Just some observations...
You know on the old HC Amp board back before RT existed, we used to actually showcase our playing or writing a lot more via original backing tracks, collaborative jams, etc. Hell, I once wrote a whole piece around a small group of players I became friends with over the forums. Example of how more playing and less menstruating fosters common respect: when you hear someone play over a track that you're taking a pass on, too, you get appreciation for how others approach things. I remember posting my take of playing over a track, only to hear someone like Daneyo or Patrickjp (what ever became of that dude?) rip something in a totally different direction and thinking "I don't know this dude, but that was clever as hell. His mind doesn't work like mine - listen when they speak and see if they impart something you can use." That kind of thing - the playing is the commonality here, right? I remember being helped a few years back by Red Ant and Leadfootdriver with arranging and engineering questions, and Ed was answered plenty of my theory questions and offered encouragement. I miss RVS and PhilB throwing out their rough tracks for us to wail over. I think the whole collaborative aspect of the community has been kind of missing here for a while, and instead people spend too much time running their mouths. I don't post here nearly as often as I used to (seems like I used to have something like 1000 posts, too - something happened about a year ago?) because folks get pretty hateful around here and I'm not entertained by it. Not too communal of a community at times, and that's a damned shame because there are some ridiculously good players here with a lot to offer.
I know this is a gear-oriented forum rather, but the end result of all the GAS that goes on around here should be music, right? Things have become more and more about acquisition and less and less about the music the acquisition allows us to make...or something like that. I haven't bought a new piece of gear in a while, and play mostly sax now...maybe I should wander on over to "sax-talk"
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BTW Chris, that was noble to go first and begin burying some the hatchets that have been swinging around here. Kudos, man. Much needed gesture.