The Smiley Smile Message Board

Why is it that when people post their music here there will be, as an example, hundreds of views, and therefore presumably a decent number of listens, and yet only a small number of comments?  For example, Rab's recent cover of Wild Honey has over 700 views but only seven or so comments.  I try to listen to everything posted here, even songs by posters who perform a style I care nothing about.  However, I don't always comment.  My reasons are:

1. I don't think the song is very good and don't want to be negative.  However, when I have time I try to find something positive, the vocals, the melody, etc.
2. I don't like the genre so I am not the right person to comment, though I can still try to find something good to say, again, perhaps the vocals or mix or something else.
3. I check the site on my phone and hate commenting from my phone.  I intend to post comments but later forget.
4. I have taken a break from the site, such as I have for the last few months, until recently.  Not only has life become busy but with all of the AGD, Cam, FP and such like non-sense I needed a break.  I really like the board presently, BTW.  I commend Billy for taking a stand, I know it wasn't easy and I know he lost respect from some in the process, but sometimes that happens when you do the right thing.

I don't doubt that some of you share similar reasons, but I find it hard to believe that of 700+ views for a post there are only seven who end up liking it, or something about it, sufficient to warrant a post.  So what gives, why so many views and so few comments?

EoL

I can dig what you're saying, Eol.

I sincerely hope that I comment on any track I listen to. And if I don't like it enough, it's gratifying to find something else by that artist/poster that I do like and comments positively on that instead.

I think it's easy to underestimate all the hard work that goes into each and every one of these recordings----on all levels.

Good call, sir.

"Any feedback is welcome" - isn't it what usually musicians say? If the commenter writes "I didn't like the song", "It was bad" etc., then ofc it doesn't help. Being musician, you must be thick-skinned & stand still to any criticism. To get defensive when you post "tell me what you think", not "Attention! Those who didn't like the song, don't post here", then don't share songs in the 1st place. Everybody is free to say they liked or not liked the song IF they tell why they liked or didn't like it. Negative comments can be helpful, they might give ideas, food for thought for musicians. F.ex. if the listener didn't like the arrangement, says "What if you add bass in the mix", "I can totally hear cowbell in the intro", the musician could snap finger "That's it! Thanks, I didn't actually think of it. Now I hear it & think you're right". Etc.

‍

I try my best to comment, but rarely feel I have any good advice :P

A great default comment, if you can't think of anything else to say, is "Keep up the good work!" It's more constructive than nothing at all...

This is a status quo I've bemoaned, but participated in, for quite a while as well. I think some of us have had this same conversation over the years. I usually like hearing other people's comments on my music, and so I've tried to live by a golden rule. But then like EoL, sometimes I really admit I just don't like anything about the tune and I don't want to be either a liar or an ass. Or other times, also like EoL, I just disappear for a while when people start acting too petulant. And then I'm generally not interested in hearing covers (unless they are original and interesting arrangements, anyway), so I don't even listen to those, more often than not.

So I guess you could summarize all that with "I just fail to live up to my own expectations."

Thank you to all who have replied so far.  I was hoping that some of those who view these posts but don't comment would comment as to why, but I guess that was a silly hope - if a person isn't going to comment in regards to a song most likely the same person won't comment about commenting.

With that said, I wish I had more time so I could record more and have it not commented on.  :)

EoL

The thread views are not accurate. Lots and lots of search bots and various other stuff increase the views so the actual number is much lower.

I listen to a lot of stuff but often even when I like it I don't comment as I feel I have nothing interesting to add.