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As we have fairly solid support for the idea suggested in Can we add "Vocal critique" to our list of 'and not about' in the Help/on topic page? - so far 28 upvotes across the question & all answers, without a single downvote - let me start the ball rolling on the wording…

and is not about…

Performance critique of any sort. Including but not limited to; external links to your own performance with requests such as, "How good is my voice?", "What is my vocal range?", "How could I improve my saxophone solo?"

Maybe it's a little long, but I wanted to try hit some specific question types we see a lot, and also emphasise that if you're going to post your performance up to YouTube or Vocaroo etc, we're not interested.
Apart from anything else, as soon as they got an answer, they'd take the link down & break the question forever.

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  • IMO it should also include critiques of compositions. So maybe, "Critique of any sort, including ..., "How do I make my composition better?"
    – Aaron
    Commented Oct 22, 2023 at 19:30

1 Answer 1

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So I'd suggest adding the phrase "open-ended," or maybe something about "specific concerns," since I could imagine a few questions that (IMO) should be allowed even if they're about the OP's work and maybe contain media examples. So e.g., as Aaron says, "How can I make my composition better" is off-topic, but "I'm having trouble with the voice leading in this one bar, how can I solve it" maybe ought to be on. And "how is my guitar playing" would be off, but maybe "I'm having trouble reaching all the notes in this chord; is my wrist in the wrong place?" would be on?

So maybe something like

and is not about...

Open-ended critique of any sort without a specific, solvable concern, including...

But I hesitate about my own language there, because I could see it turn into "But I can't hit the notes I want to! That's a specific, solvable concern, isn't it?" or "but my voice is breathy" or "I just haven't developed my own compositional style. That's my specific, solvable concern." Hm. So maybe someone else can improve on that language. (Yeah... I guess that's my open-ended request for general critique... :D )

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  • I'm voting to close this answer as 'too general & open-ended' ;) No, I fully appreciate the concern. I also wasn't dead set on my own wording, hence throwing it out here for … ermm… feedback
    – Tetsujin
    Commented Nov 7, 2023 at 16:00
  • Also, playing devil's-advocate to myself: The response to these imaginary "but I identified a concern" objections is: No, those aren't solvable. The internet in general won't help you expand your range or perfect your tone, and SE isn't the place to have a journey of stylistic self-discovery. So... maybe including the word "solvable" will at least head off the rational askers. :)
    – Andy Bonner
    Commented Nov 7, 2023 at 16:05
  • The irrational ones will argue they're right until the question gets deleted, or everyone just wanders off & leaves them to their own private club, membership… 1. That's a definite 'no fix'.
    – Tetsujin
    Commented Nov 7, 2023 at 16:07

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