RBuddy - Posted - 01/27/2022:  17:03:13

It would be great to have a sub forum for people new to banjo. A place where those folks can hangout and get questions answered about basic banjo playing and maintenance.



The more advanced forums get pretty clogged up with questions that have been answered over and over again.



Even having a more pronounced search icon, even one that says, ANSWERS HERE, would guide folks to information already covered and it would help a lot. See, it would work! The little magnifying glass looks like a fryin pan and bacon, YUM!

Questions like "what's bluegrass?" or "what's that round thing at the end of the neck?" Might easily be answered with a placeholder on a couple informative threads like a picture of a banjo and parts names.

Bill Rogers - Posted - 01/27/2022:  17:58:19

All of that is up the Eric--and whatever limitations the software has. I'm not sure it would be successful--noting the many utter failures of new (and old) members to peruse the site carefully before posting their questions. I also think that a site-dedicated search engine rather than a Google adjunct would be preferable--but I don't know the software or economic feasibility of that.

To make my point, I just did a search on my late wife's name--the title of a forum topic I posted when she died. I got no hits on the Hangout site, but four search site offers from the web. This search ideally should be confined to BHO--with no associated web spam showing up along with the could-not-find notice.  So I understand the site's search function leaves much to be desired.

Edited by - Bill Rogers on 01/27/2022 18:05:25

Texasbanjo - Posted - 01/28/2022:  04:47:11

It's my thought that the individual forums were set up for exactly what you're asking for: a place to ask specific questions about your genre of music and your questions about technique, timing, tone, repairs, etc.

Most of us are more than happy to answer a beginner's questions about how do I do this or what is this thing or what does that mean. Of course, in any internet forum there may be a few old soreheads who complain about having to answer questions over and over. They don't have to answer, they can leave it to us who want to help the beginner.

You might want to look at the stickies at the top of each forum. Sometimes beginner questions will be answered there.

wrench13 - Posted - 01/28/2022:  06:18:48

Yeah, I belong to a similar web board on Parrots, and we get DAILY questions from new owners that are often repetitive on basic information. We use the "stickie" type solution, so the senior members don;t have to answer the same questions over and over. Of course, you have to know what stickies are and where they might be located. Ours are located at the top of each sub-forum and are in a highlighted background for visibility.

Owen - Posted - 01/28/2022:  06:26:13

As a long-time beginner, lots of my questions go unasked.  Even though I put In qualifiers like "please keep it simple," more often than not I found I was overwhelmed before I got through the first sentence.   What I'd like is to get a simple, direct answer to my question and then leave it up to me to ask subsequent questions if I need to, rather than anticipating what questions might come up and trying to answer/explain those.   [I acknowledge that I might be an odd-ball in this regard.  ]

I do appreciate the effort from guys that have tried to help me..... maybe it could be more effective?? 

Edited by - Owen on 01/28/2022 06:39:45

Texasbanjo - Posted - 01/28/2022:  06:40:58

quote:

---

Originally posted by Owen

As a long-time beginner, lots of my questions go unasked.  Even though I put In qualifiers like "please keep it simple," more often than not I found I was overwhelmed before I got through the first sentence.   What I'd like is to get a simple, direct answer to my question and then leave it up to me to ask subsequent questions if I need to, rather than anticipating what questions might come up and trying to answer/explain those.   [I acknowledge that I might be an odd-ball in this regard.  ]

I do appreciate the effort from guys that have tried to help me..... maybe it could be be made more effective?? 

 

---

There will always be people who give entirely too much information when trying to help a beginner.  You just have to use what makes sense to you and put the rest on hold until you get more experience or.... just ignore the information from those who don't know how to use the KISS principle.

RBuddy - Posted - 01/28/2022:  08:31:38

Sherry -- " Of course, in any internet forum there may be a few old soreheads who complain about having to answer questions over and over."

It is actually a fairly common event seeing regular posters refer new members to the search function for that very reason.



I didn't know mods had a category for people who think about improvements and suggestions and take the time to make them known so we can help make the place better, more manageable and more efficient.

I offered an easy fix suggesting the search function could be more obvious and as others have said more functional. And maybe make recommendations to use it more obvious.

We may have uncovered part of the reason why so many "old soreheads" have left the hangout.

Sincerely,

just an old sorehead

Texasbanjo - Posted - 01/28/2022:  08:37:58

quote:

---

Originally posted by RBuddy

Sherry -- " Of course, in any internet forum there may be a few old soreheads who complain about having to answer questions over and over."

It is actually a fairly common event seeing regular posters refer new members to the search function for that very reason.



I didn't know mods had a category for people who think about improvements and suggestions and take the time to make them known so we can help make the place better, more manageable and more efficient.

I offered an easy fix suggesting the search function could be more obvious and as others have said more functional. And maybe make recommendations to use it more obvious.

We may have uncovered part of the reason why so many "old soreheads" have left the hangout.

Sincerely,

just an old sorehead

---

Well, if the shoe fits.....  

I think if the more experienced members do not wish to answer beginner questions, they should just ignore them and let someone who remember what it was like to be a beginner answer those type questions.

I apologize if I hurt your feelings, but there's really nothing wrong with being an old sorehead.  Some might find it a compliment rather than a complaint.  Your decision how you take it.

Edited to add:  the thoughts if this mod are her thoughts and may not reflect the thoughts of the other mods.   Please do not group us all into the same category, as we are definitely different individuals.

Edited by - Texasbanjo on 01/28/2022 08:44:22

RBuddy - Posted - 01/28/2022:  09:02:25

WOW!!

All I can say to that is - I thought mods were a group designed mostly to keep things polite and civil around here. Live and learn.

Texasbanjo - Posted - 01/28/2022:  11:10:07

quote:

---

Originally posted by RBuddy

WOW!!



All I can say to that is - I thought mods were a group designed mostly to keep things polite and civil around here. Live and learn.

---

I see nothing  impolite or uncivil about my comments.  I apologized if I hurt your feelings, I surely didn't mean to.   If an apology isn't enough, then there's nothing else I can say to assuage your feelings.

Bill Rogers - Posted - 01/28/2022:  12:46:02

Another insoluble problem is the many different answers that likely are posted to any beginner’s question. In the end the sorting burden is on the new player.

GrahamHawker - Posted - 01/28/2022:  13:12:40

Banjo Hangout has got quieter over the years so the more posts the better. I imagine most questions have been answered many times and there is often no one answer. What is bluegrass? Depends on who you ask.

Fathand - Posted - 01/28/2022:  13:39:38

So if it is a forum for beginners and they are asking other beginners for advice it becomes the inexperienced asking the inexperienced?

I don't mind offering advice to beginners but I probably wouldn't join a beginners forum so I wouldn't see your questions. Ask your questions in the regular topical forums.

Owen - Posted - 01/28/2022:  15:15:20

Bill: "In the end the sorting burden is on the new player."

Fair enough, Bill, but when a question that is adequatley/best answered with a "yes" or "no," I think the burden should be on the one giving the answer to answer it with a "yes" or "no."   And in any event, the answer should be given before the explanation... that way the person asking has some idea where it's heading, and it's easier to see how/where things fit.   

... just my [pre-beginner] opinion mind you. 

Bill Rogers - Posted - 01/28/2022:  15:58:41

That, of course, puts the burden on the information seeker to ask a question so precise it needs only “yes” or “no” to answer. “Can you play ‘Pike County Breakdown’ without using picks?” — Yes. But that leaves much unsaid.