MusicForum.co.za

NorioDS

Can't reveal too much just yet but me and my GFSA partner are considering starting a more generally themed music forum that GFSA will become a part of.

You'll still be able to go to GuitarForum.co.za and see all the categories, etc, but it will be part of a bigger forum with all sorts of other topics as well.

The site might lose some of it's uniqueness and so on but it will also provide you with a larger variety of stuff to read and more resources to call on (say with recording, or PA systems, you could speak to the tech dudes and make deals, etc).

What do you guys think of that? Keep the GFSA forum as a unique and separate entity or include it in as a sub-section of a larger music forum?

(Personally, I prefer the GFSA uniqueness and stuff but it's my baby so I'm biased)

AlanRatcliffe

... and I think it's safe to reveal that I am now Norio's partner (not to be confused with the partner he went on honeymoon with though ?). Being wiser than his years ( ?), Norio offered me the opportunity to get in at ground level and help keep this forum successful and grow it, while keeping it the great place it it has become.

The basic idea is we want to expand the forum to include other instruments like bass, drums and keyboards, as well as music-related topics like recording and PA. Guitarforum would stay more or less the same as it is, but become one forum under www.MusicForum.co.za alongside forums with a similar structure for other instruments. Those of you not wishing to take part in other forums would not be affected - you'd just stay on the guitar forum.

My feeling is that many of us play other instruments or have an interest in recording, so would partake in the other forums too. The reverse would also be true - members who come in primarily to join the recording forum will also take part in the guitar side of things, helping to expand that.

For you as members, the advantages of a single site would be that you can use one login and access a number of different forums. Even those of you that have a primary interest in guitars and stay mostly on guitarforum could quickly pop into (for example) the recording forum and ask a quick question without needing to join another site that you would rarely visit.

From a purely selfish point of view, keeping everything under one roof would vastly simplify the time and maintenance we would have to undertake to keep this place running smoothly. It would also help us broaden our appeal to potential advertisers and possibly make enough money to cover our costs without needing to resort to asking for donations, converting to a subscription based model or even sell out to a commercial concern - as many other popular music forums have been forced to do to survive.

I'd just like to emphasize: Norio and I are completely in agreement that you, the members of this forum, have the final say about what happens here. Your input and comments will guide us in the direction we take - even if it is not the direction we would choose ourselves. So please feel free to speak up and make yourself heard...

Riaan

I'm all for it, sounds like a good idea. It's true that many of us has some other interests in addition to guitars - in my case, an interest to learn more about recording and keyboards. Also, it won't harm us guitarists to get input from trained musicians... ?

Good idea!

Mr-M

You have my vote! Expanding GuitarForum into MusicForum can only benefit everbody.

FatBoy

You have my vote! I think www.musicforums.co.za is a great idea!

Renesongs

When I first read Norio's post I thought I though "Here come the Corporation clowns forever turning a good thing into a loud of shit." :? However knowing that Alan is the mystery partner I have every confidence that it will be a move in apositive direction. ?

AlanRatcliffe

Thanks Rene, but perhaps a little unfair to Norio - he's the one who is most concerned that it might change the forum for the worse. As he mentioned, it's his baby.

arjunmenon

Aye aye Cap'n Alan! I think this is a move in the right direction...
And not to mention the fact that it would be pretty cool to interact with more musicians

sepheritoh

Mmmm, I was typing a nice long reply when something just went wrong and I lost it all. Anyway, I'll try again.

Firstly, congratulations on the new partner. I believe the 2 of you would make a great team with knowledge and enthusiasm being the most important ingredients to make a forum survive.

I also have a bit of nostalgic thoughts. Do not let this forum become just another general music site. There are lots of other general music sites, some of theme more successful than others. For a forum to survive, it must target some niche. It needs something unique to make it different from all the other sites.

All said, congratulations with the move forward. I believe that it can only be good for the community.

Renesongs

Rene opens mouth to change feet, I didn't mean any disrespect to Norio - I mean Norio you are the man that created this awsome forum that has taught an old dog like me new tricks. I'm just happy that if you are going to branch out that it would be with the Hon. Rev Dr Alan Ratcliffe whom we all know and not someone else we don't.

AlanRatcliffe

Maybe I got the wrong end of the stick - sorry.

the Hon. Rev Dr Alan Ratcliffe

That's Mr. Hon. Rev. Dr. Alan Ratcliffe esq. to my friends. ?

AlanRatcliffe

Bump for the guys who aren't around on the weekends.

JoeyBones

I think it's an excellent Idea. I've always wanted to learn more about saxophones.

MiKeZilLA

Sounds like a great idea... Nothing like knowledge to break down the stereotypes between musos....

NorioDS

Cool, all systems are go for MusicForum.co.za ?

I've done a little investigating and the stuff we're using for this forum can support what we have planned surprisingly easily.

We'll try and do the work behind the scenes in a way that doesn't get in the way of your daily bread (the guitar forum ?)

<passionate rant>
Make no mistake, I love you guys and this forum. Music is my life and I'll be damned if I'll let someone fuck this up.

And you guys are what makes it tick! Without you, there IS no forum! You see me/us doing something fucked up? Talk to us about it! We'll sort it out or we'll find a different way to do things.

We're going to make a huge success of this forum so we musos in SA can show the world what we're made of!

It's about time coz God knows we can play!
</passionate rant>

Renesongs

I say - Right on brother 8)

Wessel

I think its an great idea . This change could help allot with getting some decent band members . There is not so many drummers or Synth players around on a guitar forum for obvious reasons . And it would also just be great to find and jam with musicians that play other instruments like a violin or something. ?

arjunmenon

Well said brother

Gray

Sounds good.

Which other forums would we be merging with or would those be created as we go along?

Would we be members of those other forums or just moonlight in them?

NorioDS

They'd be created as we go along. You'd keep your current username & password and just have access to a LOT more cool stuff ?