All hail Tarekith!

[rbro]

I feel compelled to give this guy some props. He just completed mastering my new album and once again he has done a superb job. He did my first one too and I got multiple compliments from listeners about how well mastered, clean and crisp it sounded. I was psyched about my new album when I sent it to him and was floored when I got back the mastered tracks. For me, when it comes to mastering, I want to hand the tracks off to a fresh set of unbiased ears and preferably someone who knows their shit. So anyway, give it up for this man!

[3dot...]

good to know... it does sound very good (the first )
cheers...
and let us have a listen to the new one once it's out..
always nice to hear about forum people working together
I'm sure Tarekith is gonna get some more business ..
no better publicity than a satisfied customer !

[leedsquietman]

I think Tarekith's contribution to this forum is definitely worthy of kudos.

Especially his 'guides' which give a lot of pertinent information and are very accessible for beginners and more advanced users alike. He is offering demo mastering at a more than reasonable market price and to a high standard in that price range, he's not ripping people off - some people just begrudge anyone making money or getting credit. Tarekith has spent many. many hours writing these guides and offering good advice for free in this forum.

I get annoyed when people accuse this guy of 'spamming' or 'self interest'. As someone who did work professionally in music studios during the 90s, I can tell you it's a bloody difficult way to make a living and even more so in this economy and climate of people reluctant to purchase music. People like Chi DJ, Timothy Allan, Tarekith and others who primarily make a living through music gain my admiration, I eventually left this career after 6 years or so of scraping by - to do a 'proper job' because it offered much more stability, health insurance, and the chance to have some money to spend. The cost of this was having to suck it up and have a lot less fun with my work environment. Being able to do music for a living and making a reasonable means to live by is the dream of many, why we feel a need to knock those people who do this successfully strikes me as being on a conscious or sub-conscious level of envy. I'm sure plenty of us grinding away in factories, office jobs, self-employed in other fields sometimes think : "This sucks, why do they get this credit - My music is better than theirs, my production/engineering/mastering skills are just as good as theirs, etc." Instead of begrudging people success, go and create your own success and feel good factor.

[SubFunk]

Yep, respect he is always very helpful, friendly and knowledgeable.
a heads up to him.

P.S. i agree with leeds about the 'envy' part, it is true that many people do have more talent or ideas, but what really counts is doing it, putting it into action is exactly the hardest, most difficult part of all (and that you can achieve with hard work, not talking or thinking), and that is why i don't understand this kind of envy myself.

however kudos to tarekith!

[sowhoso]

Binary Scenes = sonic heaven

[Green Lemon]

Yeah, Tarekith, you get my nomination for most helpful guy on the forum.

I mean, you're all helpful (except, you...and you), but Tarekith writes fucking pages and pages of guides and explains how shit works and why it matters, and then makes cool devices that he shares with us.

[Pasha]

Let me join the flow. I completely reworked my tracks after Tarkeith's guides reading.
It was real illumination.
Tarekith Rocks!

[LoopStationZebra]

I get annoyed when people accuse this guy of 'spamming' or 'self interest'.

True, true. But I think that some/most of that is done in good fun. I myself have ribbed him many times for being a shill, but always with a healthy amount of respect for what he's given freely to the forum community.

That Speak & Spell shill, however. Totally different story. radialson, I believe. Complete shill.

[rbro]

Let me join the flow. I completely reworked my tracks after Tarkeith's guides reading.
It was real illumination.
Tarekith Rocks!

I forgot about the guides. He published this guide on arranging a while back:

http://tarekith.com/assets/arranging.html

It wasn't until I read that guide that I was actually able to completely finish a track. My HD was littered with hundreds of 1/2 and 1/4 done projects, little 8 bar loops and riffs that were going nowhere. Even though my music doesn't fall into the typical "dance" paradigm, just being able to visualize my track the way it's laid out in that guide enabled me to figure out a workflow and actually complete tracks. Now I feel like we're eulogizing the guy. I don't want this all to go to his head or anything, but he done good

[Tarekith]

Thanks for the kind words guys, glad you find all the guides and efx racks useful too. There's a couple more guides coming very soon.

"Living the dream" is a very interesting way of putting it, at times it's more like living the nightmare I've been lucky that work has been pretty steady since I started doing it full time (and slowly increasing), but there's a LOT of struggle and stress still too. It's definitely harder than any "regular" day job I've had, just dealing with all the tax stuff and Quickbooks is enough to make me want to run for the hills.

The few times people have tried knocking me down for what I do certainly doesn't help, it's hard not to take it personally sometimes I admit. Especially when people misunderstand my intentions or what I'm trying to say. But at the end of the day it's just the internet and those people have never met me, so I try and just brush it off.

I've always been a believer that it's better to try and be nice and helpful to people when you can, especially online when you lose the subtle facial cues you get face to face. It's something that's more than paid for itself in the long run, so I'm glad to see that some people appreciate it. Plus, I just generally enjoy helping people with music issues.

Please don't email me asking what soundcard you should get though

[Cryptic UK]

How much does it cost to master a track?

[ethios4]

+1 Mad props to you Tarekith....definitely one of the most helpful people on this forum, always giving advice, staying out of nasty arguments, keeping it professional...much admiration to you for working so hard to make a living at it!!

[SubFunk]

Especially when people misunderstand my intentions or what I'm trying to say. But at the end of the day it's just the internet and those people have never met me, so I try and just brush it off. )

well, i think that accounts for a few people around here, i include myself in that list, most definitely.

and a +1 that tarekith never turns personally. (which for me is a near impossible thing and i admire that!)

[Green Lemon]

I completely reworked my tracks after Tarkeith's guides reading.

This syntax was inspired by either Yoda or Sarah Palin.

[evon]

Well I can't help but to add my praises also. I have often wondered how Tarekith does it, keeping so cool even in dire adversity when, as he says "its just the internet".

I can tell you it is not easy to resist the temptation to say anything to make somebody feel small just because we are not standing in front of each other. This is one of the greatest lessons I have learnt from the man. I have asked myself why does he do it, what is there to gain? Well of course if we care to look, his wisdom is as plain as day.

After all, most of us have secure 9 to 5's and lets face it would we speak to our co-workers or our bosses in any derrogative way at work? Hell no!
Therefore, I say "big up" to the man.