Rather than hijack keysvocalssax's (who shall heretofore be known as KVS)thread, I'd like to hear your opinions on this question. DO WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO EDUCATE OUR AUDIENCES? we live in a time when Mp3's have virtually replaced the higher quality CD, and Ashly Simpson makes way more money than Diana Krall and a backup offensive lineman in the NFL probably makes more than the average professional ballerina or 1st chair in a major symphony orchestra. The public has shown that it's more than willing to accept total crap if that is what's offered. Someone said in the other post that it's okay to stand on your head and whistle (or something like that) as long as it entertains your audience. Do we really feel that way about the performance of the music we purport to love so much? Is it really ok to sacrifice every vestige of musical integrity (such as knowing how to play; aka "knowing your craft", aka "professionalism") for the sake of entertainment? Yes, we are in the entertainment business, BUT, the vehicle we have chosen (to entertain with) is MUSIC. If "keeping them up on the dance floor" is the only thing that is important, then they'd be much better off, IMO, with a good DJ; they do a much better job of this. There is not much to add to the subject of "cheating". It was subjective before, it's subjective now, and it will be subjective in the future. Big, fast, overpowered cars are nice to drive or ride in but they pollute our planet. Music technolgy is also nice, but it has polluted our pool of talented and trained musicians with a generation of button-pushers. So yes, the public will accect garbage; but does that mean we have to be so willing to accomodate them? Don't we have an obligation to help elevate public taste. The public likes what is easy, that's why MacDonald's is sucessful, that's why no-name, no talent rock bands can make millions. That's what spawns Punk, and Trance, and Hip-Hop, and .....Schlager . And by the way, for those that use SMF's on a gig (especially exclusively) so as to sound more like the record; use a CD player, for crying out loud, it IS the record (and a lot cheaper).

Peace,

chas