Joe Muscara Posted March 27, 2017 Share Posted March 27, 2017 Excerpt from their job posting.. "Since all videos are filmed here at our amazing headquarters, you'll need to relocate to Fort Wayne, Indiana. Sorry, we are not looking for someone to do this from a remote location." Maybe I'm a bit disconnected from this world, but seems a bit limiting to have this as a requirement? I mean, if they opened this up to remote folks, wouldn't they be potentially significantly increasing the quality and value of reviews? And thereby enhancing the value and reliability of their service? I would suggest that not only should they open this up to a remote contributor, but consider having multiple remote folks submitting reviews, i.e. an 'all-star lineup' of great reviewers. They can easily edit the videos to add in their company logo, and they could arrange the compensation to fit, maybe piecework or some other suitable comp structure. And they could evaluate the effectiveness of the reviews through a variety of analytics, and make adjustments accordingly. Call me crazy, but aren't we living in the wonderful age of the internet, where great ideas and visuals are being shared across the globe in a matter of seconds? And isn't the essence and purpose of the role they are looking for perfectly filled by a remote approach? At least, try it out through a pilot program, what could it hurt? I think it's just part of the Sweetwater "culture" to have everyone under one roof. I hear you, and culture actually can be very important, i.e. a culture, or the lack of a culture, or the wrong culture, all can be a key factor in the success or the failure of a business, or a band for that matter. In this case they stated that the reason for the on-premises location for the role is because they film the videos there. That seems pretty short sighted to me. Perhaps they have a "controlling" culture. Again, seems to me they are missing an opportunity here. There's a multitude of talented, knowledgeable and articulate professionals just on this site that could add a lot of value, and probably lots more outside of this forum. All that talent and value going to the wayside due to an antiquated controlling approach. Oh well, what do I know, they seem to have a successful business with loyal customers, I guess they know what they're doing. :idk How would someone working remotely have access to all the gear they would need to do the videos of, especially the grand pianos? "I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck "The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted March 27, 2017 Share Posted March 27, 2017 Not only that but I reckon they would prefer to do a lot of demo in conjunction with visiting manufacturing reps. FWIW I always thought Daniel did a good at this sort of thing. Guessing his pay grade is too high and he doesn't have enough time to dedicate to doing demos. "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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RABid Posted March 27, 2017 Share Posted March 27, 2017 I have not watched many of their keyboard demos, but I have watched hours of drum and guitar pedalboard demos. They have some talented people working for them. This post edited for speling. My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midinut Posted March 27, 2017 Share Posted March 27, 2017 I imagine the local music scene is filled with talent that are employees. I wonder if the town has the venues to support all that talent. My wife says she'd be on board with us relocating to Ft. Wayne. There evidently is the second largest genealogy library in the country. Not sure my chops are up for it either! Hardware: Yamaha: MODX7 | Korg: Kronos 88, Wavestate | ASM: Hydrasynth Deluxe | Roland: Jupiter-Xm, Cloud Pro, TD-9K V-Drums | Alesis: StrikePad Pro| Behringer: Crave, Poly D, XR-18, RX1602 | CPS: SpaceStation SSv2 | Controllers: ROLI RISE 49 | Arturia KeyLab Essentials 88, KeyLab 61, MiniLab | M-Audio KeyStation 88 & 49 | Akai EWI USB | Novation LaunchPad Mini, | Guitars & Such: Line 6 Variax, Helix LT, POD X3 Live, Martin Acoustic, DG Strat Copy, LP Sunburst Copy, Natural Tele Copy| Squier Precision 5-String Bass | Mandolin | Banjo | Ukulele Software: Recording: MacBook Pro | Mac Mini | Logic Pro X | Mainstage | Cubase Pro 12 | Ableton Live 11 | Monitors: M-Audio BX8 | Presonus Eris 3.5BT Monitors | Slate Digital VSX Headphones & ML-1 Mic | Behringer XR-18 & RX1602 Mixers | Beyerdynamics DT-770 & DT-240 Arturia: V-Collection 9 | Native Instruments: Komplete 1 Standard | Spectrasonics: Omnisphere 2, Keyscape, Trilian | Korg: Legacy Collection 4 | Roland: Cloud Pro | GForce: Most all of their plugins | u-he: Diva, Hive 2, Repro, Zebra Legacy | AAS: Most of their VSTs | IK Multimedia: SampleTank 4 Max, Sonik Synth, MODO Drums & Bass | Cherry Audio: Most of their VSTs | Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyRude Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 Excerpt from their job posting.. "Since all videos are filmed here at our amazing headquarters, you'll need to relocate to Fort Wayne, Indiana. Sorry, we are not looking for someone to do this from a remote location." Maybe I'm a bit disconnected from this world, but seems a bit limiting to have this as a requirement? I mean, if they opened this up to remote folks, wouldn't they be potentially significantly increasing the quality and value of reviews? And thereby enhancing the value and reliability of their service? I would suggest that not only should they open this up to a remote contributor, but consider having multiple remote folks submitting reviews, i.e. an 'all-star lineup' of great reviewers. They can easily edit the videos to add in their company logo, and they could arrange the compensation to fit, maybe piecework or some other suitable comp structure. And they could evaluate the effectiveness of the reviews through a variety of analytics, and make adjustments accordingly. Call me crazy, but aren't we living in the wonderful age of the internet, where great ideas and visuals are being shared across the globe in a matter of seconds? And isn't the essence and purpose of the role they are looking for perfectly filled by a remote approach? At least, try it out through a pilot program, what could it hurt? I think it's just part of the Sweetwater "culture" to have everyone under one roof. I hear you, and culture actually can be very important, i.e. a culture, or the lack of a culture, or the wrong culture, all can be a key factor in the success or the failure of a business, or a band for that matter. In this case they stated that the reason for the on-premises location for the role is because they film the videos there. That seems pretty short sighted to me. Perhaps they have a "controlling" culture. Again, seems to me they are missing an opportunity here. There's a multitude of talented, knowledgeable and articulate professionals just on this site that could add a lot of value, and probably lots more outside of this forum. All that talent and value going to the wayside due to an antiquated controlling approach. Oh well, what do I know, they seem to have a successful business with loyal customers, I guess they know what they're doing. :idk How would someone working remotely have access to all the gear they would need to do the videos of, especially the grand pianos? details details.. hah, fair points. I don't know how material their grand piano business is, but they could always do some of the videos at their headquarters. As for the video equipment, I guess if they can land a man on the moon, build driverless cars, and have a drone drop a pizza at my front door, they can figure out the video equipment dilemma. Seriously, I'm just thinking that the pros of the remote scenario outweighs the cons. The pros being a broader and deeper pool of talent, resulting in significantly higher quality content, and that trumps any logistical issues. Some music I've recorded and played over the years with a few different bands Tommy Rude Soundcloud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkiGuy777 Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 Jim, you would be a perfect fit for this job as you are already doing product reviews. A compromise would be to fly you out there for a week at a time. I imagine they would be most busy after each NAMM show, one in January and one in the summer. For the SK1, they bundled it with a memory stick that had the Jim Alfredson tonewheel set, sequences, and sounds. I'm surprised they haven't asked you to do this for the XK5. Your legacy would be to make a tonewheel set for the XK5 because people mention it by your name. If this doesn't happen then it would still be a good idea to borrow this organ from someone and do your magic with a side by side review making your tonewheel set. I watched some of the videos and subscribed to the channel. I'd say they have a full production crew helping the performer. There's the straight on shot, overhead looking at the hands, and another camera looking at the display. And they have multiple performers doing the reviews. It would be cool to feature the jazz and rock organ presets of the XK5 showing the registrations and talking about them. Four of them say Jimmy, one says Shirley, one says Booker. On the rock side they have Purple, Emmerson, Gimmie Some Lovin, and a few others that just say Rock. None of these match up with the YesRock patch of the XK-2 but they're pretty close in terms of the drawbar settings. So it's kinda interesting that Wakeman is left out when it comes to his name in a preset yet they thank him at the end of owners manual. You may not get paid a lot of money, but your legacy would live on if you make a tone wheel set or get a set of patches out there that have your name on them. Instead of Jimmy call it JimA1, JimA2, JimA3 and so on. Then when people mention them they would say the word Jimmy with the A. The JimA preset. Korg 01W/FD, Hammond XK-2, Neo Ventilator2, JBL Eon, Rhodes 88 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felix Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 I've been working at Sweetwater for the last 14 years. I moved to Fort Wayne for the job. It is, without a doubt, the best damn job I have ever had, and Sweetwater is by far the best company I have ever worked for. I can't imagine someone being able to do the advertised gig from anywhere else. For one, Sweetwater built a dedicated video studio for producing quality videos, and that studio is here, as are the video personnel. I also can't imagine someone having the same access to manufacturer reps, pre-release product, and all of the other resources that are here without actually being here. And company culture IMO is a very real thing that benefits greatly from Sweetwater's single location. Just my opinion, your mileage may vary. Finally, for the record, nobody here has ever offered me kool-aid, and I'm pretty sure kool-aid isn't even an available drink option at the on-site diner here at Sweetwater (but a ton of other drink options are). If any of you ever visit, have the receptionist call me up to meet you, and I'll be happy to buy you any non-kool-aid drink of your choice to enjoy while I show you around. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 Kool Aid, either Grape or Black Cherry is my favorite drink to go with buttered popcorn. "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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAJUSCULE Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 Duly noted, felix. One day... Eric Website Gear page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felix Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 This is so cool! Video: Erskine Hawkins Joins the Sweetwater Team [video:youtube] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElmerJFudd Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 Good for him! [video:youtube] Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RABid Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 While choosing my drum set I watched dozens of demonstration videos by this guy before I realized he was the drummer for Spock's Beard. I guess Sweetwater has the ability to hire top people. And I guess there are top people who would like to settle somewhere like Ft. Wayne to raise a family. [video:youtube] This post edited for speling. My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill W Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 While choosing my drum set I watched dozens of demonstration videos by this guy before I realized he was the drummer for Spock's Beard. I guess Sweetwater has the ability to hire top people. And I guess there are top people who would like to settle somewhere like Ft. Wayne to raise a family. [video:youtube] Nick also played on the last Genesis album and toured with Tears for Fears. Korg Kronos 61 (2); Roland Fantom-06, 2015 Macbook Pro and 2012 Mac Mini (Logic Pro X and Mainstage), GigPerformer 4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 One of my favorite Nick V clips is when he played Progfest with Kevin Gilbert and they did The Lamb. It totally rocked! [video:youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4Ml1QDdNZ0 Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyRude Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 This is so cool! Video: Erskine Hawkins Joins the Sweetwater Team [video:youtube] All right! And he's relocated to Ft Wayne too? Some music I've recorded and played over the years with a few different bands Tommy Rude Soundcloud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RABid Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 All right! And he's relocated to Ft Wayne too? We cannot all live in California, nor would we want to. This post edited for speling. My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElmerJFudd Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 Cali's going to fall off tomorrow morning anyways. Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bryce Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 All right! And he's relocated to Ft Wayne too? We cannot all live in California, nor would we want to. One out of every eight Americans does, though. dB ==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <== Professional Affiliations: Royer Labs • Music Player Network Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Muscara Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 One out of every eight Americans does, though. Then why are the old-time Austinites so annoyed by all the Californians moving there? "I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck "The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyRude Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 I guess my point is that SW's requirement was the person MUST relocate to Ft Wayne for this role. Call me crazy but I would be somewhat shocked if a guy of this caliber and resume would give all that up and move away from his honeypots for this gig. I wager they relaxed this draconian requirement to get him, he looks like a great person for this role. He's really more of a celebrity/pro reviewer than a working joe. Some music I've recorded and played over the years with a few different bands Tommy Rude Soundcloud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB Sherry Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 Well, if you look up Erskine Hawkins III on Facebook, it says he lives in Fort Wayne, IN. So, either he already lived there, or he moved there for the job. Clearly, Sweetwater has no prob getting the talent that they need. If they're getting what they need, they don't need to do things differently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB Sherry Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 So, you're crazy. No, you're not. You are stubborn, though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EscapeRocks Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 I guess my point is that SW's requirement was the person MUST relocate to Ft Wayne for this role. Call me crazy but I would be somewhat shocked if a guy of this caliber and resume would give all that up and move away from his honeypots for this gig. I wager they relaxed this draconian requirement to get him, he looks like a great person for this role. He's really more of a celebrity/pro reviewer than a working joe. You seem to have a real obsession with this, for whatever reason. And...oh looks like someone beat me to it... Erskine now lives in Ft. Wayne. It seems Sweetwater has no problem with it's hiring practices and requirements. David Gig Rig:Roland Fantom 08 | Roland Jupiter 80 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Grace Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 You get a lot more for your money in Ft. Wayne than you do in New York or California. I can see the appealespecially if he's at the point in his life in which he wants to start a family. Best, Geoff My Blue Someday appears on Apple Music | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bryce Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 FWIW, the culture at Sweetwater is actually pretty great. Lotta really good people, music/gear simply everywhere....and the campus has to be seen to be believed. dB ==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <== Professional Affiliations: Royer Labs • Music Player Network Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAJUSCULE Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 What's stopping him from doing this gig for one, two, five years and moving on to something else? Not like he's signing his life away. Eric Website Gear page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Song80s Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 All right! And he's relocated to Ft Wayne too? We cannot all live in California, nor would we want to. yes. tell everyone not to live in California Thank you Why fit in, when you were born to stand out ? My Soundcloud with many originals: [70's Songwriter] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RABid Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 yes. tell everyone not to live in California Thank you LOL. After going to Portland and Seattle I was sure that everyone in California was moving north. This post edited for speling. My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bryce Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 yes. tell everyone not to live in California Thank you LOL. After going to Portland and Seattle I was sure that everyone in California was moving north. Everyone? Still a bit over 35 million of us here. That ain't nothin'. Too much rain in the Pacific NW for me. I quite like Ventura County. dB ==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <== Professional Affiliations: Royer Labs • Music Player Network Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan_evett Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 FWIW, the culture at Sweetwater is actually pretty great. Lotta really good people, music/gear simply everywhere....and the campus has to be seen to be believed. dB Every time I'm out there, I want to stick around, permanently. We live just under two hours from the campus (Westville, just a few miles from US 30), and have discussed the logistics of moving closer. When it was first announced, I briefly considered applying for the keyboard artist gig, but I don't present well on video; I'm much stronger as a direct, interactive teacher with individuals and small groups. So the sales engineer gig is tempting; think I could help out a lot of folks, and make some decent $$ - all in one place. The rat race of multiple income streams from quasi-stable sources gets wearying.. 'Someday, we'll look back on these days and laugh; likely a maniacal laugh from our padded cells, but a laugh nonetheless' - Mr. Boffo. We need a barfing cat emoticon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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