When Enough is Enough

I have been pressing through track number nine for the past three hours, which is probably the 12th time I have wrestled with this particular file. I have nine complete, if rough, tracks stacked in a neat playlist in iTunes. On several occasions, I mentioned the goal of producing ten tracks, and while I am one short of achieving that objective, number nine is more or less three separate compositions in one.

Could it be that I have all the music I need for the Redline Project? Halleluia, Amen. Pass the potatoes.

This is where the smile turns upside down into a frown. There are miles to go before these rough cuts can be bounced down to a final recording. Here's the shopping list:

1) I need to listen, listen listen, all the while taking notes of problem spots, awkward moments, aural issues.

2) Once all music has been polished with fine grit sandpaper, it will be time to learn how to mix the tracks to obtain at least a semi-professional sound. I am nearly positive I will need assistance with this, and I have no idea who may come to my rescue.

3) Should I make it through the past two items, it will be time for the final audio process, called mastering. How exactly am I supposed to execute a decent mastering of my audio when I don't yet have a good handle on what the term means?

4) Copyrighting the music is not a difficult process, but it takes a bit of running around and a few bucks. Thankfully there is one step in the process that is not completely daunting.

Oh yes, and when I am finally through with these gargantuan tasks, I have to figure out how to distribute this music to 10,000 people. Sometimes I wonder who spiked my New Years beverage when I decided to take on this project, and with what illegal substance. Whatever was swirling around in my champagne glass, I want some more.