Are you too critical when it comes to music?

[spectorbass83]

I am starting to think I am being too critical with my band, especially during the recording process. This weekend, we recorded vocals for our upcoming demo and I just kept thinking it wasnt strong enough and that the singer was singing out of his range in the choruses.. My drummer (producer) says I am over thinking this...

Does anyone else here think they are too critical??

[Tony G]

everyone becomes overcritical of their own work. Its a hard thing to deal with. I struggle with this always. I can't help you, but at least I can tell you that you aren't alone.

[ras1983]

aren't we all over-critical? don't we all demand perfection of ourselves and other musicians? whether we attain that perfection(not bloody likely) doesn't seem to matter, i'm always critiquing myself. basically i'm always identifying negatives to overcome. if i'm fixing negatives, i'm gaining positives by default.

i treat other musicians with the same philosophy. it doesn't matter what we did well, i want to know what went wrong and how to fix it.

i think its important for amateurs to be over-critical because thats the only way that we'll be good enough to be professionals eventually.

[wolfs]

At some point you have to cut and run with what you got... but if there's time to be critical and you're not hindering the process in a real sense, by all means, voice your criticisms. Constructive criticisms, I should say. Just approach it from a very positive, very impersonal, very professional standpoint... As long as you're willing to be coolheaded and also open to listening to others, it shouldn't be a problem.

Also, don't expect you're going to get exactly what it is you want, but at least be willing to make some sort of compromise... the only way you can get exactly what you want out of a deal, is to be able to walk away from the situation entirely, and I'm assuming that you don't want to do that with your band over one relatively specific issue...

[Indi86]

Being too critical of your own work in the studio seems likely only to hurt your wallet. Be as critical as you can afford- you only get one chance to make that first impression with your demo.

[BassChuck]

My rule in the studio is, "Don't bitch if you don't have a cure".
I just think its wrong to complain and then expect someone else to come up with an answer to fix things. If you're good enough to know when something is wrong, you should be good enough to know what's right.

[spectorbass83]

some good points here. thanks.
i wouldnt say I am hindering the recording process by being critical. My bandmates ask me what i think, and I tell them. If I feel something could be better and will improve the song then I bring it up and suggest what should/should not be done. I am not a d*ck when I do this and approach this professionally.

[PaulMacCnj]

The only thing that I'm critical about is that the instruments are in tune. There are two guitarists in my band. The one is very good about keeping in tune. The other has the "that's good enough" approach. It's frustrating to say the least.

Paul Mac

[spectorbass83]

Originally Posted by PaulMacCnj

The only thing that I'm critical about is that the instruments are in tune. There are two guitarists in my band. The one is very good about keeping in tune. The other has the "that's good enough" approach. It's frustrating to say the least.

Paul Mac

That would drive me crazy!

[agreatheight]

I am ultra critical, especially in recording. I have been in too many projects where, when it's done, you have to explain or apologize for the recording not sounding the way you want it too. I got sick of it. So I built a studio in my house and really started to learn both how to record music and how to play music in a studio setting. I spend a lot of time in my studio working on it and it's finally starting to show. But along the way I really pissed off everyone I have worked with, lol. So now I am forced to play every instrument myself. 5 years ago I really only played bass seriously. On my newest recording I am playing everything, bass, drums, guitars, piano and I do all of the singing. What's funny is because I have been working hard at it my playing is surprisingly solid, even to a click. Even my singing is better overall because I have gotten used to studio singing. I have to simply parts a bit, but I tend to think most people overplay anyway, and I am playing the parts better than the players I used to work with.

I decided that I was going to work as hard as I could possibly work on this, and I have - music is very important to me. I can't think of anything else I would rather spend my time on.

[markjazzbassist]

yeah man im the over critical one in the band. There's one in every group

[morf]

I personally think its a good thing to be over critical, if you can ever be over critical with your own music. If I'm recording I expect things to be perfect and exactly the way the band wants them seeing as we'd be paying a high studio fee. I dont think its a problem, being over critical is just fine but you have to take into account the mastering and what it'll bring to the music. Many good bands omit doing this and end up with poor masters, just look at RHCP, all their masterings suck pretty bad. Not enough criticizing in the studio, its a shame because with a good mastering their CDs would sound a WHOLE lot better.

Point of the story: be over critical, its a good thing.

[Lazylion]

Originally Posted by morf

I personally think its a good thing to be over critical, if you can ever be over critical with your own music. If I'm recording I expect things to be perfect and exactly the way the band wants them...
...be over critical, its a good thing.

Yeah, but... be careful of the egos you are dealing with. It's surprisingly easy to make a band explode while recording. Be realistic about what is possible. The studio can be tough on your mental picture of your skill level. Even the big boys bring in producers to hand over the decision-making to. There are good reasons for that.