TommyGun said:
As for you sjoko2, I took your advice and used the Search function ... but for your name instead of "mastering". Wow. You've posted a lot here. What struck me from the bunch I read so far was that you really have nothing to say most of the time unless it's to other people who have mentioned approaches or equipment of your caliber. The rest you tend to rag on people or their comments.
I wish you would have just seen through my naive newbie comments and posted something useful for me. Calling me a moron because I have less knowledge than you seems counter-intuitive to me. Wouldn't you rather be perceived as helpful than crass and rude? I don't know, a teacher of sorts. I guess not in my case. I'll just have to read the other threads you're currently posting in to gain knowledge from you that way.
Heh, not everyone is as cool as you. Hell, I'm surely not because you said so. Rock on sjoko2. I'll be better next time. I promise.
*sigh *
First of all, just because someone used the term moron, Tommy, doesn't mean he was talking to you. (Guilty conscience?
) In fact, Sigma told Sjoko to get lost and shut up, which was what engendered the "moron" comment.
But that's not important. I think, since a major component of this thread seems to be jumping on the demeanor of Blue Bear and Sjoko, that a little historical perspective might be in order.
First of all, certain guys like Sjoko and Blue Bear, just by their lengthy tenure and prolific contributions, have defined what homerec.com is, to some extent. This is their house, and while technically any Newbie has just as much "right" to be here as they do, their historical contributions do give them certain vague benefits of seniority and respect. If for no other reason than Newbies come and go every week, but Bear and Sjoko are forever! (Now there's a frightening thought!)
I'm sorry if you concluded, through brief searches, that they contribute nothing useful. Believe me when I tell you that is not the case - each has contributed mightily on many interesting issues, and I have learned a lot from both.
But with long-term tenure comes disadvantages as well. The fact is, very often, the same issue has already been discussed to death a multitude of times in the past. Sometimes even just a few days ago. If you are around here long enough, how many times can you continue to type the same answers over and over again to "what is the best microphone under $200?" before you go nuts. Now, I've only been here six months, so I've only typed these same answers a dozen or so times, but give me another year or two and I'll be telling you to use the search function too.
The point is, it's good advice anyway. Sometimes some really excellent conversation can be found (by searching) on exactly the subject at hand - and there's no guarantee that the quality of advice will be reproduced every time a subject resurfaces. So by NOT searching you may be really missing out.
But getting back to the subject, you'll see a lot of people asking "loaded" questions, or phrasing things in a way that implies a certain disrespect. Then they're the first to cry "foul" if somebody steps on their toes.
For instance, there is a recent thread about piano tuning. Inevitably when the subject comes up, soemone will raise the issue of "why can't anyone tune their own piano?" Usually that gets a spirited response, but the tone of the response is often set by the tone of the questioner. Can you see how there would be a big difference between: "Can someone explain why it is considered impractical for an untrained person to tune a piano?" and "Why the hell should anyone spend money on a piano tuning when they could just do it themselves. How hard can it be?"
In the same vein, there's been a long history of people coming on and posting about how Mastering Engineers are over-rated, overpaid, secretive schemers who intentionally try and keep the rest of us in the dark about what they do so they can continue to steal our money. Now they may not say so in such crude and blatant terms, but a lot of times that is the implication. So for some of us who have been here a long time and seen it again and again, Sigma's initial post smacked of more of the same. Whether that was his intention or not, go back and reread it in that frame of reference and you'll see what i mean. And those of us who are professionals can't help but get a little bugged when it seems like other professionals are getting disrespected, be it piano technicians or mastering engineers. I'm a professional pianist/keyboard player (as well as a recording engineer), and i gotta admit I would be a little annoyed reading a post that said: "How hard can it be to play piano anyway? All the notes are right there in front of you, you don't have to develop an embouchure, and the notes have fixed intonation so you don't even need ears! So why would anyone want to use a pro on their session?"
The other fact to note is that some members here actually have lengthy real life resumés and expertise. A lot of them have done stuff and acquired credentials you and I only dream about. As recognized resources of information, when people like Harvey, Knightfly, Pipeline, Barefoot, etc. post something, their opinions have to be considered with a little more weight and respect. That's not to say you can't disagree or debate them, but just that you don't want to do it in the context that you think they are stupid buffoons without a clue. (Although in Knightfly's case... hey, JUST KIDDING, STEVE!!!)
But, to summarize, the fact of life is that this board is a virtual community and as such has members who, with time, acquire a certain status. Sjoko and Blue Bear have been here long before you and i showed up, and probably will be here long after we split. As you develop bonds with this community you'll find it a useful place to relax and socialize - not everything is just about technical writing. While you may find "Gimme a fucking break" to be offensive, those that have been here a while know that that's just Blue Bear's mantra... Hell, for him, that's almost affectionate! And if he didn't say it every so often we'd start to suspect that someone else hijacked his i.d.
So, I'm sorry if your initial experiences with this forum have been in any way unpleasant. This can be a great place to learn a lot and have fun. But you'll have a LOT more fun and learn a lot more if you lighten up a little and don't feel like you have to defend your manhood everytime some senior member tells you something in a tone you don't like. In their defense, they've heard everything you're asking a hundred times before. Just remember, chances are you're NOT the first to post any particular idea, and even more to the point, chances are someone else has already said it in a more intelligent and wittier fashion.
I got my ass handed to me by Heylow on one of my very first posts here. But once you've been around a while two things happen: you begin to understand the unique flavor of the homerec bulletin board (unmoderated, by the way... we do all our own "policing"... which i believe is unique on a board of this type) and as people get to know you, you will earn their respect and friendship.
But I understand how it's a little rough and tumble in here at times, and not everybody can flourish under that kind of atmosphere. Don't worry, there's dozens of other "more civilized" (some would say "more boring") boards devoted to audio issues where you can hang out instead. Homerec can sometimes be an acquired taste!
Ya just said (translated of course) "hey, if ya want to master a universal record, you've got a lot a work ahead of you. Good luck!" You're still basically telling me that I have no chance in hell of mastering something like a pro, but that's where you lose me. Thankfully I was taught to never take 'no' for an answer.
My post was heated, but only because after 20 some-odd posts nothing useful was really said yet. 
