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O.T. An Appreciation of Sven


Rofox

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During the many years I've been lurking here, (not much to say in such exalted company...keep quiet and learn being the motto) I'd long regarded Sven as being brusque to the point of rudeness. However I now find myself following his path!

It seems to have become the norm, especially on Facebook, that people demand answers that they could easily have found for themselves. Is it laziness? Is it ignorance? Am I becoming more curmudgeonly with age?

Sven, I have your search tip (Searching on this forum, page two) now imprinted on my mind. All I need is for you to teach me how to "Let me google that for you" and I will retract everything I ever thought and join you as an "Ambassador of goodwill"

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It"s not like Sven just tells people to Google it. Whenever I"ve had some goofy MIDI or studio problem and was stuck it was Sven that put me on the right track. The dude knows his shit. I was serious when I lobbied for the Ask Sven Golly monthly advice column in Keyboard.

"It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne

 

"A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!!

So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt

 

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I think there's a growing sense that the internet isn't necessarily making us all better people. You can follow your better angels or your worser ones. The internet makes it oh so easy to take the easier, which is also often the lazier, path.

 

Some folks see it as their duty to try to curb that laziness, and it's good that they do. They're performing a public service.

 

On the other hand, it's easy to carry that didacticism too far. Just to pick an example, that fact that a topic has been discussed in a previous thread doesn't mean there's nothing new to say about it. I don't think any of us, not even the moderators, have the moral authority to decide when a topic has been over-discussed.

 

Assuming a moral authority that isn't yours is another form of following a worser angel.

 

None of this is meant to be a comment on Sven in particular.

Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro

Home: Vintage Vibe 64

 

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"Assuming a moral authority that isn't yours is another form of following a worser angel."

A sobering thought Adan and I do take your point but I'm so often thinking "Oh no, not again" ..........I'd still like to know how to "Let me Google that for you" though! :)

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Speaking for myself and I imagine many others, there's a certain comedic relief that someone is being curmudgeonly on this forum. As others have stated, he knows his stuff and can be very helpful at times.

 

This is one of the friendliest, least trolled forums I've ever frequented, and Sven plays a role as an insider that can have jabby elbows, which thankfully most of us don't, but coming from him it seems OK, just like NORD LEAD is the answer to any question!

Numa Piano X73 /// Kawai ES920 /// Casio CT-X5000 /// Yamaha EW425

Yamaha Melodica and Alto Recorder

QSC K8.2 // JBL Eon One Compact // Soundcore Motion Boom Plus 

Win10 laptop i7 8GB // iPad Pro 9.7" 32GB

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A lot of times people aren't asking a question just to get an answer. They're hoping to start a conversation. Please keep that in mind when you think someone is being too lazy to google something. In fact, why don't you assume that someone indeed HAS already looked up what they're looking for and either didn't understand it and need further explanation, or they're looking to engage in a conversation using their question as a starting point.

 

Like all communities, this community only survives long-term due an influx of new members, and turning them away with answers that border on (or cross) the "point of rudeness" does nothing to make this (or any community) a welcoming place and will eventually drive people away.

 

 

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All I need is for you to teach me how to "Let me google that for you" and I will retract everything I ever thought and join you as an "Ambassador of goodwill"

 

actually Sven has a new title now, so maybe you can work your way up to be "Ambassador of Goodwill". :)

 

:nopity:
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Actually, Sven is the secret brain behind Midi and all keyboards made since 1983.

 

The documentation was designed to be obtuse, confusing with few people having a thorough understanding how the stuff works.

 

Lo and behold, the Internet arrived after 1983 and sometime later, an explosion of subject matter forums and all sorts of new businesses that

capitalized on the consumer confusion.

 

I know, you think I am a conspiracy theory nut.

 

Just wait for my upcoming book, " Canada has the Last Laugh "

 

;)

 

 

 

Why fit in, when you were born to stand out ?

My Soundcloud with many originals:

[70's Songwriter]

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All I need is for you to teach me how to "Let me google that for you" and I will retract everything I ever thought and join you as an "Ambassador of goodwill"

 

Ahhh.... Should I? Should I???

 

Ok.

 

I will.

 

 

you know, Eric, I was going to do that earlier today along with the rest of my post above but just didn't have the heart. Glad it was you. :D

 

:nopity:
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I'm a big fan and still enjoy all the Sven posts plus the iconic nomenclature of svengling.

 

I've had the rare privilege of hanging out with Sven during a trip to Toronto over 10 years ago and he even let me sit in with his band. Very cool friend!

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A lot of times people aren't asking a question just to get an answer. They're hoping to start a conversation. Please keep that in mind when you think someone is being too lazy to google something. In fact, why don't you assume that someone indeed HAS already looked up what they're looking for and either didn't understand it and need further explanation, or they're looking to engage in a conversation using their question as a starting point.

 

Like all communities, this community only survives long-term due an influx of new members, and turning them away with answers that border on (or cross) the "point of rudeness" does nothing to make this (or any community) a welcoming place and will eventually drive people away.

 

+1000, I totally agree, and as a further extension of your thesis, its obvious that many members of this forum come up with provocative or funny topics sometimes to get the juices and banter flowing.

Numa Piano X73 /// Kawai ES920 /// Casio CT-X5000 /// Yamaha EW425

Yamaha Melodica and Alto Recorder

QSC K8.2 // JBL Eon One Compact // Soundcore Motion Boom Plus 

Win10 laptop i7 8GB // iPad Pro 9.7" 32GB

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I don't know Sven, but I fully believe that under the right circumstances -- like say over a beer in a Toronto pub -- he comes across as a great guy and a good friend.

 

But then, I'm willing to believe that about almost everyone on this forum. Even Theo, though in his case I may need to start drinking long before he shows up at the pub.

 

I interpret the general topic of this thread to be: how do you behave towards people you have not met, who just suddenly appear on a forum you frequent, and who may have asked a question they haven't researched on their own? Or maybe it's just a stupid question. These are the situations that test our powers of empathy much more so than whether we can share good cheer over a drink.

 

 

Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro

Home: Vintage Vibe 64

 

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I interpret the general topic of this thread to be: how do you behave towards people you have not met, who just suddenly appear on a forum you frequent, and who may have asked a question they haven't researched on their own? Or maybe it's just a stupid question. These are the situations that test our powers of empathy much more so than whether we can share good cheer over a drink.

 

 

Precisely! It's pretty easy to not be a jerk. It's even easier to not be one when you're not actually one. And it's even easier than that to not encourage or reward jerkish behavior.

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I helped a friend buy a keyboard once and was amazed at how knowledgeable I was (compared to him). There are so many basics you absorb over the years that its easy to not know how confusing it is for an absolute beginner. Having good help, esp in the beginning, a bit of hand holding, can make the technological hurdles seem more doable.

 

I'm learning an arranger board that has a very specific way of doing things that is often counterintuitive to me, and the help I get is so appreciated, I hate the confusion and frustration that learning new tech can stir up in me. However, I'm a good beginner, I know enough to first find out what I can on my own and then ask very detailed questions

 

I do feel however this is not really the forum for a complete beginner. There are so many forums, esp board specific ones, where the general knowledge level is pretty low, where a lot of beginners go. This forum picks up from there, most people here seem to have at least an intermediate level of knowledge, and then there's all the very experienced and knowledgeable folks here who keep the level of discourse on a higher level which is very much appreciated!

Numa Piano X73 /// Kawai ES920 /// Casio CT-X5000 /// Yamaha EW425

Yamaha Melodica and Alto Recorder

QSC K8.2 // JBL Eon One Compact // Soundcore Motion Boom Plus 

Win10 laptop i7 8GB // iPad Pro 9.7" 32GB

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Just to pick an example, that fact that a topic has been discussed in a previous thread doesn't mean there's nothing new to say about it. I don't think any of us, not even the moderators, have the moral authority to decide when a topic has been over-discussed.

I certainly agree. One of the more irritating things about that particular exercise of moral authority is that the unauthorized moral compass is able to passive-aggressively get in the last word.

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.

-Mark Twain

 

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I've had the pleasure of hanging out with Sven when he came to my city for the Classic Albums Live Dark Side of the Moon tour.

 

I've always appreciated his voice in this place.

 

I've noticed that while he CAN be a bit curmudgeon, it is primarily responding to people that expect to be handed information

 

If you do your homework, make it known that you have tried to find out the answer to your dilemma, and THEN ask for help, Sven can be one of the best assets this place has.

 

I would read the "Ask Sven" column

 

BTW Rob, my wife still swoons when I mention you.

"In the beginning, Adam had the blues, 'cause he was lonesome.

So God helped him and created woman.

 

Now everybody's got the blues."

 

Willie Dixon

 

 

 

 

 

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