Unfortunately, the ratio of civil to uncivil posts drops as Nigel is seen to not moderate. Some pretty ugly things stopped dead in their tracks only because he closed them, and now we are all behaving like good little children now teacher is back in the room.

The test is whether they can remain that way without his constant attention. Eventually, time pressures and his other interests may return Nigel to a more occasional visitor. What happens AFTER that occurs is what is going to be the true test of the membership. All is peace love and understanding right now, but for how long?

How to balance civility with the needs of the forum, to actually HEAR what members want to post? I don't believe, as some are saying, that NO demos should be posted. Nor do I believe that ANY posted demo should just be greeted with a 'nice one, mate!' no matter WHAT it's quality.

Appropriate response is always the key. Newbie and self-admitted rank amateurs DO deserve encouragement, no matter the quality, perhaps with a tip or two to improve the NEXT one. Intermediates, if they post they ARE looking for criticism and advice should receive it (and, after all, what's the point of posting if NOT to receive a peer review? Vanity?) but never with malice. There are plenty of constructive things you can say without just patting someone on the back.

Pro submissions deserve to be critiqued as such, but, once again, without malice. However, it is up to the demo submitter to be prepared to take a poor review, and not escalate it into a war. Argue about the points of the critique, certainly, but I have never seen the point of personally attacking the poster... It's only music, after all.

Self-styled 'experts' need to understand that their postings need to reflect their opinions. I include myself amongst those (!), and am always happy to receive any comments, and even EXPECT to be called out if what I say and what I demo don't match. That is only fair. But once again, it need never descend to personal insults. EVER...

This is quite a unique place, with arranger aficionados of ALL walks of life and experience. To not take advantage of the shared knowledge here is a waste. But it will only come if those with the experience to offer are not shackled by dread of committing some faux pas to an overly sensitive poster that just wants a pat on the back.

Just pretend (however hard this might be!) that you are in a room with some friends, all of whom play arrangers... You play something that stinks, and one of your friends laughs and goes 'That's not so good!'. Would you get as riled up as if the same thing happened here? Probably not... Let's try to get back to that degree of cameradie, and be a little less thin-skinned.

And those of us that DO offer criticism, let's try to remember we are critiquing the music, not the man...

Peace out, y'all......