One year later: how do you feel about the busking threads?

dennisg
Posts: 0
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2009 10:34 am
Status: Offline

Sat Feb 18, 2012 6:24 pm

I will admit to having very mixed feelings about the busking threads. When Chris first started the Busking the Beatles thread, I thought, Yeah, that's cool. A band pretty much everyone worships. There ought to be a lot of posts in that thread and bring in some videos from people who don't normally post videos. And that's exactly what happened.

Now we're seeing busking threads for artists I've never even heard of -- even threads for busking specific songs, which I've always found very odd, since my perception of busking threads is a place to invite others to participate. Who's going to participate in a thread for a specific song after that song has already been posted? But then I guess the perception of what a busking thread is for varies for different people.

So, I was wondering, now that we've had the opportunity to watch how the busking threads pan out, how's it working for you? What would you like to see? What would you like to change?


sws626
Posts: 0
Joined: Sun Jan 03, 2010 1:00 am
Status: Offline

Sat Feb 18, 2012 7:09 pm

Dennis,
On the whole, I think they've been great and have drawn people out in some of the ways you've suggested. I've started and contributed to a few and saw them mainly as an oulet for fun and interesting songs that weren't part of the Target collection. I guss I also hoped this outlet would lead to people posting somewhat less polished work in the uploads for review; but I don't think that's really happened. I have to admit that over the last six months or so I've watched a lot fewer of them, though. Maybe that has something to do with how they've evolved or maybe with changes in what I'm looking for. These days, I tend to get some song in my head (who knows how it gets there) and then scour YouTube for covers until I decide qhether it's something I might be able to work with. Some of these I may work on for many weeks, but rarely do I post them to the forum anymore. I can't really say exactly why.
-Stuart


suziko
Posts: 0
Joined: Tue Jun 16, 2009 9:37 am
Status: Offline

Sat Feb 18, 2012 8:07 pm

Has it really been just a year since the busking threads started? Seems like so much longer ago.... I bet Chris had no idea what he was starting when he began his "Busking the Beatles" thread. The busking idea completely changed so much at TG. Like you, Dennis, I saw the busking threads as a way to get various people to contribute to a certain popular group (eg The Beatles) or idea (eg. Busking Love Songs, Busking DADGAD). And without going back and looking at the number of hits, I'd speculate that those threads have been the most popular of all the busking threads, because so many people have something to add to them. The mega-popularity of Daryl and Shel's "Busking 3 or 4 Chord Songs" certainly attests to that.


I remember when Stu and i first went to post our collaboration of June Hymn by the Decemberists, I decided to NOT post it as a busking thread because i thought "How many people are going to add to a 'Busking The Decemberists' thread?" But having said that, clearly lots of other people view the busking threads very differently from me. They see it as a way to put a song up on TG that they don't want put up for review. Maybe it's not a Target song, or maybe it's more "for fun" than something they'd put up for review. And that is perfectly ok. I reckon TG is a big enough place for us all to use it in our own way.


BigBear
Posts: 0
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 11:02 am
Status: Offline

Sat Feb 18, 2012 8:52 pm

Dennis-

Great question!! What started out as a noble endeavor has devolved into a handful a players feeling the need to post every song they've ever played. My understanding of the Busking Thread was for lots of people to post songs without asking for Neil's review. To basically help other guitarists learn and improve. Or to show songs, before the collaberation thread started, of TG'ers getting together and playing.

Unfortunately, the way it is now, Busking has pushed many people away from the forum. Like you said, we often don't know the songs or artists and the videos are just "hey, look at me...!" performances.

On the positive side, when someone posts a good song with a unique tab or arrangement and shares that info then we can all get better. For example, Chris did a very nice job on Dan Fogelberg's The Reach and shared where he got the lesson. I picked it up and have learned it well and now it's part of my "song list". Thanks to my friend Chris! But that is the exception not the rule.

I would much prefer to put Busking into its own forum so people that wanted that could just go there. Busking is no longer about learning or improving but only performance. It clutters and overwhelms the main forum and detracts from the friendly banter that was so enjoyable in the early days of TG.

Thank you for asking the question.


User avatar
neverfoundthetime
Posts: 48
Joined: Sat Aug 01, 2009 2:14 pm
Status: Offline

Sat Feb 18, 2012 9:04 pm

Well its been great to see how folks have been posting on the busking threads and the increase in videos posted has been something I have really enjoyed see happening, whatever the category. Wasn't it just great how fast TG set up the busking up-loader for us to use! For me, the more people post and the more videos that get posted, the better. The success of the 3 & 4 chord thread is a spectacular extension of the idea of busking... just past the guitar to the next in-line, so that has been a blast. I personally don't mind if a busking thread has a theme or is just one song, sharing videos here is one very best things at TG.

Edit: Ah, BigBear, my friend, was writing same time as me. Great to hear you picked up that great Dan Fogelberg song, Rick, it was a real gem to find, so glad I could share it! I wouldn't agree with you though that a busking post necessarily causes anyone to avoid the forum. They may not visit that posted video but it doesn't prevent checking out other threads nor clutter the forum IMHO.

PS, heard this great (big) bear comment recently: Where does an 800 pound bear sleep? Anywhere he damn well wants too! ;-).


Craig
Posts: 38
Joined: Wed Mar 11, 2009 12:07 pm
Status: Offline

Sat Feb 18, 2012 9:32 pm

Well I guess for me it works just fine. Busking a specific band, or vocalist, or song, it's all good, as long as members are having fun and share whatever they want to share.

The only thing that I would like to see changed and what we have pointed out several times is, when someone adds a song to an existing busking-thread, it often doesn't get noticed, no alarmbells going of.

Other than that, it's all fine and a lot of fun to me! :) :)

Ness


suziko
Posts: 0
Joined: Tue Jun 16, 2009 9:37 am
Status: Offline

Sat Feb 18, 2012 9:57 pm

Also I'd like to add that one person's obscure song is another person's favorite gem. Chris's video for The Reach is a perfect example. Bear was thrilled and I'd never heard of the song. If it wasn't Chris putting it up, I might not have even bothered to look at it. But it wouldn't bother me that he put it up. I look at the threads that interest me and ignore the ones that don't. I assume everyone just picks and chooses, too.

I know that the subject has come up periodically of some people posting "too much." I'm not going to say that I fall into the "there is no such thing as 'too much'" category. I have definitely felt, at times, that some people post too much. However, I also recognize that my standard for "too much" is not going to be everyone's standard. "Too much" is entirely subjective. There is no official rule at TG that states how much a person can or cannot post. So for the frequency of my own posts, I keep to my standard. As for everyone else, I figure they can do the same (keep to their own standard). And, again, I can choose to just not watch their videos if I'm not interested in seeing everything they put up on TG.


Chasplaya
Posts: 0
Joined: Sat Sep 20, 2008 8:41 pm
Status: Offline

Sat Feb 18, 2012 10:10 pm

You are writing down your opinions as if they are facts.....may I add, that they're just yóur opinions and not necessarily facts??! Pffffffff........

BigBear wrote:
Busking has pushed many people away from the forum. Like you said, we often don't know the songs or artists and the videos are just "hey, look at me...!" performances.

Busking is no longer about learning or improving but only performance. It clutters and overwhelms the main forum and detracts from the friendly banter that was so enjoyable in the early days of TG.


AcousticAl
Posts: 0
Joined: Wed Mar 25, 2009 3:10 pm
Status: Offline

Sat Feb 18, 2012 11:50 pm

I don't watch them all- but when i do- I go out of interest. Either interest in a song/artist or interest in what a member is up to.

I don't go to the busking threads to learn (necessarily). Although I have 1) seen songs that I like and want to learn in busking threads and 2) have learned cool additions to songs I already know from busking threads.

But it's just busking. If you don't like the tune- don't throw your dollar (or loonie) in the hat

Cheers!

**Edit- Case in point..
I left this thread and went to the Led Zep busking thread. I saw 3 or 4 great videos uploaded by one member. Just showing some cool tunes he's got under his belt and different techniques etc. I'll be going back to those videos in the future as a reference when I want to try slide guitar/ open G tuning. Probably not what the member thought his vids would inspire- but there you go.

Lonnie dropped.


BigBear
Posts: 0
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 11:02 am
Status: Offline

Sun Feb 19, 2012 1:47 am

nesh16041972 wrote:
You are writing down your opinions as if they are facts.....may I add, that they're just yóur opinions and not necessarily facts??! Pffffffff........

BigBear wrote:
Busking has pushed many people away from the forum. Like you said, we often don't know the songs or artists and the videos are just "hey, look at me...!" performances.

Busking is no longer about learning or improving but only performance. It clutters and overwhelms the main forum and detracts from the friendly banter that was so enjoyable in the early days of TG.

Nesh- I didn't state them as facts and they are only my opinion but I get ALOT of email from friends of mine on this site and the excessive postings are an issue to many members. I am far from alone in my concern for this issue. Dennis asked for an opinion on the current state of the busking thread and I provided one. You are certainly free to disagree with me anytime.

I'm just one old member among hundreds. And I'm doing fine with this site. Although my focus has really changed to the lessons. If I think there are too many busking videos I just won't watch them all. Doesn't impact you or others at all. It's all good!! :)


Post Reply Previous topicNext topic