....a funeral dirge? Seems appropriate for how dead everything is around here. Looks like those handful of members that can't tolerate even an ounce of dissension around here finally got their wish. Dull, boring, uninspired drivel that's guaranteed to drive away all but the most seriously addicted.

The problem with 'driving off' or 'restricting' some of our most interesting, knowledgeable, and articulate members, is that, despite their sometimes quirky personalities, we lose the 'soul' of Synthzone; the essence of what makes SZ one of the most addictive forums on the net.

Since we don't live in a perfect world, why do we expect components like this to be perfect? SZ has often been described as a 'dysfunctional family', but in truth, aren't those kind the most fun? And couldn't most families be described that way? What would a family reunion be without weird uncle Al? Maybe it's time to stop trying to make Synthzone into a Sunday school picnic and allow adult discussion and conversation to take place. If an occasional 'dust up' happens, so what? Nigel knows how to keep it from going too far. But it's those that scream and yell at the first sign of anything perceived as 'unpleasant' but who themselves offer nothing of substance to sustain interest in the forum, that are actually doing more to contribute to SZ's demise than any so-called 'controversial' members.

The reason for this rant; I'm bored. Not with my life, but with the current state of Synthzone. Frankly, there haven't been many postings lately that have inspired a lot of responses (probably including this one). I say, let's get back to an environment that allows good adult discussion and where polite dissent isn't automatically construed as a 'dust up'. Bring back the 'warriors'. I'd rather die with a sword in my hand than from boredom.

As usual, JMO.

Peace (but not too much of it).

chas

Yes, Chas, it is slower here than Mother's Day in an orphanage.

I miss my buddies, and I hope they return soon.

Ian (a former orphan)

Ian, believe me, I was going to adopt you but you're just too bloody lazy (a fact you've stated over and over again). So you're calling Chas "daddy" now?

Taike

------------------
Bo pen nyang.

Yes, Taike, I freely admit I am very lazy, and will strive to do less and less each passing day...I don't even blink my eyes as often as I used to.

I'm still up for adoption...been orphaned twice, actually, but I surely will not call Chas a "daddy", although it would be preferential to calling him a "mother".

He can be be my uncle, as my weird uncle Al finally passed away from "lazyitus" (it runs in the family)...we didn't realize he was dead for some time...

Chas has all kinds of toys, and a Nord C1...he'd be a great uncle for any of us.

And, on a more serious note, I really do miss the delinquents...I really hope they come back soon.

Nigelectomies can be painful.

\

Funny as usual, Ian.

Hey, actually you're well on your way to outliving the busy bees:
http://www.wallachonline.com/athletes.htm

Taike

Only problem is.....in order for me to be an 'uncle' to most of you, I'd have to be at least 115 yr. old .

chas

Nah, Chas. I have a 6-year old uncle in my class. And Ian makes himself look older in order to get senior discounts. At home he still wears diapers.

Taike

------------------
Bo pen nyang.

We are all up on facebook now. You can insult or praise, lie, cheat, steal without censorship
You can even post your music there as I have about 6 songs there now.
check it out. Great place to get acquainted with long lost friends and get even with relatives
Bebop
PS: There is also a chat room there so you can get your enemy cornered and insult that until they log off
Bb

[This message has been edited by BEBOP (edited 11-30-2009).]

NO. NO. NO. This is not the kind of model that I'm suggesting for Synthzone, although I'm not surprised that someone would read it that way. I must be writing in a foreign language and just don't realize it.

chas

Hi guys, yes it is a little slow.
Lets hope Tony (the Audya man) will be on with somthing new about the Audya, than the heat is on. and a 6 pages tread going.
skude

You mean the Audya is still being made, skude?

I thought it might have been discontinued, since there was no mention of it lately.

Ian

I was wondering myself, I'm sure OS4.0 will get things going again. Played with my band this weekend, using my Korg. Don't want them to hear the sound of the Audya, then they know how close they are to get fired.

Chas,

Do you know how long Diki and Donny(sounds like pop duo ) are banned from posting?

Ian

I suggested to Nigel...he should wait till Easter..

chas ... must be the southern drawl ... ..
t.

I haven't seen many discussions lately that really interest me. I have no interest in anything to do with Audya, no offense, but I just don't care.

I also think as the Holidays approach performance schedules are getting heavier. I talked to Gary D. today and we both have doubles almost all the way straight through Christmas and New Years. So, there's simply less computer time for many of us.

I think the board goes through a kind of rebirth from time to time. Some users fade away...some new ones step up into more prominent roles. Sometimes the board will be almost hyper with activity-other times, rather calm...

As far as Diki/Donny go. Their act is tired, old and boring. Whatever benefit each could still contribute to the board too often gets drowned out by the noise each makes about the other.

------------------
Bill in Dayton

Diki (and Donny) got banned? How did I miss that? I was wondering these last few days what happened to him. .....anyone?

Lucky

�Yes, Chas, it is slower here than Mother's Day in an orphanage.�

Ian (a former orphan)
----------------------------
�Ian, believe me, I was going to adopt you but you're just too bloody lazy (a fact you've stated over and over again). So you're calling Chas "daddy" now?�

Taike
-----------------------------
�Yes, Taike, I freely admit I am very lazy, and will strive to do less and less each passing day...I don't even blink my eyes as often as I used to.

I'm still up for adoption...been orphaned twice, actually, but I surely will not call Chas a "daddy", although it would be preferential to calling him a "mother".

He can be be my uncle, as my weird uncle Al finally passed away from "lazyitus" (it runs in the family)...we didn't realize he was dead for some time...

Chas has all kinds of toys, and a Nord C1...he'd be a great uncle for any of us. �

Ian
---------------------------------
�Only problem is.....in order for me to be an 'uncle' to most of you, I'd have to be at least 115 yr. Old�

Chas
----------------------------------
Nah, Chas. I have a 6-year old uncle in my class. And Ian makes himself look older in order to get senior discounts. At home he still wears diapers.

Taike

**************************

You guys are funny to begin with, but you outdid yourself on this thread. I�m still on the floor laughing!!!

Lucky

Hush, Lucky! If you must make a noise, than make it quietly.

Taike

------------------
Bo pen nyang.

I don't know. Nigel mumbled something about "hell freezing over" but I didn't catch all of it . Maybe he'll take Fran's suggestion, Easter........2012.

I think Bill in Dayton..a (Daytona has got to be better than Dayton this time of the year ) has it mostly correct. Tired act? Yeah, but when not engaged in fisticuffs, each can be helpful and informative. Very few on this board know as much about Roland's arranger line than Diki, and Donny, dispite all of his self-aggrandizement, has had a lot of real-world experience with a large variety of arranger kb's. I think that with a little peer support and an occasional (gentle) elbow in the ribs when they start to wander, that both can be rehabilitated and restored to good, productive citizens (of SZ ). We'll see. 2012 isn't that far away .

chas

Hey Diki, Who Dat? Saints looking good, baby.

I'm curious as to WHY they got banned. I didn't see anything going on in any of the threads. I know Donny got banned for his "dual personality" a while back. He made another boo-boo? And Diki?...who always brings me back to the SynthZone.....I'm wondering what he did? Like the old National Enquirer...."curious minds want to know!"

Lucky

Hope you have all noticed the decline started at the time the two members mentioned in the post by Lucky 2Behere were banned,coincidence ?
just an obsevation.
Gilbert.

I think it was because they were sniping at each other for too long, and it began to interfere too much with the topics.

Thus, another Nigelectomy was performed.

It's too bad, because if either one of them was sick, or in serious trouble, the other would be there in a heartbeat to help him out in any possible way.

They are both great guys, in my books.

I've had my spats with both of them, but we always managed to get things right again and remain good friends.

I hope they come back soon...life's too short to let petty squabbles keep friends apart.

I've picked up a lot on SZ, sometimes during the bickering there were many things I learned...even if it was to forgive, or to say I was sorry.

My late Uncle Jim, who was an ex-Navy man, used to say this proverb, " A calm sea does not make a skilled sailor."

SZ is a bit stormy at times, but I think we are all the better for it.

This is a great forum, and I would miss it terribly if it was discontinued...all I have to do is think back to the times it went off line.

I actually went through withdrawal.


Ian

Yes, their 'act' had gotten tiresome, but obviously they are missed ... and the forum could use them back here ... especially when guys like chas and myself beg off a discussion just as it was getting HOT ... JUST KIDDING!!!

Hopefully they will be back soon - early Christmas present, Nigel ??? ... 2012 is WAY too far off ... hell, I may not make it to tomorrow ! ..
t.

You know, Nigel is walking a pretty fine line. I believe he only banishes people when things get pretty far out of hand.

I appreciate passionate differences of opinion as much as the next guy, and think I'm not shy about making my opinions known (think arrangers, playing in nursing homes, MP-3's or ANY tracks on the stand, the use of laptops, country music, Buffet music....the list is LONG!).

I don't mind being told my way of doing things is wrong, and I'm not going to argue that I have the only answers.

I enjoy the good natured sparring here as much as anybody. It's the disrespect and personal put-downs that I find troubling.

There are those who's opinions are almost always in synch with mine, and there are those posts are so lame (IMO) that it's not even worth responding. That's the nature of this communications media.

Posts with more edge...alternate opinions...
disagreements handled with respect...BRING IT ON!

And BRING BACK DIKI!

Russ

... and DONNY !!!

t.

Way to go Tony...I was wondering why Russ left Donny out.

I wish I could sing like Donny, and play like Diki...I'd be farting through silk.

Ian

Maybe he just got tired of all those 'naked' URL's .

chas

Maybe...Donny was truly the "King of URL".

Of course, I kinda like surprises, so it didn't bother me.

Ian

That's "Duke of URL" . I think Diki came up with that one. (You need to listen to more Motown ).

chas

Yep, you're right, and it was Diki's phrase...I said "King of URL" out of respect for the departed.

Naaah...you don't believe that for a minute.

Where's Motown? Is it named after a guy named Mo?

Ian

Easter which year, 2010 or 2011, anyway someone said this Xmas, the Lord forgive, too much to contend with Audya OS4 and the two boys back all for Xmas.

I'm not very close to either guy, so my thoughts are fairly selfish in terms of what I honestly think is best for the SZ...

In a perfect world, yes...both guys come back and don't repeat the behavior that got them tossed...but we already tried that and it didn't work in DP's case, did it?

I know Donny has been tossed more than once, I think 3 times total. Twice for posing as someone he wasn't with an alias, and whatever it was this last time. How many times is enough? Three? Four? Ten? I don't question his knowledge or experience. Not at all, he's got lots of both. That's not what got him suspended. It was his conduct. At least twice, its generally safe to assume he'd assured Nigel he'd be cool and there wouldn't be any more problems. At least twice, he's not held up his end of the bargain.

Sorry, I say he should be done for good. Its a shame because he was a great resource, but his attitude, his negativity and his conduct/past transgressions have IMO, brought us to this place, where its probably best for the SZ that he not return.

I'm sure there will be those who disagree with me. That's fine...We're talking about a certain vibe missing from the boards, well, the vibe DP usually brought wasn't that hot, IMO.

Also, this isn't personal...Sure, I tried to get both guys to take a different path on some stuff, but what good did it do? Donny's friends know how to communicate with him. There's other arranger boards he can participate in. I'm looking at a strictly what's best, in my mind for the SZ.



------------------
Bill in Dayton

Not including Donny in my post was intentional, but certainly not intended to be a snubb.

Diki and I are sort of "joined at the hip" when it comes to music preferences, time in the studio, etc., while Donny and I are almost complete opposites when it comes to everything musical. I'm sure that I have never contributed anything of great interest to him, and it's the same on my end.

We just see things differently. That being said, he's passionate about what he believes and I wish him all the best.

It will be good to see him active here again.


Russ Lay

I think Diki and Donny should be permanently banned..

Then our post can be more along the lines "of a walk down memory lane"...

At least with the slow demise (temporary) of SZ..I have been getting some work done around the house (bathroom, post and railings, kitchen etc)...Come to think of it...Hurry back..I am tired of this work thing..

Second thought..Keep the ban in tact...Diki and Donny really bug me ..most of the time.. ...I can put up with Donny...but that Diki..he is impossible...most of the time..

Fran, your toungue-in-cheek humor is more like foot-in-mouth. Stop the baiting already.

Bill, how can you advocate permanent removal of Donny? His opinions are well known and he rarely does any real harm. It's a well-known fact the he and Diki are like magnets - they are attracted to each other in some ways, but in others they are complete opposites and repel (repulse) each other.

The SZ sure has been boring, though. I'm not interested in the Audya either. I've noticed there's been a rash of Korgs for sale on eBay which leads me to believe they are not the ultimate keyboard many thought them to be, and it's very quiet here too. And although there are many Yammys and Rolands for sale too, there are always a lot of them out there. There's really not much going on. We couldn't even keep up the eJam for more than a couple months - few SZers are showing any interest in anything. The market is frigid, so I guess so goes SZ.

Back to D&D - even with the sniping, I still enjoyed the lively conversation and information. I felt comfortable having them around.

SZ used to be like a second home page for me; I'd check in a dozen times a day. Now I'm checking in once or twice, if at all. I'm still interested, but there's just nothing interesting going on.

Donny...did Fran sell you his SynthZone membership?

"Fran, your toungue-in-cheek humor is more like foot-in-mouth. Stop the baiting already."

I have banned myself....



[This message has been edited by Fran Carango (edited 12-01-2009).]

Fran,

This isn't the real World as we know it, it a bit of fun, I only paid �4000.00 for the Audya and I have learned my lesson I won't do it again, you guys have taught me a lot on SZ, it's not up to us it's the Admin he knows the score for both of them, you know Hilts went back in the cooler about 10 times in the great escape.

Because he has a heart of coal, and is jealous that Donny can sing better than he can.

Plus, he's getting into character for his role as Scrooge in Dayton's live presentation of The Christmas Carol.

I'm envious of Donny's great singing too, but I still want him back; if only to hear those dulcet tones once more and to gaze in awe at that stylish chicken hat, cocked at a rakish angle upon his Duke-ish of Url-ish dome.

Of course, the above is said with tongue firmly in cheek, and with the greatest respect and highest reverence for those mentioned.

Ian

Well the bickering between Donny and Diki began to hijack numerous threads ( unfair to everone else on those threads ) and that is why the ban was introduced. It was stupid, childish and they both knew eventually I would have to stomp on it. It wasn't constructive, cutting edge disagreement it was just schoolyard mentality.

They will both be back sometime. The holiday season is coming soon, who knows what Santa will bring.

OMG. This is putting a LOT of pressure on Diki and Donny. How disappointed are we going to be if, after their return, we're still bored. Wow, I wouldn't want to be in their shoes. Oh well, there's always OS4 to fall back on, plus, it's always fun deciphering Tony Hughes er, unique writing style .

chas

An explanation: I just think a grown man who has had multiple suspensions should be shown the door. This isn't Donny's Place or Bill's Place or Gary or Cass' Place. (It is, Nigel's Place, I suppose!) Other than Nigel, there isn't a single member who the SZ couldn't carry on without. Message boards change over time. It changed when Uncle Dave left...it changed when Esh left and it changed when Scott Yee left and so on. The SZ is still here.

I hate negativity. Music is challenging enough already without getting it from so-called experts on a website that's supposed to be generally encouraging.

IMO, the rudeness and repeat offenses outweighs the expertise and experience he offered. The back & forth with Diki just added to it.

Since it seems when and not if he'll be returning, I truly hope its different this time. If we finally just get the good stuff, then Nigel will have made the right call and I'll say so publicly. If Donny's finds himself in the middle of more bickering and negativity...Then, Nigel may have gone to the well once too often.

Nigel is a helluva decent guy with a long patience streak. Its to his credit that he's (again) hoping that things work out differently this time. Time will tell...


------------------
Bill in Dayton

Somewhere along the SZ yellow brick road - about two years ago, I believe - Donny changed from being a chippy, helpful ol' guy into a grumpy, spiteful old man. Was it because of new members or comments about his ways and means of entertaining? I don't know, but I know he changed. Maybe it was something altogether unrelated to the Zone, but has resulted in his changed behavior. I do know that Donny has always been friendly and helpful to me. He likes to use a lot of SMFs in his act, and that's too bad for some of the arranger purists here - I use them too. Have you ever compared DNJ's midis to the originals - they're a world apart. Donny probably spends as much, if not more, time grooming his songs as anyone on the SZ.

Diki has always had a sharp edge to his words - something we've all commented on at one time or another. I don't think all of it is meant to be mean-spirited. I think his sense of humor often gets lost in his pointed comments - maybe??? Anyway, they sometimes come across as mean and rough.

I do not condone Donny's or Diki's sniping. I think they have often been too rude and over the top - not my style or to my liking. I don't know how or why any of that happens, but it is not good. A little tension is fine and healthy, but Nigel and we cannot continue to let such acidic behavior eat away at the core of SZ. YET, many say they miss the diabolical duo, so something of value is there. I simply plead to D&D to reconsider their collective behaviors, attempt to see that we do want them here and come back with improved and restrained attitudes and comments.

This is JMHO, and probably doesn't make much sense anyway, but I felt I had to say something.

Well, if it's a choice between Donny and a bottle of Bushmills, I'll take............. never mind.



chas

Well, I admire the confidence/optimism/hopes(?) of many here for the return of the "D&D Show", even you Nigel; and you may be right.

I'm not sure about Donny, but in Diki's case it may well be he's taken the stance that "you can stick it up yer jacksy, bruvver". This, of course, is pure speculation on my part. Time will tell.

I haven't seen Diki surface in several days at Roland Arranger, which appears to be rather dormant.

I think Seamaster has left SZ as well; probably will return when Diki comes back...if he does?

I hear from Donny quite often...he's doing well...busy gigging.

Ian