Could you polish turds ?

[grimtraveller]

It's often mentioned that it's good practice to get all the stages right in getting a good recording and that fixing in the mix should be avoided. I agree with all that, yet I'm curious. Artifice has been part of recording for most of it's history, at least implying that it is possible to make something decent out of something that, in it's raw state, is not.
If you were given a set of very poorly recorded tracks and asked to mix them into a decent sounding song that was listenable and could be enjoyed, could you ? I don't mean 'ethically', I mean 'actually'.

 

[black_betty]

It's often mentioned that it's good practice to get all the stages right in getting a good recording and that fixing in the mix should be avoided. I agree with all that, yet I'm curious. Artifice has been part of recording for most of it's history, at least implying that it is possible to make something decent out of something that, in it's raw state, is not.
If you were given a set of very poorly recorded tracks and asked to mix them into a decent sounding song that was listenable and could be enjoyed, could you ? I don't mean 'ethically', I mean 'actually'.

I wonder if anyone's ever actually attempted to literally polish a turd

 

[grimtraveller]

I wonder if anyone's ever actually attempted to literally polish a turd

I think the saying applies in musical circles because something like a turd can't be polished whether moist or hard. It's not given to polishing, unlike say, glass or wood. Personally, I think it's a flawed saying because the last 70 years have shown that, musically speaking, you can polish turds.

 

[Guitargodgt]

Depends on how bad we are talking. Massivly clipping tracks, guitars that are way over gained? Probably not.

I turned this into a listenable (sort of, that statement is very subjective) song. Do I win anything?

Biggest fail ever period.

Yes I did indeed have a group of kids come in and record this, straight face.

 

[miroslav]

The DAW and it's editing/processing abilites is like a special wax that allows you to even polish turds if you want/need to.

 

[jimmys69]

In the stone setting trade, I polish stuff that I assume may be comprised of some dinoturds.

 

[Track Rat]

You can polish a turd, you just have to freeze it first. In answer to your question, it depends. some things can be fixed and some things can't. Occasional sour notes can be tuned or replaced. Digital clipping can not. I've fixed things that I thought were not fixable though. DAW's allow you to do things that were impossible ten years ago but some shit is just not fixable.

 

[tmix]

Yeah...if something is a real turd...it remains a real turd...maybe it is stood up real pretty like rather than laying down...but you still don't want it.
Mixing can fix balance a soundstage, editing can fix the occasional errant noise, but a sucky performance or song remains that even after a million hours of mixing and edits.

 

[tmix]

Depends on how bad we are talking.

I turned this into a listenable (sort of, that statement is very subjective) song. Do I win anything?

OMG! Dude.......(LOL) ...you ought to win something for not spontaneously exploding....I don't know if you really meant to title it Holly...but I would hate to be her...and what was being done to her....and your ears...(LOL)

 

[Steenamaroo]

I wonder if anyone's ever actually attempted to literally polish a turd

mythbusters did it! go on....give it a google

 

[moresound]

In the stone setting trade, I polish stuff that I assume may be comprised of some dinoturds.

Hey Jim. I've got some of those, possibley your work!

 

[Murdersgalore]

Here's some help....

An example of a polished turd.....

 

[Bristol Posse]

Even a polished turd still stinks.like sh!t

 

[Bubba po]

I wonder if anyone's ever actually attempted to literally polish a turd

If you were to dip one in liquid nitrogen then get it on a buffing wheel with a fine compound, I reckon it would come up quite well.

 

[maestro_dmc]

Depends on how bad we are talking. Massivly clipping tracks, guitars that are way over gained? Probably not.

I turned this into a listenable (sort of, that statement is very subjective) song. Do I win anything?

Biggest fail ever period.

Yes I did indeed have a group of kids come in and record this, straight face.

That is bad. I would hate to hear it before polishing.

 

[Lt. Bob]

I wonder if anyone's ever actually attempted to literally polish a turd

Mythbusters did ..... and yes, they polished some crap into shiny surfaces.

 

[benage]

You can actually watch it on you tube (wasn't sure if I can link to copyrighted material), easy to find though (this thread was off track anyway).

 

[jlewis]

I hear polished turds on the radio all the time

 

[benage]

The idea of laminating a turd is starting to appeal...

 

[Armistice]

Depends on how bad we are talking. Massivly clipping tracks, guitars that are way over gained? Probably not.

I turned this into a listenable (sort of, that statement is very subjective) song. Do I win anything?

Biggest fail ever period.

Yes I did indeed have a group of kids come in and record this, straight face.

OMG.... I don't even know where to start with that... they had met each other before they walked into the studio, hadn't they?