recreating demoes and "demo-itis"

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Scodiddly
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Re: recreating demoes and "demo-itis"

Post by Scodiddly » Tue Dec 08, 2020 12:33 pm

As I'm thinking about this, I wonder whether this used to be as big a problem as it seems today. Back when there was live music everywhere, and somebody could make actually an OK living playing clubs, musicians were on average better (or at least more practiced) players than a lot of people these days. Listen to something like the first side of that first Chicago Transit Authority album - they'd been gigging that material for months ago of the recording date, and it shows.

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Nick Sevilla
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Re: recreating demoes and "demo-itis"

Post by Nick Sevilla » Tue Dec 08, 2020 2:20 pm

Scodiddly wrote:
Tue Dec 08, 2020 12:33 pm
As I'm thinking about this, I wonder whether this used to be as big a problem as it seems today. Back when there was live music everywhere, and somebody could make actually an OK living playing clubs, musicians were on average better (or at least more practiced) players than a lot of people these days. Listen to something like the first side of that first Chicago Transit Authority album - they'd been gigging that material for months ago of the recording date, and it shows.
Noobs absolutely hate when they ask for advice and all I tell them is to practice and rehearse more.
Laziness gets you nowhere.
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Re: recreating demoes and "demo-itis"

Post by vernier » Tue Dec 08, 2020 3:54 pm

Demos have stuff that finished products lack. And vice versa.

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winky dinglehoffer
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Re: recreating demoes and "demo-itis"

Post by winky dinglehoffer » Tue Dec 08, 2020 4:45 pm

Scodiddly wrote:
Tue Dec 08, 2020 12:33 pm
Back when there was live music everywhere, and somebody could make actually an OK living playing clubs, musicians were on average better (or at least more practiced) players than a lot of people these days.
I also blame phones & computers for this. Back in the day, when a kid was bored he picked up his guitar or other instrument. Now when a kid is bored he plays a video game or surfs youtube or chats on discord or....

Yes, I am a curmudgeon. And yes, I too do the same damn thing.

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Re: recreating demoes and "demo-itis"

Post by joninc » Tue Dec 08, 2020 6:00 pm

there's almost nothing i enjoy less than trying to recapture the magic from a previous recording/demo

i tell artists to either NOT DEMO their songs (just keep rough sketches / live stuff for reference) or buy good enough gear that they can use their demos if need be because there REALLY IS something special about the moment of creation that is elusive and can be impossible to recreate later - a spark of
inspiration that doesn't strike twice.

i've wasted so many hours trying!
the new rules : there are no rules

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Re: recreating demoes and "demo-itis"

Post by roscoenyc » Sat Dec 12, 2020 6:58 am

I specifically ask artists I'm producing not to do demos.
I request solo iPhone/Boom box recordings of the songs and also have them shared w band members/players
so we can all hear "the songs".

One artist complained and said I wouldn't "get it" w/o the harmonies.
I said if that's the case your song isn't done.

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Scodiddly
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Re: recreating demoes and "demo-itis"

Post by Scodiddly » Sat Dec 12, 2020 4:00 pm

roscoenyc wrote:
Sat Dec 12, 2020 6:58 am
One artist complained and said I wouldn't "get it" w/o the harmonies.
I said if that's the case your song isn't done.
I like the idea of having artists produce demos that don't limit what could be done with the song.

On the other hand, there are cassette demos out there of Michael Jackson singing all the parts for hit songs, exactly as they appeared on the final product.

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