* Constructive Criticism.
Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you do criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes :-)
In my humble opinion, constructive criticism is the most useful when it comes from educated, neutral, third parties. Organizations like Taxi provide these services as part of the deal. You send them samples of your work and they'll usually be critiqued by hi-level people in the industry. The type of feedback from this exercise can be very educational and useful in helping you to fine-tune your work. Often, it's not the sound quality of the recording at stake but the structure of the song itself. Friends and neighbors can also be useful but they may not be as forthcoming with their opinions for fear of jeopardizing the relationship. There are websites where you can post your MP3's for public evaluation and feedback (but be prepared for the inevitable 5th grade responses like "you suck").
I came across a rather insightful comment in a music magazine recently and I thought I would share it with you. This comment comes from Doug Minnick at Taxi.
"Play a song for five different people and you will often get five different answers. I recommend looking for common threads among critiques, i.e. if several different reviewers are mentioning the same point, that point begins to take on more weight. Some comments will ring true to you, other's won't. Use the ideas you find helpful and discard those you don't".
But, of course, all this happens after the fact. What about during the recording session?
You can always ask me for my opinion on things. My responses will usually be focused on a particular technical aspect of the song. I might suggest a bit more reverb on the vocals or eq'ing the guitars a bit differently.. If my musical sensibilities tell me that the lead guitar section is a bit too long, I might suggest trimming it down a bit so the song flows better. Little things like that. You have the option of disagreeing with me. My feelings don't get hurt because you disagree. I always try to put a positive spin on feedback because I've found that in life, a little sugar helps the medicine go down. Musicians, in particular, respond better if the criticism is tempered in a positive way.
So I'm not sure what else to say on the subject. If you have someone who's opinion you trust, bring them along to the session and ask them for feedback at various points. Consider what they have to say and then do it your own way anyway. Just kidding :-) What I usually tell all my clients, when it comes to music, is to trust your heart. Your brain may be telling you one thing but your heart is telling you something else. If I had to make an error in judgment, I would always pick the heart. But that's just me. Another observation and one worth considering: if you're not sure which direction to go with something, put it aside for a day or two and come back to it later with a fresh perspective. You'd be amazed at how well this works. I've gone back and listened to mixes I did in the past and asked myself "What was I thinking? I can do it so much better now!"
Another wise man once said: No work of art is ever finished, it is only abandoned.
And finally, my dad, who is a very wise man on these matters once said to me, "Stop spending so much time in the bathroom and give someone else a chance!"