I want some input here guys.

[Stew]

Ok it seems to be consensus i am wasting my money keeping the jamroom going. It was a major draw for me when I joined all those years ago but it has been used less and less lately. Shame cos it has so much potential.

My thought is that the shoutbox could for a set period of time on a weekend shut down and instead an announcment to use the jamroom that we are having a meetup where you can simply chat or play music or give someone else a lesson on something they requested because they knew you could play it or demo it.

I can't see shutting the shoutbox for a short period of time to be a problem I looked at shouts over last 24hrs really only about 15 people using it ie the hardcore of this site...the ones truth be told perfectly capable od using shoutbox....why do we have shoutbox? it was removed before as it seemed to reduce post rate yet we still ahve this love of it....you want to chat fine jamroom can be used in same manner it is just "one" click away.

Please please please can I have some input. Not just form mods and admin can the likes of Epigib, Qoo7 Geoff etc please give me your opinion you may have a use for it none of us have thought about???

Thanks

Stew

[Six]

It would be hypocritical of me to say "Keep it", as I don't use it all that often, also it's quicker and easier to make a quick shout in the shoutbox. With that said, I reckon shutting down the shoutbox and keeping the jamroom could be the best compromise, but I do have a suggestion which could potentially draw more people into the jamroom.
It's my belief, and I could be way off the mark here, that a lot of the less prolific members may be under the assumption that entering the jamroom is like putting your name on the list at a karaoke night. If people feel they might be pressured into playing then they won't enter, sooooo..... rename it. Chatroom, Live Chat, whatever.

I'd also suggest making a nice big button for it instead of a little tag at the top.

If that doesn't work, sack it.

[Stew]

very good point Phil. I felt like that when i joined like I may be under pressure to play. I guess we lose site of simple things like that. Thanks for taking time to reply appreciated :)

[Rick]

jamroom isn't like the shoutbox
never has been and never will be
but if it doesn't get used it should be ditched because it costs a good chunk to run it

[Highway Star]

It's my belief, and I could be way off the mark here, that a lot of the less prolific members may be under the assumption that entering the jamroom is like putting your name on the list at a karaoke night.

Guilty.... I used to feel that way so I never used it. Chatroom is a better and less intimidating name. Having said that... the shoutbox is simple and easy. A Chatroom by any other name. Ill give the Jamroom re-named Chatroom a go if you want but it's just not as quick and easy. Say I'm at work and just pop a glance at the site I can have a very quick chat but I just won't load another screen and have to swap back and forth to read posts so... if it is one or the other.... I'd say shoutbox.

Farl

[Guitarpima]

I can't say one way or the other really. I don't use the jamroom. I have clicked in and had a chat while listening to Lyle play and others. Apart from that, I don't use it.

The meetup idea in there could be cool though. It also could be a way to share things you may not want to post. Say I have a song I want to share but not post, just play it in there and everyone can comment about what they think. I know I would like to hear opinions good and bad but others may not though.

I guess the real question is: Have these ideas been tried before? How often? Do they last? Is it worth it to continue the jamroom?

[Stew]

Yes Farl but read again not saying ditch shoutbox it is an integral part of the site but I simply thought at a given time that was good for US/Japan/UK etc at weekend when bulk of the regs are not working the shoutbox can be off and message directing to the weekly meetup in chatroom may encourage those that don't go in frequently or even leave shoutbox on but have big obvious message at top DON@T FORGET WEEKLY MEETUP IN CHATROOM. A thread about the coming meetup could be used eg. can someone show me how to play a minor scale etc. The likes of this can then get ideas bouncing back and forward. Instead we have this lind of look at me attittude depsite still having a family feel to the site.

[Highway Star]

Yes Farl but read again not saying ditch shoutbox it is an integral part of the site but I simply thought at a given time that was good for US/Japan/UK etc at weekend when bulk of the regs are not working the shoutbox can be off and message directing to the weekly meetup in chatroom may encourage those that don't go in frequently or even leave shoutbox on but have big obvious message at top DON'T FORGET WEEKLY MEETUP IN CHATROOM. A thread about the coming meetup could be used eg. can someone show me how to play a minor scale etc. The likes of this can then get ideas bouncing back and forward. Instead we have this lind of look at me attittude depsite still having a family feel to the site.

OK.... Give it a go. It seems not a bad idea.

Farl

[Viscolex]

I would participate in a weekly jamroom meet-up :)

[mullyman]

Well, I don't use the Jamroom all that often because of the time differences *AND* because just about every time I go in there I can't get the camera to work in there. My camera works just fine, it just hardly ever connects in the Jamroom so I've basically shrugged it off. And again, the time difference between Japan and where everyone else is is kind of dodgy. I've been in the Jamroom plenty of times but no one is ever there.
MULLY
like now for example, it's 10am and I'm at work

[Rick_Lamoreaux]

After I got my Webcam(just recently), I discovered that my video is slow in sync with my audio - not much solace there. With the latency, the only good the jamroom to me is to listen to other people take turns playing. When Scali was here, he hogged the jamroom the whole time, lol. I guess I just don't really see the appeal for it.

[Rick]

i'll try something else, it'll be obvious :thumb:

Don't want to switch the shoutbox off, but i'm not bothered about the jamroom, its expensive and gets zero usage and for whats its worth i really can't ever see it changing.

Unless i make it the first page to get sent when you hit 6sh

[bloodandtears]

the shout box is the first thing i look at... jamroom is rarely used imho.... like now.. 7.17am and wot no shoutbox??? grrrr

[Rick]

same here, btw look at the bottom of the site

[zeusse]

I gotta admit Rick I haven't checked in for ages but mind you I never see anybody else in there anymore....if its a burden I'd ditch it. We had this discussion on my forum and we decided not to have it. End of an era I guess:-(

[bluesgeek]

Hi Stew,
From my point of view, I'm rarely around at a time when I can jam with others anyway and I've never really taken a chance to figure out how it works, and if I had a webcam my missus would suspect me of playing away ;)

[Rob]

I never got much from it to be honest, maybe a regular meetup would have worked, I think it is great for demoing a lick idea or giving a lesson etc.. but the times when a lot of people joined in it was chaotic with players just playing over other players and it sounded like pish. Just my 10 cents. I wouldn't miss it as is, but would try out something like lessons or regular structured meetup.

[bloodandtears]

msn/skype could be used for those personal 1to1 circumstances??

[wahwah]

May I just say that the social aspect of this site (the chat in the talkbox) is what draws me to it. Guitarblast is dying on it's arse at the moment. Few posts, few replies, no battles, hardly any collabs...it's a crying shame but it's been left to go that way. POD GOD is the one holding it together...Eric hasn't been there in years. Some of the other Admins are hardly there, 2 of the mods come in the place once every couple of months and one has just quit. My feeling is that it'll keep going downhill...I don't mean this to be having a dig-I was the 32nd member to join guitars101 so I've been there since the very start. The chatbox there can have one reply in 5 days! Here it seems to be the lifeblood of the site.

The Jam room I WOULD use but I can never get my stuff to bloody work and so it's likely I would just get frustrated. However, the chatbox is going mental a lot of the time and I think is definitely a winner on this site.

[muzzer]

Stew, I have used the chat box and enjoy the feature and although I have not jammed in the jam room i have watched with great intrest and will join in real soon hopefully
as there is instant chat in the jam room too do you need the chat box? as well (would that go too???)
Also i find the chat box a bit of a distraction as i tend to spend 10 mins reading through them to try and make sence of it and then spend less time reading posts when I am pushed for time,when I could be learning about recording experiences on the boards
I think if you closed the front page chat box, people may just go to the jam room to chat and be encouraged to join in or watch

[Six]

I think it boils down to this... if people want to chat they will go to wherever the chat is taking place, be that the jamroom or the shoutbox. The shoutbox is a bit quicker to use as it's right there on the home page, but the limited size makes chatting that little bit more difficult, especially if there are a few people trying to use it at once. The jamroom, on the other hand, is much easier to use (for chat) due to its much larger size, and therefore, more people can chat at once.

The first thing I do once logged-on is hit 'new posts'. Once I've read all the posts I want to read at that time, and made any replies that I feel are worth making, I'll then see if anyone is chatting. In most cases there's nobody in the jamroom so then I'll check out the shoutbox.
If the shoutbox had to be logged into in the same way as the jamroom, I'm sure more people would log into the jamroom instead for the reasons mentioned above i.e. it's a better platform for chatting on.

Another option would be to scrap the jamroom and improve the shoutbox.

[Rick]

However, the chatbox is going mental a lot of the time and I think is definitely a winner on this site.

can't agree more,
i like you chris visit a few forums and they are all quiet!

shoutbox in here is great, sometimes it's beyond funny, great wit and a good virtual crack!

[bloodandtears]

we used to all meet up in msn land but it got absolutely crazy sometimes.. but bloody funny too..

[Rick]

we used to all meet up in msn land but it got absolutely crazy sometimes.. but bloody funny too..

i remember the day in question, was crying with laughter..