"It is essential to know the rules and practice following them before the ability to break a rule with impunity can be obtained."

And I'd add to that, "If you break a rule, make good and sure that you break that rule for a darn good reason!"

Those who perceive that rules like these are made top-down and for arbitrary reasons fail to grasp that these things actually evolved over time as the industry found out what people listened to and what they didn't. It is indeed market-driven.

Your audience dictates what they want to hear and how they want to hear it.

If you've gotta tie 'em to the barstools or lock the doors in order to keep 'em in there listening to you, rethink.


--Mac