Avatars.

[Music Nerd]

Sorry if I sound like a numbskull, but I have searched around, and do not know how to get an avatar up on sputnikmusic. The forum avatars have to be 70x70, but at sputnikmusic they look bigger. Could someone help me please? Sorry if this has been done. Thanks.

[Damrod]

Sputnik and the forums use the same user-database. This means you have to establish your Avatar here in the forums. (Don't know though if the standard avatars from the gallery are displayed on Sputnik, but custom ones sure are)

You can change your Avatar by using the link from the top of the window. You have that bar there that starts with CD Reviews and UserCP. Click on 'QuickLinks' and then in the appearing menu on 'Edit Avatar'.

Like I said, better chose a custom one, and not one from the provided list. I don't think they are displayed on Sputnik. :)

[Damrod]

On another note: Your review for the Circle Jerks had to be rejected, sorry. If you go track-by-track, you should go more into detail regarding musicianship etc. Keep that in mind for your next review :)

(Just posting this here as I think you will read it here while checking the thread, plus we mods have not yet the means to directly mail the first timers)

[Music Nerd]

Thanks, yeah I knew how to change it on the forum, I just wasen't sure if sputnik and this forum were connected in that sense.

Yeah, about my review. I did spend a quite a bit of time on it, I thought it was excellent, and the best review I had done. Haha. On my old account I reviewed "Combat Rock" by the Clash. I thought that review sucked so much compared to my Circle Jerks one. Could you tell me the difference, and how I should write reviews? The format I used for the Circle Jerks one was. Info regarding the album, lineup, track by track, pros and cons and recommanded tracks.

[Damrod]

I agree, the 'Combat Rock' one sucks :P

Seriously, jokes and humor aside. :) I find it hard to give advice on track-by-track reviews, as I do not really like them. I do not write them, and usually do not really enjoy reading them. The best advice I could give is, have a look at the reviews by Jom (listed in the Top15 as AntiHero). As he is in the Top15, you can find his reviews quite easily, and IMO he does an exceptional work on track by track-reviews.

Most people usually critizise that the information on the tracks is not enough. When they see a review is t-b-t, they expect to find information like how the guitar on the song is, how the song builds up, vocals, specials that are not there on other songs etc. Lines like "I really like this song" or similar, without the information to back it up, will get harsh comments in return usually.

Finally, you could have a look at this: http://www.musicianforums.com/sputnik/guidelines.php
I know, it's a bit of a longer read (I wrote it/adapted it from an article that was written here in the forums, so I must know ;)), but could answer a lot of questions as well.

Well, I hope it helps. :) Don't get discouraged though. My first reviews sucked as well. If I had to approve my first two or three reviews today, I really had to kick them. So, keep up the work and try to improve. Over time, you will be up to par :thumb:

[Music Nerd]

Thanks man. I'll check out that user, and your guidelines. Thanks for the help. Hope my next one can make it.

[Jom]

The best advice I could give is, have a look at the reviews by Jom (listed in the Top15 as AntiHero). As he is in the Top15, you can find his reviews quite easily, and IMO he does an exceptional work on track by track-reviews.

This was a bit of a shock to read, since I've been mulling over the past week or so about having all of my reviews removed from Sputnikmusic. I haven't really come to a definitive yes or no answer yet, but thanks for the kind words.

///

Music Nerd: my oldest reviews are terrible when compared to my more recent ones, and those are still rather faulty when compared to, say, Iai's. My Memento and Cold reviews are probably my best works, but that doesn't really say much, even if Damrod disagrees with me.

Eventually, you build your own style of writing. It's hard to pinpoint after writing only a small number of reviews, but with practice, it gets easier for you.

[Music Nerd]

Thanks both Jom, and Damrod. I just finished that Circle Jerks review. Took an hour. I don't know. It's an overall review, and not track by track. I did go by the guidelines. I really hope this one can make it.