Depends on mood.
 
When you have toiled really hard and then hear the fruits of your labour?... It sure is a good feeling.
 
But when you slap something together and it sounds freaking awesome, with minimal effort?... Well that right there is about as good a feeling, as feelings get!

I'm such a perfectionist that sometimes I don't even start a project because I know it won't turn out the way I want it.

I'm a solid 5, IMO.

jbow
If I were a perfectionist I would have to just quit. I finally figured out, about 15 years ago, that I can only play my guitar like me. When that happened I got a lot better. With recording, if I can't get it there I get help. Life is short... be happy.

 
THIS ^^^^^

2

I'm a perfectionist....but only up to the point that I feel like I have done the best that I can do.  After I hit that point, I can let it go and move on, living with the things that I still feel are imperfect.  I also, as an artist, have a little bit of a sense for when imperfect, is actually beautiful or pleasing.  There is something artistic in imperfection. 

I'm just wondering why these rankings only go to 10...

I'm a 12.  I've recently put in over 100 hours on tweaking (timing and pitch), mixing and mastering a particular song written and mosylt performed by a friend.  I programmed the drums and bass and I am continuing to fix things like cymbal hit velocity, panning, pitch-bend curves, soft synth filter settings, etc. 
 
Even though its a born-again Christian song and I am not religious, and even thought the client is very happy with it, I still want to fiddle with it.   I have to let it go or I will never get to working on my own music.
 
Thanks for the therapy.  I feel better now.

11

Hey guys, great responses!

I'll have to admit, I'm a 10. But all in a good way.
I like Mike Hanson's, it kinda sums it up for me -

I'm a perfectionist....but only up to the point that I feel like I have done the best that I can do. After I hit that point, I can let it go and move on, living with the things that I still feel are imperfect. I also, as an artist, have a little bit of a sense for when imperfect, is actually beautiful or pleasing. There is something artistic in imperfection.

 
 
Great responses from Moshkito too, especially -

This is all a part of my "I care" thing ...

 
 
When I posted this thread I guess I was thinking more along the lines of of the technical stuff, (mixing, mastering, etc). But yeah, the recording part can also have the same 'perfectionism' to deal with.
 
I have been playing & writing music for decades. Yeah, I'm getting old. But until recently, never had the quality tools to work with, such as Sonar Platinum. (only recording studios could afford these things)

I'm not a singer, but in my earlier years I did anyway. I used to write & record songs on my Tascam 246 4-Track, along with the earlier CW & others' midi-only sequencer programs. So far, this is what I've been working on for the last couple years, transfering old recordings to Sonar, and then trying to make them as close to perfect sounding as I can.

Here's the irony - Now that I'm older, I have the tools & the time to create great stuff (tools like Melodyne & V-Vocal especially), but can't sing anymore like I used to. So I decided to go with these old recordings which were, unfortunately, recorded with 'cheap' microphones. It all keeps me busy anyway.

So yeah, I'm a 10 on perfectionism, working on old recordings that are "turds" to begin with!! It's all good.
Maybe soon I'll put some of these songs 'out there'.  (watch out, world)

Thanks guys, happy music making. God Bless