I think that perhaps a certain amount of posting is necessary to deflate the 'stubs' being waved (none of the 'dick-wavers' got much to wave, IMO), or at least deflect the attention back on topic.

First of all, there is TONS of music posted here (mostly YouTube clips) that are NOTHING to do with arrangers, by those very stub-wavers. So I wouldn't worry about relevance. I would VERY much like to hear Capt. Russ, chas, any of our 'silent' members' stuff, not out of a need for something to pick apart, but out of a need for community. Talking about music is like dancing about physics... It's not the right medium for exchanging the heart of the topic. Without an audio reference, how do you KNOW if you are being bullsh*tted or not..?

Take our friend Fran, for instance. Owned a music store. Owns a studio. Plays in bands, OMB, duos, whatever. Has doo-wop stars sit in occasionally, yada, yada, yada. If he never posted his playing, you might actually take him seriously from time to time.

But why are we letting these guys (let's face it, other than Fran and Donny, is there anyone else that you think you would rather NOT let comment on anything you post?) dictate the direction of this forum? The first rule of criticism is you HAVE to respect the critic. Otherwise, it is meaningless. Noise. Less than noise. White noise

Be truthful, chas. If they weren't here, would you feel more inclined to post? Just for fun...? 'If you like him, you're gonna LUV me'? Not as dick-waving, but as soul-sharing?

If so, you do yourself and all of us here a disservice by taking them into account whatsoever. I am already fairly certain you don't regard them as experts in any sense of the word. So why does what any of them say have any bearing on this at all?

All of the greats have recorded covers. No reason we should feel any different. Don't want to post a cover? Post an improv. You also have to remember that, with perhaps a few exceptions, all of us here are keyboard players first, and arranger players second (or third, or not at all!). As such, I'm happy to listen to anything. Hammond, techno, Township Jive, you name it. I am not one of those 'if it ain't done on an arranger, it don't belong here' crowd (from the Duke of URL's posts, I know he feels the same!).

The arranger is the great grandchild of the organ, and many still buy one to recreate that sound (hard as it may be!). I don't feel an organ MP3 would be out of place at all here.

But to restate... If Fran and Donny (sound like a Mormon duo, anyone? ) are the main reason to NOT post, ignore them.

Can't think of WHY to post here? Because we want to hear it! Because you don't suck! Because, if you post it anywhere else, you might as well link to it here (Donny will track you down, anyway)! Because the bar deserves to be raised around here just a bit! Because, if your music is good enough to be heard in public anywhere, why are we so less deserving, here at SZ?!

Otherwise, SZ turns into American Idol, where artists (of all levels!) are judged by self-styled 'experts' with FAR less credibility than the saps they lord it over.

Take back the SZ! Make it ours again!
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(edited for typos only!)

[This message has been edited by Diki (edited 01-30-2008).]