I'm posting this thread to say how angry I am about the fact that they are closing Viva Clarinet. You have probably already seen my other post. What do you think?

I think it should stay - it's the first area I always check and think it's really useful for a lot of people.

I'd like to keep the separate section as well. It's quite busy on here! - and having to go though all the posts for Clarinet, sax and flute every day could be quite time consuming

QUOTE (Appassionata @ May 25 2005, 05:25 PM)

I think it should stay - it's the first area I always check and think it's really useful for a lot of people.

Me too. Though I'm not really that bothered, I can adapt to the change...

I can see their reasons for it, but I think this forum has been busy enough to justify keeping. Same with the flute forum.

I know this isn't about Viva Clarinet, but I used Viva Flute a lot, it is especially useful in getting flute related questions from flute teachers, students and general players of the instrument.

It is a bit of a shame, but all those posts will still be able to be made. Maybe we should adopt a voluntary tagging etiquette, ie when you post in Viva Woodwind (as it will become) your subject will always begin either

FL for flute
CL for clarinet
SA for sax
OB for oboe...
...etc

um, GEN or nothing for general? It would save all the rummaging through threads that don't apply. It might take a while to catch on but it would be helpful...

EG, "FL: tonguing in the low register"

Others are disappointed too...

http://forums.abrsm.org/index.php?act=ST&f...f=19&t=6902&st=

Good idea sarah-flute, the decision's been made, the only thing we can do now is adapt to the change! Although I do agree that some Viva forums were busy enough to accredit being kept.

It's a shame that it's going (if only because there'll be one less picture of a clarinet on the ABRSM website - Christine, please can we have another one somewhere? ), but let's wait and see what happens. There are some things which I suppose are common to all woodwind instruments: frustration at the cost of reeds, music with nowhere to breathe, embouchure problems...

I must say that I was surprised that Viva Clarinet should be considered to be one of the less busy forums - for example the Jazz forum often doesn't see much activity for ages, and that's being kept, whereas the clarinet and flute forums are generally very active!

QUOTE

common to all woodwind instruments: frustration at the cost of reeds

Not to all woodwind, e.g flutes! It would just be easier to have all the same instrument related questions in one forum.

QUOTE (nicki_flute @ May 25 2005, 08:18 PM)

QUOTE common to all woodwind instruments: frustration at the cost of reeds Not to all woodwind, e.g flutes!

You mean ?!?!?!?!

<runs off to find out how a flute works>

<runs back> That's IMPOSSIBLE!

Is it worth considering extending the woodwind page so that more topics appear on page 1 before they get bumped onto the next one out of sight? By merging three sub forums onto the same forum, it seems prudent to allow more space for all those topics, otherwise it could go the way of the General Discussion Forum, and have topics drop off the bottom after a day or two.

QUOTE (Deborah @ May 25 2005, 08:22 PM)

QUOTE (nicki_flute @ May 25 2005, 08:18 PM) QUOTE common to all woodwind instruments: frustration at the cost of reeds Not to all woodwind, e.g flutes! You mean ?!?!?!?! <runs off to find out how a flute works> <runs back> That's IMPOSSIBLE!

Hehe! Well, a brief explanation. Flute = hollow, metal pipe. To play a player, blows air across a hole at one end of it

I'm going to email Christine, letting her know of these threads and the suggestions on them, and suggesting that if people on the other Viva forums are worried about posts getting mixed up, they may also like to use the tagging system - I mean, if anyone sees folks on other forums complaining about it then let them know directly, but I thought it was a good idea to tell Christine our plans, may help the moderators too.

yes, i was shocked to hear of via clarinet's due closure. especially as it is actually a popular forum. good tagging idea though. i hope c morris takes our opinions into account.

HEY!!! THOSE ADMIN ARE SO STUPID! FLUTE IS POPULAR, THEN MORE FLUTE STUDENT IS IN THE VIVA FLUTE CATEGORY, I'LL TRY GETTING MORE CLARINETTIST IN THIS FORUM!!!

How are we going to start this tagging system up, because you can't edit the titles of posts that are already up can you?

we will just have to star with the new topics there is nothing we can do about the old ones..... un less we as CMORRIS to change them but that would take her ages so she might not do it....

what on earth is that?!

I havent got a clue.....

After several posts, I can honestly say that i'm finding it very annoying not having the individual viva forums. Anymore updates on this opinion?

Ditto!

I'm probably in a minority, but I think I prefer it like this - in fact it always used to be like this before it got split into the clarinet/flute/sax/'other' sections, and it's quite easy to scroll past the topics which don't interest you. So I don't mind it, although I thought I would!

I haven't really missed it to be honest.

I always click on 'view new posts' and then read anything that interests me. So it doesn't really matter which forum it's in.

I used to get really frustrated when I found I'd replied to a post in the old students' forum and it went off to be moderated. Half the time I missed all the replies because they never came up as highlighted. Hooray for unmoderated forums.

Hmmm, I've just returned to this website after being very busy for the past month. Prior to that, I'd been surprised that there wasn't a separate forum for oboes, classical guitars etc. After all, it's only pressing a few buttons.

I must admit to being surprised at the changes. It seems to be rather a retrograde step in my opinion.

One of the most important lessons I ever learned was that the most powerful people in the world are the 'Consumers', ie the millions of people who part with their well earned cash every day to buy butter, milk, and of course, pay for music lessons and exams.

So, if only a small percentage of you feel strongly about this, simply tell the ABRSM moderators. They'll probably relent pretty quickly. If they don't, say that you will not take any exams until the boards are re-instated. Tell your teachers that you'll be cutting back on the frequency of lessons and give them the reason why.

It's not just the bad publicity that will change their minds. A slight hiccup in cash-flow can have serious consequences in their business plan.

The golden rule is 'The customer is king', but sometimes people need a gentle reminder!

Steve

good business mind, there?!

But we are getting these Forums FREE!! I for one am really grateful that we have them, and also for all the hard work that is put in behind the scenes. The Associated Board had no need to begin running them at all - but I hope that their obvious popularity, and their usefulness in all sorts of situations, has made it seem worthwhile for those in charge.

I've made many friends on here, and I thoroughly enjoy visiting the Forums, however the administrators choose to arrange them!

True, jo.clarinet. I am grateful for these fora (pl. sp.?). the abrsm do put a lot of work in b.t.s. and there's not many fora where the administrators give feedback and take an active part in discussions.

Its getting headache, coz all kinds of sax, clr, flute players sramble together, very "SACRMBLE".

But people put abbreviations in the subject line so it is easier to distinguish.

Sorry folks, I should know by now not to post when I am angry. I still agree with what I wrote, but till I can post in a gracious way I shall forbear to post!

Don't forget that there are other forums around.

www.8notes.com has individual instrument boards. I've seen people posting the same messages there as well as here.

www.woodwind.org is the most amazing clarinet forum and there's an oboe forum there somewhere.

I agree that lumping all woodwinds together is crazy. I've already been confused by some posts. However I think it's only a matter of time before some bright spark in the ABRSM realises what they've done and puts things back the way they were. (Wishful thinking?)

Steve

Although it is confusing I guess we cant have to many forums!

However, the AB is primarily an examining board, not a forum... I guess they have priorities, folks...! The people who moderate these forums spend hours trawling through our messages, and if they decide that it's easier to have fewer forums, then I think that is their choice. Managing the forum is something they do on top of other responsibilities and work... if something saves time for them then yay. Considering the board started off without the seperate forums, then had them, then changed back, I suspect that they know exactly how much time it does or does not save them.


Actually I think it makes the forum more interesting, and I'm more likely to read posts that interest me even if they are not related to my main instrument. I don't think it takes that much nonce to work out which instrument a post relates to, and certainly when messages are tagged it is no harder than it was before.

We seem to be forgetting that these boards are a privilege, not a right. I don't honestly think that the AB SHOULD be too worried about a few people being a tad miffed they have to tag their posts. Their priority is where it should be - trying to make sure that the 600,000 odd exams they administer every year go as smoothly as possible.

Lets make it easy, just like what are thw some people done.
For clarinet forums, at the title just write CL ----
For flute forums, FL ----
Sax. just type Sax ----
Oboe, OB ----
Bassoon, Bs----