no album blues -- next step?

I wanted to record an album.

I'm not a good musician, but I can write a decent song.* So I wanted to record an album. Mostly for shits and giggles. And for an ego trip. And to be able to have good quality recordings of my songs for my listening pleasure.

Someone I know from work is in a punk band and runs a recording studio (see here). He's also a multi-instrumentalist. So my plan was to go into his studio and work with him. He would produce and play all (or at least most) of the instruments. I would sing and possibly provide some guitar. And eventually I would put out an album called Music No One Else Can Hear (after one of the songs). After a day in the studio, I realized it's not coming together as I had envisioned -- partly because of the limitations of my vocal abilities -- and I'm putting an end to the project.

So what's next?

I have done some limited recording of my songs at home. Just me and guitar. Sharon recorded them. They're not great. And they're certainly not professional quality recordings, but I enjoy them. Or at least some of them. And if there's something I don't like, I can rerecord it. I'm not going to put the audio of those recordings onto an album. But I can keep them in my own personal music collection.

Actually, another friend has offered to film me singing my songs in front of his greenscreen. So I can put them on Youtube without having to show off my cluttered home office.

But, dangit, that just doesn't have the ego-boost of an album. And it's not studio quality.

I have fantasies about commissioning others to record songs and put out a various artists compilation of my songs: Music No One Else Can Hear: The Songs of Marc Whinston. It wouldn't be quite the same as an album of me, but it could be fun if I can get good quality recordings. But I have no idea how to even get started on the project.

I have several friends who have studio experience, who might be interested. I also have some Facebook friends who are musicians, and some of them do studio recordings. If I decide to pursue this project, I'll probably start by asking them if they have any willingness.** Of course, there's also the issue of getting permission to release a commercial CD with their recordings. Well, even if I can't secure those rights, there's still value in having well-done recordings of my songs for my own listening. Heck, I could probably even press a limited edition, just to be able to hold them in my hand, and not actually sell them. Yeah, I can go with delusion.

Other approaches? There are professional demo services. I went that route once -- about 15 years ago. And they made a song sound much better than it is.

These services can provide some really good recordings. But they're expensive -- even more so if you want the right to release the recording commercially. Ethan suggested I look into fiverr.com. And Sharon helpfully made sure I knew that, despite the name of that site, I'd have to pay more than five dollars per track***. Maybe that's a way to go.

What's a frustrated, (largely) amateur songwriter to do?

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*If you are reading this and you knew me in high school, and your only impression of my songwriting is the melodramatic shit I wrote in high school, please be aware that I've gotten better.

**And since some of them read this blog (at least sporadically), they might not be taken completely by surprise when I ask.

***I'll take "duh" for a thousand, Alex.