(Having to think of a new title each time put me off blogging so the title is now simple.)
I had a few opportunities this week to play with the track – the same song. I edited the drum track again and again, trying to find the right spot between a programmed loop and ineptly ham-fisted banging. Neither too robotic or too out of time. I then dropped out all but voice and guitar and gradually reintroduced the elements into the mix. By Wednesday night I thought I had something good enough to export and play to someone for an opinion.
On Thursday (when I had the pleasant experience of seeing about 100 people navigate a website I had built and complement me on its ease of use) I enjoyed the act of 'seeing it through someone else's eyes. On Friday I went to my friend Dave Watson's to play guitar on a track of his, and let him hear my masterpiece. About five seconds in, I was wishing I hadn't. It was dreadful, just dreadful. Guitars overloaded and over-reverbed, drums as if played by a somnolent chimpanzee, and the voice weakly floating atop a soup of undifferentiated guitar-like gunk. Dave kindly offered some advice but what surprised me is how I could have thought it was OK in the first place – is it my speakers? my ears? Or just the power of self-delusion?
Back to the drawing board!