Just a short demo I recorded...

[icystorm]

I think Ray's point is that perfectionism, by definition, means that you are not satisfied until perfection has been achieved. If you "can be a perfectionist, yet rationalize that perfection is often an unachievable, illogical goal" then Ray (and I) would argue that you are not really a perfectionist. You are in fact a realist.

Excellent post, Gecko. I only snipped the bulk of it for the sake of brevity, but you made a lot of great points.

I would respectfully argue that one can be a perfectionist and a realist. I think what we are discussing is a matter of degrees, not absolutes.

Perfectionists are confronted with reality and must respond to life in some degree. I do agree that the more extreme perfectionists chose not to start or complete tasks, but at what measurable threshhold does one cease to exist as a perfectionist and begin to exist as a realist?

Beyond the discussion of what constitutes perfectionism, I liked your input and output repair suggestion to my circular logic dilemma. Good stuff!

Quick note to RayC: I meant no disrespect to your opinions or ideas in my previous response. In fact, I think this is an interesting discussion all around.

Cheers,
Joseph

 

[Whatmysay]

God I go away for a couple of weeks and everyone starts worrying about perfectionism. I never let mediocrity get in the way of a good song.

I would concur with all above on your short demo - nice work on guitar and vox fine to my ear. I'd play around with keys to try and find the real quality Q of your voice, but you've got a good indie sound to me if that is your genre of choice.

Perhaps if you get something written you'll find your tone more easily than doing covers.

Hope to hear more

 

[Casjam]

I'm sort of a perfectionist when it comes to music. I keep doing things over and over until I really like the sound of it, which can be really frustrating when recording as sometimes I just can't get what I want;

Aren't we all perfectionists!

I can't tell you how many times I told myself "ok, just one more take, and that's it"... cut to 20 minutes later and I've done 20 additional takes!

At that point, you'd be serving your song well by giving it a rest, taking a break, come back in a day or two, and assess your progress with a refreshed approach.

 

[gecko zzed]

cut to 20 minutes later and I've done 20 additional takes!

At that point, you'd be serving your song well by giving it a rest, taking a break, come back in a day or two, and assess your progress with a refreshed approach.

I'd take the break a lot sooner. I think that the best takes usually are within the first three or four. After that you end up in the realm of diminishing returns.

 

[Whatmysay]

I'd take the break a lot sooner. I think that the best takes usually are within the first three or four. After that you end up in the realm of diminishing returns.

Snap to that. I use to worry about getting 3 verse, a chorus and a bridge done in one session and I would 'chase the tigers tail' until I did. Usually it resulted in poor work after the natural energy of the session had evaporated and would lead to rewrites anyway.

Eventually I began to trust my craft more than my inspiration. Sometimes I just get a chorus or verse done, before I know to 'let it lie'. Still songs come out whole on occasion, but only when they flow I no longer force it.

I trust that there are good lyrics/music in me and that they just arrive by two different roads; inspiration and craft. I think as you get older more come via the seconded path or maybe you become less able to distinguish the difference.