How does someone get to be a "reviewer" on here?
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Topic: How does someone get to be a "reviewer" on here?
Posted By: Prog_Traveller
Subject: How does someone get to be a "reviewer" on here?
Date Posted: October 04 2011 at 12:06
| It seems to me that someone can write a 100 album reviews or more on here and not even be an official reviewer. I'm not anywhere near that(I've only written a few but want to do more). My question is how does someone get to be a reviewer? Do they have to sign up? Is there a certain number they have to write first? Thanks. |
Replies:
Posted By: The T
Date Posted: October 04 2011 at 12:11
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Write often, do it with good quality, stand out, and you'll be noticed. There is a reason why this website has so many prog-reviewers. Everyone who shows desire to become one and work towards it eventually gets it. ------------- 
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Posted By: Padraic
Date Posted: October 04 2011 at 12:16
Failing that, send money. |
The T wrote:Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: October 04 2011 at 12:18
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I thought it involved sleeping with an Admin. ------------- 
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Posted By: Padraic
Date Posted: October 04 2011 at 12:24
| That's how you become a site monitor. |
Posted By: seventhsojourn
Date Posted: October 04 2011 at 12:24
| http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13080" rel="nofollow - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13080 |
Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: October 04 2011 at 12:31
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Posted By: The T
Date Posted: October 04 2011 at 12:33
To me. I'll lobby for you.  -------------
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Posted By: The T
Date Posted: October 04 2011 at 12:34
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Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: October 04 2011 at 12:37
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/Monitor_lizard_in_Kalahari.JPG" rel="nofollow">
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monitor_lizard" rel="nofollow - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monitor_lizard -------------
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Posted By: Prog_Traveller
Date Posted: October 04 2011 at 13:32
So if someone writes 1,000 reviews but they aren't that good they don't get to be a reviewer? Who reviews the reviewer? 
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Posted By: colorofmoney91
Date Posted: October 04 2011 at 14:13
Basically. I've written over 300, but they're all stupid and short, so I lose. ------------- http://hanashukketsu.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow - Hanashukketsu |
Posted By: Failcore
Date Posted: October 04 2011 at 14:58
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I actually prefer reviews to not be too long. Too long or too short is bad.
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Posted By: toroddfuglesteg
Date Posted: October 04 2011 at 16:01
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The only thing you get by becoming a reviewer is a lost life. (and no, I was not joking) |
Posted By: Failcore
Date Posted: October 04 2011 at 17:06
^Hey, whatever dude, you get to do all those interviews with awesome ppl, don't complain.
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Posted By: The Truth
Date Posted: October 04 2011 at 18:24
That's the same problem I had last time I asked. ------------- http://blindpoetrecords.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow">  
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Posted By: ClemofNazareth
Date Posted: October 04 2011 at 19:13
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Be different. Try to find something in an album that nobody (or 1,00 other people) wrote about already. And reviewers tend to get associated with a genre; not always, but often. So concentrating on one genre, at least for a while, couldn't hurt your getting noticed by (or recommended to) members of that team. I read a couple of your reviews and they are articulate and mostly well-formed. Perhaps a bit light in highlighting specific tracks or interesting facts about the album's history or significance, but you are on the right track. ------------- "Peace is the only battle worth waging." Albert Camus |
Posted By: Failcore
Date Posted: October 04 2011 at 19:42
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It seems to me, to be fair and to prevent cronyism (or allegations thereof) there ought to be a well documented process for how this take place. And maybe some requirements as well (user must have understandign of basic music theory, must be 21 years old, etc) -------------
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Posted By: Andy Webb
Date Posted: October 04 2011 at 20:08
It's how I became a PR ------------- http://ow.ly/8ymqg" rel="nofollow">  
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Posted By: Andy Webb
Date Posted: October 04 2011 at 20:09
fixed ------------- http://ow.ly/8ymqg" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: October 04 2011 at 20:53
Actually I think no documented process is probably best, that way reviewers are chosen based on knowledge and productivity rather than some check-off list of requirements that would not necessarily help those who deserve it Just my tuppence. |
Posted By: Horizons
Date Posted: October 04 2011 at 20:57
Agreed completely.
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Posted By: Failcore
Date Posted: October 04 2011 at 21:17
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I'm an engineer. If I could flowchart the world, I would. :) -------------
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Posted By: Failcore
Date Posted: October 04 2011 at 21:18
I said "basic" music theory. IE: They know what a treble clef is. -------------
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Posted By: Finnforest
Date Posted: October 04 2011 at 21:24
David, you nail it once again. The last thing we should have is an automatic documented process. PRs should be by Admin invite only, and Admin should choose the best of the talent out there. Pick the people who have written lots of reviews, who write well, who know music, and who have something interesting to say. I believe Admin has already headed in that direction which is great. Anyone can still write a review, which is the lifeblood of the site, but there are enough members now that PRs should be promoted based on talent, not who can crank out 100 little blurbs or whatever benchmarks one dreams up. Promoting based on standards is not the same thing as cronyism. ------------- ...that moment you realize you like "Mob Rules" better than "Heaven and Hell" |
Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: October 04 2011 at 21:29
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.....you ask nicely....use yes ma'am and no sir. -------------   
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Posted By: Failcore
Date Posted: October 04 2011 at 21:29
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Hmm, I just think at the very least it should be written somewhere what kinds of things the admin team is looking for and maybe which genres they want new prospects to focus on. -------------
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Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: October 04 2011 at 21:35
 I hear ya
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Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: October 04 2011 at 21:36
We stick names on a darts board and play.  |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: October 04 2011 at 21:41
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BTW in case you missed it there are basic guidelines ; forum_posts.asp?TID=13080" rel="nofollow - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13080 |
Posted By: Finnforest
Date Posted: October 04 2011 at 21:42
That's how I got in. ------------- ...that moment you realize you like "Mob Rules" better than "Heaven and Hell" |
Posted By: Failcore
Date Posted: October 04 2011 at 21:43
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Posted By: ExittheLemming
Date Posted: October 05 2011 at 04:36
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There are many good reviewers out there but for me, these guys are well worth reading: LinusW TSZIRMAY Kazuhiro Atavachron Chicapah kenethlevine CLARKE2001 Epignosis Gerinski AnthonyH Finnforest Nightfly QUESTIONSNEVERKNOWN PRESDOUG Apologies to those I've forgotten (It's been a long day  )As far as an instruction manual for 'How to Become a PR' goes, there ain't one and a moment's reflection is all that should suffice to realise why: we cannot quantify the arts so how can we possibly quantify their appreciation? For me there are only 2 rules for reviews: 1 - Micky's Law - don't confuse what you like with what's 'good' 2 - Lemmings Law - we learn more about the listener than what is being listened to in any given review Time for my nap.... ------------- 
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Posted By: colorofmoney91
Date Posted: October 05 2011 at 12:17
Are you trying to make me feel better or are you just being proper? ------------- http://hanashukketsu.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow - Hanashukketsu |
Posted By: DisgruntledPorcupine
Date Posted: October 05 2011 at 16:05
Must be 21? Some of the younger reviewers are some of the best ones IMO. |
Posted By: Andy Webb
Date Posted: October 05 2011 at 16:12
No, I like your reviews. Nice and to the point, and far from stupid.  ------------- http://ow.ly/8ymqg" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Failcore
Date Posted: October 05 2011 at 16:30
This. To be honest, if a review goes much more than three paragraphs, I start snoozing. To quote Bender: "I'm not reading that crap, summarize it in one word."  No offense to those of you that do write new editions of War and Peace for each review, it's just not my cuppa.-------------
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Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: October 05 2011 at 17:24
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To be a reviewer just show passion in your reviews, write intelligently, and really listen intensely a few times before revieweing if possible.
I write reviews as I listen to albums not by memory of what I think is on the album.
Sometimes that means the reviews become a thesis but I like writing as I listen so I am not phased.
I have tried to write shorter reviews of late and they tend to be more productive time wise. Lyrics are important to me so I often include some in the reviews.
I am not interested in reading one paragraph reviews that go on for an eternity. The reviews should at least be broken up into small paragraphs or my eyes refuse to read on.
I like track by track reviews as it gives you a real insight into the album. They are structured reviews and easy to read.
There are some reviewers who have trouble with the language and I have trouble comprehending them. But overall the reviews are very good on this site and trustworthy. I trust certain reviewers more than others. But if I am interested in an album I will generally read every review on that album, eg: Terria by Devin Townsend. I printed out pages of reviews and read them one afternoon. The track by track reviews were particulalry helpful and those that include some lyrics to give an insight in to the content.
So in conclusion become known by becoming a presence on the site - haunt the site and review in one genre more than spread out and you may become noticed. Likewise I became a reviewer on the Metal Archives though I did not necessarily want to, but in the beginning I was enjoying writing reviews on every Kiss album, every Sweet album, Alice Cooper and posting prog metal reviews I had already written here. They noticed and I accepted! Pretty simple really.
Later on PA I was invited on the Symphonic team because most of the reviews were in that genre. If you have passion for what you do people have to notice and you do not ask but rather are asked. Just do it because you love it and the rest should follow. There should be no hidden agendas because if you enjoy what you do you will not care if you are an official reviewer or not. But consequently as a result of you writing many well writen reviews you are likely to become a PR by default eventually. ------------- 
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Posted By: toroddfuglesteg
Date Posted: October 05 2011 at 17:32
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You can also take up jobs nobody else wants. For example the job I got which nobody else wanted. It took PA six years to fill this role. There are other jobs here nobody wants, which remains vacant. Just have a look around this place and volunteer yourself. And no, there is no vacancies within my team. |