Sjoko2's mastering offer scam

[bigfoot]

Did anyone submit anything to Sjoko in response to his offer to provide mastering for homewreckers back in July 2001? I sent him material in August and after him cashing my check for $225 and repeated assurances from him that he would do the mastering, I never received anything back or a refund. I guess he's too "professional" or "busy" but why does he not return phone calls or email and why did he post the offer in the first place? Anyone have any thoughts? By the way, I see from his posts he's not too busy to chat on this board.

[Blue Bear Sound]

It's likely an oversight - he doesn't seem like the type to blow people off....

Bruce

[Queue]

I'd imagine he'll come clean on that one. What with his place being called NGS Productions (or something of the like). The NGS is for Nobody Gets Screwed. I remember something about him having problems linking the "real people" up with their Homerec aliases...

Queue

[Queue]

Did you try calling?

(805) 895-8852 (from ngsproductions.com)

Queue

[MISTERQCUE]

The slow response is that sjoko just recently had major surgery
and didn't have the strenght for any kind of physical work.
Give him a lil mo' time as he is still recuperating!

[Wallycleaver]

Seems like you are in a rush, did you let him know? $225 for reputable mastering services isn't bad AT ALL!! There is one decent place here in Colorado thats booked pretty far in advance, think about all the home recers that sent hims stuff.

[brokenwindow]

If it makes a difference, I sent a demo in to him and got it back. It was a week or 2 later than planned...but I did get it.

[mixmkr]

Sjoko2 mastering offer IS A SCAM. No reputable business accepts money, then dismisses any form of acknowledgement of such transaction. Not answering emails, or even a simple reply as to when he'll get to it, "hey, I got your money", or "I'm really busy...give me another couple weeks..etc" is the beginnings to a ripoff. You guys that think you could send money, and are "rushing it" (by wanting a response/acknowledgement within two months), or think he is recovery from surgery for two months, or "simply an oversight" ought to smell the roses. I sent a CD, only to waste my time with emails (with no response) for well over two months also. The only way I got his attention was thru this message board...and then his story would change. He offered to listen first, then they gave me some line that he already had several hours into it by transferring it to another format. blah, blah, blah... Shit...I sent the man an audio CDr......no CD player to listen in??? really??!! Finally, I got a final email...he wasn't interested in mastering my project. Not that I need HIS personal reason as to why....but I'm glad I'm not trying to do business, long distance, with the dude. I'd think people that take money, and then re-nig on services ought to watch their backside. I'd drive the distance if only to make a point, and "bring to justice" the people that try to rip you off. Sjoko is probably living in some friggin cave somewhere in hiding like someone else so popular on the news nowadays.

[Queue]

Starting to smell a bit bad...

We'll see what else this thread brings.

Queue

[sjoko2]

well well, you live and learn don't you.

While I really don't feel I ought to provide any explanations here, I really feel these posts are a bit sick to say the least, so I better.

I made the offer to do some mastering at cost here, and in another private pro forum. The main reason, to fine-tune the facility. Secondary reason, for some homewreckers it was a chance to get something mastered professionally at a fraction of the normal cost.
Naturally, tuning a facility means stop - start, its not a normal commercial turn-around operation.
Over a 4 week period I did quite a number of projects, as you can imagine. After that time I had to stop, with three projects unfinished, Jacob's, David's and Larry's. Jacob's CD was finished last Saturday, David and Larry's will be finished this week. These are , by the way, the only things I am doing, full stop.
The reason I stopped working are quite simple, I had surgery, which involved the removal of bone from my upper jaw, and replacing it with bone from my hip. Not very pleasant, sort of gives you slightly sore head, and also effected my sinusses and my hearing. Result; I have not worked on music for many weeks, I started again last week working on mastering for just a couple of hours.

David, I did send you an email, in your response you made me aware of your post here. You know exactly what's what.

mixmkr - if I would have been you I definately would not have made those comments. If I make an offer to do something cheap for homewreckers, I'm afraid I reserve the right to decide what I will and what I will not do. What I would not do was load your music up, analyse it, then report what I thought I could do to improve it, before you giving me the go ahaid to do the mastering.
Basically, that was doing the mastering without actually doing it.
Sorry - you overstepped the mark by quite a margin.
Had you been someone I knew quite well from this forum, I still might have done it, but in your case, I decided you were the person to stay well clear off, for good reason it seems. Your songs are all about God, Jezus, etc. Great. Try and apply a bit of that message, you need it, people like you make me positivily sick.

I did work on some really cool stuff from here though, and enjoyed it. Rest assure, never again.
In the end, David, if you get your disk back and its not well mastered, THEN you have a reason to complain.

[Track Rat]

Sjoko, sorry to hear about the sugery, hope your feeling better.
As far as the whinners, let me see if I got this straight. You're getting a professional level service that normally costs well over $1000 for $250 and not only do you piss and moan about it but you trash the person on a BBS for his efforts. As with all jesus freaks, no good deed goes unpunished. That's the main reason I won't take work from "Praise" bands (lord save us).
I suppose it's like selling a car to some you know, it's a bad idea.

[Blue Bear Sound]

Just a tip for the future....

Human nature is remarkably consistent - we all prefer to establish our identity and work very hard to maintain that. Even on the web, we do the same thing, establish an identity and maintain it consistently so that people get a sense of who we are and what we're all about....

Someone who posts here regularly and has very high visibility on the forum is far less likely to be someone who screws people around. Doing so would diminish their established identity and any respect they've earned via the content of their posts.

From Sjoko's posts, it is self-evident that he is a pro and experienced, and as well, is of a nature to help people, as his frequent participation here demonstrates. It is precisely this reason that I was fairly confident in saying Sjoko had cause for what BigFoot was describing as an unlikley scenario for someone who's earned the board's respect such as Sjoko has.

If Sjoko were trying to screw people over, he wouldn't be wasting time sharing his knowledge and providing the excellent resource to this board as he has..........

Just some points to consider if this situation ever arises again, with anyone doing business with any of the resident pros here.....

Sjoko - I hope your recovery is imminent and that you feel better soon.

Bruce

[MISTERQCUE]

Originally posted by mixmkr
Sjoko2 mastering offer IS A SCAM. No reputable business accepts money, then dismisses any form of acknowledgement of such transaction. Not answering emails, or even a simple reply as to when he'll get to it, "hey, I got your money", or "I'm really busy...give me another couple weeks..etc" is the beginnings to a ripoff. You guys that think you could send money, and are "rushing it" (by wanting a response/acknowledgement within two months), or think he is recovery from surgery for two months, or "simply an oversight" ought to smell the roses. I sent a CD, only to waste my time with emails (with no response) for well over two months also. The only way I got his attention was thru this message board...and then his story would change. He offered to listen first, then they gave me some line that he already had several hours into it by transferring it to another format. blah, blah, blah... Shit...I sent the man an audio CDr......no CD player to listen in??? really??!! Finally, I got a final email...he wasn't interested in mastering my project. Not that I need HIS personal reason as to why....but I'm glad I'm not trying to do business, long distance, with the dude. I'd think people that take money, and then re-nig on services ought to watch their backside. I'd drive the distance if only to make a point, and "bring to justice" the people that try to rip you off. Sjoko is probably living in some friggin cave somewhere in hiding like someone else so popular on the news nowadays.

Considering sjoko's reply to your accusations,do you feel a little bit, say "- - - - - -" !!?? You figger it out!

[mixmkr]

Originally posted by MISTERQCUE



Considering sjoko's reply to your accusations,do you feel a little bit, say "- - - - - -" !!?? You figger it out!

do I feel "- - - - - -"? .....no....not at all. Just that I passed up on a bad apple who never responded to personal emails. I wasn't stupid enough to send the guy money first, and be in a non controlling situation. He offered to listen to the project first and offer recommendations. I could go back to the forum post where I asked such and he replied to something "listenings free...." But you all know where that post is anyway. And like his response here, he said he "had to load the music up....etc" and paralleled it to actually starting to master. Well, if he has to "load music up" to listen to it first, that is his right, but I feel at his expense, since he said "hey, listenings free." BTW, no CD player Sjoko. Also, if you feel you don't want to master something, OF COURSE that is your choice...no doubt about it. I am just commenting on your actions in my situation, which seem to be like Bigfoots....no responses. I still say, if Bigfoot sent money, has not gotten any replies for over two months, the guy is a scam, whether he masters great or not. You don't treat customers like that. That attitude Sjoko, in your words, "makes me positively sick."

[MISTERQCUE]

Originally posted by sjoko2
The reason I stopped working are quite simple, I had surgery, which involved the removal of bone from my upper jaw, and replacing it with bone from my hip.

"My hip bone connected to my jaw bone! My jaw bone connected to my knee bone, my knee bone connected to my neck bone,
and I ain't goin ta' sckool n-e morrrrrrre !!!!!"

Sorry man, I'm bored at work again!

[Tom Hicks]

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
regards
Tom

[sjoko2]

Thanks guys.
Track Rat - re the 'praise bands' - that was my first encounter, I get the picture now. Which still leaves me amazed about how you can avocate one thing, and do the opposite.

[Wallycleaver]

If a client need anything mastered, I'm recomending sending it to Sjoko2 over any other place. A local place here does great work but are booked quite far in advance. mixmkr, you seem to be fighting a loosing battle. You got a great deal and you are bitching about it. Beggers can't be choosers. If you want it so bad get a refund and send it to another mastering house. You can be a little patient, get great results OR with the same money take it to some one with a a cheesy plug in mastering and some home stereo speakers? (Sorry to all who do that I'm not meaning to offend anyone)

[Queue]

wally,
read again, mixmkr did not send any money.

Queue

[Wallycleaver]

My bad.......you still shouldn't bitch, he's trying to hook you up.

[VOXVENDOR]

It's hilarious and sad to see all this. I left this board because of piss poor attitudes and bullshit flying around like mosquito's in the middle of August 3-4 months ago....Every so-often, actually about once a month I step back inside the ring, and see if anything interests me..... This one caught my eye!

I emailed Sjoko way back ... even before that offer he put out, and asked him if he would give a listen to my stuff.... he said yeah, and I sent him the cd.... Well I don't even think it was a week since sending it all the way from Ontario, Canada that he responded after having listened to my work...

I believe his exact words on my song were "I love the concept... it sounds good" ... (Which is what most real-carreer engineers say about my recordings) However, he did point out 1 mistake, which the others didn't, which I already knew about, and only trained ears could hear... (The very last 4-5 seconds of the song got a tad cut off in places.. due to my rushed and overzealous editing. It,s just a few milliseconds here and there and was so very minor, that most would have left it... Well he pointed it out..

He also suggested I add a bit of reverb to the chourus... (Which i still haven't done... I love the dry sound of the 40+ vocal layers, but yeah naturally one should put reverb in a place like that..)....Another Pro engineer from a studio in my city suggested reverb on the chorus vocals also.. Sjoko Definately has ears...

I guarantee you he has the most experienced and has the best ears on this board... You people are lucky to have him.... He could just say.. 'Fuck 'em"... Im outta here, sort of like what I did (I am known to be extremely intolerant...)...But knowing his character, he will stay on and continue to help you guys...


I can smell bullshit and inexperience a 300 miles away...
Sjoko IS real.

Cherish him, he is the only real world class pro here.

Joe

[Blue Bear Sound]

Hey Joe...

Nice seeing ya agin!

[George Parler]

Originally posted by sjoko2
Thanks guys.
Track Rat - re the 'praise bands' - that was my first encounter, I get the picture now. Which still leaves me amazed about how you can avocate one thing, and do the opposite.

Not everyone who sings and plays christian music walk the talk. But that dosen't mean all christian singers/musicians are like that. Please don't let you first impression of one be your lasting impression of all. I try to deal and consider people individually regardless of their affiliations or the lack thereof.

Hope you have a quick recovery from your surgery.

Sincerely,

<><
George

[smellyfuzz]

Sjoko2,



As controversial & unpopular as I may be I want you to know that I
acknowledge the many hours spent educating us homers & the dedication
it take to do the posting that you do.

Any member worth his weight in spit would assume that your mastering
offer was genuine & to give homers further education & a break.

I feel the need to apologize for these complete FUCKING IDIOTS
for their lack of trust & understanding.

I for one although was unable to use your services at the time, am grateful
that you offered the mastering.

Please, please keep posting & teaching us all about Music Fidelity.



LOVE,
SEAN

[charger]

I'll master anyone's work for 25$. What you get for my low-low-price:

1. I'll convert your CDR to digital audio .
2. I'll run each channel separately through my specially modified, extra-fancy, extremely rare and expensive Boss EQ-7 effect for frequency-dependent audio enhancement.
3. Dependent on genre, I will listen and decide whether to apply the extra-special "IbanezTubeScream" analog boost technology, or the even more special "ProCoRat" sound enhancing technology. Believe me, it will be phat, punchy, and huge sounding! For special projects, one stereo channel can be treated with each type of boost. This creates a unique, professional sound that really catches a DJ's ear!
4. Final mastering is a painstaking process involving turning knobs until things are really friggin loud, followed by compression, limiting, more compression, and more limiting for that really "hot" sound.
5. Finally, for that nouveau underground sound, bit reduction can be applied. I can take your sound from the sterile, crisp world of high-fidelity, 24-bit, 44.1 kHz all the way down to the ultra fresh and underground 1-bit, 1 kHz world. Along the way are some fascinating stops!
6. All music is tested and verified on BOTH my really fine Phillips walkman stereo headphones AND on my Panasonic so-old-I-cant-determine-the-model analog tape deck.

At Rip Ewoff Mastering and Leatherworks, I accept product from all denominations, faiths, cults, credos, national origins, sexual orientations, planets, and even lawyers. So send me your check today!