Any ideas what we could do to improve this place?

[Seren]

lots of interesting comments and suggestions.

I too like the idea of a 'collaberation' section.

I live in the UK - if anyone wants to call me feel free - just check time differences first - I'm usually around between 6 and 11 pm uk time....

[Altus]

Sometimes, I think my posting reviews seems, somehow, that I'm blowing MY horn, not the artist's! (okay...poor choice of words on my part  ).  So I don't post many any more.

That's so curious you'd feel that way, but I can understand why.
Let me say that having a reviewer such as yourself post on a third-party website, such as CDBaby, brings with it an extra layer of "authenticity" that can't be matched if the artist just posted the review themself.  I would say that you posting it would mean a lot more to the artist and listeners.

Someone (yourself or anyone) taking the time to write their thoughts and feelings about a release to share with others is gratifying and humbling to an artist (to me at least).  Even if the review isn't glowing, which I think folks would agree is a nice change of pace, a productive review that makes valid points should be embraced not shunned.

Back to the original topic:  I have to agree with the majority that changing this forum would cause more harm than good.  There's nothing wrong with it.  Why change it?  Ebb and flow happens to all forums and sites of this nature.

I admit I'm very much a lurker, but then I'm generally a man of few words in person so that's my excuse.   
I enjoy the conversations on this forum, and there's just enough content to not get bogged down by visiting every other day.

[jdh]

Some interesting suggestions.
As a listener and not a creator,I would like to see more reviews and not ones created by the artist,who will always say how great the release is.I find there is too much self congratulation or the same by close peers here.Sorry not every musician or piece brilliant.there is not enough criticism now in most media.not nasty or cruel criticism but constructive.
Self promotion is ok but only one post.
Also,more live reviews.even if is not strictly ambient or in your city.are you interested in Roger waters? Robin Guthrie,sotl,m83 and so on.I have posted in the past some shows or bands playing to no avail.
More links to where you can purchase your latest now listening or recently purchased.I have seen on hypnos some music that sounded of interest only unable to find it anywhere as it is obscure.
You tube links are of interest.
This is a small community and if we can expand it through new features,all the better.
I very much enjoy the hypnos site and the lay out as is. 

[Julio Di Benedetto]

I wonder if it might help if we showed some links here to other forums that exhibit good and not so good aspects of what could improve the Hypnos forum.

Heres a link to the 12k Forum.  It is similar in its approach to Hypnos but I like the diversity of Forum topics.  Might be a little too much production & gear sections for some.  It is clean and easy to read and you can get to what you are interested quickly or just aimlessly cruise around with easy   http://www.12k.com/forum/

[jkn]

I love 12k as a label...  I didn't 'click' with the forum.  doesn't mean others won't.    I also found the forum super tiny - and always had to boost up my viewing size (old eyes...)

Bill asked about the dreaded PHONE.    I hate talking on the phone.    I have for many, many years.    The ability to talk to people in a slightly detached way... especially instant messaging or chat - is awesome to me.  Because I can type something and if the other person is busy - they can respond later... and vice versa.   

My wife hates using the phone and in general it's up to me to make just about all the phone calls.

...and more than half of strangers assume I'm a woman on the phone which just adds an extra layer of annoyance every time I talk to someone on the phone.   

Ack.

[mgriffin]

I love the 12k label but to me their forum seems more narrowly focused, if anything? Where are the forum sections for talking about NCAA football, salsa recipes, and jokes?

[LNerell]

Bill asked about the dreaded PHONE.    I hate talking on the phone.    I have for many, many years.    The ability to talk to people in a slightly detached way... especially instant messaging or chat - is awesome to me.  Because I can type something and if the other person is busy - they can respond later... and vice versa.   

I love talking on the phone! Can we have a Hypnos phone bank app? 

As other have stated being able to add audio or video to a post would be great.  A few weeks ago when I made that A Produce/Loren Nerell podcast I found it a bit madding that I couldn't embed it here at Hypnos but could at RM. And speaking of RM, the one thing that I find I use the most is the chat window. Did Hypnos have that at one time? My brain seems to think it did but I never used it then.

[mgriffin]

We did have a chat feature years ago, in the PhpBB software version of the forum. It was glitchy and awful so I ended up removing it.

I'll consider trying one of the newer SMF forum chat plugins and see what people think.

I'll also look into media embedding, if it can be done without turning this place into a mess.

It sounds like these two things would satisfy most people's desires without transforming the forum into something unrecognizable, so we'll start there.

Thanks for the input so far... keep the suggestions coming.

[Julio Di Benedetto]

Mike, I like your sense of diversity  ......I should have been more specific such as 12k's dedicated forum for art, one for self promotion etc. all within the forum bounderies.... Sound . Art . Recording . Culture .

The Everything and Nothing forum here does cover it all and pigeon holing it to specific forum topics might not work or it might help to guide people to areas of interest. 

[mgriffin]

I'll say it again -- I love 12k -- (and furthermore I love Taylor Deupree's designs just about 100% of the time) but that forum hurts my eyes.

[jkn]

Ha!  didn't realize 12k forum as SMF also.  ;-)

[mgriffin]

Testing YouTube embed.........

[mgriffin]

Testing Vimeo embed.........

Omnisphere 1.5 Demo from Spectrasonics on Vimeo.

[mgriffin]

Testing Soundcloud embed...............

Through The Lens Of Love by Steve Brand

[mgriffin]

Before everybody starts getting excited and trying the above embedding methods, I should mention that at this point it's only something moderators can do. Not that I'm trying to withhold this ability from everybody, but the forum allows moderators and admins to include HTML embeds by using BBcode tags at the beginning and ending of the HTML code.

I just wanted to test that out, and will work on a more permanent, widely-available solution.

[APK]

The next trick will be to stop the forum from being plastered all over with mindless videos and sound-clips !   

[mgriffin]

Yes indeed. It'll need to be within certain limits or rules otherwise it'll be nothing but kitten videos and clips from The Office.

[APK]

And,  listen to what I just created using only one chord in Omnisphere plus a broken bicycle bell !

[APK]

Ah, the potential horror !!!

[jkn]

oh man I love lolcats and kittens!