To: <vocalist>
Subject: Vocalist Topics/NETIQUETTE/BACKSTAGE
Date sent: Sat, 22 Jan 2000 20:19:40 -0600
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

I'd like to add my thoughts to the below-I've been a vocalist reader for
about a year. I went back to read the NETIQUETTE to see if it spoke one
way or the other on these issues. I think it gives good general guidance
about the culture and intended topics of the list. A few things stuck out
in my mind as I read. They are:

1) "VOCALIST was started to get together singers all over the world and
offer a forum of
discussion on TEACHING AND STUDYING of singing."

One thing in my mind that distinguishes some of the recent posts from many
in the past is that right now many people are talking more about liking a
group/person rather than commenting on the technical aspects of their
singing or vocal quality, or perhaps their repertoire.

2) "* Personal replies should ALWAYS be sent to the originator of the
message using
*private* e-mail."

I have posted in the past and received many responses mailed to me
PRIVATELY. Based on my personal experience, I would guess that ALTO of
responding to vocalist posts is done in private. Netiquette doesn't
actually define what should be a personal reply. I think about whether or
not I think the response is pertinent to the list at large before mailing
it to the entire list. There are Hundreds of subscribers. Also, even
though "Me too" or "Wow! I didn't know that!" messages are fun to write, if
everyone sends a "me too" email to the list it becomes unbearable and we
lose posters who had valuable knowledge.

NETIQUETTE does also request that one search the archives to see if a topic
has been recently discussed before posting.
I know that I have not received the NETIQUETTE in quite some time. I
wonder if perhaps some of the newest subscribers have never received or
read the NETIQUETTE. If anyone has not read it, I would encourage them to
do so. It can be accessed by going to http://www.vocalist.org/ and
clicking on "INFO". Also, I recall in the past a discussion of
"Vocalist-Backstage" where people could post topics not DIRECTLY related to
the teaching/studying of music. As someone described it then, you could
subscribe to vocalist main list, and vocalist-backstage separately. I
never subscribed to backstage-does anyone know if it still exists? If so,
I think it might give posters a forum to still to carry on discussions
which are marginally related to teaching/studying and still remain active
and a part of vocalist. I welcome posters of all ages, knowledge levels
and musical backgrounds but do have concerns about maintaining the listserv
in a way that does not overburden the posters mailboxes.

Sandra

--------------------------------
one poster wrote:

> criticize anyone's postings on their favorite pop entities, but maybe it
> would be best if comments relating to how great these people are
> be posted on
> another LISTSERV dedicated to them. It's just that multiple
> e-mails of I like
> the Back Street Boys and Mariah Carey is my favorite singer clogs up my
> e-mail and are getting redundant.

to which another responded:

I respect your opinion, like I do everyone else on this list. However, I
remember several postings a few months ago concerning opinions about opera
singers (Charlotte Church springs immediately to mind)and a few broadway
singers (ditto Bernadette Peters) and I didn't see any postings complaining
about those entries. Again, I didn't see any previous postings taking
jibes
at listers young age. I hope you, and other listers remember that we are
all of different ages and musical backgrounds here and we all have
different
musical tastes.