Not comfortable posting here anymore...

[fossiltooth]

I just feel out of step, like anything I would add will be ignored because it's blah blah blah blah blah whatever.

Yeah, sometimes people talk past eachother and forget to acknowledge one another because they're all wrapped up in their own little worlds....

...happens in real life too!

[curtiswyant]

It's OK to take a break from the board.... sometimes that's the best medicine. An occasional media or posting diet works wonders.

Speaking of breaks- I just saw my first bobbydj post in months yesterday- made my day!

I'm just waiting for Thom f***** Yorke. Or Supagreg.

The Thom Yorke posts were classic!

[Jeff White]

The Thom Yorke posts were classic!

http://messageboard.tapeop.com/search.p ... thom+yorke

Sure were.

[RefD]

It's OK to take a break from the board.... sometimes that's the best medicine. An occasional media or posting diet works wonders.

Speaking of breaks- I just saw my first bobbydj post in months yesterday- made my day!

yah, no kidding.

i thought he'd sworn this place off!

good Sir Knight, every board suffers from some degree of cliquishness and this one is certainly not immune *COUGH*Creot*COUGH* but it's nowhere NEAR as bad as some i can think of.

[;ivlunsdystf]

I think that was Knights's last post back there. Knights, if you are reading this, stop by and say hi sometime! I agree with Kayagum: An occasional media/posting diet works wonders sometimes.

signed, A low-status regular

[bannerj]

It doesn't feel like a group of enthuastic people sharing ideas anymore. It feels more like a clique, complete with high-status members, low-status members, and an expected attitude. I dunno, I just feel out of step, like anything I would add will be ignored because it's not in agreement with the groupmind.

The internet is a very weird way to communicate with people. I agree that TOMB doesn't feel the same as it did when i started out on here a few years ago. Perhaps it is only my perspective that has changed.

Two things that have annoyed me both on here and also on GS: first is when you are trying to word a question or comment right and can get it clear and someone jumps all over you. second, is when you don't get any response from anyone on a post or question...that rarely happens though.

But hey, people are weird. The internet is weird. Recording is difficult and it is difficult to talk well about it. Between here and GS, I learn so much and am so thankful for resources like this. I can't imagine getting so worked up about anything that I'd want to miss out on the interaction. I'm a hack of an engineer...slowly getting better over time...I need all the help I can get! Thanks to all you TOMBers!

[T-rex]

You can't leave, all the plants will die?

Seriously, I agree with the previous poster who said, "I thought YOU were one of the IN guys."

I totally feel this way on EVERY OTHER BOARD I have ever been on. I posted a little bit on GS for a while (while TO was down), but never felt like I was actually contributing. Plus, I went to Joels workshop a few years ago and got to meet a whole group of Tape Opper's which really made me feel more compfortable contributing here etc.

[mjau]

You can't leave, all the plants will die?

Quote from Stripes, right?

[centurymantra]

Seriously, I agree with the previous poster who said, "I thought YOU were one of the IN guys."

This is the sort of ironic reality of the situation in that people's perceptions will be totally different on this. I definitely consider myself sort of on the fringe here for whatever reason, but heck - maybe a whole legion of people would crawl out of the woodwork to proclaim "no...Centurymantra, we take notice of ALL your posts!!" At which point I would be, like, errr, umm (I too sort of thought of you as an 'insider' here at TapeOp, funny as that may seem - and I just remembered that I owe you some Sound Choice mags - pm forthcoming)
I have definitely noticed some clique-ness and a little bit of "good ol' boy" syndrome on some internet forums I have frequented, but it doesn't seem too bad here. There may be an Elite Force of Tape Op in the ranks, but the board is pretty open to discussion from all I think.

[;ivlunsdystf]

There are perhaps many of us who feel like semi-marginal outsiders whilst also viewing most of the others as insiders.

I have happily resigned myself to chronic marginal status as I merely self-record and maintain no hopes of ever making any sort of living from music. Here I much appreciate that I can rub elbows at all with interesting people for whom music is a long-term career. It sure makes my music hobby (2-3 hours a day) that much more interesting and intellectually stimulating. Also I keep learning stuff about how to get better sounds.

Anyway, I think the Knights is really gone. He hasn't posted since he started this thread with the one post. We'll all be here typing away whenever you're ready to come back, ol' chap!

[T-rex]

You can't leave, all the plants will die?

Quote from Stripes, right?

YEP! Filmed right here in my own hometown!

[joel hamilton]

I really like this messageboard. All the others feel like argumentative frat boy mentality that I dont like to deal with on any level... in a studio, on the interweb... anywhere.

I am always willing to take it off the board and talk to someone via PM or email, because it is important to be clear on a messageboard.

I mean no ill will towards anyone. As far as "cliques" go, I havent noticed that happening. I only know a few people on the board, but I i have met a bunch... at TapeOpCon, and here in NYC.

[percussion boy]

Seriously, I agree with the previous poster who said, "I thought YOU were one of the IN guys."

This is the sort of ironic reality of the situation in that people's perceptions will be totally different on this. I definitely consider myself sort of on the fringe here for whatever reason, but heck - maybe a whole legion of people would crawl out of the woodwork to proclaim "no...Centurymantra, we take notice of ALL your posts!!"

This is just the weird shit that happens when humans socialize. I went through it in grad school 'til a girl I thought was "in" told me that I was in and she was out.

fwiw, I've always seen both Century and Knights as regulars, hunched over their pints by the jukebox . . .

[tsw]

Cracks me up that all you cats feel like you're on the fringe or whatever, because I'm pretty sure I'm the most important, insightful person in this community. Whenever I'm typing some advice that I'm good enough to give out to some clueless youngster, I can feel the wisdom of my words sort of melting my keyboard. It's creepy. It just makes me feel so good to share my vast expertise.

Kidding, kidding. Jesus, I don't know. I've been drinking or something.

Anyway, I'm actually shocked at how nice you people are. People who have absolutely no reason to pay attention to me have gone out of their way to write lengthy PMs about stuff that must bore them to tears--but is revelatory to me.

Anyway, rest in peace, Knights. You had "Neve" in your name. They can never take that away from you.

edit: I just re-read that classic fight between Mr. T and Thom Yorke. Now those were the good old days. Knights probably would have stuck around if shit like that still happened. That was fantastic.

[madtho]

I do think that the board has less pure, high quality information and discussion than a couple years ago, but it's definitely the best, most adult forum on the subject by leagues.

There are a couple people that have moved on that I miss; NewYorkDave (I believe he left in similar Knights fashion), and Soundguy (Dave). I didn't agree with some of the crackpot shit they laid out but they were very well informed, prolific and opinionated.
They are just 2 examples of the huge base of knowledge available here. For some reason, it seems like there are alot more "pop in, ask a question (that's been asked alot), and run" folks than there used to be, but the magazine is bigger, and more well known, so it's probably to be expected.

I think the change happened when the board went down in '05. The restructured forums sort of make more sense, but somehow it split up the community a bit. I really wish the Best of thread was still at the top of SOME forum, that was PURE information and answered TONS of questions, now it's buried.

I try to limit my contributions to actual contributions, because nobody knows me, and i haven't recorded anything of merit, but, shooting the shit a community makes.

In closing (I'm rambling, listening to super tuesday results): I've bought and traded gear here, and there is definitely no other non-regulated internet place I would do that. There is a sense of community here, and the cliqueyness, if it exists, is both minor and ignorable.

thank you and goodnight
-mad