well if its just a questionairre, I'll fill one out for short answers, why not? but I'd rather not go into too much detail otherwise I'd be writing a novel.
Q:Why self produce?
because I'm a control freak and I don't like paying for studio time what I can do with my own stuff on my own time
Q: Is self production commercially viable?
i haven't seen it, but i think its more of a 'demo' thing anyway used to get other musicians for live shows or to offer someone who wants to pay for a major recording project to have it re-done pro if they want it.
Q: Why not self produce?
because its limiting having to keep my head straight doing everything by myself in my limited space with my limited gear and only 2 hands. It is nice to have someone else worry about all the audio matters and I just show up and play. This has been my experience working for studio projects and it is much easier to think straight when only thinking about the one thing you have to do
Would it be preferable to work in a studio with other producers and engineers than self produce?
not for the creation process of getting ideas down (which i prefer isolation for), but for the actual tracking and mixing, yes.
Q: Would it be helpful to have recorded in a studio with a producer first?
define 'producer'? as far as i can tell the engineer is the only one it is nice to work with. a producer is a guy who knows what 'sound' he is looking for and putting together the pieces to make that sound by using everyone else involved. Many producers are also engineers or performers, and many performers are all of the above. Someone who's only job is the "producer" is kind of suspect of riding everyone else's talent in my opinion.
Q: Overcoming technical and/or musical limitations?
I don't feel that I have any musical limitations because I play what I play the way I play it and want it played. I don't need to know how to play like Steve Vai or whatever, because my music doesn't need it, that's HIS sctick. As long as you are proficient enough with what you are playing to play what you want things to sound like you aren't limited.
This is two questions as they are very different. Technical limitations like shoddy gear, mediocre (at best) mics, and so on will always be a problem as technology continues to advance to 'dumb down' the recording process into accessibility. There's always something new and shiney to make your life easier that you don't have. But I overcome it by using what I've got for what its good at. A good piece of music or a a good song lyric will still be good even if its played on a crusty old guitar in a train tunnel for accoustics.
Q:Balancing time between technical tasks and music making?
dichotomy is unnecessary... when i'm recording they are all done simultaneously. music making is part of the technical task and vice versa.
Q:Remaining objective about the quality of the recordings?
that i cannot do. I play it for virgin ears on a variety of stereo systems to different people in different places. If they like it its good. But someone else will tell me long before I notice it if the guitars are too shrill or the drums are too bangy or whatever laymans terms they use.
Q: Judging when the work is finished?
so many times i scrap and start over again as i learn something halfway through that i want to do differently. its finished when i get all the way through without wanting to start over
Q: Staying motivated, creating goals?
not really sure what 'goals' to create. if i want to work on a song i work on it. one of the happy things is i'm not on a schedule as i have nobody else to answer to. some days i have hammered through 3 songs start to finish, other times it takes a week or two just messing around with one piece before i get distracted and start something else.
Q: Making money with self produced projects?
i prefer not to sell it. i've used demos to get gigs and the gigs make money - but trying to sell anything in the age of MP3 trading is just like asking people to do you a favor because everyone knows they could find a download if they wanted to anyway.
