[andy5544]

It may just be my imagination, but do i detect a bit of tit for tat type reviewing going on round here ? is it a case of you say mine's crap and i'll rubbish yours ?
If so it's a shame and makes a mockery of the review section .
has anyone else noticed this ?   am i wrong.......hope so !

[James Nighthawk]

Not noticed it myself. I try to review as many people as possible so see a lot of the threads. Haven't noticed any particular favouritism or otherwise. I will say that it is human nature to be nice to someone who has done that to you, and perhaps vice verse... Myself, I review everyone honestly and always try to be helpful with criticism. Constructive criticism is always best :-)

[Kafla]

I don't think so to be honest

I try to review everyones songs as independently as possible.

I would say though that if someone is really brutal when reviewing without actually being constructive then people will be equally brutal back

If you dish it out you need to take it as well

I hope that I am always courteous when reviewing without acquiescing constantly with the writer, I try to be anyway  

I think all reviews need to be taken with a pinch of salt - no matter how good your song is you will get a few negative reviews - we are all big enough to deal with this , even learn from it. You could also argue its incredibly conceited to assume that someone doesn't like your song because you didn't like theirs  

This is a fabulous forum , I love it - but you need to believe in your writing enough to have the conviction to go against the review and leave something in that you really believe in and of course not too stubborn to ignore something that does need fixed. I like to use the forum to tweak a song before I finalise the mix and I really am grateful for the screening it receives on here.

I also like to post a quick 'this is fabulous ' for songs I really like just to acknowledge it. It's not a review as such in terms of critique but I want the writer to know I enjoyed it.

But I haven't noticed any tit for tat Andy , I do think you are wrong, maybe you should just point out where you think it happened, Obviously something has lead you to this conclusion.

It's got to be constructive I say , there is no point really in saying you don't like something unless you can be constructive and point out what you would change / do differently and I think we all need to be sensitive to the writer - we all care about our babies and want them to have as good a life as possible  

[mihkay]

I can't say I've personally seen it.

However it's probably human nature to feel kinder towards someone who is kind to you and vice versa.

I try to only review where I ether genuinely enjoy the song and just say "I liked it" or where I can genuinely point out a technical issue which is opinion neutral. e.g.. The guitar is out of tune..

[The Corsair]

I find that I god the opposite way sometimes. If I have an altercation with someone on the forum I make an effort to be more courteous in future and will make sure I review their songs when they get posted so bad blood doesn't linger in the system.

Aside from that, I agree with all of the above in that I haven't really seen the 'negative to me, negativity back' thing around here, which is a very good thing on a forum.

[Kafla]

I find that I god the opposite way sometimes. If I have an altercation with someone on the forum I make an effort to be more courteous in future and will make sure I review their songs when they get posted so bad blood doesn't linger in the system.

Aside from that, I agree with all of the above in that I haven't really seen the 'negative to me, negativity back' thing around here, which is a very good thing on a forum.

Got to support you there Corsair - you have had your fair share of altercations but have always been man enough to hold your hands up, and you have also tried to build bridges when they have broken down

[tina m]

has somebody done this to you then andy?
the only tit for tat thing i do here is i give people a black mark if i review there song & they dont review one of mine
if i then see them doing this to evryone here ..just lapping up reviews & compliments & making no effort to reciproacate or just doing one pathetic review to play along ..then i will write them off as selfish & concieted & just using the forum for there own narcissist fan club & i will totally ignore them & have nasty evil thoughts about them
i am terrible like this..  i take proper behaviour for granted
so youve all been warned

[andy5544]

has somebody done this to you then andy?
the only tit for tat thing i do here is i give people a black mark if i review there song & they dont review one of mine
if i then see them doing this to evryone here ..just lapping up reviews & compliments & making no effort to reciproacate or just doing one pathetic review to play along ..then i will write them off as selfish & concieted & just using the forum for there own narcissist fan club & i will totally ignore them & have nasty evil thoughts about them
i am terrible like this..  i take proper behaviour for granted
so youve all been warned

i dont want to make this a personal thing ,i dont want to be branded a whinging trouble maker.
so this is just in the form of a general question .
i can take any genuine critiscm on my songs , i'm more surprised if anyone says they do like them than if they dont like em.  
if i dont like a song i'm normally a bit of a chicken and dont review , if its a good enough song but not done very well i'll try to make a constructive critiscm ,  not that i'm brilliant myself , or could do any better , i'm like someone watching football and shouting at the telly "he should of gone left or took that shot " etc. you know how it should go but you cant play to save your life. 
Tina , your cool ....and i do owe you a couple of reviews ,
chow. 

[Boydie]

I am relatively new to this forum so I can only give a "newcomers" perspective

I understand where this has come from but for me it is a symptom of the exact opposite - i.e. people leaving overly favourable reviews - perhaps (big assumption) in the hope of getting favourable reviews in return

For me this forum is all about getting criticism and opinion from like minded people

If we all want a "this is really good" response we can play our tracks to family, friends etc.

I think this forum should be about offering constructive criticisms and pointers to others to drive better songs next time

The key thing to remember is that just because someone says they don't like your song it doesn't mean you have to accept this as fact

For me it is something to consider and revisit and then draw my own conclusions - so far the forum members have been right 80% of the time 

[James Nighthawk]

@Boydie

I think sometimes people just like what they hear, and want to say so, in no small way to give the writer a boost.

Moral support to keep us all writing is also very important!

Don't worry; there are enough people on here, like myself, that do offer critiques and are happy to point out the things we don't like and offer our opinions and advice 

[Kafla]

I am relatively new to this forum so I can only give a "newcomers" perspective

I understand where this has come from but for me it is a symptom of the exact opposite - i.e. people leaving overly favourable reviews - perhaps (big assumption) in the hope of getting favourable reviews in return

For me this forum is all about getting criticism and opinion from like minded people

If we all want a "this is really good" response we can play our tracks to family, friends etc.

I think this forum should be about offering constructive criticisms and pointers to others to drive better songs next time

The key thing to remember is that just because someone says they don't like your song it doesn't mean you have to accept this as fact

For me it is something to consider and revisit and then draw my own conclusions - so far the forum members have been right 80% of the time 

Ok mate - your last song was shite!

Only joking 

[Boydie]

Ok mate - your last song was shite!

Now that's more like it! 

@James

I do agree and I am careful with my wording on the songs that I think are

shite

I don't agree with the "if I don't like the song, I don't review it" school of thought as this is likely to generate only favourable reviews (although I completely agree with the "I won't review this song because of the songwriter" school of thought - e.g. those that post songs "for our benefit as if we should be counting our blessings they are sharing their talents with us" but do not review others

However I do think there should be a critique element to all reviews as I kinda think that is the whole point of the REVIEWS section

The only bit missing for me is a bit of an explanation from people as to "why" they have written their song as I think this would effect how I critique it

e.g. "I have written this song to express how I feel about my wife/dog/child/sausages/another forum member" would probably get a different critique than "I have written this as a commercial track with a view to getting it published"

I think a line or 2 to go with each post would be helpful in shaping the critiques and may tame the "tit for tat" - if others agreed perhaps this could be made a forum rule?

Just a thought

[James Nighthawk]

Bump to all your points @Boydie

I always start my posts with a reference or two about the song. Anecdotes make the world a more friendly place and help me to engage with other peoples work. Art is reflection as much as creation after all.

The only people I don't review are the non-sharers. Everyone else gets the nighthawk love!