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That actually sounds like a good song title....

 

So again, maybe I'm looking at this all wrong, but I'm not judging these songs I'm listening to here on this forum as "cd quality", or "done" by any measure. I am assuming people want their songs scrutinized and perfected, advice given when asked for, suggestions made on things to add or cut. BUT, that these songs posted here are a far cry from being ready for print, so to speak. I'm thinking that a song, when finally considered "finished", would then go to a professional recording studio and be produced by an expert. I'm not thinking anyone here is an expert producer, but I could easily be wrong.

What are people here trying to do with their finished works....sell them, make a record, just post them to their Reverbnation channel...what?

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Ditto on the "hobbyist learning a craft" comment... I'm here to get better at communicating some ideas I have and I can't think of another place that would have accepted and tolerated all the crazy racket I've linked here.

I don't think there's much money to be made in music anymore unless you're at the very top but all that stuff is more product than art anyways... I do it for myself- so that eventually I'll have a collection of decent songs that will be fun, memorable, thought provoking, etc that I can be proud of.

And it fills the empty hours between night and day, so there's that as well :)

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Cool topic.

When I post stuff up, I'm really hoping for honest feedback on everything (including the final mix). I'm always trying to improve as a musician/songwriter, but producing is still a fairly new language to me. I'm making a record and producing it, so this forum is a great place to get some "fresh ears".

 

Plus, there are some serious badass musicians here that I just like to listen to.

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Michael, you in particular would be someone that I wonder about. Speaking only for myself, I think you are the best here...the most ready to cut a record. As great as your postings are tho, there are improvements that could be made by a professional. I would LOVE to hear your album that you are wrapping up the songs for, "produced" and finished by a professional recording engineer. What many of us think are great songs now, would probably be incredible.

 

When I see someone post that there is "a hum in the right channel" or something like that, I think to myself, "WHAT!!!! This isn't a professionally made recording. Somebody is doing this in their HOUSE on their computer. It ain't gonna be perfect!!!"

I'm listening to peoples postings and asking myself, "would I buy that? Would I want to hear that on the radio? Would I download that on my computer?" I'm not trying to cherry pick the recording quality.

 

But then, it IS "songwriting and RECORDING critique".....  

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I use Reason 7.1 to record my music  and like to think that it comes out well. What I have found at this site is more emphasis is placed on lyrics. This is just fine but I have always enjoyed writing instrumentals. My peers tell me that instrumental are harder to convey because the listener loses interest to soon which has been my dilemma and a double edged sword.

 

I will not upload anything that I don't feel is ready to be heard just for the sake of a melody. Its a package, the song and production. Sometimes the feedback hurts but usually I wish my music was critiqued more. I hear some songs  that are "hot" with dozens of replies and I think to myself, why? The only rational answer would be the lyrics are being used as a focal point to be critiqued because the music production is really lacking sometimes.

 

I've been doing this kind of thing for 4 decades and was a working musician briefly. Now I do this for fun, but the dream is still there and I guess that keeps me going.

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What are people here trying to do with their finished works....sell them, make a record, just post them to their Reverbnation channel...what?

 

I think the simple answer is whatever they want, which in turn is a massive range of results.

 

A lot of people simply want to learn, attain a new level of experience and expertise, improve themselves etc.

 

Others are trying to achieve the best demo level.

 

Others are pushing their boundaries.

 

Some are aiming high (and yes, there are pro producer members at Songstuff)

 

Those that create for personal reasons, that have ability may post them to help other aspiring songwriters to work harder.

 

The list goes on, in my mind.

 

But you raise a question from me to you - why do you need to know? I accept that someone brave enough to share anything they have created and post here is looking for feedback plain and simple, regardless of what they intend to do with it.

 

Would you only respond to people who want it to be produced? Or would you respond on a carte blanche basis, purely to help and enable them to take it in the direction they wanted, regardless of them saying which direction that is or not?

 

I also think (and thank you for asking this question, as it's raised a good discussion) that perhaps this better suited to be moved to the music lounge for a community-wide discussion, as it may make soome people think more and focus their aims/dreams - Tom?

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Yes, I wasn't sure where to post (pose?) my question, but I thought it would be most read here.

I wasn't trying to start any negative vibes, or single out a response. (The internet is SO hard to try to convey a point. Undoubtedly someone is going to take something you say wrong, others are going to think you're asking something completely different.)

 

What I was asking (quite poorly I might add) was, do most people WANT to know small recording details on the songs they post, or do they want a critique of the song, musically and lyrically? There is a "Lyrics Critique", but songwriting is lumped in with "Songwriting and Recording Critique", so I guess you're going to get your recording skills (of which I have none) critiqued even if you aren't interested in that. For what it's worth, Michael ASKED for "music/vocals/MIX", so any recording critique is warranted. I was just using that as an example.

 

For me, I want to write a song, put it to music, then get opinions on whether it's any good or has promise. I figure if it's any good and I want to then really do something with it, I would get it professionally produced. I wouldn't try to do it myself, so I wouldn't need small recording details and missteps pointed out.

 

What do most people posting here want from the critiques, just an opinion on the song itself, or the whole package including the mix?

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I think your questions will work themselves out with participation.  I've noticed that members who post with specific spacial frequency anomaly questions get spacial frequency anomaly answers.

 

Then there are guys like me.  I'm not sure why I post my songs.  Although I have been writing lyrics for a while, I just started playing guitar.  It seems my songwriting abilities are limited, but still, I post anyway.  I think I use it mostly as a measuring device, and perhaps, I don't know really, but maybe the comments the song receives are like the numbers on the ruler.

 

But, by far the first and most important reason I post here is because I like this forum.  It's honestly that simple for me.

 

Peace

 

MP

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Unless specifically stated by the poster, anything that's posted in a 'critique' board is up for critiquing on all aspects, related to that board.

 

I know profiles state whether they want to accept 'both barrels' - but how many members open a profile up before giving their opinion?

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Well. It depends on how you raise your question I suppose. If you post a song, and ONLY want feedback on whether the melody is good or not or have potensiale. (without any feedback on recording). Then I suppose you will get the feedback you want.

 

I am like you, I lack production skills (is very new to me as well) But for me it wouldn't make sense to ask people to only judge my song just bcs of the melody, then I would sort of exclude the truly important critics that I might get on the record bits. In my opinion is exactly what I need. critics on the parts of the song I am weakest at (production) 

I post here, so I can learn, take advices and develope myself as a musican. i think melody/recording details go hand in hand. You have to have a certain understanding on both to make a complete/ear-friendly song. I am not saying you should/or are expected to be an expert. but an understanding. I think this is important, even if you aim others to produce for you.

 

The critics is also a way of learning aswell and I think we are blessed to have so many different musicians on this forum. (people with production skills, musically skills, and composition skills, and vocal skills) so I am thankful for any feedback I get.

 I have never seen truly harsh critics here, but more as helpful feedback/advices to improve the song. I have truly learned a lot ever since I started to post here!

 

Even if I am a hobby-ist and do not aim to be a pop-star :D. I like my songs to be as good as possible, as I take pride in what I do, and are quite serious with my music, that's why I want to hear all critics on my song (full package)

 

 

 

PS: Sorry about grammar, english is not first language.

Edited by Achazia
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Well, hopefully this thread will quickly die.

 

The written word over the internet is SO subject to misinterpretation. Stuff you say person to person over a friendly beer in a bar comes across COMPLETELY  different in a post on the internet. For example, a smiley face emoticon at the end of a post can TOTALLY change how that statement was interpreted. (not that a smiley face was appropriate here, but the thread was SUPPOSED to be a friendly one)

 

Anyway, I'll save any future big questions for the bar and I apologize to anyone who felt put off by the way I handled this topic.

 

Bob

Edited by glissongs
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If you want studio quality, go buy a freakin' album.. this is a critique board for a reason. While I see where you're coming from I don't believe you see where the people post are coming from. They're not looking to necessarily post a hit on the Hot 40, they just want a critique on their song. What they do with it is their business. This isn't Motown, this isn't the Berklee College of Music and shouldn't be treated as such. It's an open forum, open to the public, if you don't want to critique or don't like the music posted than just log off, simple as that. 

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@ Bob

 

Yes, in black and white, every response above can be misinterpreted, even by yourself :)

 

You created a good topic, a good debate, part of which Songstuff is here for. You've actually got a lot of POSITIVE response.

 

So please don't stop and go to the pub instead :thumbup1:

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