What forums do we need here?

[Robert****]

Just wondering, now that HC is giving people a sour aftertaste, would you like to see changes to the current forum set up here? Was thinking we can add more forums if we think it would be of use for our members. Perhaps we can get some more good people join us from HC and other forums as a result.

A lighting forum perhaps? Maybe a drum and keyboard forum, perhaps even vocals?

Should we make Tele, Strat, Les Paul, SG, etc subforums?

I welcome your suggestions, and if there seems to be strong support for certain proposed changes, we can make them happen.

Let's hear it, friends!

[oldguy]

I liked the user review section they had. I took it w/ a grain of salt, but could find at least some honest reviews of gear. We have some good gear reviews here, and I'd like to see that expanded as a service to G.A.S. sufferers everywhere. Plus we have reviews of lesser known gear, like the kick a$$ pedals DVM builds. Opinions please, Fretters?

[Katastrophe]

I actually like the setup the way it is. The format is clear and easy to use, and I don't have to worry about posting in the wrong forum, as there is very little overlap.

[Tig***]

My .02...
I think the posting trends (more on lighting, vocals, drums, etc.) will dictate any needs for additional forums. Some websites have too many subforums, and some too few, but I'd error on the side of too few, allowing more overlap and visibility.

[SuperSwede]

A review system like HC old one would be brilliant! And this forum owes a lot to the good old Yamaha JX amph review from HC

[markb]

Maybe you need a general performance issues forum but please don't sub-divide the gear forums any further. Creating more and more subforums not only divides the community but makes the moderators' jobs much harder (something else to consider at a time of growth).

A single "user review" area would suffice really unless the membership really takes off. User reviews will still get posted under single topic subforums anyway.

One day I'll post the tongue in cheek article How to Read Harmony Central Reviews I wrote for an aborted blog

[Jimi75]

None. Perfect surface of the forum, easy to navigate, clearly structured. More subforum = more confusion.

[kiteman]

I like the user reviews on HC and it's gone !!

[mainestratman]

Ahhh.. the age-old quandry of anyone who admins a board.

Personally, I dislike subforums... from both a user and admin point of view, but like a lot of other things in life, they are often a necessary evil.

Since I'm not familiar with vBulletin (I've always run phpBB), I checked out their site to see what sort of "add ons" they might have that you could install "out of the box", but I didn't see any such download area.

There is a substantial amount of product reviews already in place, which is half the reason I joined the Fret to begin with. The vids sucked me right in. :-)

If you feel you should add anything, my recommendation would be to either rename "Product Reviews" to "Product Reviews - Guitar and Bass" and add another forum "Product Reviews - Drums, Keys, etc.".

The other option to this would be to perhaps create a completely separate category, to be named "Reviews", then place a series of forums within: Guitar, Bass, Drums, Keys, PA Gear, Recording Gear, whatever.

I've never hung out at HC, so I don't know what they had, or what changes made it suck... I do hope that for whatever reason, more HC users to come over and make TFN their home. :-)

[syo***]

Was thinking we can add more forums if we think it would be of use for our members. Perhaps we can get some more good people join us from HC and other forums as a result.

(imho) I think changing what we have in order to encourage others to join, risks alienating the current membership. Change can be very good but should come from the natural evolution of the group's interests and not forced (again imho).

Regarding the HC reviews, I must admit that I sometimes consulted them but it was never an intelligent decision on my part to do so. Usually I would use them to validate what I already decided anyway. In a way, I feel that trying to have the same sort of thing here is inviting a commercial element that is less interested in community than it is in pushing its' own interests. I do like the idea of having more reviews but only if they are from members with some history here. Otherwise, to me, they are fairly worthless.

One day I'll post the tongue in cheek article How to Read Harmony Central Reviews I wrote for an aborted blog

Would love to read it Mark. Put it up!

[sunvalleylaw]

I don't have a problem with how it is now. If other sections, like lighting or whatever, are needed, those can be added as necessary.

[SuperSwede]

The fret is great as it is but I do think that a HC 1.0 style user review section would be a great addition.

[Monkus]

I for one would like to see a section on creativity, like what makes you write, musicmaking tips, tips and tricks of the pros and so forth. Tips on channeling creativity kinda thing. That stuff is all over the net and not compiled into one place.

Another thing in that section could be using normal gear in unusual ways for cool effects, like using the M9 on vocals, or recording vocals through an amph that kind of stuff. I dont know if I'm explaining this properly but I hope you get the drift.

[Spudman***]

None. Perfect surface of the forum, easy to navigate, clearly structured. More subforum = more confusion.

This.

[BigJD]

As a refugee from HC I like this forum as it is.
I will miss the Live Sound forum and the Lighting forums.
I really enjoyed those forums for the information and the people that were there. Those are the only additions I'd like here.
Otherwise this forum and it's inhabitants seem to work very well.

[Spudman***]

JD makes a pretty good point. We are getting more members that are playing out or starting to play out. A stage section might be good.

Main Forum: STAGE
Sub forums:
1. Live Sound
2. Lighting
3. Tips & Tricks

[Robert****]

Hmm, thanks for all the suggestions. Now comes that tough part - what do I actually implement...

[Commodore 64***]

Categorized, searchable gear reviews.

We'd need to get some help from all of us to establish a good base of gear reviews, but the reviews were the only reason I ever came across harmony-central at all (usually through google).

[oldguy]

Hmm, thanks for all the suggestions. Now comes that tough part - what do I actually implement...

Nothing, really. This place is fine as it is, and to establish the database of reviews HC had would be impossible to duplicate. We can encourage members to post honest reviews, rather than the "I own it, so it's the best", or, "I've got a grudge, so I'll trash it" type seen on HC too often.
Other than that, let's keep the place friendly and down to earth.
I posted reviews over at HC, and was honest about the gear I'd purchased, but it was obvious that other people often had their own agenda. I often trusted reviews that were plain spoken and written by people who had been playing many years and who'd gone through lots of gear.......and I was seldom dissapointed, but that's gone now.
God rest HC.........long live TheFret.net!