is who you were referring to) were focused on the subject of the thread.  We are discussing what is the philosophy and direction we want for Songcrafters, just as 64G asked.  I thought we were having a good thoughtful discussion here.  I don't understand your frustration.  Has anybody said anything off topic yet, I don't see it (maybe the cowbell part was having a little fun).  This is a very important discussion that will ultimately affect everyone of us on this site.  Lets hear everyone's opinion.