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I really enjoy coming to MLR to learn from others and assist anyone else anyone I can. The overwhelming majority of people here are professional, courteous, and helpful. But there are some that bring a negative, nasty, name-calling tone to this place and I find that very distressing. I don’t get why people can’t have differing opinions without attacking each other or groups of other composers.
When I see stuff like that, it’s tempting to just stop visiting the site. If I feel that way, I’m sure others do as well.
So, what I’m saying to all is.. Can we keep the tone civil and respectful?
Best wishes for a great Holiday. Peace be with you.
Can we keep the tone civil and respectful?
Amen Advice!
I do very much agree! A couple of days ago it was sad to see a really good and interesting thread got nearly destroyed with rude and totally irelevant posts. Glad to see that mess have been moderataed and cleaned up a bit.
Mark Petrie recently started a thread about composing being the 3rd fastest growing job in the US. Later on in the thread he also posted a poll, showing it to be the seventh most competitive job. This is also an industry that has changed tremendously in the past decade. All of these circumstances can translate into stress.
Stress is a double-edged sword that brings out the best and the worst in people. Some people rise to the occasion and do their best work, while others respond more negatively.
Perhaps the tone that disturbs you occurs when some individuals are blowing off steam in frustration, or simply reassuring themselves in the face of the insecurity that is often a part of this business.
There’s a big blue ocean out there. I wish everyone success in their endeavors.
_Michael
Oh, man… I thought this was an article about EQ 🙂
Oh, man… I thought this was an article about EQ
HAHA+1 LOL 😀
Honestly, sometimes it’s hard to project TONE in written form. I’ll be the first to admit that I can create conflict, but just because I might rag on somebody for posting a lot, doesn’t mean I hate what he’s saying or I don’t think he should post, I’m just saying he posts a lot. I don’t use kid gloves when dealing with everyone, but I don’t actively try to insult. Opinions get strong in some conversations, and sometimes things are said without enough thought.
You’re absolutely correct Dude, I said the exact thing to Art today. We often cannot hear the tone of what we’ve written.
Yes I, for one, do post a lot. It may be presumptuous, but because I’ve been a professional composer for 35 years, and I am an attorney, I sometimes think that I might be able to help people.
I apologize, if that upsets you from time to time.
_Michael
What? I thought I just said that it doesn’t upset me. Seriously man, I’m not trying to cut your legs off here. Sometimes I disagree with you and have experienced the opposite of what you say, but I see it as checks and balances. You give valuable insight for a lot of people, myself included. I’m not attacking you because I say you comment a lot, I’m stating fact. Anyway….everybody have a good holiday. I see eggnog in my immediate future.
No worries Dude. Enjoy the nog!
And happy holidays to all!
Michael L and The Dude on opposite sides of the fence is a great way for us newbies to see both sides. Thanks to both of you for your insights. I find both your comments invaluable and look forward to them. 2014 promises to be a fruitful year. Thanks to MLR, my career seems to be progressing. 🙂
@Musicmatters thanks for the kind words. As Art and I have said many times, it’s not one size fits all.
The Dude and I and More Advice…everyone really, comes from different backgrounds, with different levels of experience. Everyone brings something to the table. Sometimes we forget that we’re all playing in the same “sandbox,” but everyone, including myself, can learn a lot here.
Best of luck to you in 2014!
_Michael
I was going to stay out of this thread, but I too have an opinion about “tone”. First, I absolutely know that my own tone can be condescending, skeptical, aggressive….whatever. But guys, the world is not always this nice and friendly place, especially when it comes to the music business. I come here to speak the truth. This place is a voice for composers. Not a huge voice, but it is a voice and a collective voice is needed. Library owners read what we’re saying more than you think here at MLR. It’s a good idea for us to let them know that we know what they’re up to.
Just like politicians shout out their opinions and ideas about issues, and the public occasionally protests and complains… we can do the same here. I often say what I say to bring awareness to the issues that impact composers. The private, work for hire contracts are becoming less and less available to us as time goes on. I made a living off of work for hires. But nowadays, everyone is seeking their music solution from all the monster sized on line libraries/ publishers/ RF distributors. These are the guys controlling all the music and we are dependent entirely on the honesty of their reporting and accounting records and accurate cue sheet filing, etc.. Don’t you all realize that?
We have to police this situation and educate other composers about the schemes out there to devalue our work to the benefit of publishers. If people want to make a silly YOUTUBE video, I’m all for it, but if you want a soundtrack for it, I say buy it! even if it is $20 or $40…At least the customer is paying for it. Also, Take epidemic sound’s new business model. NO PRO composers allowed to write, they buy the cues, you lose writers share forever, they now own your writers share, and the music never gets filed on a cue sheet or registered at a PRO, and you will never again collect royalties on the works you sell them.
Is this good for composers? Are you going to sign on just to maybe get that $290 fee for 1 cue?
As expected, guys are signing up for this. Meanwhile the owner/ founder of that company writes for the show “Glee” so he must be in a PRO…wouldn’t you think? but, he has a business that will not allow writers to be in a PRO?
I don’t care what any of you say, but publishers are frequently not exactly being forthright in my opinion. Remember the P&G TV spot thread a few weeks ago and how we had to harass and badger until the owner of the licensing company came on MLR (after 10 phone calls and 10 e-mails by the composer were dodged over a 4 week period asking a simple question “What will I get paid for this spot?”) Finally, the owner said the license was 5K.
That was a good thing that happened here. We collectively got results and that composer was happy about our collective assistance in getting answers. Do you think the results would have been the same if MLR did not exist? Do you know that all we can do is rely on the owners honesty? (Was it 5K? or could it have been 10K?)…you see my points?You would not believe the week I just had chasing down my cut for works that have been licensed by a couple of publishers. Writing aggressive “money collecting” e-mails is not fun, but it has to be done when your questions are consistently dodged, and yes it does cause a lot of stress! But…if we don’t speak up and let the publishers know what we’re thinking and what we know, and what we’re concerned about….well…
I too don’t want an “us verses them” scene, and it should be more of a partnership mentality based on building a solid relationship that is mutually beneficial to both parties. MLR is a place to comment on our experiences with Libraries. I can serve up a couple of stories right now about my own recent, challenging experiences trying to collect, but I too have had it. Time for some rest. I am leaving my studio for 2 weeks so I probably won’t be in this forum very often.
Happy Holidays to all!