Mistakes - Close to Extinction!

[Alex Dunn]

Dear Composers,

 

My question to everyone is - 'Does anyone really care THAT much about hearing errors in 'studio' recordings?'

 

I have recently discovered the incredible joy of producing finished music through one-take free improvisation. That is, I find a sound, press record, play as well I can, press stop, mix, master, and consider the piece finished. The results are wild, intriguing, edgy, organic, prolific - and full of mistakes.

 

Is there anyone else out there who secretly wishes to compose their music ten times faster and consider the mistakes, bum notes and mixing errors as just another natural feature of the music rather than consider them as failings and things to be hidden?

 

Do please let me know your thoughts or ask me to clarify my question if it is unclear.

 

All the best,

 

Alex

 

 

 

 

[Noah Fraioli]

But, if the music is never finished, how are we supposed to move on? D:

Raymond Kemp said:

Clarification required.

Your incredible joy in recording your one take free improvisation? Can we hear the result before we decide if it is enjoyable.

The results are wild? intriguing? edgy? organic? prolific? and full of mistakes (probably) again this is your opinion can we hear so as we can have our own opinion?

No clarification needed for:

bum notes and mixing errors should be corrected and yes! MOST people care about the quality of the recorded music they listen to. 

Don't consider your music finished EVER!

The one-take example you give implies live performance. You will never play it the same way twice.

The whole essence of "studio" recording is the possibilities of correction over a series of takes.

Though, if you feel you've done enough don't beat yourself up about it, just move on to something else.

[Alex Dunn]

Hi Raymond,

The first track in my player, 'First Breath', was created using my mentioned 'one-take' approach. Though I will shortly upload examples which show the more volatile side this approach. 'First Breath' is a bit of a cop-out because I'm relying on known chords and melodic figures to create a 'nice' sound world. 

Also, thanks for your replies to my other questions. It's good to find someone who gives a strong, definite opinion on a subject. 

All the best,

Alex

Raymond Kemp said:

Clarification required.

Your incredible joy in recording your one take free improvisation? Can we hear the result before we decide if it is enjoyable.

The results are wild? intriguing? edgy? organic? prolific? and full of mistakes (probably) again this is your opinion can we hear so as we can have our own opinion?

No clarification needed for:

bum notes and mixing errors should be corrected and yes! MOST people care about the quality of the recorded music they listen to. 

Don't consider your music finished EVER!

The one-take example you give implies live performance. You will never play it the same way twice.

The whole essence of "studio" recording is the possibilities of correction over a series of takes.

Though, if you feel you've done enough don't beat yourself up about it, just move on to something else.

[Alex Dunn]

Hi Noah,

I agree with you completely on your point. I know all too well how hard it is to be comfortable with one's own music but one has to move on at some point.

I started using free improvisation as means of coping with my lack of ability to finish any piece I started. The idea goes, instead of fret over one half-finished song, fret over ten fully finished free improvisations! At least there is a healthy body of material there to worry about, not just a handful of unfinished pipe dreams.

Hope this makes sense. 

Alex :)

Noah Fraioli said:

But, if the music is never finished, how are we supposed to move on? D:

Raymond Kemp said:

Clarification required.

Your incredible joy in recording your one take free improvisation? Can we hear the result before we decide if it is enjoyable.

The results are wild? intriguing? edgy? organic? prolific? and full of mistakes (probably) again this is your opinion can we hear so as we can have our own opinion?

No clarification needed for:

bum notes and mixing errors should be corrected and yes! MOST people care about the quality of the recorded music they listen to. 

Don't consider your music finished EVER!

The one-take example you give implies live performance. You will never play it the same way twice.

The whole essence of "studio" recording is the possibilities of correction over a series of takes.

Though, if you feel you've done enough don't beat yourself up about it, just move on to something else.

[Michael Tauben]

Although you can never attain it, the goal should be perfection.

[Alex Dunn]

Hi Michael,

That's an interesting comment. I personally disagree with you because I don't believe perfection exists in an objective sense. Also, from the point of view of morale, I would never like to think of my pieces as doomed to failure to reach their goal, even if the goal is perfection.

Thanks for your comment.

Alex :)

[Michael Tauben]

You're right, perfection is in the mind. 

I guess it all depends why one composes and for me it's a matter of pleasure in the act of the creation.

Each to their own. Personally I like to choose every note very carefully and will re-write until satisfied.

Like Ray says though, when listening back in the future there will always be things I feel I could have done better but I prefer to move on to pastures new.

Alex Dunn said:

Hi Michael,

That's an interesting comment. I personally disagree with you because I don't believe perfection exists in an objective sense. Also, from the point of view of morale, I would never like to think of my pieces as doomed to failure to reach their goal, even if the goal is perfection.

Thanks for your comment.

Alex :)

[Rus White]

No - especially not from a production standpoint.

However, one shouldn't ignore this things either:

"If it's good to you, it's good period!"

However, you cannot totally rely on this - especially from a production standpoint!

There hasn't been a time where I've mixed and "mastered" a song - left for a good minute - only to come back and go: "Goodness! I had no clue how bad this sounded!" People will bring up the "amateurish" attempts; however, it's not as if the professionals don't go through this either - only just not as much because of their well-tuned ears. Which one also needs - however, this doesn't completely disregard the above advice.

Having said this, from a composition standpoint ...

For me, probably not; however, as with the production aspect, once you become enamoured, you really notice if an error occurs because you should have noticed it.

Nothing like Exporting a song with a simple progression only to notice a wrong note in there. Sure, it's not a big deal. However, if it's a run-though with a band or orchestra (provided you didn't provide the sheet music.) If the violas play a D when it should have been a C, but they say - "That's what I heard!" Is it enough to screw up the entire piece? No, as you'll get "mistakes" upon live play. (Mistakes is quoted because live music is played differently than recorded music. I won't get into that though)

I've heard the argument that recordings lack humanity. By this, I'm referring to DAW use where everything is "perfect." Constant volume, dynamics, instruments that don't break from playing, etc. Then, using the functions within said programs to make it sound more human (IOW, variance to the aforementioned)

I've counter this by saying: while evoking humanity within a recording - don't fall into the trap of putting somebody behind what playing as that'll be where your composition suffers.

Perhaps you are a perfectionist or perhaps you can deal with a few errors; however, you don't want to seem like you just threw it together because it'll show. Even total randomness needs and even has a structure (that's something else, but it ties in with chaos and order. What you speak of, I hope, is "Controlled Chaos.")

But, for me, even if I weren't a perfectionist, I strive to keep my music as controlled/orderly as possible.

[Alex Dunn]

Hi Rus,

Thanks for your reply and your opinion. 

It sounds like my idea of total free improvisation is a sensitive issue. I guess it attacks the boundary that separates professional from complete newbie. 

I feel most people want music that sounds like it took a lot of hard work and skill. I don't feel like this anymore. I don't agree with hard work or skill in principle. 

Keep the replies coming!

Alex :)

[Fredrick zinos]

Most efforts to create a "new" piece of music begin with improvisation. But just noodeling around on an instrument is not composition. It IS improvisation and only that. If you are content with that level of development, so be it. Composing by its nature requires "hard work" and "skill" two attributes you claim to eschew. Maybe you can make a living as a musical improvisor but don't be surprised if it doesn't work.

 

One other thought: How would you feel about a surgeon who was ready to cut you open, who beleived he could replace skill and hard work with "improvisation?"

[Tombo Rombo]

I agree with Frederick that what you are describing is indeed improvisation, not composition.  I don't think that makes it bad, they are simply different processes.  I've heard great improvisations and poor compositions and vice versa. Work whatever way you want Alex, the important thing is if it ends up being good, which of course is subjective.  If you can live with the mistakes, good for you.  If other people listen and go "ewww", good for them.

[Michael Tauben]

Actually, looking at the original question, I notice that Alex is referring to errors in studio recordings as opposed to methods of composing. Two completely separate processes for 'composers' although not if you're a 'sound designer'. Personally, I  make a distinction between the two disciplines.

[Alex Dunn]

Thanks for the above replies since my last post.

I think, as Michael Tauben just said, we are straying just a little from my original question which is whether people mind listening to mistakes (by which I mean discordant features) on studio recordings. In a sense, the free improvisation part of my original discussion post is further from the main point than I realised and is a little confusing.

I myself am perfectly happy with my compositional/improvisatory approach to music. I am really only interested to see if there is anyone else out there who takes a similar viewpoint to me or if I am more or less alone in thinking the way I do.

On with the discussion :)