I need a serious answer...

pixeltarian · Post by **pixeltarian** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 3:48 am

this is for people that are in the mood to listen to some tracks...

I face a big decision at the moment. I have about 10 songs recorded ranging from when I knew nothing about recording to knowing a little. I haven't recording anything serious in a while and have upgraded all my gear a lot. I now have real preamp and a a/d as well as some pretty decent mics and access to a studio for only a $10 an hour charge.

I need to know if I should send my current songs in for mastering and get them pressed or start over and record them again as good as I can. I don't know why but i find this to be an insanely hard decision to make. A lot of the recordings have a warm place in my heart, but can really hear some things that are not that great. they files are so old that I can't figure out what plugins are missing and it was like voodoo magic to get them sounding as good as they did out of the gear I had.

so if someone who does mastering could listen to a few of the tracks and decide if it's something that they would want to master, or if they would prefer me to record everything better, I would be forever grateful!

~ Jeffrey James

use this link: http://jeffreyjamesmusic.110mb.com

T-rex · Post by **T-rex** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 9:08 am

This is not from a mastering standpoint at all, but I did listen to the songs and they have a cool vibe to them.

Here is my opinion - move on, do not re-record the songs. There's this thing were people do demos and they, listen to them over and over and fall in love with them and their quirks. Then they try to record the "real" album and spend countless hours trying to "chase the demo" or trying to capture that original vibe that they fell in love with. In the time you spend redoing all of these you could write and record a whole new album. During which, every new discovery with your new equipment and techniques would truly be a new experience. Just my two cents!

losthighway · Post by **losthighway** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 9:08 am

I find that to be very well said.

Recycled_Brains · Post by **Recycled_Brains** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 10:41 am

I think the songs and recordings sound really cool.

If you do decide to redo them, just make sure that it's because YOU really want to redo them, and not because you're concerned about what people will think of the recording quality. That shit doesn't matter.

Honestly, I think the stuff sounds great and wouldn't change anything if I were in your shoes. One of the cool things about recording yourself, is that your recording abilities progress as your songwriting and playing does.

I'm never 100% happy with the way my stuff turns out, and probably never will be. That's something we all deal with I think.

EDIT: This made me think of something funny that Fletcher posted once.... "you don't walk down the street humming the mic pre."

Corey Y · Post by **Corey Y** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 10:58 am

The songs sound good. Get them mastered and do whatever you want to do with them. Then when you're ready to record new stuff use your new setup. The recordings have character because you were doing your best to achieve the best possible result and a particular atmosphere with the tools you had at your disposal. Also you're obviously a talented songwriter and the strength of the songs come through.

I agree with the comment about "chasing the demo". I've noticed that a lot, the older versions of songs with multiple recordings always seem to be the fan favorites. Probably because they usually sound more urgent, spontaneous, heartfelt. Not so much time to over think things and iron out all those little quirks that people ended up loving.

MoreSpaceEcho · Post by **MoreSpaceEcho** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 11:02 am

that shit all sounds FINE. don't redo anything, just get it mastered, slap a barcode on that sucker and you've got a legitimate record on your hands.

palinilap · Post by **palinilap** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 8:03 am

I think it's always better to move on. I have friends that are still holding onto 5-year-old songs, reworking and re-recording, and it's just sad and control freaky.

MoreSpaceEcho · Post by **MoreSpaceEcho** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 10:46 am

just in case my previous post sounds too glib or whatever, i listened to all the songs on your site yesterday and really enjoyed them. really nice stuff.

honkyjonk · Post by **honkyjonk** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 1:20 pm

No Way.

Leave 'em as they are! They sound great. Sometimes I wish people were only aloud to make creepy lo-fi records like this. It lends mystery to the music.

Just keep going as fast as you can before your creativity dries up like Pete Townsend.

DrummerMan · Post by **DrummerMan** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 7:27 pm

Just to chime in with the exact same thing everyone else is saying, you should keep these songs the way they are. When I listen to them, I'm hearing your music, not your limitations. It's cool shit that will be even better with a good mastering job.

Nice work.

Mr PC · Post by **Mr PC** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 9:44 pm

I listened to a few tracks, and the stuff so totally sounds like a RECORD to me. Don't redo anything.

It sounds old-school in the good way. Done with conviction. I remember less cynical times in the rock world when you could sense a level of commitment in the work. A human can grab unto your stuff here. Don't scrap it.

PC

aaronaustin · Post by **aaronaustin** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 7:08 am

badass. do it. right now.

just get it mastered, slap a barcode on that sucker and you've got a legitimate record on your hands.

What did people do before barcodes? How did they have legitimate releases? I feel sorry for them.

pixeltarian · Post by **pixeltarian** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 11:43 am

wow, thanks for all the feedback! that's really good news to me. One last frightening question...

what if I can only find an MP3 for a couple of the tracks? how bad is transcending to wav and getting it mastered?

dynomike · Post by **dynomike** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 11:55 am

pixeltarian wrote:wow, thanks for all the feedback! that's really good news to me. One last frightening question...

what if I can only find an MP3 for a couple of the tracks? how bad is transcending to wav and getting it mastered?

depends, does the mp3 sound ok? is it like a 128kbps itunes mp3 or a 256 lame mp3?

timmymacdd · Post by **timmymacdd** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 2:39 pm

With that particular sound you are going with it sounds as good as it ever will the way it is.

I love the autumn leaves rendition. A good cover like that gives us an idea of what you are supposed to sound like,....or I should say a portal into what you sound like.....hmmmm....not sure what it is I am saying but I like the stuff and that track really made me able to listen even a little longer since I like it.

ALSO I love your player......

Truly the best way to get to know an artist is to sit down and listen to an album in its entirety without having to jump websites.....this became my cooking dinner album for the evening. GOOD JOB.

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