There are no more bad local recordings...

[AstroDan]

Okay, I know that's not true.

But after hearing a bunch, as in nearly all, local bands on the coveted MySpace (why do I go there?), it seems like every band that's been one for less than one month has a 'demo' or 'album' that sounds almost as good as something a revered, seasoned and established engineer and label would have put out 10 to 15 years ago. I mean some of it sounds incredible. And this is just coming from the Northwestern part of Arkansas; I can imagine what a group of 16 year olds are putting down with a pc around the more culturally advantaged parts of the globe.

I know this is sort of like saying "Wow, I can't believe people don't have to walk because of the automobile and they're living past 30!". Because of course technology naturally progresses. But I guess it's finally hitting me that a crappy homemade cassette with thin, cardboard boxy drums, too loudly mixed and clipping flanged guitar, and buried-in-Rocktron-reverb vocals just wouldn't be tolerated today.

Okay, I'm just sounding old.

[Russian Recording]

how can you possibly tell if anything sounds good with the myspace player?

[Seventh Wave Studio]

'demo' or 'album' that sounds almost as good as something a revered, seasoned and established engineer and label would have put out 10 to 15 years ago. I mean some of it sounds incredible.

I love the recordings of seasoned pros from around 1990. Soundgarden, Pearljam, Alice in Chains. I hear many many many bands on MySpace and have not heard of these incredible recordings yet. Point some out!!

Reading what I just wrote, it sounds sarcastic and rude. Honestly, it's not. I'm not "that guy" who says bad things to people!

I am interested in hearing some of these incredible recordings however!

[wiggins]

I know what you mean - I feel "behind the times" because I make local recordings on a 1/4" 8-track - and they sound like it.

I just happen to like the sound of local bands that have "good crappy recordings"...

...does that make any sense?

a "good crappy recording" to me is something that may not be up to par with the accepted quality standard of recordings made locally, but is charming for that very same reason. Reflexively, there are "crappy good recordings" that sound like every thing else you've heard out of so-and-so county for the past so many years.

In the suburbs outside ATL, one's most popular option usually is going to this One Guy, who did some mastodon stuff, and is super cool, but after a while you just get tired of hearing his "sound".

I'd like to think people think my "sound", whatever it may be, is refreshing, but honestly, from my experience,

<u>most people just plain dont give a fuck about recording quality.</u>

[Aj]

I like this post. Don't dog him on the details. I know what he means. Or at least what I think he means.

That is, the overall level of recording quality is so much higher than it used to be. I remember the old 'demo days' of the '80s - when every unsigned bands' sampler came on cassette... and sounded like it was recorded in a box. Underwater.

These days, it's amazing how surprisingly 'decent' stuff sounds, even from kids just starting out. Case in point: my college professor wife just played me a a CD made entirely in a bedroom by one of her students, working alone on a PC (19 year old college undergrad). It's his first album, replicates a full band sound (reminds me of The Decemberists) and it sounds amazing. Seriously, it could be mastered and released as-is.

I'm feeling old.

Adam
drawingroom

[inverseroom]

Songwriting: the Final Frontier.

[standup]

Heh. X-ray Spex came up on the iPod this evening, and even over earbuds after AAC data compression and whatnot you could still tell that was one primitive recording. I heard many, many 80's local band demos that were much higher fidelity than X-Ray Spex. But the tunes weren't as memorable. It's like an old field recording from the 30's -- the song still matters in the end more than the recording.

[;ivlunsdystf]

All those polished-sounding recordings cancel one another out in the world. Has anybody here ever heard of Jacques Attali?

EDIT: So do the crummy old-style local band recordings cancel one another out, too often. But there is an innocence lacking in the new polished recordings that was joyfully present in 1990s demos (I have a small collection of bad old cassette demos, complete with j-cards).

[wiggins]

(...with j-cards).

forgive me... what are these "jay" "cards" you speak of?

[;ivlunsdystf]

(...with j-cards).

forgive me... what are these "jay" "cards" you speak of?

Oh, you know, the j-shaped cassette case insert, ideally made on a photocopier and colored in by hand, along with little liner notes giving special thanks to so-and-so, such-and-such, Zildjian cymbals, and, of course, our lord and saviour Jesus H. Christ.

You know the ones.

[msmith4060]

I know what you mean, but I beg to differ. While the noise has gone down, and the treble has gone up, lots of elements are lost. Dynamics, spatial reference, and clear/solid bass response are still major issues with many recordings done ad-hoc, and it shows...Though technology has changed, what sounds good hasnt, and there will always be a place for trained professionals with good ears and tools.

[wiggins]

While the noise has gone down, and the treble has gone up, lots of elements are lost. Dynamics, spatial reference, and clear/solid bass response are still major issues with many recordings done ad-hoc, and it shows...

Word... double-word on the dynamics and spatial reference losses.

Oh, you know, the j-shaped cassette case insert, ideally made on a photocopier and colored in by hand, along with little liner notes giving special thanks to so-and-so, such-and-such, Zildjian cymbals, and, of course, our lord and saviour Jesus H. Christ.

Man, I knew right after I posted.

J-cards.

Of course!

phstgnaf. agb. h

[Derrick]

I know what you mean - I feel "behind the times" because I make local recordings on a 1/4" 8-track - and they sound like it.

Don't blame 1/4" 8 track machines... I get some bloody sweet ass sounds out of mine... and mine is an old one!

[wiggins]

I know what you mean - I feel "behind the times" because I make local recordings on a 1/4" 8-track - and they sound like it.

Don't blame 1/4" 8 track machines... I get some bloody sweet ass sounds out of mine... and mine is an old one!

Hey now, when i say "and they sound like it" I mean "and they sound GOOD"

as in "better than high school kid with $5k spent on a DAW"

Thats just my opinion though, I'm sure I'm in the minority.

[Derrick]

Good man!