Forum

Hey all you funky Target members...I just wanted to post an announcement to deal with some questions on student responses.

I had received a couple of messages asking when we are getting to some ...

And I wanted to let you know soon...very soon

In fact we had planned on doing some last couple of weeks, but due to some other delays and finishing up some new stuff for you ..today's strumming lesson and the 10 new lessons with it being an example..

We also have Neil's daughter back from college , softball season with three big trips to deal with, and also our main programmer's wife is having a baby, due to be induced tomorrow morning...all of which have contributed to us not having done a response for 7 weeks..

The last time we got to them we knocked off I think 20-30 in one hit..and we love doing them, but they also take a huge amount of resources and time..

4 staff members and a full hour for each review, plus the thinking time as to how to respond..A lot of work...and impossible for us to respond to everyone all the time, we never will be able to do that...it is simply not possible..

Now having said all that...we are working very hard , and very long hours to get to them..

Having said that one of the messages implied some stuff I want to make sure we get clear here..

Neil has no favorites...until now, we had taken a somewhat random approach to responses..we tried fitting it in between other jobs we have to do, and we have never deliberately missed responding to an individuals upload..(this being an implication of a message we reviewed)...

We are working on a better system to match up reviews and responses..and had started down that path with the introduction of the Student review page (which is still a work in progress)..and we will get better at that so we keep closed track of what has come in ..

We love the reviews..but we also need you to understand we have many many things to balance..and we also need you to continue the great work that you are doing helping each other..

I take immense pleasure seeing the uploads..it inspires me, I am sure it inspires everyone, and I love when others come in and coach folk..

We will be getting to a batch of reviews in the next couple of weeks..and we will also be having another live show soon, which you need to also use as a feedback machine..in fact that is really an important tool...so get your questions in early..

Although we will focus on reviewing Target songs , we also love the new stuff being exposed..and will occasionally review those too..

To any of you folks who have not had a review yet..rest assure we will get to you soon enough..Their simply is not a big conspiracy on that front..we simply only have one Neil..three teenagers , a full house, a bunch of peripheral stuff, and of course everything else we do here..

Every now and again we also see an opportunity to turn a review into a mini lesson..an example of this was when DennisG posted his song that we had not put into Target , "Junk" by the Beatles..we will be looking for some more example opportunities like these, so keep posting those songs into the channel that maybe we may have overlooked like this example..

Thx for your understanding..keep the videos coming...you are all doing an incredible job with your learning and sharing..and a huge shoutout to those of you who are commenting and contributing to the video posts..

Here is a video message from Neil to re-enforce our commitment to them

Is there a bobby prize for the longest TARGET member yet to do a video? LOL! Look at all the time and resources I've saved you guys!! :woohoo:

Hey Matt:

Thanks for the update. We all know you are just sitting around drinking some Australian beer and trying to get the nerve up to post an Air Supply song or a Brittney Spears song.... :woohoo:

The reviews are amazing, but I understand that life happens too and with the material coming out lately, it will take some time.

Thanks again,

Jason

BigBear wrote:

Is there a bobby prize for the longest TARGET member yet to do a video? LOL! Look at all the time and resources I've saved you guys!! :woohoo:

lol .. I'm coming to your house with a HD cam no getting out of that mate

Thanks for the announcement. I've been missing the responses. They are one of the if not 'the' aspect if TG that I love the most and most look forward too. I haven't watched Neil's video yet as I'm out but I'll do it this evening. I've been a bit concerned that all the new potential lessons might be competeing for Neil's limited time. I also feel like my learning list is full for the moment and I'm not looking for new material. But, I love seeing the responses. I always learn something regardless of whether it is about something I've posted or am even working on.

I trust that you don't have favourites and that you're trying to be equitable. Still I've wondered whether you've considered putting in a system or measuring some indcators to ensure that noone is inadventently slipping between the cracks and missing out. I love getting responses and have recieved a few, but I'd hate to get one at the expense of someone that hasn't had one for a while especially a regular contributor.

So in short, I'm looking forward to the next batch. Thanks to the people that raised these concerns/observations with you and thanks for listening and taking them seriously.

Michele

Hey Matt/Neil,

You have clearly taken this issue really seriously, taking the time to put up a thread on it and Neil has done a video. I think it's an important issue.

Again, I don't presume to speak for others, only myself.

I would NEVER suggest that Neil, you and the whole team are anything less than 100% committed to the site. The amount of new content clearly represents hours of work. I must say it's good information that you have provided regarding the amount of time and resources that go into each video response. I certainly didn't realise that.

For me, the point is not at all about how hard you guys work (that you work VERY hard is obvious), nor about value for money on TG (clearly excellent value with a tremendous amount of content). I would just like to make the point that I value Neil's video responses to the whole community very highly. (I don't personally feel neglected by the way. I have had great feedback from Neil and appreciate that enormously). So if it were a question of priorities and something had to give then that's an area I would like to see remain a very high priority.

I understand Neil, you and everyone at TG has a life outside of TG.

Finally the point that has potential to be seen as confrontational. It's certainly not my intention to confrontational, just honest:

You guys do a great job. You have developed a GREAT product here. I think there's a fair chance you know what's best for your business in terms of content. From my point of view, you have a very loyal following also. Loyal enough to pay to be here. I don't expect you to try to please everyone, that's impossible. But if I have a point to make I would like to feel comfortable enough to make it without it being taken as nonconstructive criticism. I know you guys would say it's about how one makes a point, and I would agree. I understand you getting your back up when you receive poorly conceived, nonconstructive criticism. But I think that your members need to feel they have a voice. We're in this with you.

Please don't feel challenged by my post in this open forum. I think on this occasion it's the right place for it.

tovo wrote:

Hey Matt/Neil,

You have clearly taken this issue really seriously, taking the time to put up a thread on it and Neil has done a video. I think it's an important issue.

Again, I don't presume to speak for others, only myself.

I would NEVER suggest that Neil, you and the whole team are anything less than 100% committed to the site. The amount of new content clearly represents hours of work. I must say it's good information that you have provided regarding the amount of time and resources that go into each video response. I certainly didn't realise that.

For me, the point is not at all about how hard you guys work (that you work VERY hard is obvious), nor about value for money on TG (clearly excellent value with a tremendous amount of content). I would just like to make the point that I value Neil's video responses to the whole community very highly. (I don't personally feel neglected by the way. I have had great feedback from Neil and appreciate that enormously). So if it were a question of priorities and something had to give then that's an area I would like to see remain a very high priority.

I understand Neil, you and everyone at TG has a life outside of TG.

Finally the point that has potential to be seen as confrontational. It's certainly not my intention to confrontational, just honest:

You guys do a great job. You have developed a GREAT product here. I think there's a fair chance you know what's best for your business in terms of content. From my point of view, you have a very loyal following also. Loyal enough to pay to be here. I don't expect you to try to please everyone, that's impossible. But if I have a point to make I would like to feel comfortable enough to make it without it being taken as nonconstructive criticism. I know you guys would say it's about how one makes a point, and I would agree. I understand you getting your back up when you receive poorly conceived, nonconstructive criticism. But I think that your members need to feel they have a voice. We're in this with you.

Please don't feel challenged by my post in this open forum. I think on this occasion it's the right place for it.

Tony..I am not challenged by your post..just some of the innuendos someone else sent me privately..

As for my last reply on this topic..we cannot stop doing what were doing to do student reviews..not only is it not possible to even keep up, and we must create new content for a host of reasons I wont go into here..not least of which the moment we don't we will be getting complaints about that...(already happened twice now) despite the facts being somewhat different in actuality, ..nor did we ever promise this..that was what the live show was for...this was a newer feature and a bonus..which some, and I say some, assume it is a right..It is not..and cannot be..

But we will keep working away on improving the review system and our time on it...so there it is..

I encourage anyone (you too Bear) to get your videos in, because you never know when we may show up with a response..

The student reviews are definately one of the most important parts of totally guitars in my opinion.
It often doesn't matter if it is a review of your own performance or somebody elses. The advice given often applies anyway.

The one thing I would say is it would be better to have a steady slow stream of these, rather than having a big break and then lots done at once. Of course limitations of time comes in to this.

I can't believe TG would ever need a comaplaints department but I'm up for the job Matt,as long as ya don't mind lossing so bloody wingers.Cheers Scott

You just can't please all of the people of the time. Matt, I can hardly believe that someone, anyone, on TG can't get enough material here to keep up with them. At my current rate, I need you and Neil to get me some new lessons in about 2205.

I, and I hope many other TARGET members, have the highest regard for TG's efforts, products, and results. You and Neil owe me no explanation, and certainly no apology. For Neil to take some family time commands only respect from one dad to another, because his priorities as a family man are clearly in order. I am confident that things will catch up when they catch up, and that's just fine with me.

I think you and Neil have the business sense and professional integrity that drives you to address any issue raised by your customers, and that's what this thread is doing, but really mate, you have no worries here, and I sincerely hope you have no worries with a vast, vast majority of the TARGET membership. Do what you need to do as you see fit for whomever needs it, but I, and and many others, support you, Neil, and TG.

Dan