KC - A Brief History

[Dave Bryce]

There are some people here who I thought might enjoy knowing a bit about the history of the Keyboard Corner. I'd love to share what I remember, and have anyone who participated along the way feel free to add their memories and observations.

 

==

 

In the beginning, there was Craig Anderton...

 

 

Back in the 90's, when the only way to communicate was through listserve type subscribed group emails, Craig had the vision to start a musician's forum called Sound, Stage and Studio on the new and trendy America Online. I was working at Alesis at the time...don't remember how I found SSS, but I joined. Early members of SSS are actually still here on this forum - Ken (Eleven Shadows) Lee, Geoff (Soapbox) Grace, Mark Zeger and Doug (Jazzooo) Robinson, for example (say hi, guys). Many of us became friends, and even had a meeting or two at NAMM in the late 90s. I remember one hang by the Marriott bar in particular sharing a piano with Laurie Z (we miss you, Laurie!!!)...first time I met Ken and Geoff...

 

Around 2000, AOL decided it didn't want forums any more. Craig loved the community he had created though, and decided to bring it to life on an emerging platform known as a "web site"...and musicplayer.com was born. However, he wanted more than just SSS - he envisioned a bunch of different specialized forums to go with it, and he worked tirelessly with CMP (who owned Keyboard, Guitar Player Bass Player, EQ, etc.) to make that happen. He also went out and hand picked a team of moderators to start and run these forums. George Massenberg was an early moderator on musicplayer, as was Roger Nichols. Al Kooper was as well, if memory serves...and he picked me to run Keyboard magazine's forum, which I named The Keyboard Corner. KC opened its doors at the end of September 2000.

 

The forums ran very nicely for a while...but even back then, the magazines didn't quite get it. The editors of Keyboard at the time really didn't see the value of the forum concept, and really didn't interact with us at all, much less recognize our existence. Craig continuously tried to advance and grow the musicplayer.com thing, but his vision was not line with CMP's direction. In the end (somewhere around 2005, IIRC), Craig left to go to Harmony Central, taking almost the entire moderating team (including me) with him; however, before I left to go to HC, a good friend of mine named Steve Fortner had just taken over as Keyboard's editor...so I turned the forum over to him. I was made mod at HC's KSS, and many of us tried to move over there...but it wasn't the same. There were a whole bunch of posters there who had an entirely different vibe, so we came back home. to KC, where Steve and I decided to remain co-moderators. I was also given admin powers at that time.

 

Since then, many of the other forums on musicplayer have lost membership and activity...but KC has continued to grow, and is one of the most respected and tightly knit community for musicians on the internet. There are people from all over the world here, from beginners through top professionals...live and studio players, programmers of all types and experience levels, manufacturers, sound designers, gear designers...even some guitar players (what up, Griff). We've made something like 15 compilation records together over the years, and expanded our conversations to include sports (yes, there is a KC fantasy football league), photography, movies, recipes/food tips, and all sorts of other things that friends share. We've had forum members go on to get jobs in the music industry (including doing reviews for the mags), we've had a few forum members end up in relationships (SK and gangsu), we've had a ton of memorable get togethers all over the country, and in the process have all built together what I like to think is one of the cooler hangs for keyboard on the 'net...and I couldn't be prouder to be a part of it.

 

Best of all, it's really hard to go to almost any city in the US (and a bunch of them outside the US) and not be able to find a KC member there who'll be glad to have a drink or break bread with you...maybe show you where to find a piano to take over in a hotel bar...

 

KC rocks.

 

dB

 

 

 

[Michael Wright]

Thanks Dave. Nice to know the history.

[ITGITC]

 

Most Excellent

 

Here's to you, dB.

 

 

[Doerfler]

KC rocks.

 

yes it do. Thanks for taking the time to post this, dB.

[drawback]

Reading the ups & downs in this history there is NO DOUBT IN MY MIND that this forum will go on, and be better than ever.

 

Keep up the good work, Dave, and ye most venerated founders.

[Mark Zeger]

I remember using SSS on AOL when the service was $10/month for 5 hrs of access!

[Kawai James]

Thanks for sharing Dave!

[Dave Bryce]

I remember using SSS on AOL when the service was $10/month for 5 hrs of access!

...and you should be added to the list of original SSSers, of course....

 

dB

[Joe Muscara]

That is how you build a community. Thanks for sharing that, Dave.

[Andy Casciato]

Kick Ass, looks like the right place to be! Glad to be here and learn the ways of the KC force.

[gino]

Awesome. Thanks for sharing Dave. I'm so glad I stumbled onto this community a few years back. Thankyou to you, your fellow moderators and all contributors. This place really is something special

[ProfD]

Thanks to all responsible for creating and growing this place on the internet we call Keyboard Corner (KC).

 

One such gathering KC led to was the MAKCFH (Mid-Atlantic Keyboard Corner Forum Hang). They have all been great in giving KCers a chance to meet, eat, drink and play music.

 

Thanks again to brotha Dave Bryce for all that he does in keeping it together.

 

Thanks to the forumites who contribute their knowledge, talent and sense of humor.

 

This isn't the first or last time I'll say that KC definitely rocks.

[PianoMan51]

Nice post Dave.

 

I notice your line: "There were a whole bunch of posters there who had an entirely different vibe".

 

It's the vibe here that makes this forum so attractive. And it's just like making music, you have to listen to everyone else, care about the result, and add in what's missing.

 

There's an old Dale Carnegie quote: "People don't care what you know until they know that you care". Thanks to you, our mostly hidden conductor, and all rest of you consistently caring KC members!

[Markyboard]

What an awesome thread - thanks dB. You should make this a sticky.

[miden]

Cool dB - thanks

[MAJUSCULE]

What an awesome thread - thanks dB. You should make this a sticky.

 

My thoughts exactly.

 

Words can't express how thankful I am to have stumbled upon this nook/cranny of the internet some years ago.

 

:cheers:

[Moonglow]

It's the vibe here that makes this forum so attractive. And it's just like making music, you have to listen to everyone else, care about the result, and add in what's missing.

That is awesome, PianoMan51.

[zephonic]

Nice to know a bit about KC's history!

 

 

But what about its future? DB, can you share what was discussed with NewBay at NAMM?

 

 

[tucktronix]

I migrated here around 2006 after spending a few years at HC KSS as a suggestion from Jason(Outkaster). What I found here was a wealth of knowledge as well as humanity and a sense of community. I also had a clear sense that are a lot of gigging keyboardists here(which is the main reason why I came here). I've listened to many of your recordings and I have to say that you guys(and gals) got SKILLZ!! It makes me wonder if I even belong here, as I still say to this day that "I can't play a keyboard to save my life!" So far, I've met only a few of you(Jason, Mark Zeger and I live in the same city, met Jim Alfredson both at Cedar Rapids and here in Rochacha). Dave Bryce, thanks for everything you do. I have never met you personally, but you somehow(I believe) have tailored this forum to your personality.. and that is a great thing!

[Mogut]

what a great time it was back in those early internet days....

[Dave Bryce]

But what about its future? DB, can you share what was discussed with NewBay at NAMM?

Thread in progress

 

dB

[Outkaster]

Yes Jon and I came here at the same time though I didn't really post till 2007-2008 even though I had the account for two years. HC had kind of dried up and this proved to be a place where their were gigging people not kids programming in their mom's basement hung out.

[BluesKeys]

Great job DB. Nice to get the origins of our KC. I started on Compuserve about the same time because they had a musicians corner with Ensoniq and Cakewalk forums. I was so green to midi, programming and digital recording.

 

As others have said its the vibe here!!!

[KenElevenShadows]

In the beginning, there was Craig Anderton...

 

 

Back in the 90's, when the only way to communicate was through listserve type subscribed group emails, Craig had the vision to start a musician's forum called Sound, Stage and Studio on the new and trendy America Online. I was working at Alesis at the time...don't remember how I found SSS, but I joined. Early members of SSS are actually still here on this forum - Ken (Eleven Shadows) Lee, Geoff (Soapbox) Grace, Mark Zeger and Doug (Jazzooo) Robinson, for example (say hi, guys). Many of us became friends, and even had a meeting or two at NAMM in the late 90s. I remember one hang by the Marriott bar in particular sharing a piano with Laurie Z (we miss you, Laurie!!!)...first time I met Ken and Geoff...

 

This is an excellent summary of the origins of KC.

 

And yes, a lot of us met on Craig's forum. He had a great forum on AOL and afterwards, and those of you guys who know Dave, Geoff or I know that we hold Craig in the highest possible esteem and respect. Craig is responsible for many things in pro audio, the least of which is creating a situation in which KC and other forums would thrive. It's how many of us got to know each other and become friends. Many of us have been friends for twenty years or more.

 

In short, we love Craig.

 

I only wish I could see Craig, Dave, and Geoff more often, but at least I get to do so. I continue to make friends, even if it's virtual, by interacting with some KC members on Facebook, and in person by hanging out at the Redkey Lounge, which is easily one of my favorite reasons to attend NAMM.

 

SSS has given birth to many other great communities, and greatest of all, KC. This place is fantastic because it's beautifully moderated by Dave, but it's also great because of what all the community members bring.

 

 

[Dave Bryce]

And yes, a lot of us met on Craig's forum. He had a great forum on AOL and afterwards, and those of you guys who know Dave, Geoff or I know that we hold Craig in the highest possible esteem and respect. Craig is responsible for many things in pro audio, the least of which is creating a situation in which KC and other forums would thrive. It's how many of us got to know each other and become friends. Many of us have been friends for twenty years or more.

 

In short, we love Craig.

True dat.

 

Many of you have said so many nice things about me and how much you dig the vibe (y'all are way too kind - thank you!)...but honestly, Craig is the true sensei. It was my early membership on SSS that formed my early concepts of what a forum should look like, and through his example I learned that the community is everything.

 

dB

 

 

[NoahZark]

dB:

 

Thanks for sharing the history. I may visit KC less frequently these days, but it's still my favorite "neighborhood bar" on the internet. I truly value the friendships that I've made here, and I respect the hell out of this place and this community.

 

Noah

[stevie b]

Ditto what Noah said.

I don't post a lot, and have met some of you fine folks in person, but certainly value all the others here willing to share information and keep it up.

Thanks for the history lesson as well.

Can't see where you've gone until you've already been.

Cheers!

[Anderton]

Well gee...thanks everyone. KC rocks!! I completely understood when Dave wanted not to be part of HC, it was a very different scene back then. After a series of debacles, though, it's back. It had undergone quite a bit of damage even before I left to join Gibson, and we've spent the last year undoing the damage. Finally a couple weeks ago we did an upgrade that actually worked instead of destroying the site, and we're finally mobile-friendly and also --amazing -- people from outside of the USA can post again. It was 45% of our traffic before GC took over and it dwindled to nothing, but now non-USA folks are coming back. Mobile traffic went up 10% since the update.

 

Gibson has been a very good host, primarily because we are left completely alone. The last HC heard from Henry was about a year ago when he said he wanted us to "be neutral, public-facing, international, mobile-friendly, and have fun - because if you're not having fun, then you won't be communicating how much fun music is." Not a bad job description...I don't spend all my time on HC by any means, but I do get to play Editorial Director and of course, I *must* have fun

 

So here's an AOL story as to why SSS departed from AOL in 1998. I don't think this has been told before. Until then, I was the AOL Golden Boy. Got invited to their big confab in Arizona, and received an award for community building. AOL was charging by the hour (or maybe it was by the millisecond, I don't remember) and they loved me because people were spending lots of time on the forums and downloading samples from the sample library I'd posted there (another piece of trivia: the whale sounds I recorded with Bernie Krause while kayaking in Alaska, feeding borrowed Navy hydrophones into a Casio DAT, were the most downloaded files on AOL). I think Ken Lee, Jazooo, Dave, and Geoff Grace alone kept AOL profitable.

 

Then they went to a flat rate. Bandwidth was decimated, people were upset, I think there was even a class action suit. All of a sudden, all those people spending time became a liability. Basically, SSS had become too successful. So they gave me an ultimatum: either sell stuff online and take a cut, or leave. I left and went to MusicPlayer. From that point on, Brother Dave nailed the story.

 

The story of HC has been its own drama but it finally has a good home, a working platform, a solid editorial team, and a parent company that understands online is about people, not things. We still have much to do, but we've accomplished a lot. Meanwhile, it was always a source of great satisfaction that this forum carried on the spirit of what MusicPlayer was supposed to be about. You are all very, very, very lucky to have someone who cares as much about this community as Dave.

[Anderton]

OMG, the link to the Podcast still works!! And it's still the old icon I had. Amazing.

[Joe Muscara]

Sixteen years to the day that your account has been registered, Craig. Thanks for the other part of the story and the good work you have done and continue to do.