I MISS OUR GROUPS

[Jeremy Hughes]

Although not a frequent contributor, I was a frequent reader of posts to the groups Celtic Music and Traditional Irish Music. I'm sorry the groups are gone. I liked them because they brought people together around a common interest. I don't know how to navigate the site now...except to try to remember who the group members were and contact them individually. I know some have said "groups" can segregate people. This is true, but with over 800 members now, it doesn't seem bad to me to create smaller communities within a much larger community. Does anyone else feel like I do?

[Jacob Litoff]

Yes I miss the groups too. It was nice to be a member of the classical group and more.
Now I just feel like an unidentified number here. Maybe this is a sign that Adam is moving towards socialism!

[Dave Light]

Man! I turn my back for a week or two, and look what happens!

I, for one, really enjoyed the Transcriptions Group, as it afforded me the opportunity to share a skill publically which heretofor had been pretty much confined to my own use. I'm normally not one to engage in videos or audio clips, so that aspect doesn't really hold much promise for me. The implication of the FW groups' contributing to segregation, frankly, strikes me as groundless: our wonderful fiddling world is rich in its multi-faceted diversity, a fact poorly served by a more homogenous, "one-size-fits-all" approach.

The FW groups, for an all-too-brief period of a few months, were a tangible acknowledgement of that diversity, giving rise to a colourful (if underused) mosaic of fiddling interests rather than yet another damnably faceless melting pot. I'm with you, Jeremy: we're much the poorer for the loss of our groups!

[George Shepherd]

I enjoyed the Beginning Fiddler Group. I got a lot of help and good suggestions there. If there are to be no groups then I think it would be helpful to have multiple forums,e.g. Fiddle Playing Advice, Transcriptions (including tabs & notations), Off-topic discussions, etc.

[Ròidh]

i remember before the groups were arround things were open and people seemed much more active, i myself was able to see what was going on with everyone and able to help with whatever i knew and learn stuff i didnt know right from the discussion board,when things went to groups i have to click in and out several just to see if there was anything i can learn or help with and if anyone was on a tight time schedule couldent do this which kinda got out of controll ,i beleive some things should have groups for subjects that are controversial and should not be on the main disscussion board,but what i really liked about it before the groups came was everyone can jump in and learn without spending a ton of time to root it out, this is a socil network,socilisim is the point,we are just trying to share what we know with the buguinners as well as learn from the folks that are more advanced,we all love this thing we do and want it to grow out and do the best we can get it too, hate paying retarded prices for a set of violin strings ? ever wander why they are so much ? how manny fiddlers and lovers of the styles of music out there are they compared to guitar ,string manufacturers who cant sell enough volume of anything will stick it to the few who still want to play, i love all types of music and hate to see any one who would have possably been a good player give up before they ever got started because they had to struggle to root out information,i remember when i first started to play because i had no information and no help no shops for repairs nothing,about the second year of my playing figured out that i was supposed to be playing with more than 2 fingers and had to relearn every song i knew with all 4 ,i have a heiratage for this instrument so i pushed myself and also had to learn instrument repair the hard way by destroying a couple and reading books, some folks just arent going to go through this hell,if i can get one person to play because things are out in the open and friendly its going to be all worth it, so if you want to share what you were doing in the groups just post it on the discussion board and everyone can participate and learn, we are all on the same team trying to promote our music hopefully fiddlers and violinist here can pass along what we know to grow our community for the future, the alternitive would be more screaming groups on the radios and tv, even country is sounding like rock now,we need to preserve our craft for the future ,wishing you the best and hope all will be well,with or without the groups !

[Jennifer]

You can't have it both ways.

Most of the REGULAR (meaning daily) members commented on Barry's original posting about taking down the groups agreeing with him.

I know how many hours Adam and Emily put into this site and the other (mostly unpaid) work they do and it's not fair to be so critical then unsupportive when they do something requested by the majority.

[Jennifer]

What a terrible thing to say. Who are you to make a comment like that?

Jacob Litoff said:

Yes I miss the groups too. It was nice to be a member of the classical group and more.
Now I just feel like an unidentified number here. Maybe this is a sign that Adam is moving towards socialism!

[Jennifer]

Good idea George. I know Adam will be back tomorrow and I'll make sure he sees this comment!

George Shepherd said:

I enjoyed the Beginning Fiddler Group. I got a lot of help and good suggestions there. If there are to be no groups then I think it would be helpful to have multiple forums,e.g. Fiddle Playing Advice, Transcriptions (including tabs & notations), Off-topic discussions, etc.

[Jeremy Hughes]

Hi, Jennifer! Sorry...I confess I missed the thread of discussion, initiated by Barry, of taking down the groups. Who knows how many responses it takes to make a "majority" but the consensus of those who DID respond seemed in favor of using the Forum rather than groups. I'm ok with that and will work with it. Like I said in my original post, I didn't "post" as much as "read" what was being posted in the groups. I guess if "readers" don't respond then it does indeed appear as if the groups are languishing. Anyway, I'm ok with the Forums and will work with it. Thanks for your insight and reminder!

Jennifer said:

You can't have it both ways.

Most of the REGULAR (meaning daily) members commented on Barry's original posting about taking down the groups agreeing with him.

I know how many hours Adam and Emily put into this site and the other (mostly unpaid) work they do and it's not fair to be so critical then unsupportive when they do something requested by the majority.

[Dave Light]

I hear ya, Barry. No offence intended or taken. I was off site for a week or so and returned to find all of this had happened in my absence!

I won't debate the extent to which a "majority" of over 800 members actually voiced an opinion, one way or the other. Adam and Emily have done a fine job overseeing things so far, to be sure; also, Adam is quite eloquent and capable of expressing his own views on this subject without the "aid" of a self-appointed (though, I'm sure, well-intentioned) "defender" :)

My understanding is that Adam founded FW in an effort to create a forum for a wider, more diverse community of fiddlers. He, himself, had experienced the kind of put-downs and self-expression restrictions so prevalent on other fiddling websites, and he'd had quite enough. Many of us came to FW in the first place as a result of similar experiences.

Like Jeremy, I'll try to make use of the forum feature in an effort to promote interest in and provide information about those aspects of fiddling with which I have some currency. Like you, Barry, all I want is for FW to continue to be "the best fiddle/violin forum on the 'Net". There. I've had my say.

[Yonhee]

I'm sure its for the best.

[Aisha]

I'm kinda sad about the groups too. It gave people a way to get involved in what their interests were and focus a little more.... and it was nice to get little reminders when someone said something you would probably find interesting.

[CAFN]

That's funny...weird, whatever...I got 3 Group Invites and when I click the link, this is what I got:
http://fiddleworld.ning.com/groups/group/list

Looks like the groups are still there!