Newbie looking advice please!

[jonny7373]

Hi Jonny,

Welcome!

I do instrumentals, not songs. But I suspect you would get better bang for your buck by sharing your songs in P2P, getting feedback on the lyrics, singing and arrangement before spending the money on studio time.

Cheers Rob and Mojobone!

I came to the same conclusion about 10 minutes after sending my last post!

Sedge, thanks for the great info - had a look at reaper and at the moment, it's like learning to fly! I've never used a mixing desk, nevermind an online one! I am a bonefide beginner to all of this! I feel i will be spending a lot of time on youtube tutorials!

Thanks again to everyone for taking the time to type - once I get my tracks cleaned up a bit, I'll post one on p2p to see what your thoughts are - after listening to some of your tracks, I know i'll be getting sound advice.

Jonny.

[guitarhacker]

Jonny,

I can understand the frustration you feel. However, instead of plunking a grand or more on a studio session, I would consider this option.... you said you currently record on 8 track tape.... (thought I saw that back a few posts)....

Instead, consider investing in a low priced DAW software like Sonar x1 essentials or the Music Creator line. I have used Music Creator for over 3 years and it packs a lot of bang for the buck... currently around $50 ready to roll. An interface will set you back another $200 and with that basic set up, you can easily collaborate with others here and elsewhere to record tracks for you.

I work all the time with a piano player in Missouri and a lyricist in Texas, and other musicians around the world.

The advice to get the song correct.... the arrangement, the melody, and all that stuff, is the best advice you can get. A crappy version of a good song, recorded in a nice studio by proficient musicians is still a crappy song and a waste of money. Do your homework first, post in P2P and get feedback.... then record it.

[ottlukk]

Geeezzz . . . I caught the "8-track" comment as well. I had an "8-track" player in my 1968 Austin Healy Sprite. The "casette" was something like an inch thick, 5 inches wide, and 3 inches deep. (and you deviates out there, spare me your comments). Seriously, those cassetes were huge. Didn't use it long, totalled the car one evening. Are there really eight track recordings gizmos still out there?
Ott

[BruceBrown]

Jonny welcome,
Your getting some great advice here, let me add my own two cents.
When I moved to Nashville in 1980 producers wanted to hear guitar/ vocal demos. Scaled down, bare bones. That has changed. It seems to be the new norm that people want to hear full blown produced demos. Even as I write this I know there are exceptions to this rule, but in general it has shifted in that direction. Everybody has home studios now. The singer songwriter all of a sudden has to wear all the hats. Engineer, producer, mixer ect...
This is just an idea but instead of spending cash on studio time, consider taking that money and investing in the tools you need to build your own home studio, then like Ethan said practice, practice, practice. Since I joined Taxi I have had to up my production skills a lot to compete with some of the submissions here. I'm a guitar player but I play bass on my tracks too, recently bought a keyboard to up my midi skills. I've had to step out of my comfort zone, but I feel it goes with the territory now days.
Hope you find some of this rambling helpful.
Good luck, keep pushing forward.
Bruce

[guitarhacker]

8 track.... I'm guessing this is an 8 track studio machine as opposed to what we all held near and dear back in the day..... the infamous 8track tape player in the car, with the obligatory piece of folded paper stuck in the side so it would actually play.

I think they used to make some cassette based machines that were 8 tracks.... I never used one but I'll bet the cross talk was killer.

[mojobone]

To clarify, there are several formats referred to as "eight-track"; Two inch, one inch, half inch and cassette. Cassette eight-track is really two tracks times four "programmes", and really, the worst piece of sh*t format ever foisted on the American public, even though it had some sonic advantages over the 1/4 in stereo cassette, which was originally designed for answering machines.