Bummer #3

First off... I'm not trying to alienate anyone or piss anybody off...it's just gotten to the point after being on Guitar Tricks for the last few years, that I gotta bring this out in the open...

While I enjoy receiving emails from people....and I'm totally into helping people whenever I can.... some dudes go way overboard in their requests and seem to think I'm their butt monkey who's automatically willing to put my personal life on hold and help them with stuff that they could easily get off the web with Google or any other search engine
.
ie, 'Can you explain to me what kind of solo will go with these chords?'
'Can you tab out Eruption for me and then record it slowly for me'
'Can you recommend some web pages where I can find such and such tab?'
'Can you answer these 10 questions for me?"

The short answer is.... I'd love to... but let's get real here. I've got private, paying students coming outa my ears.... I've just started giving lessons by email and those take up several hours a night of my attention... I'm trying to design my own web page, I'm working with several vocalists and musicians already, I'm working on my own album.... and I got a normal life to live that includes eating, sleeping, sex and commuting.

I can't sit here for 2-3 hours answering a question for you or doing your music homework for you because I just don't have the time. I'm also not into going onto Google to research your question when you should be doing it yourself.
If it's a simple question...fine. But if it's a list of questions or a totally out of line question for me to spend 3 days coming up with a tab on an album I've never heard of...
ferget it. I'm really sorry, but I just don't have the time anymore to do that sorta stuff.

Anyway, guess that's it.... feel free to write and ask questions about my own riffs or short questions about techniques etc...
But let's face it... if you want me to come out with a chapters worth of lessons to help you improve your speed...
that's what my paid lessons are for.

(and for the guy who wrote me tonight who I spent an hour reviewing his MP3, then re-mastering it only to find out his server wouldn't accept my reply....
Robert Meltron tor1@juno.omc (Work)
the remixed MP3 or your tune and review is at
http://www.schmange.com/Wretched.mp3

(also keep in mind I been bar hopping tonight so I'm in happy land :) Don't take any of this **** personally.

Peace & Grooviness
Schmange

Schmange's Guitar Tricks
http://www.schmange.com

Friday, February 14, 2003
1:57:03 AM

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Dude, I 100% agree with you...
If people do need such thorough instructions like in your examples, then they should seak a guitar teachers and hire them.
...But there's nothin' wrong with just posting here for some tips.
But I agree with you completely.

Good...glad to hear it.
I feel guilty as hell when people send me a bunch of questions, and for the last couple of years I've been trying my best to answer them...but holy crap on a stick.
Some guys keep writing to me every few weeks with a list of questions to answer and it's like.... 'do I have sucker printed on my forehead or something????"

The hardest ones' to refuse are the overseas questions.
Like...
"Hi..my name gueko...you my teacher I like you...you anser question...what is pinch harmonics 2) what is movement?
3) HOW PLAY improvise and what mean?
4) what arpegio mean?

I'm sitting here getting this mail and thinking.... ok
is this actually a foreign guy who doesn't get etiquette or realize he's asking too much, or is it some local student' who just wants me to do his homework???

Hahah, you've kept your cool so far...If that were me getting the emails I probably would have freaked on one for asking stupid questions a long time ago.
If someone actually needs that much instruction, they should go get a teacher...Its as easy as that. Its bloody hard learning over the internet.
Though I pretty much did, well, self taught but learned scales and stuff. Guitar World helped me a lot too...

What I would do is, everytime someone asks a lot of questions like that...Just send them a reply that says this:
"Go to http://www.guitartricks.com"

I'm sure he'll get most of his questions answered here. Itll take the weight off your shoulders at least.

I totally agree - i´m getting emails like this too, but not to an extent where i cannot handly it anymore (fortunately) - but what pisses me off most is when i get emails with questions from peeps who do not include a valid email addy - i sit there forl like an hour writing a 500 pages reply just to get my mail back as "undeliverable".

Well...I wanna keep my cool cause I don't know whether they just dont' realize what they're doing or whether they're being dickheads.

Either way I wanna help... I just don't want all my own creative time to suffer.

While we're on the subject:
Is anybody else getting email from a guy called Babymouse?

Here's some examples from the last few months:

> realname: babymouse City: Thailand Comments: Hi. my friend. thank you so
> much for seggestions. ^_____^ my question...
> 1. artifical harmonic is ?
> 2.Movement is.....?
> 3. economy picking is.......?
> thak you so much indeed.
> babymouse
>
> my questions : 1. E-bow is? 2.how old are you?
>
> Thank you so much in deed. ^___^
>
> My questions to day .... 1. Chicken picking is...............? 1. Have
> website to donwloads Logic ,cakewalk ,Cubase ?
> Thank you so
> much indeed
>
>
>
> I want to know Chiken picking is.........? And Blues turnaround is
> .....? And I want to infoemation guitar gear to good sound ahm.....
> It's price 200-35 $
> Thank you very much
> indeed.

> my question today.Iwant to know.....
> 1. How .... Can set "tremolo bar and bridge ?
> 2. I not found Goin home and Insanity track. Do you delete it? I want
> to tab Goin home and Insanity .Can you help mr? Please send to my mail
> or your website.


>

he seems to be very thankfull indeed! *LOL* :D

man you´re under heavy dumba$$ attack - didnt think that the situation was THAT bad!

That ain't the half of it.... I got a dozen guys doing the same sorta thing.

Spam buster !!!

How about having a generic email reply saved as a word (or similar) doc that you can use to direct people to the GT forum (where their every wish can be catered for) ? That way you still get the good stuff (that you enjoy doing) and have a 3 click solution to the people who's sole function in life is to annoy you !

If the email gets returned, well you tried and there is always the delete button! Also some sorta generic reply could be a way to check if the email address is good, something that says...."hold on a mo, Im answering your question, it will be in the next email". If the generic email gets bounced, well ......Mr delete key to the rescue !

Man, you should see some of the splam that finds its way to the GTnewsletter in box !
.........Make Caligula blush !


[Edited by Dr_simon on 02-14-2003 at 05:51 AM]

Yep, I also got the babymouse. Answered him a couple of times, then just ignored/deleted the messages. Glad to hear I'm not the only one getting that kr@p. Have not heard from him in a while now.

Ok..kewl.
That about tears is.... if BabyMouse wants me to do anymore research he can damnwell pay for it. He's officially on my killfile from now on.

I am amazed that you really bothered to answer questions like this. A person who is asking such questions clearly declares that he has no passion for guitar and wants everything to be digested by others for him. If I were you the most I would bother doing is sending this person a link to google.