The Image-Line.com Forum is a gigantic forum where users of Image-Line programs such as FL Studio, Deckadance, and EZ Generator can ask questions of other users, post bugs or complaints concerning the software, share music tracks and advice on works in progress, and network with fellow electronic artists.
One can only gain access to the forums if a product has been purchased from the company. I have purchased FL Studio Signature Edition, which is a $300 program, and I was granted access to the site. The site has so many members, it's hard to keep track of who is who. The majority of the people on the site are users who have purchased some version of FL Studio and many of them live throughout the globe. In fact the main office is in Belgium.
Due to the widespread popularity of the program, the website is constantly updated with new songs that people are working on, or technical problems or user difficulties that can be troubleshot by those who have a curiosity for such a thing. The website's main attraction is the free content and advice from other producers and dj's as it contains thousands (if not millions) of songs that have been uploaded, edited then re-uploaded, remixed, or posted as free gifts from artists who want to get some free publicity. The website has every style of music and most of it is electronic. (although there is the occasional song with real instrumentals and not just samples).
An interesting phenomenon that occurs at the site is when the majority of the members, whom I have never met, upload a track that they are having some problem with, and I have assisted them (by offering editing tips) in making their music better, and thus earning them money, while I am payed nothing and while I am offered no credit for the song. This doesn't bother me however, as everyone there is under the non-verbal agreement that we help each other for free. One reason is because in the long run, when you analyse another persons song and offer suggestions, it helps to look at your own songs more critically and thus helps you create a better product yourself.
Two of the main barriers that stop people from going to this site are
1. they have to have an interest in an Image-Line product, enough to purchase it and
2. After they have purchased the product, they have to be interested enough in either networking with other artists, or improving their own music or helping others improve theirs.
Tastyfresh.com is a social networking site and a forum that is specifically meant for Christian DJ's, fans and producers of electronic music. I've been on this site for a few months and the community is relatively small. The active members number somewhere around the 20's, but there are approximately 900 (different) people that visit the site each month. This is due to the content that the active members put up, the active members putting up reviews of new dj equipment, recommendations on songs that did well in the clubs that they play at, and overall dj peer advice.
This website also has a chatroom where I can chat with people from the website and even chat one on one with the main designer of the web site to just get to know each other. The website also features dj's, both active and inactive on the site, presenting podcast mixes of their favorite music. This is a major feature to the site and includes a podcast that features submitted music from unknown artists, mixes from popular dj's, and mixes from dj's that haven't become popular yet. Overall I feel like I am a much more important member of this particular community than I am at Image Line forum since when I participate, for example giving advice on a track that someone is working on, I feel more connected with that person because there are less people on the tastyfresh website.
I would also be much more likely to meet with a member of Tastyfresh.com in "real life" because of the fact that each of the members of the forum are so tightly knit. Many of the forum members know each other, and even though I haven't met any of them in real life, I know their personalities in such a way that I feel my meeting with some of them (not all of them) would be a seamless transition from the digital world to the "real world". I would be much less trustworthy when presented with the possibility of meeting with a member of the Image Line forum because of the fact that it is not a close knit community, and it has so many people, it is hard to get to know anyone's real personality.
2 comments:
I love communities where you can ask questions and give advice, they are so helpful. I think the best part is after you have established yourself as a useful member and people can benefit from your help. As someone who sometimes has trouble asking for help, forums are a great place to get answers! I also think the connection is stronger because you are starting out with a shared interest and the willingness to take the time to collaborate. It isn't just, "Bob and Sally both like computers, you guys should get along!"
I also think that when you are asking or giving advice, you are more likely to show your real personality online. It is definitely too much work to create an online persona only for the purpose of asking a question. I'm not saying it is impossible for that to happen, but the average person who wants information wants it right away, otherwise they would have tried a different medium.
Forums are a good example of ongoing virtual communities, yes.
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