# When you ask for opinions and no one gives you any?



## Manok (Aug 29, 2011)

Does this mean they are just being polite and don't want to offend you? Even though you said it's ok to be harsh? How does one get an opinion anyway? I've been writing music off and on for almost as long as I can remember, and only my family seems to give me any sort of opinion one way or the other, so I don't know if that's a bad thing or a good one? I really want some sort of opinion, on if it's good enough to attempt getting it sold in some venue, but I don't know what I'd call my music, I pretty much just listen to classical music, and that is where most of my influence comes from, but it may not be, it may not even be music, no one will tell me.


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

I just listen to music and have no training whatsoever. I couldn't give you any constructive criticism, except to say that I either love it or I think it sucks, and I would be too polite to say that  I see that you have been on the forum for about 3½ years, but you have barely participated. Perhaps people are bashful to voice their opinions with a relative 'stranger'?


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Manok said:


> Does this mean they are just being polite and don't want to offend you? Even though you said it's ok to be harsh? How does one get an opinion anyway?


Say something that irks a few folks, and you'll get plenty of opinions.


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## Manok (Aug 29, 2011)

There is that  but I don't wish to offend.


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## Headphone Hermit (Jan 8, 2014)

I'm with Brotagonist - I am untrained and listen for pleasure, so I could only say if I liked it or not. Either way, my opinion would be of little real use to someone who wanted to 'improve' or 'develop' their work. 

Therefore I never open any threads asking for opinion about recent compositions or performances. I hope you don't feel offended by this, but that type of post doesn't interest me :tiphat:


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

In the past, where more skilled listeners (like PetrB, who's now left) have given critical responses to composed pieces, the OP has sometimes been hurt or offended. In one case the OP hit back - things escalated - and the OP then announced that he was leaving, in tones of high dudgeon.

Many of us - myself included - are not qualified to give analyses of music, and so avoid threads that post newly-composed music and ask for opinions. For the ones who *are * qualified, it may be a matter of politeness as you surmise, Manok. Maybe they fear that even constructive criticism will not go down well, based on instances such as the one cited above.

But in many cases, it may just be that you posted at a time when nobody of this sort was online, and then when they did come on, they missed it.

Anyway, don't let it put you off. Go on composing, and taking any chance that offers of presenting your piece to a non-family audience. Based on my experience of submitting pieces of fiction, and being rejected almost always, it's a jungle out there, but you might just strike lucky & be 'in the right place at the right time' to get your talent noticed.

Good luck. :tiphat:


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Sometimes I can't give my opinion because I am not informed on the topic. If you want opinions and know of members you think would have a good opinion, you can always PM them.


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## GreenMamba (Oct 14, 2012)

On that thread, you asked whether the piece is awful, and the answer is no. I enjoyed it. But it's hard to tell what type of feedback you want. Honestly, for all I know, it may be derivative of some composer I'm unaware of. I just don't know.


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

My ex wife used to tell me "When I want your opinion, I'll give it to you". 
My daughter has a good freind who composes who has me wrapped in an email exchange that is seemingly endless about his music. I wrote several paragraphs analyzing his piece and now he writes me back very long responses. Mine keep getting shorter as a hint that he doesn't seem to take and I don't quite know what to do about it. It is a very civilized and erudite exchange but I can see that he has been yearning for years to discuss his work with someone and now a dam of his ideas has been released. So I am pesonally hesitant to critique anyone else at the moment. Perhaps the two of you might find something in common musically. PM me if you want his email address.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

Sometimes it's hard to know exactly what to say about a piece. Some people post their work that is so incomplete that the only thing you can really say is "well, keep working on it". Sometimes people post works with so many glaring errors that correcting one or two things here and there really wouldn't do them much good. They need to go back and study more on their own. I can't recall what pieces you have posted, Manok, so I don't know if either applies to you.


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