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When I do a new recording, I've worked on it so long and heard it so many times that I can't even tell if it's good or bad.
. . . time to stop, and play different music for a couple of days . . .
All I need is 2 days, and then I'll invariably find something about it that I thought was ok at the time, but after 48 hours, I can hear that the bass or something should be erased and re-recorded from scratch.
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My view is it's either good, or not so good.
But I've never accepted 'good enough' from myself.
In school, a 'D,' or a 'C' is good enough to pass, eh?
I don't want to be 'good enough.' I don't even want to be just 'good.'
A 'B+' is good, I guess, but why stop there?
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If you feel you can do better - then - do better.

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If people love one of my songs, but I think it's full of errors - I'll erase the tracks I don't like and re-do them better.
Sometimes folks don't notice the difference, but I notice the difference.
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I've even scrapped entire 'finished' songs with 4-5 different tracks, opened a new folder, and re-recorded the song from scratch.
When I play the finished products side-by-side, it's like night and day.
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Why go through all that trouble?
Well I'm not primarily playing music for other people.
I play music because I like it.
If I want to please other people - I could wash their car or something.
I play for me; well - mostly . . .
. . . or, I guess I'm mostly playing for myself, and once in a while I also let other people hear me, too.
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Oh, don't get me wrong; I do play out . . .
I played in a restaurant last night, I'm at a coffee house tonight, I'm at the Tabor Arts Blues Jam Saturday, and Sunday I'm at a popular open mike at a farm in East - wherever it was . . . (exit 71, anyway . . .)
Senility . . .
But - I still consider that "once in a while I let other people hear me."
'How can that be', you may ask, - playing every night from Thursday through Sunday? And I think I only let people hear me 'once in a while?'
Well, it's like this; it's all relative.
I practice a lot.
For every 1 minute of playing in public, I've probably practiced any given song for 100 minutes.
I may play it for a year before I ever play it in public.
That's why I can say I'm mostly playing for myself, and once in a while I let other people hear me too.
If I'm going to do somethin that much, you can be sure I've gotta love it . . .
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But it's important to let other people hear you and to get feedback from them. You might learn something from their perspective on your music.
And they should be strangers: NOT friends. Friends can be biased.
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Ai-yi-yi . . . I talk a lot some times . . .

Pulling you across a bit but would you mind looking at this thread and seeing if you know what I am doing wrong please?
http://forum.bandmix.com/viewtopic.php?t=7357

Healthy being a Muso isn't it.

When I do a new recording, I've worked on it so long and heard it so many times that I can't even tell if it's good or bad.
. . . time to stop, and play different music for a couple of days . . .
All I need is 2 days, and then I'll invariably find something about it that I thought was ok at the time, but after 48 hours, I can hear that the bass or something should be erased and re-recorded from scratch.

I'm starting to see the light on this frankly. Sometimes its a lot like banging your head against a wall. I do need to learn what I am trying to do however so I just keep going at it.

My view is it's either good, or not so good.
But I've never accepted 'good enough' from myself.
In school, a 'D,' or a 'C' is good enough to pass, eh?
I don't want to be 'good enough.' I don't even want to be just 'good.'
A 'B+' is good, I guess, but why stop there?
.
If you feel you can do better - then - do better.


Exactly and as above. I've learned a great deal and am really enjoying this turn of events. One thing I do now realize is that I have 4 heads as of last week. Only just yesterday did I realize that I am putting too much in what I do musically and not letting things breathe. I think however once my recording problem is sorted I may change my mind? Who knows?

If people love one of my songs, but I think it's full of errors - I'll erase the tracks I don't like and re-do them better.
Sometimes folks don't notice the difference, but I notice the difference.

On the nail.

I've even scrapped entire 'finished' songs with 4-5 different tracks, opened a new folder, and re-recorded the song from scratch.
When I play the finished products side-by-side, it's like night and day.

> I've been doing just this for about 7 days now. The result is a better sound and much better timing. Will I ever get to my drums? Hahaha I hope so frankly because this is what it is all about, my drums.
.
Why go through all that trouble?
Well I'm not primarily playing music for other people.
I play music because I like it.
If I want to please other people - I could wash their car or something.
I play for me; well - mostly . . .
. . . or, I guess I'm mostly playing for myself, and once in a while I also let other people hear me, too.

Someone said this on a Radio interview though I forget now who it was? He said that when he starts writing he'll know almost immediatly whether this is for self gratification or for the poppy public. He said too that writing for him was no easy at all. Wish I could remember his name!

Oh, don't get me wrong; I do play out . . .
I played in a restaurant last night, I'm at a coffee house tonight, I'm at the Tabor Arts Blues Jam Saturday, and Sunday I'm at a popular open mike at a farm in East - wherever it was . . . (exit 71, anyway . . .)
Senility . . .

Haven't played for ages but hopefully with the band that will change soon. I really miss it, the vibes, sometimes nervy few hours before and then the massive thrill of being in front of people. Kudos Sentient. Me too soon I hope?

But - I still consider that "once in a while I let other people hear me."
'How can that be', you may ask, - playing every night from Thursday through Sunday? And I think I only let people hear me 'once in a while?'
Well, it's like this; it's all relative.
I practice a lot.
For every 1 minute of playing in public, I've probably practiced any given song for 100 minutes.
I may play it for a year before I ever play it in public.
That's why I can say I'm mostly playing for myself, and once in a while I let other people hear me too.
If I'm going to do somethin that much, you can be sure I've gotta love it . . .
.
But it's important to let other people hear you and to get feedback from them. You might learn something from their perspective on your music.
And they should be strangers: NOT friends. Friends can be biased.

Very, very true. This is why I stumped up the courage to post a ditti I was working on to gauge if people could see where I was coming from or not? I'm still not sure where that is for me yet since my Mucisal tastes apart from Genesis are so varied. I'll post my track list up on here sometime today.

Keep well Sentient and thanks.

Chippy
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Ai-yi-yi . . . I talk a lot some times . . .

Chippy - you were quoting me, not SP. This subject is real food for thought, eh?
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Sentient Paradox, I see where you're coming from, and - from your viewpoint and for your reasons, - I agree with you.
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I suspect this thread will get many other people thinking about their own recordings . . .

Ouch!

I am a dolts aren't I.
Sorry folks.

Chippy - you were quoting me, not SP. This subject is real food for thought, eh?
.
Sentient Paradox, I see where you're coming from, and - from your viewpoint and for your reasons, - I agree with you.
.
I suspect this thread will get many other people thinking about their own recordings . . .

Wheelin' & Dealin' isn't in your vocal key, SP, simple as that. You need to bring it up at least 1 1/2 steps, imo, even if you're going to sing it in this lower register. Interesting tune, &, like your other songs, I like it! I also love the way it ends, with your own particular brand of humor.

Monkey In The Middle - what can I say? I find it a bit too droney, but that often happens in a one-chord kinda tune. (I realize that there are at least four chords being played, but the entire melody is within the resolve at the end of each three-chord phrase, which never changes.) I respect it, but it's not a fave by any stretch, either musically or message-wise. [I'd have liked it a lot more if you'd made fun of libs, too, polititians in general, ya know?...(yes, I mean that, Craig!)] This is one is too long, for what it is, or it needs a bridge of some sort &/or a key change to break up the droneyness, imo.

LOL, I thought for some reason that you were saying that hippies became conservative...but after another listen I see that I need to listen more closely before I speak about a tune.

I think you are doing the right thing but don't go too far. After all you are just gauging this as I am in my music in terms of how people interpret what you are doing.

Have you had any replies as regards getting a live thing together? Perhaps a blend will help you, I know it did me some time back. In the end it was totally different material but the basis of what I had started on my own managed to seep into our music in several bands as did others ideas too. This was fabulous and spurred on these bands too.

Just a thought Sentient.

Maybe I should think about changing the first verse to make that a bit more subtle. That seems to be the one that's turning conservatives off, and making it easier to miss the meaning of verse two.