[Boydie]

I feel that I should add some comments here as the owner of the forum...

First of all...nobody has done anything wrong - and especially @MonnoDB ! - who has actually hit the nail on the head about what this forum is all about - it is provided as a platform (forum) for members to use how they wish, which boils down to sharing songs and discussions with like minded people

If I had the time and resources (I personally cover all costs to run the forum and do not get an income as I hate ads on forums and wouldn't want to charge members) I would love to "manage it" more - ie launch many of the great ideas in this thread and others I have had - but this is just not possible for me at the moment with real life commitments

I therefore concentrate on providing the platform for members to use

Everyone has different expectations about what they want from the forum and also expectations about what other people should want from the forum - which is often where the "negativity" and misunderstandings come from - and where I think @MonnoDB is spot on about this being absolutely fine for people to be different - e.g. I personally don't like the song "competitions", so rarely contribute myself

The issue of people "taking more than they give" - or a disruptive individual/troll - have been around from day 1

The best approach here is "natural selection" - if someone doesn't contribute, they usually end up receiving less reviews and leave - leaving a core group of members who do contribute generously

I will personally be hoping to increase my forum involvement over the coming months as I will be upgrading my studio, so will hopefully be able to do some writing and recording done myself and post something (it has been a while!!!)

If I get the chance I will also write a short guide on how to review a song - as I am very aware that we can sometimes be quick to criticise a new member for posting their songs and not providing reviews for others...it it easy to forget how intimidating it can be for a newbie to post reviews on some of the excellent written and professionally produced songs that are in this forum

I would like to think that we can all nurture these new members and guide them so they become part of the new core membership

[Nick Ryder]

Good morning, @Boydie

A well written, carefully considered and to the point post. Thank you.

You are course absolutely spot on in all you say.

[rightly]

Continued podcasts ?
Songwriter interviews ?
Song of the month?
Songwriting Challenges
Live performance?

Thought I'd suggest one or two possibilities to discover if there is any appetite for these suggestions.

Paul

Hi Paul

Continued podcasts
- not sure what you mean there

Songwriter interviews ?
I think that'd be fun
A live filming would be good, splitscreen.
Talking about things can help
 and there are some interesting songsters here

Song of the month?
An old favourite of mine. An old favourite of mine.
It was a bit cliquey at times. I recall I might have won twice, (I mean, anyway)

Songwriting Challenges
I've never taken part in one of them. I can't write that way,
I usually ignore entries for such competitions.
They're strange in an unpleasant way.

Live performance?
I don't mind those ☺️

Oh I see this thread has sort of exploded!!

This site Has lost a lot of its quality
Pre scamdemic it was excellent
And very useful for me. With advice, the diversity of songs, the encouragement...
Lots of ways.
It was busier

There were technician types, with stupid ideas
about how a song and how a songwriter should be
(Thete are always too many of them)
But there were more real songwriters here, too.

I don't know. I hope the site will return to it's former glory.
Not the same, but similar.
Pre scamdemic there was another site I'd frequent.
Not as good as this one.
That one closed down. 😔

I hope you don't leave, you've always been one of my favourites.
I certainly understand your frustration.

Hang in there!