hiatus

[Rudi]

I am not taking any sides here nor wish to be associated with any opinion I have not personally expressed, but I am much saddened by the departure of TapperMike. 

 

As such I really dont feel like participating here at present, so I wont be around for a while. If anyone wants to criticize me now, I wont be here to offer a defense. So fill your boots.

[Jim622]

Rudi - sorry to hear that. I've been sitting in the wings a while. Mostly because I haven't been recording/contributing musically here. I still liked coming on, because it was/is always a friendly place. Not taking sides - for both being musicians, they are both pretty unbending. It reminded me a lot what's going on here in the states. People have forgotten how to respect others opinions. If someone doesn't agree with your views, it is a personal attack, and it escalates from there. I'm taking my ball and going home.

You have contributed a lot on the site, musically and with your point of view. There are many members here that don't log on here for the soap operas. Remember most of the people are here for innocent reasons. Should you jump ship also for others short comings.

The subject post this came from seemed like a waste of time from the beginning. I read it, but I am very happy I didn't get suckered into a no win conversation. Music is music, if you enjoy a genre, that all that really matters. You can't make people like everything you like. 

 

Come back soon. Oh - Long Live Rock!

[Sreyashi Mukherjee]

One group song and jig should be the tonic everytime things start looking dark and ominous. Come back soon, everyone! The more, the merrier... differences notwithstanding.

[Pahchisme Plaid]

Rudi, Don't go!  Hmmmnnn ...has a nice ring to it.  May have to use that.  

(Shakes head) Ugh! I don't know what its all about (I did skim that run of posts awhile back, but didn't really follow it once I saw the direction it was going).  Its just really too bad that in the course of having much freedom on this site for expression, that something that comes out of it that may be offensive must be representative of the whole community here.  Every person here has the option to recognize the drama and stop in their tracks and take another direction.  Avoid reading the comments that are being posted for that run, if you're the original poster, delete the post if it gets out of hand, and certainly don't comment if things are getting heated.  Don't feed the dragon!  There are plenty of positive things going on on this site than to focus on the one run that's going to polarize the members here.  Site administrators give quite a leash that usually seems beneficial.  If members value that freedom of expression, use it wisely.  I can understand a break if needed, but don't leave us, Rudi!  I'm sorry to hear that tappermike left.  I hope he comes back after some space from whatever went down.  There are many members who were NOT contributors to that.  Maybe you could focus on that.  Also, I notice in settings, there's an "ignored users".  Not quite sure what that is, but perhaps it might be an option for tappermike to employ.

[Mahesh]

I'm usually lurking in the background on here these days as I've been more involved with all that is upcoming with Songstuff. Saddened and disappointed to hear some long time members such as Mike and Rudi deciding to leave the community. As unfortunate as it is, it is their decision to make as they aren't obligated in anyway to stay on here. I wish both of you the best of luck and maybe in the future, you will decide to change your minds.

 

Having said that, it is our obligation as Songstuff staff to keep this place a lively, open-minded community for future members to come and benefit. I'm as much a regular member of Songstuff as anybody else. I am not paid to be staff and all of us here at the crew are regular members who decided to help @john's  selfless vision of helping musicians and giving them a place where they can truly grow. We've had staff meetings every other week for years now where we talk and discuss all that can be done to make this community better. I'd appreciate for us all to move forward with the same spirit and use this opportunity to help ourselves greatly. By communicating any issues you have with the way this forum works or how it can be made better. 

 

@Rob Ash, thank you for those sentiments. I truly appreciate your thoughts on this. Hope all is well, bud. 

 

Cheers everybody!

[starise]

I am saddened to hear of Mikes departure. I didn't know about it until now. Same with Rudi who I will miss if he doesn't show up here.

 

Rob I appreciate what you said. I do count you as an online friend and always will. I really like you , because if nothing else you are real and i can tell that. I don't deal well with  people who are either so biased they can't see past their rear end or so fake they would fit right in with those plastic pink flamingos. I like REAL music, REAL discussion, REAL interaction with REAL people.

 

My history is kinda colored here. I've pissed off the site owner a few times. You can say whatever you want to say about the mosh pit, but it was real and I like real. 

 

I get so barfing tired of namby pambly politically correct crap I don't know how much more of it I can take. No matter where I go I feel I need to squelch ME so we can all have a happier life and skip happily into the sunset.

 

I have stepped on toes I didn't know exist here and had people writing me pouting about how my way just irritates them. I still to this day haven't had any concrete reasons for why or how.

 

I am a "feely" kind of person. I get vibes. Don't ask me how I do. I have had these mundane banal vibes about this site for a long long time. Maybe some of it is the blue color which affects my mood. Maybe it's the fact that I feel like I don't really belong here. Every time I come here it feels kinda foreign. Like I stepped into something I don't quite click with. Have the others felt the same vibe? I have no idea. The really odd thing is I keep coming back because I think there are still good things happening even when I can't see what it is.

 

This is the last thing I'll say about me. I have been climbing a mountain in my life since last November. Hopefully I'll be at the peak by the first part of the year. But who cares? I suck at forums. Forums in general leave me with an empty disconnect. A bunch of people show up, talk, say hello or screw you and that's about it. My last two Christmases will suck because of issues I can't control. I need something to help me move ahead to a better place, but most forums I go to don't fill that gap or even come close. Maybe some of the people here are getting what they want. If all of us go away, then maybe  that group will be happy. 

 

I have bent over backwards to help people who in most cases find another solution to their problem, I suggest solution A and they always go with solution B. Why am I even here? I have attempted to put sales up of plug ins and I doubt anyone even read them. I have commented on songs to be told They don't agree with my opinions. Why am I here? I have had my music picked apart by people who have no idea how much work it all takes. It can be so easy to throw a comment out there and demand something that takes hours to accomplish. Instead of offering  how, they offer a critique. Not constructive. Then I tell myself if I can't write an effing song by now I might as well give it up.

 

Yes, this is a rant. Probably not politically correct. Death hides behind a smile you know. So my point is I'm just tired of  looking at fabricated representations of someone elses view of what reality should be. I'm tired of lining up with everyone elses plan only to be miserable. I'm tired of giving 100% to others and getting nothing in return. I'm tired of people thinking I'm out to get them. I'm tired of being the least person to ever be considered for anything. 

 

I see through all of the bullshit. Sometimes there's so much bullshit when you take it all away nothing else is left. Like some people live strictly on a bullshit diet, you know?

 

 

[Dazzyt66]

Wtf is going on? I must’ve missed something in the last few weeks - moved house n my dad died (no sympathy please)...

 

The reason I joined this site in the first place is to get HONEST views. If you say my stuff is shit then that’s fine, I’ll live - and I probably won’t agree! Lol

 

@Rob Ash@starise you guys have given me great, straight up advice (as have others here), DO NOT change how you do stuff or fail to participate, this place will be worse off for sure. 

 

I like it here and I like pretty much everyone I’ve interacted with so far, yeah, some people do piss me off with their attitude but I choose to ignore it. That doesn’t mean I hate em though.

 

Rock on!

[Richard Tracey]

@Rob Ash

@starise

Rob and Tim. I know that I appreciate your comments and input to the site. We are all adults, or should be on this site. We should be able to resolve any issues like adults and move on. Whether that is friends, fellow members, or we agree to never cross paths on the site.

 

What has happened recently has obviously been as a result of long standing issues between members, possibly even from the time of The Mosh Pit. Some poeople have things going on in their lives and given times, that all it takes is one thing to make them react and either say or do things that they may come to regret later.

 

You are both valued members on here and openly admit that you speak your mind and that it may annoy some people, but we should all be able to have a discussion, without it turning into having a go, so to speak. If it gets to that stage, we maybe should take a step back, re-think what we were going to say and word things differently. I know Rob you have said you have done this previously and I commend that.

 

I don’t want to see any long standing members leave, but having spoken to John and Mahesh recently, we are looking at areas that can changed for the better of all members and to try and get more people coming to the site and wanting to stay and contribute.

 

I have also felt a bit like Tim at times. I always try and respond to his posts about plugins etc, as I always appreciate that he is posting about that kind of thing. I wish more members would get involved with that. We are after all trying to make music and should need these type of things to assist with that.

 

Anyway, please stick around and see if we can all make this site into what it needs to be and wants to be.

[Just1L]

Rudi, hope to see you back soon. I'll miss our Christmas fight this year.

 

I wonder if Mike would have left had he not been challenged to post one of his songs. 

 

To everyone else:

 

 

[john]

3 hours ago, starise said:

My history is kinda colored here. I've pissed off the site owner a few times. You can say whatever you want to say about the mosh pit, but it was real and I like real. 

 

Well, once, but we made up

[john]

Can I also point out that until Tim's post ONE member, Mike, had left. I am not even sure why. Rudi, the second member in question, is taking a break, we know not how long. He may be back he may not. I would prefer neither to have left, but I can't do anything about that.

 

Neither member raised an issue about the community with me. Not a word. Not leading up to Mike's departure, or leading up to Rudi's break. Neither has contacted me since. I don't feel it my place to go chasing them for an explanation either.

 

Tim, I am probably guilty of clicking on links you post and not responding... in truth I rarely get to respond, because 1) my time tends to be greatly limited and 2) I tend to write books, not posts.

 

Feeling unappreciated sucks. I tend to think a number of members feel like that about the site. They appreciate individual members while not appreciating or valuing what makes that relationship possible. Indeed, going by some member's attitudes a few months ago, some feel entitled. I was screamed at (literally) because I changed a few things to try and respond to regularly reported issues by making some changes. I only recently opened up donations, as you know, and I have my own crap going on in my life.... so it was like a slap in the face. It really hurt at the time. But people are people, forums or not. I happen to think our members are generally pretty damn good alll in. Members move on. New ones join. I have no idea why Mike left, and no rel idea why it had such an effect on Rudi.

 

Tom had stepped down... but not left, though maybe he thought abut it.... here he is. A few months ago Hobosage left... and he's back. Mike? I can't guess. Honestly, much as I would like all to stick around and enjoy the place... I know our community is generally good, but it can't be all things, to all people, all the time. That is an expectation nothing can fulfil.

 

 

 

The thing is, I know most members are not like as unappreciative as the very, very few but very, very loud entitled screamers of a few months ago.

 

I know many value what they get in this community. I know they value the relationships they have here. I know many have stuff going on in life, some worse than others at any one point. Sometimes that boils over, and sometimes it is the familiar and the close that gets it in the neck. Sometimes we all make easy targets.

 

Most members value the site and the relationships they make here, far more than they have told me, or let on to each other.

 

 

 

As said before, we get out of a community what we put into it. Tim, you may feel neglected at times, but you have also had some very genuine and very meaningful interactions here. You have put a lot into Songstuff over the piece, but reading your post you sound as down on yourself as any individual or indeed the community. If you need to talk, hit me up. Just like I don't go talking about my own woes to everyone, I try not to dwell on those of others either. I don't think that is why people come here. They come to talk to friends, sure, but they mainly come to talk about their passion. Making music. It isn't that I don't have time for you. I barely have time for myself. It isn't that I don't respond to you, anymore than I respond to myself. That said, I must need to make a better effort.

 

 

I go back to my point earlier. One member has left that we know of. Let's not make it what it isn't. An avalanche.

 

 

 

As mentioned by others, we are making changes to the community. Hopefully you guys will be on board. Members are becoming more involved in the site... and that helps free me up, and helps develop new interesting, valuable things for our community.

 

Let's not talk the community down, or put it out it's perceived misery. We have something good here, something with potential, something that most members do value. Can we not just enjoy it and make the most of it? You guys seem to be saying that is what you want.

 

just my two cents.

 

Can we get back to  our music?

 

Please say yes.

[Pahchisme Plaid]

Tim, (sigh).  Tim. (Sigh).  Ya can’t go!  Nope.  Ya can’t.  Just can’t.

[starise]

I want to say a few more things without hogging the subject and making it about me. It isn't really about me, it's about us here on the forum.

 

I'll keep it short and sweet. I am in fact going through some other things I won't elaborate on and some of the bad parts of me came out in that post. I apologize for all of the negativity in it. I can usually keep that in check. Lately it's all been boiling out of me. Thanks everyone for the kind words. I do appreciate them all.

 

Haven't we all at one time or another asked why we are here on this planet? If we died tomorrow, what contributions really mean anything? I think the only contributions that matter are the ones that involve helping people in sincerity. Software, recording and plugins won't matter.  Will music even matter?

 

I looked at a tree and a thought came to me. That tree might live several hundred or a thousand years. If it has an awareness it isn't anything like our awareness, yet it shelters birds and bugs. Provides fruit and nuts.It contributes to our supply of oxygen and acts like a scrubber for our air.It breaks up the ground with  its roots, helps the moles and worms. When it dies it rots and is food for parasites, or is made into building or firewood. Trees can offer protection from the sun and storms to birds and squirrels., yet how often do we stop to consider what the world would be like without them? Does the tree understand the contribution it makes? Trees are randomly cut down if they are in the way. We have little respect for them even though they provide us with so much. I get the feeling that they were put here strictly for the ecosystem in the same way that we might use a tool to get something done.

 

So my thought was, if a tree contributes so much being essentially unaware of it, how much more do each of us contribute in ways we are unaware?  Deep down I knew this was true, but I chose to attack a situation  because at the time it felt better to be negative than it did to roll with everything. Let's be honest, being negative sometimes feels good, but nothing good ever comes from it. It feels good to scream at the world for no real reason. In order to do it we need to make a reason up to internally justify it. I want to apologize for the long rant.

 

So I want to say I appreciate what you said Richard and John. You are both spot on and you'll never know how much I value you guys. 

Tom I am glad you're still around commenting here. Rob I value your presence here. Mike if you're reading this, don't go away, yeah we think differently sometimes. It would be a boring world if we didn't. Rudi  I hope you change your mind.Even the ones I probably bugged the she-ite out of like Monostone, Just1L, Steve, Hobosage and others. I hope you can somehow find it in yourself to stomach me in small doses. I hope I haven't left anyone out.

 

It's been a pleasure working with Kelly and Sreyashi.

 

I have come to the conclusion that forums are all mostly superficial so long as people behave superficial. 

 

What do you want from a forum? It takes everyone to make it happen.

 

I know we all have problems some worse than others. I would hope that this is also a safe place to vent sometimes. I try to keep myself in check but it spills over sometimes.

[Pahchisme Plaid]

That is some insight!  Wow! I am appreciating trees more than ever now!

[Sreyashi Mukherjee]

I'm so glad to see how all this venting out is leading to a positive change in emotions and perceptions. Keep it real, keep it sensitive, too  .

[Just1L]

2 hours ago, starise said:

So my thought was, if a tree contributes so much being essentially unaware of it, how much more do each of us contribute in ways we are unaware?  Deep down I knew this was true, but I chose to attack a situation  because at the time it felt better to be negative than it did to roll with everything.

 

No matter how smooth the road, they all have bumps in them somewhere and eventually you'll hit one. I don't see anything wrong with your post. You didn't call anyone out, you didn't say the community sucked, you just said what you were feeling. Which is the same as we all do at times. Regarding the plugins I too have looked at those and I believe commented on one but in general, I don't use them or look for them and honestly don't care much about them. BUT, and it's a big one, in a way it makes me feel comfortable knowing those links are there should I ever need them. The day I start caring or looking into plugins, your threads will be the first place I go. So, thanks for nothing for now, but a bigger thanks for being there just in case. Like health insurance. LOL

[starise]

Just1L FWIW I like that kind of thing most of the time. It seems I do remember you dropping by a few times and Richard. It isn't all lost .

 

Don't know if you seen my post on Gibson giving Cakewalk the axe. I'm still reeling from that bad news. At least  the software should continue to operate for a long time as it is. If TapperMike had hung around he would be surprised to know I bought Mixcraft 8 and like mixing in it as a possible replacement. Actually made the video in Showcase with it. I'm a baby at video editing. That program makes it easy.

 

There's a guy over on the Cakewalk forums that if we could get him over here, you would have a plugin posting machine. Then in the event you might one day be interested we might have even more options. FWIW a lot of what I posted there came from him. There gets to be a point though where too many is too many. At last cont I had something like 550 plugins. I forget what I have now. There.s a guy on the Cake forum who has over a 1400 . That makes me feel a little better.

[Just1L]

33 minutes ago, starise said:

If TapperMike had hung around he would be surprised to know I bought Mixcraft 8 and like mixing in it as a possible replacement.

 

 

 

I say send him a PM about it. This site is like crack, I bet he will be back. They always come back. Bwahahahahah. I hope he is one day and if he does come back, he'll immediately feel appreciated that you sent it.

[Richard Tracey]

56 minutes ago, starise said:

Just1L FWIW I like that kind of thing most of the time. It seems I do remember you dropping by a few times and Richard. It isn't all lost .

 

Don't know if you seen my post on Gibson giving Cakewalk the axe. I'm still reeling from that bad news. At least  the software should continue to operate for a long time as it is. If TapperMike had hung around he would be surprised to know I bought Mixcraft 8 and like mixing in it as a possible replacement. Actually made the video in Showcase with it. I'm a baby at video editing. That program makes it easy.

 

There's a guy over on the Cakewalk forums that if we could get him over here, you would have a plugin posting machine. Then in the event you might one day be interested we might have even more options. FWIW a lot of what I posted there came from him. There gets to be a point though where too many is too many. At last cont I had something like 550 plugins. I forget what I have now. There.s a guy on the Cake forum who has over a 1400 . That makes me feel a little better.

 

Tim, it may be we look to adapt this posts into something different. You excel when you are talking about plugins and I think that would be beneficial to the site. I think the problem stems from not many members, especially new members, actually look through the whole of the site. Some have and you see old posts pop up. I’ve spoken to John about this and I think it is something that is being addressed. Instead of pulling up old topics, we should be creating new ones for member involvement.

 

I am going to speak to John as Now feels like a really good time to maybe have another topic along the lines of - what does the community want from SongStuff and what could be done to make it better. I know the problem with this can be certain members want different things from the site than others. We need to be able to accommodate everyone, but not alienate at the same time. That is a fine balancing act and it would require the members to buy into this and help push it forward.

 

There are a lot of feelings going on at the moment, so maybe getting it all out in one place would help to clear the air a bit.

 

Would this seem like a good idea?

[starise]

I think well made plans can advance any organization. I have intended to write more technical articles and I still planned to do that. Maybe merge my recording hound site or apply it to here. Direct that small number this way and then they could step off here and I'll close down RH. At this point I have too many irons in the fire and I need to shed a few. I don't think it would be a huge shot in the arm but it would help me respectfully close it down and eventually redirect my energies here.

 

Growth here seems incremental and not fast paced. We pick up dedicated people along the way while many others simply smell the flowers and move along to something else. The people that stay are mostly realists who know that growing music isn't something that will happen right away and there's more to it than popularity and fast record sales. I see it as more an oasis for musicians.