My band just finished our first recording session! We saved for months to book time at a professional studio with an experienced engineer- a real investment in the future of this band. And now, listening back to the scratch tracks we just recorded, I feel confident in saying we can skip the rest of this process. We should just release these rough mixes as they are.
They sound fucking awesome! Way better than the voice memo demos we’ve been listening to. And now the studio wants us to pay even MORE money to get the tracks mixed?! I know a scam when I see one.
Do we really even want all that slick production? Why would we water down our songs with depth and nuance when we could just put a disclaimer on the album cover that says, “Play it fuckin’ loud!” And maybe, “Turn the bass up on your stereo a little bit.” We make DIY music. Our audience should do their own DIY mixing.
These songs sound really good, or at least good enough. This is a snapshot of who we are at this place and time. It’s raw and unpolished — just like us! Do you want to taint that purity with mixing? Did they “mix” Never Mind the Bollocks? They did? Okay, bad example.
I feel very strongly about this and not just because this is my first time hearing our songs with greater fidelity than an Instagram story. And if you’re still not convinced I’ll offer up a compromise. My cousin has Pro Tools on his computer and he’d probably do it really cheap.
Don’t forget, we need enough money left over for the vinyl pressing if we want that warm analog sound.