The Future of MPN?

[Doerfler]

I was not aware that anyone still used checks. Need to look into this. 

[ksoper]

Just now, Doerfler said:

I was not aware that anyone still used checks. Need to look into this. 

 

It takes my bank too long to send the water company an electronic check, so I write a paper check. A lab my doc uses puts a new account number on every invoice so I can't set it up with the bank. They get a check, too.  I write maybe two checks a month, tops.  

[stoken6]

3 hours ago, ksoper said:

sending you a check

I was going to suggest a "donation only" option in the MPN merch store for this purpose.

 

3 hours ago, Dave Bryce said:

MPN does have a PayPal account.

That works too, but is perhaps less likely to attract new/casual users?

 

Cheers, Mike.

[Dave Bryce]

7 minutes ago, stoken6 said:

I was going to suggest a "donation only" option in the MPN merch store for this purpose.

 

I'll look into if that's possible; and, if so, what that entails

 

 

7 minutes ago, stoken6 said:

That works too, but is perhaps less likely to attract new/casual users?

 

I had the same thought.  The MPN Store doesn't get very much traffic, so it may not be so easy for folks to find that.

 

 

2 minutes ago, Dave Ferris said:

I still buy and listen to CDs too.

 

As do I.  I like full res files, and am a sucker for SACD/Blu-Ray/DVD-A discs, especially the surround ones.

 

dB

[David Emm]

17 minutes ago, Dave Bryce said:

Wait - I was wrong.  It uses davebryce@me.com. 😬

I just got an email asking if i want to accept it and create a new account.   Go ahead and cancel the send, and try again with the right email address.

Also - anyone wanting to use Paypal please do so under Friends and Family or Paypal will take a cut.

 

There ya go! I'm going to plug this approach into my bill setup and do a quarterly thing, perhaps. MPN is a unique, superior resource, so I have no problem with feeding the kitty. Hopefully, we'll reach a point where all of the parameters will be fully addressed. 

[ksoper]

These kids today like Venmo. Might look into that. I personally won't use Venmo but I use Zelle fairly often.  I'd throw those options in the methods of payment, too, if possible.  

[Dave Bryce]

I don't use Venmo or Zelle.  

 

dB

[Anderton]

13 minutes ago, stoken6 said:

I was going to suggest a "donation only" option in the MPN merch store for this purpose.

 

People can just buy a download, and not download it   Seriously, we could have a product called "Donate to MPN" where people get a download of a picture of a cool synth or something, with "Thanks!" written on it.

[ksoper]

Just now, Anderton said:

 

People can just buy a download, and not download it   Seriously, we could have a product called "Donate to MPN" where people get a download of a picture of a cool synth or something, with "Thanks!" written on it.

 

Ooh!  An NFT!

[Dave Bryce]

Just now, Anderton said:

Seriously, we could have a product called "Donate to MPN" where people get a download of a picture of a cool synth or something, with "Thanks!" written on it.

 

 

I checked it out.  The only caveat I can find with donations through the MPN Store is that I have to specify the amount of the donation in order to create a Donation Product in the MPN Store.

[ksoper]

2 minutes ago, Dave Bryce said:

I checked it out.  The only caveat I can find with donations through the MPN Store is that I have to specify the amount of the donation in order to create a Donation Product in the MPN Store.

 

Couldn't you have multiple products at various price points?  Again, my daily blog has boxes you can check for the amount of donation, $5-10-25-50-75-100. 

[ProfD]

Well, I doubt that brotha @dB expected this thread to get a whole lotta traffic.

 

Nonetheless, my donation is done.  I'll put it on my calendar as a bi-annual event.😁

 

Now, I'd better not see a light flicker as if the power is going out around here.🤣😎

[Dave Bryce]

45 minutes ago, ksoper said:

Couldn't you have multiple products at various price points?  

Yes, I believe so.  I just have to figure the form and function out. 🤔

 

I’m guessing Shopify will want their cut as well.

 

dB

[Motif88]

If I pull the trigger on a Nord Stage 4-88, I think I should use the MPN link to Sweetwater...please post.

[MathOfInsects]

Yeah, I'll do the Paypal thing. 

FWIW, I've never encountered a "T. Hanks" thing, and don't know what it refers to. So if it's some way tied to a link to donate, I think the visibility of that link must be determined by other forum preferences or views, since some people have clearly seen it and know what it means. 

The only Patreon link I have--anywhere on the page--is hidden under the three-line link at the top right of the screen, where the notifications show up. It's the 6th link down and I never noticed it before. (Shop is there too and I've never seen that either.)

But no Tom Hanks, just a text link.

Top of page, three lines are top right.

Bottom of page, nothing to click there:


After clicking the "three lines":

[MathOfInsects]

1 hour ago, Dave Bryce said:

 

I checked it out.  The only caveat I can find with donations through the MPN Store is that I have to specify the amount of the donation in order to create a Donation Product in the MPN Store.

Can you make it a dollar and we can choose how many we want to "order"?

[Dave Bryce]

The Tom Hanks GIF is gone.  The Patreon link in the Topics sidebar is just emoticons and text now…but I’ll have a banner shortly.

 

 

1 hour ago, Motif88 said:

If I pull the trigger on a Nord Stage 4-88, I think I should use the MPN link to Sweetwater...please post.

 

I believe it is back in the rotation.  If that’s not the banner you see at the top or bottom of the forum, just refresh it once or twice - you should see it.

 

As I mentioned previously, Sweetwater’s “affiliate link” banners will advertise a sale or other specific thing (this month it’s a drum giveaway) but if you use those to click on to Sweetwater’s site, we get credit for anything you buy there during that session. 

 

 

1 hour ago, MathOfInsects said:

Can you make it a dollar and we can choose how many we want to "order"?

Hmmm…interesting idea, Josh.  I’ll check it out.

 

Anything I do on the MPN Store has to be cleared with our CFO/Bookkeeper - Mrs. Bryce.  She’s the one that has to wrestle with Shopify/juggle the numbers, so I do what she tells me.

 

 

dB

 

[S_Gould]

11 hours ago, Dave Bryce said:

I don't use Venmo or Zelle.  

 

dB

Zelle is easy - all you need is an email or (cell)phone # that's associated with a bank account. No fees for sender or recipient.

 

 

[John Tweed]

I’m in with Patreon for a cuppa which seems the easiest thing in the short term to keep the lights on. Coming from Australia I have to pay our local 10% GST (tax). This is not ideal so I might look into other options in the future.

 

My advice to db and other admins is to keep it as simple as possible on the admin end. My guess is that Patreon would be simplest, perhaps with an annual or occasional gofundme to top things up. Then possibly site-wide ads, and then membership tiers with extra offerings. I don’t mind ads so long as they are not too intrusive or annoying. Then again I’m retired and not planning on buying much in the future, since I have a nice piano and organ/leslie setup at home, and I’ve pretty much lost interest in synths and so forth.

 

As a long-time reader and occasional poster, this site and its forerunners have been an invaluable resource, and one I read daily. FB and similar social media sites are ok for some things but the depth of knowledge accessible here is unparalleled. My since thanks to the admins and posters here for their contributions over the years.
 

 

[surfergirl]

Since it's Music Player Network, a generic name, would combining the keyboard, guitar, bass and drum into one have any effect on the expense? I have no idea, just a random thought. 

Edit: Or since the Keyboard Corner is the driving force, combine the other three. No disrespect to the bass and drum site, my fiancee is a bass player and one of my best friends is a drummer, there doesn't appear to be much traffic on those sites.

[JB Sherry]

10 hours ago, S_Gould said:

Zelle is easy - all you need is an email or (cell)phone # that's associated with a bank account. No fees for sender or recipient.

 

 

If you are set up to access your bank account online, check to see if they’ve already integrated Zelle. A lot of banks have done this. 

[Dave Bryce]

1 hour ago, surfergirl said:

Since it's Music Player Network, a generic name, would combining the keyboard, guitar, bass and drum into one have any effect on the expense? I have no idea, just a random thought. 

 

Nope, it would not.

 

 

1 hour ago, surfergirl said:

Or since the Keyboard Corner is the driving force, combine the other three. No disrespect to the bass and drum site, my fiancee is a bass player and one of my best friends is a drummer, there doesn't appear to be much traffic on those sites.

Yeah, the bass and drum forums aren’t really that active…but we don’t pay per forum, so no reason to combine them, or compromise the Guitar Forum.

 

dB

[Dave Bryce]

Re: Zelle, Venmo, etc - I do appreciate the suggestions and do know what they are, but ’m trying to keep this as simple as possible for a few reasons. 

 

For right now, I think we’ll keep it to Patreon for scheduled donations and Paypal for those who don’t wanna go monthly, with the possibility that we might be able to implement brother Josh’s MPN Store donation idea as that platform is already in place.

 

Thank you all so much for your continued input! ☺️

 

dB

[allan_evett]

I plan on contributing via Patreon or Paypal. Just started by cancelling an online subscription that's underused; taking a long look at another, today. Hopefully will do Patreon, monthly.  Glad to support this awesome space!

[Dave Bryce]

44 minutes ago, Dave Bryce said:

we might be able to implement brother Josh’s MPN Store donation idea as that platform is already in place.

 

Okay, I think this should work...

 

dB

[Lindaru]

13 minutes ago, Dave Bryce said:

 

Okay, I think this should work...

 

dB

This is great!  This is a lot like the "Buy me a cup of coffee" that I have seen other places.  You can buy as many virtual cups of coffee at $5 each on that site.  A great way to get support and everyone can pay exactly what they want when they want.
 

[jarrell]

1 hour ago, Dave Bryce said:

 

Okay, I think this should work...

 

dB

It does... happy to support this site which is a great resource in so many ways, with a lot of great people contributing over the years.

[Dave Bryce]

Okay, I did a fun forum trick.

 

In the upper nav bar, there's now a drop down menu called MPN Tip Jar that provides links to both the Patreon page and the MPN Store Donations page.

 

 

😎

 

dB

 

 

[MathOfInsects]

Not to harp on this, but I do not have an upper nav bar for the site on either my computer or my phone.

 

EDIT: I just tried all four themes and don't have a top-nav with any. I'm on Chrome and switched to Safari and don't have one with Safari either, with any of the four themes. 

 

I can see from your screen shot that you have one, so I know it must exist for some people. But I just wanted to pass on that my (and probably others') view of the site does not include that. If I want to find that link, I have to use the three-line drop-down menu on top-right and go looking for it there.

[stoken6]

On 6/5/2023 at 8:18 PM, Dave Bryce said:

The only caveat I can find with donations through the MPN Store is that I have to specify the amount of the donation in order to create a Donation Product in the MPN Store.

 

On 6/5/2023 at 8:23 PM, ksoper said:

Couldn't you have multiple products at various price points?  Again, my daily blog has boxes you can check for the amount of donation, $5-10-25-50-75-100. 

I had assumed @ksoper's approach in my suggestion. "Buy a $5 donation / Buy a $10 donation / Buy a $25 donation" etc.

 

Cheers, Mike.