Where are all the new people?

Feel free to get outside the box here.
tovo
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Wed Dec 21, 2011 11:10 am

Hello

This is not a criticism of TG or all the people who have helped me and answered my questions.

When I joined this site, I thought I would see a lot of beginniners asking beginner questions and posting videos that showed they were beginners. What I have seen is people posting very good renditions of songs. And I enjoy those songs and the people performing. No complaint!

The only two new people who have posted anything are shargram (whose name I could not find) and Frank (aikidesi). I see new pople sign up and never hear from them again. On a forum this size there must be some people out there who are struggling with something! Or am I the only one?

So I direct this to the new people who have joined and disappeared.........

Post some videos. Ask some questions. (If I'm missing a whole section of this forum, someone please enlighten me!) When you ask a question or post a video, several people may learn from the answer. If you look back at who has asked the "newbie" questions, it's mostly me! (And I've gotten great answers!)

I am left wondering this: Are Neil's lessons so good that no one but me ever has a question?

That's my gripe and no one can do a thing about it except the people I'm mentioning.

Sam


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Music Junkie
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Wed Dec 21, 2011 12:22 pm

TwoCatSam wrote:
Hello

This is not a criticism of TG or all the people who have helped me and answered my questions.

When I joined this site, I thought I would see a lot of beginniners asking beginner questions and posting videos that showed they were beginners. What I have seen is people posting very good renditions of songs. And I enjoy those songs and the people performing. No complaint!

The only two new people who have posted anything are shargram (whose name I could not find) and Frank (aikidesi). I see new pople sign up and never hear from them again. On a forum this size there must be some people out there who are struggling with something! Or am I the only one?

So I direct this to the new people who have joined and disappeared.........

Post some videos. Ask some questions. (If I'm missing a whole section of this forum, someone please enlighten me!) When you ask a question or post a video, several people may learn from the answer. If you look back at who has asked the "newbie" questions, it's mostly me! (And I've gotten great answers!)

I am left wondering this: Are Neil's lessons so good that no one but me ever has a question?

That's my gripe and no one can do a thing about it except the people I'm mentioning.

Sam
Sam:

We have had a thread here in the forum before about the reason why people don't post videos. There were a lot of shyness and nerves referred to. I am by no means new, but by all means nervous as heck about posting vids. I have asked a lot of questions, but many were from long ago, or not really good enough to warrant a response at times. I would have a hard time believing that there are not people out there struggling (even though Neil's lessons are that good....lol). Maybe those that are struggling with certain things are nervous about sharing those struggles (guessing only). Only thing I can really share, is that the community we have here will be nothing but supportive of anyone that shares. I think all of us realize, no matter what level were are at, that we all have to start somewhere and that, at one point or another, we all have struggled with something guitar related.

I am interested to see what responses you get. I truly hope that more people come out and post their questions and struggles, because you are right, the answers will help more people than just those that asked..... My dad used to tell me to never be nervous about asking a question, because chances were that there were several others that wanted to know as well, but were too nervous to ask...... I have also heard that the only silly question is the one that is never asked......

Good thread.... B)

MJ


AndyT
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Wed Dec 21, 2011 1:50 pm

New people? Hmmm.... I think we keep them in the back room till they marinate a bit.
Rick (BigBear) is responsible for checking on them.

One of the things about this forum is if you ask a question that has been covered before, you are likely to get a link instead of an answer.
A link to a thread with a lot of discussion on the question you have. Some topics, we have beaten to death.
But there is nothing wrong with a new viewpoint either.

By the way.... Which vids have you posted? :lol: I'd like to see them.


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neverfoundthetime
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Wed Dec 21, 2011 2:24 pm

That's a legitimate question Sam. I guess you are a pro active and inquisitive person and actively seek answers. Best way to learn in my view. But many people are shy and reluctant to ask seemingly dumb questions (of which there are none, all questions serve to enlighten to some degree). We have all been through that here as newbees. The forums here belong to those who chose to use them. I'm sure many sit in the wings and watch in silence, that's up to them. Everyone is welcome here all the time and questions are readily answered with much good will and helpfulness.

Not sure what more we can all do here to help beginners more except to say:
WELCOME FOLKS, ASK AND YE SHALL BE ANSWERED!

Maybe we need a BEGINNERS CORNER where newbees are explicitly invited to ask the "dumbest" questions they can come up with. TG FOR DUMMIES? I'd join! :-)


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Music Junkie
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Wed Dec 21, 2011 4:15 pm

neverfoundthetime wrote:
Maybe we need a BEGINNERS CORNER where newbees are explicitly invited to ask the "dumbest" questions they can come up with. TG FOR DUMMIES? I'd join! :-)
Chris: I'd be right there with you.... :) I really hope some of the newer members read this and go for it. I never really became a part of forums in the past due to shyness and such, but I have always felt welcome and can name several members that were new at one time and have become solid TG veterans by simply jumping in. Maybe there are forums out there similar to this, but I imagine this one is pretty special in it's ability to get folks together. The collaborations, TG banner and TG friend visits speak for themselves...... ;)

MJ


AndyT
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Wed Dec 21, 2011 4:20 pm

TG for Dummies...

Ok then,
Why doesn't my First Act guitar from Walmart sound as good as Gracie? (For newbies Gracie = My 1978 Takamine Ghost, Martin Lawsuit edition)

And Yes, I really own the First Act. I play it often because I'm not worried about it getting beat up.
Lets see if any newbies jump in to answer this.


thereshopeyet
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Wed Dec 21, 2011 4:59 pm

Andy

I posted a short video of "Margaritaville" and one of "Dust in the Wind". I can't find either now. They were both pretty bad.

I am working on "If You Could Read My Mind" and will soon post a video.

By the way, does the name Esteban ring any bells?

Sam


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daryl
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Wed Dec 21, 2011 5:18 pm

AndyT wrote:
TG for Dummies...

Ok then,
Why doesn't my First Act guitar from Walmart sound as good as Gracie? (For newbies Gracie = My 1978 Takamine Ghost, Martin Lawsuit edition)

And Yes, I really own the First Act. I play it often because I'm not worried about it getting beat up.
Lets see if any newbies jump in to answer this.
A follow up question if I may.....If one were to replace the plastic saddle and nut with bone or tusq and make the sound board thinner (by aggressively sanding it) would the Walmart guitar sound better? I imagine the sound board is laminated and thick.


wrench
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Wed Dec 21, 2011 5:33 pm

TwoCatSam wrote:
I am left wondering this: Are Neil's lessons so good that no one but me ever has a question?
Sam, you raise an interesting question that has multiple causes, and I'm not sure if it has an easy answer. In TG's early days, everything was new, the community evolved quickly, albeit with a proportionately small number of very active members. Although the competency of that core group ranged from first-day players to performing artists, the community took on a very supportive and very positive persona. This forum had some major mojo. It was that mojo that helped a few brave pioneers summon the courage to post the first videos in late August or early September of '09. I want to tell you making those first vids was terrifying for everyone that I can remember. I don't recall anyone saying they breezed their first TG video. I think a major part of the motivation to post a video was the knowledge that the response would be constructive and positive.

Fast forward two years, and the forum is a very different place. We had some growing pains in here, and over time, we lost our mojo. If I were a newer member, I think a video would be met with a little more indifference than it would have two years ago, simply because the supportive atmosphere isn't so omnipresent as it once was. More germane to your question, however, I think Neil's lessons are superb on their face, but a learning environment based on Neil's teaching philosophy has a lot to do with the feedback in the form of questions. In other words, I question myself rather than question Neil, and I find the answers in Acoustic Genius and previous lessons. I think really learning guitar takes actual work, regardless to whom you question. Obviously, you're working at it. You would have loved it here two years ago.

Esteban. Stephen Paul. Excellent guitarist. Strange fellow. Dodgy guitars.


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Music Junkie
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Wed Dec 21, 2011 7:40 pm

Thank you all for the great responses. I have challeneged myself under the "goals" thread.

I feel a lot better than I did this morning.

Sam


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