At what point...

[ShanPeyton]

Do you just say "screw this" and stop mucking with stuff, tones, mixes, and put yourself out there.

I have stuff i continually keep going back on to thinking i can make the guitars sound better, those drums need less fills and more whatever, or messing around with mixing techniques and mastering (why i don't even know? I am not set up in an environment to do that correctly)

What point do you all say, "there, now thats top notch it's done"

[Greg_L]

I think most of us could obsessively fix and tweak and make changes to the point that the project is never considered finished. I think that's pretty normal home-recording behavior. You do have to reach a point though in which you can say "it's good enough". I know for me, most of things I mess with incessantly are things that people not connected to the song would never even notice. But as you progress in your technique and develop your own habits you'll learn when enough is enough.

It's silly behavior for something that only a tiny handful of people will ever even hear.

[ShanPeyton]

It's silly behavior for something that only a tiny handful of people will ever even hear.

Bingo. I think this is what i needed to hear.

[gecko zzed]

What point do you all say, "there, now thats top notch it's done"

this might help:

There are a number of spirals into which engineers can be trapped.

The spiral of options

This happens when, for example, you are looking for a particular sound, and find yourself exploring the possibilities endlessly. In the end, you've burnt two hours fiddling away on something relatively inconsequential, and are no further forward towards completion.

The spiral of perfection

This happens when, in seeking perfection, you do stuff over and over again until it's right. The result is often dull and boring because you've played all the life out of it. And there is every likelihood that the apparent blemishes would pass unnoticed by the listening audience. The net result is a glorious waste of time and energy.

The spiral of indecision

This happens when you can't decide what to do. Should I use reverb or no reverb? Should there be a guitar lead or a key board lead? Does the vocal need harmonies or not? You explore all these possibilities and get nowhere because you can't decide.

[Xdrummer]

Although this question was posted in the songwriting forum - the specific question seems more appropriate for the mixing forum .............. however, I think the answer is similar for both. I believe one of the hardest things to really learn, either as a writer, an engineer, a producer or an artists is - when is enough, enough?

I know as a home based engineer/producer I spend waaaaay too much time trying to get the right tones and the right effects and the right balance - often for projects that are simply my own "vanity projects" which few people will actually hear (and even less will care about). As a writer, I spend much time (sometimes too much time) trying to re-write to find a better word or phrase to make each line of a song better. As a musician, I know I spend waaaaay too much time trying to find that perfect guitar tone (or riff), or a better bass line, etc. I've been writing and recording for a very long time (decades) and I still have not learned when is enough.

I find (at least in my case) the best scenario is when I have a set time frame (I need a song in the publisher's hands by X date ......... or a studio client needs the mix completed by X date). When I'm forced to meet a deadline, I have to make decisions and live with them - whereas, if there is no deadline, there is nothing to force me to stop .......... and I tweak into infinity.

So - for what it's worth, you are not alone!!!!