**MashStix: Users Guide (Please Read)**

[DjRideau]

I don't want to criticise the works of the others when I need advices for mines... So I prefer to see and not to say to a "dj" you're bootleg is OOK or OOT because I know I can't do better than him/her... This is why I don't give my opinion on the works showed on this website...

Sorry if my english is not perfect

[lloyd]

Sorry if my english is not perfect

Your English is fine... your logic is a bit screwed though. Telling someone their track is OOK or OOT is not showing them disrespect, it's helping them. Why would anyone want to offer you advice or help if you're not prepared to do likewise..? If you tell a guy that his track isn't in key, he will thank you... If he doesn't and disagrees with you then he's a jerk or you're wrong, either way some vauable knowledge will be learned, we will either learn that you are helpful and have a good ear and a good understanding of music and/or the software being used or we will learn that you need a little bit of help yourself.
Helpful feedback from you on other people's work will help you get your work listen to also because if people value your opinion they are more likely to want to hear your stuff too.
Or if you're just honest and say "I'm new to all this but..." then giving your opinion as just a listener rather than a producer is just as valuable to people, as long as you are honest. There are too many places on the net where people are told they are Gods because they can mix a few track together, I've heard the most dreadful noises and seen comments like "Dude this is sick!! when in honesty it was OOK, OOT and distorting like crazy.
It helps noone to be dishonest with them, It help just as little to say nothing. So, just listen to other peoples work and tell them your thoughts on it, that's all we ask.

What has happened to the world..? I blame youtube and soundcloud, Everyone thinks they should get a free ride, everyone thinks criticism is some sort of "dis" everyone thinks they deserve respect but noone ever tries to earning it.

This thread was not a topic for debate, it was a statement; contribute to the site or go elsewhere.

[DJ JimiG]

Hey DjRideau, feel free to comment on my tracks any time! I second what Lloyd said, that not every comment needs to be a technical one. After all, if this is art, it is helpful to know how it affected people, or what it made them think of, positive or negative, to help us know how well we are communicating our ideas through mashup.

Also, don't be shy about your English - I assure you that it is beaucoup meilleure que ma francais! Et de temps en temps, quelqu'un ecrit a MashStix en francais, parce-qu'il y a beaucoup des "masheurs" francophones. Donc, si tu as une idee trop complique pour t'anglais, dis en francais et les autres peut aide-toi avec les mots specifique de "mashing".

See, no matter what you post about someone's mashup, I'm sure it will not be as embarrassing as my attempt to type in French above! And btw, I liked your Rammstein mashup very much, I am sorry that I didn't comment on it at the time, I will make a point of leaving a comment for the next one of yours I see up... and I look forward to seeing a comment from you on one of mine! Cheers!

[DjRideau]

Don't worry Lloyd, I didn't want to create a debate but I wanted to explain why I don't give a lot of commentaries for the others "because I'm not a professional". Now I've read all the argues and I'll try to put some constructives messages and repeate the least possible what the others said before me...

I swear

[pomDeter]

Ah,I'm a bit guilty here too, sorry. Had quite a bit on my plate these last few months but hopefully should find time for you guys in the next week or so at least.

[Ace of Clubs]

I agree. I come here to be critiqued. I'm not so happy if I get no critique good or bad. I'll admit I don't "live" here day in and day out, but do like to give some encouragement for tracks that I really like.

[DAW-GUN]

My apologies too! Life was a whole lot different before the baby came around. Since then it's been stealing time whenever I can to make something new and post it. Any new-dad producers have some advice on how to make mashups AND post on mashstix? LOL PM me if you have an answer. :P

[SpareElbowSkin]

Weird synchronicity - I was only thinking this morning I really should comment more, and indeed spent an hour listening through quite a few - and now I've just spotted this thread.

I'll happily comment more, but I'll be brutal and painfully honest, and most people can't take criticism any more and go off on one. For that reason I have been very loathed to say anything that might be construed as negative, merely commenting where there is something I have enjoyed. I have fallen foul of that kind of behaviour in the past, admittedly not on this site, but I have been verbally abused quite aggressively and repeatedly and that experience does make you think twice before commenting on anything.

It is also very difficult to find anything to say about something you simply do not like, just saying "well produced" or something equally banal doesn't help anyone.

So here's my deal - I'll comment on something if it sounds like some effort has been made - to my mind just beatmatching a rap over a different backing does not make a mashup - it just shows you can use your software - it might be your thing but it's not mine. If I say a mashup is OOK or OOT I do not expect to be abused about that. I started my classical music training 38 years ago, I am multi-instrumentalist, and I spent over a decade writing music professionally as a freelance composer i.e. getting paid for it, so I do actually know about this "music" stuff. Why am I saying all this? Simple. If I'm going to comment honestly I don't want to have to justify myself every single time.

[Void]

So here's my deal - I'll comment on something if it sounds like some effort has been made - to my mind just beatmatching a rap over a different backing does not make a mashup - it just shows you can use your software - it might be your thing but it's not mine. If I say a mashup is OOK or OOT I do not expect to be abused about that.

Don't worry! That's exactly what I came here for.
I would classify myself as a beginner-masher. And I don't expect my tracks to be perfect.
When somebody here tells me that there are clashing freqs, the pella tracks need some EQ or other constructive feedback I'm actually very thankful about that.
I'd like to have honest, but constructive feedback.

Void

[Jholsta]

I am guilty of this too I am afraid. I will try to provide accurate feedback and become more active. Well at least when I get off work or on my off days from my shift :)