What's your criteria for letting finished music be heard?

Hello everyone. I just recently finished a bunch of stuff using Reason 4.0, and doing a few tunes with my S80 and PC2R. I'm working on getting them at the same level using some of the great advice I got here, but I'm wondering, do you guys wait and re-listen and edit something before you release it or let it be heard, and if so how long? I've only "dropped" one other "album" before, and since it was the first set of music I had written for keys I wanted to get it out ASAP!!! I just play and write and record for my own enjoyment, the only people that are gonna hear it are a few of my friends, and other associates that are interested. I've been listening to it over and over, and it seems like every time I do I notice a mistake or get an idea. I'm wondering how much time you guys wait and how many times you listen to it and or re-work it before you let it be heard. I'm also posting this in the Recording forum...I hate to keep double posting, it's just that I'm not sure what goes in what! Mods, if you get a minute, please let me know what is appropriate in each forum. Thanks!

I have to feel that the song really gets across what I want to get across sonically and emotionally to release it. If there are mistakes that bug the crap out of me, I fix them. If they are just little incidental things, then I let it go even though I can fix just about anything in a DAW.

When someone asks or if I want to show some one. I am usualy confidient with something if I export it to a file from cubase. So if it got exported it good enough for the world.

If you wait until things are perfect you will never get anything done. Slap it on the ass and get it out the door. Chips fall where chips may fall and life goes on.

Led Zeppelin released two of the most important albums in history in a single year.

As soon as something sounds tasty and "error free" I'm prepared to let people hear it.

You guys all make great points, and they're all kind of in line with what I'm thinking, and that I'm obsessing over things I shouldn't be. Glad to know I'm not going crazy! Thanks!!!

I make sure I've removed all the suck from it. Then it's good to go.

Yeah, if it's got the vibe and all, then it's time to let it be heard.

My feeling now is that with automation, there's absolutely no reason why I can't get it to sound great. I don't obsess over details, but with automation in the DAW, it's like having ten pairs of hands doing the mix. Pretty great! But no, I don't obsess over details...just gotta have the feel, the vibe.

If the bar count comes out the end for all the parts, I figure that's close enough.

I tend to fix drum tracks too much and it leaves them a little stale. If it groves let it go. If it is obvious fix it. Some of the best stuff that I have exported as a final cut have been live takes so spending too much time in the digital mixing stage is almost counter productive. Also ... turn off your monitor when you listen back to the music before you export it. Music is about the ears not the eyes and you will end up watching the mixing software.

Love the comment about the led zeplin tracks so true.

We once did a session of all reel to reel 2 track stereo. Not being able to fix it in the mix allowed us to focus on the sound coming from the sources and at the end we got some really great stuff. The point is that it is music meant to be heard so let the world hear it as soon as it doesn't suck.

Yeah, turn off the monitor, as you suggested, or simply turn around and listen. This is all about listening.

I have one rule about when it's time to play a song for someone: only play it when it's done.

I have a good friend, known for years and has been very supportive and enthusiastic about my music and projects. I played a song for him that was not fully mixed, i.e. the background vocals weren't complete, the guitars weren't loud enough. I knew he would like the song - WHEN IT WOULD BE FINISHED - but thought he'd be able to listen through that and hear what I heard. His reaction was 'meh'. He's a good friend so I didn't take it poorly. But I learned my lesson. I can't escape the need to make a good first impression, even if it's with my best friend.

So, when is a song 'finished'? For me, when all performance issues that I know I can correct - such as a poorly performed bass line, or vocals which need to be more consistent or in tune, all the garnish I know the song could use, and the vision and emotion have been achieved, that's when a song is finished.

I listen to my songs a lot more than I mix them. And you're right, there's always some error or something that doesn't groove right, or a performance is just not a brilliant as I hoped. Most things, other people won't hear. Music is an illusion and as soon as the music starts playing, the illusion - which is beyond your control - begins. You have no control as to what others hear, and for the most part people hear the good stuff, and never notice the imperfections as they accept what they hear as what you intended them to hear. I mean, I listen to other people's stuff and don't listen to errors. It has to be a pretty big gaff such as horribly intonated guitars, or massive timing errors for me to notice. But still, I don't question what I hear most of the time as I assume it's what they wanted me to hear.

Again, when is done? When everything I don't want you to hear is gone and everything I know I have done to the best of my abilities is complete.

When I am happpy with it I release it.

Don't go overboard or it will never be finished....my current problem.

When my wife tells me it's finished.

I'd be on a mix for a week, if she wouldn't make me stop.

She says, "Less clicking, more playing."

She is right, you know.

I usually decide something is finished when I can hear it as a complete song rather than just hearing the individual pieces.