Proposed Sub-Forums - New Album Releases - New Youtube Promo

[john]

One of our members has proposed the creation of a new sub forum for New Albumn releases and another sub-forum for announcing New You Tube Promo.

 

I can see this might be an advantage to collect them together without being mixed with other content, but as a disadvantage it adds to the number of locations for you to look, ie more boards.

 

Please feel free to add your opinion and please vote!

 

[Zson]

Hey,

 

After looking again at the current layout I revised what I wanted to see there.

Here is my thinking about it and why I think the current forum listing are not creating the correct traffic.
 

 

 

I continually move posts and have wondered for a long time if that's not what drives the errors....."increased visibility".

 

Yeah, I have wondered about that too.

 

I'll give my first impression of the visibility, 

 

 

Musicians Lounge

Discuss developments in the indie music scene, promote your band and your songs, network with other musicians... shameless promotion, put together a band, and DUN dun dah! - general chat.

 

I didn't / couldn't even read the subtext. So It took a while for me to know it could also be about promoting

 

 

The Current Name / Label is not a great choice. It has diluted the content with too many subjects, not a great neighborhood

 

Here is the  Kind of Labeling I think would be easier to understand.  I know this kind of layout would have gotten my traffic click.

 

 

Musicians Showcase, Members Only [?]

Promote your music here. Be Shameless, Be Bold! You know you want to.

 

New You Tube

New Albums

New Bands Showoff Demos

 

Musicians Lounge

General Chat, Ask Questions, Network with other musicians.

 

 

Anyway this is just my over active mind sticking my 2 cents in.  I hope it can be helpful and not just a pain in the forum.

 

James

 

Edited June 30, 2013 by Zson

[Zson]

I understand.

[Zson]

If you do do something like this, I think a new "Music Showcase" should be a "Member Showcase,"  because many members are inlvoved in other creative efforts besides music.  For the same reason I think the current "Musicians Lounge" should be "Members Lounge," and that to the current description of that board James suggested I would just add an "etc."

 

I also don't think YouTube should be promoted by name, unless they pay Jon for it.    There are other video hosting sites (e.g. Vimeo), and I think it this subheading under "Memebers Showcase" should just be a generic "Video"  - music videos and other videos made by members  I also think audio recordings should not be limited to "Albums," especially since digital singles are far more popular online, and they (as well as EP's) should not be excluded by such a heading.  I would suggest a simple "Audio" - audio recordings made by members (musical, spoken word, etc.) posted for sharing and not for critique.   I also think the third category of "New Bands Showoff Demo" is superfluous.  

 

I like this.  Love the Video only label

 

Musicians Showcase, Members Only [?]

Promote your music here. Be Shameless, Be Bold! You know you want to.

 

New Music Video

New Music Albums and Singles

The Spoken Word and other Recordings[?]

 

 

Musicians Lounge

General Chat, Ask Questions, Network with other musicians. Etc.

 

Yeah, New Band Demos could be too much. As HoboSage says its not really needed per se. I guess I was thinking of a new member song posting area, almost like an introduction but it's to introduce the new members material.  You'd only post there once like your introduce yourself post.. That was my logic chain anyway.  Just thinking out loud a bit.  .

 

I had thought that 'Audio" is too generic. Isn't  songstuff  primarily about songs? I could be missing the target a bit here.  Could "The spoken word" be a label if there is a need for it? 

 

I think a new "Music Showcase" should be a "Member Showcase,"  because many members are inlvoved in other creative efforts besides music.For the same reason I think the current "Musicians Lounge" should be "Members Lounge," and that to the current description of that board James suggested I would just add an "etc."

 

 

Other creative projects won't be as relevant to posting about music yet can still be posted as general chat. Plus this is a site about music so I like Music Showcase.  I also find the Musicians Lounge a very cool and attractive label.

 

Just my thoughts

 

James

[john]

Funnily enough we used to have a showcase board lol

 

Ok, I think we can handle that

[Just1L]

Doesn't The Spoken Word usually relate to something religious? About a book or something??  

 

I don't have much to add other than I like the idea of Member over Musicians. To me it just makes it sound more "official". I also think the showcase section should be accessed by anyone, not just members. After all, in the slim chance anyone important would be looking around, they could do so in complete anonymity. (not that it will happen, just forward thinking). The only other thought I have for now is would it need to say "New"? How long would the videos/songs be in there. There's nothing worse than going to a website, seeing a "New" section, and then seeing posts that are months old.

 

Whatever happens I agree with David about not using Youtube, or Hulu or any particular name of the hundreds of video sites out there, so saying just Videos would be ideal IMO. 

 

Lastly, if this is really a Showcase, I'm not sure you would want to use the word Demo there. More like live versions of finished songs. So maybe using the word Live in there somewhere would work.

[john]

I think I prefer a publicly accessible member showcase, non brand related videos etc I would think the Showcase board itself would take care of miscellaneous member showcases, so we have

 

• Member Showcase (Public)
  • Promo Videos
  • Single, EP and Album Releases

We then have a choice...

 

I think it would be good to have this area as "the best", ie, not someone sitting down with their guitar, recorded with their phone and phone mic, or web cam. Not an audio equivalent either. It would mean moderators and or special "editor" style members monitoring quality.

 

Items not making the grade would be shifted to the musician's lounge, or the critique boards.

 

Setting a standard can be a good thing. From experience if we want a "best of", self-approved posting will result in a lot of the amateur content I mention above. I don't think that helps members really trying to improve, or the site, if that sort of post is not kept to appropriate areas.

 

My two cents.

[john]

I also don't have a problem with members showcasing other artistic achievements, for example artwork, poetry etc but I as it is a music site I don't think we should create a dedicated category for them.

[Zson]

I think I prefer a publicly accessible member showcase, non brand related videos etc I would think the Showcase board itself would take care of miscellaneous member showcases, so we have

 

• Member Showcase (Public)
  • Promo Videos
  • Single, EP and Album Releases

We then have a choice...

 

I think it would be good to have this area as "the best", ie, not someone sitting down with their guitar, recorded with their phone and phone mic, or web cam. Not an audio equivalent either. It would mean moderators and or special "editor" style members monitoring quality.

 

Items not making the grade would be shifted to the musician's lounge, or the critique boards.

 

Setting a standard can be a good thing. From experience if we want a "best of", self-approved posting will result in a lot of the amateur content I mention above. I don't think that helps members really trying to improve, or the site, if that sort of post is not kept to appropriate areas.

 

My two cents.

I like it

[Just1L]

I like the idea of the quality having high standards. It gives people something to shoot for. Incidentally, Reverbnation has a new feature for songs to see if they are "radio ready." Not going to do it and don't plan to, but I do think it's a good idea.

 

Interesting Dave. I may need to go back and look for that.

 

Randy

[Rudi]

I like Zson's idea.

 

After my long hiatus from here, it was something of a shock to find the ‘me-me-me’ clamour had spilled over into absolutely everything. The community spirit of Musician’s Lounge had all gone. On the plus side its more music focused now, but surely a dedicated showcase area for finished work is better and clearer.

 

Rudi

[john]

You'll be glad to know the boards are now active