Posted by Dale on November 21, 2001 at 11:02:22:
In Reply to: What is it about Tuba players? posted by Allan on November 21, 2001 at 10:05:51:
I would like to think that tuba-players are "unique people in general" but its possible that our BBS history proves we are really not. I used to truly believe that there was a camaraderie that exceeded the general world's norms for competition, flexible business ethics, and subjective cattiness, but I am not as sure about that as I used to be.
While it is true that there are folks who have a solid view and stated-philosophy about competition who have been posters here (Wes Jacobs, Ed Jones, and Norm Pearson come to mind), there's also a whole cadre of practice room jocks, itinerate sales people, and even the occasional land-locked navy bandspersons who seem to delight in anonymously abusing civil sensibilities. We are all far too silent when acknowledging both groups for what they are....the former being (if you will) invaluable senior statesmen to our community, and the latter being folks who may deserve gentle chastizement more than public indulgence (or even publicly-stated disdane.) The list owner probably dislikes the need to sift and censor posts, simple courtesy makes me wonder WHY we'd persist in forcing him to do that.
As to clean business persons, there seem to be none more fair and honest than (for example) the proprietors of Baltimore Brass, Low Brasswerks, and Dillon's Music - yet our indulgence of price-shopping mentality on this BBS too often allows for itinerate merchant's public squabbles which (thankfully) are often removed from our line-of-sight. As to subjective cattiness-after finding myself square in the middle of some truly remarkable snipe-fests, I know that in the big picture there are people in the world who will always focus on the wrinkles instead of the strengths (myself not excepted.) It's just too bad that many of us will too easily type and post something here that we would never in our right minds say out loud in a rehearsal hall or at our mother's dinner table. Maybe this BBS IS the kind of forum where we should be able to speak so freely, but I personally do not think so.
I DO agree that as tuba-ists we have remarkable potential for good in the music world and the world-at-large, we have ecclectic interests, and just about ALL who enjoy a steady paying gig show a public sense of professionalism and decorum thats exemplary. I for one wish these folk were more involved here, but unfortunately our indulgence of multiple and colorful learning curves forces these beloved "silverbacks" to decide if sifting through the mire is a good investment of their time. It seems the relative low level of pro-participation is proof they do not want to invest their time in a public forum like this one, for whatever reason. My HOPE is that we will work a little more and use the unique aspect of tuba-ists to make contributing to our forum something these pros want to do.