General Music Chat

Every time I drop into my studio, I think... I am going to finish this song dangit >.< ... of course, after obsessing about the mix, and trying to improve on my sound everyday, I leave a lot of "unfinished works" laying about my desktop.


different Bpm's different key signatures, and different instruments.... lol.

I would have to say that being a musician has allowed my creative side to take over a little and create disarray.


I have an idea, I track it, and then I chill and wait to see if there will be anything more coming out of me. By the time I want to jam again, I want to do a different piece.


It is like being Mitt Romney in a revolving door, I don't know which way to go.

Does this every happen to you, and how do you fix it?

I refer to them as abandoned.

I rarely go back...
if I like something out of it I'll use that and throw away the rest

I had to create a folder system.
A, B and C and now I put the song in the appropriate place.
A= Near complete/finished
B= Ideas- will get back to it
C= Ughh...Lipstick on a pig
At first it was just A and B but C became necessary. It at least keeps things in order for me.
After listening to a mix of a song I'll take written notes on corrections and use them as reference points whenever i go to the B folder. The notes keep me focused on one thing at a time.
But yeah... the more songs the more need for organization.

I think we all have unfinished works,
I've kinda got a folder and notebook
going at all times. I've got notebooks
everywhere with ideas, lines, songs,
chord progressions, musicians phone
numbers, anything that pertains to my
music, folders are for songs that are
keepers and in some form of resemblance
to being complete. I date everything
folders and notebooks, everyday.

You can always go back and get a good
lyric or riff out of your old unused pile.
Like JCp said, I seem to rarely go back
in my notebooks more than 2 or 3 days,
and the folders contain all the variations,
of that song in the folder, and usually the
latest edition is the only one I look at.

I've got notebooks and ink pens all over
my house, write it down, it helps you remember
even if you never look at it again.

When I'm focused on a song idea, I will just
about always finish it, I might rewrite it a 100
times. I'm going to do my first recording this
week (besides my HandiCam), Gonna try to
lay down piano and vocals with a drum machine,
then go back and drowned it in guitar.

OMG, I have 1 incomplete tune at this point. (and it bugs me)

And as tightly as I am wrapped, it would be bad to hit #2. lol

I think it might keep me up at night, especially if I really liked the tune as far as it had been completed.

(big sour grapes raspberry)

I have far more unfinished songs in the dark recesses of my computer as finished ones. I have folders full of "Song Starts" that may or not make it. I have folders of "Bad Ideas?" that I keep in case I get in the same mood as when the lyrics began. (Seemed like good ideas at the time) And I have what I would consider really good songs that need to be performed in front of my DAW or video camera. I also have songs that are almost complete that need bass tracks or other touch ups to be completed.

But lately I have had little ambition to do anything with them. I never force music. I save all of them because if I thought they were worth starting, perhaps they will be worth finishing some day.

Right now I am absorbed with setting up several i5 systems for video editing ( Adding captions, converting to useful media forms, and sizing ) and recording.

I am also greatly disturbed with my liberty being taken from me on a daily basis in one area or another. That has a great influence on my creativity. So I expect many more songs to be added to the not ready yet folders.

Sometimes I make a really good recording or phrase, because I did it Ad Lib, and jammed with the groove, and not so much jammed to what I have had planned out.

I guess sometimes, it just flows from me. The rest of the song other than that one phrase is kind of lame.... then I stop writing the song, and get discouraged, telling myself what a dumb ass I was for even trying to sound professional.

I guess my equipment could be better, but I do try. Maybe I should just save the recordings, and only use the phrases I like.... but that gives me an idea how long it would take to make a GREAT Song.....

I guess perfection takes time, but I wonder if I will ever make a PERFECT recording. It is doubtful based on my skill... but I still wanna do it !!! >.<

It is like a bad disease. lol.

I had to create a folder system.
A, B and C and now I put the song in the appropriate place.
A= Near complete/finished
B= Ideas- will get back to it
C= Ughh...Lipstick on a pig
At first it was just A and B but C became necessary. It at least keeps things in order for me.
After listening to a mix of a song I'll take written notes on corrections and use them as reference points whenever i go to the B folder. The notes keep me focused on one thing at a time.
But yeah... the more songs the more need for organization.

Your sound is almost VERY Southwestern. It kind of reminds me of Los Bandidos, a band I jammed with out in AZ. lol... They had some good hot sauce baby. ^.^

HEY!!!


I got it, a statement to explain:


"When I write a piece of music and claim it finished, I realize it is just a shell of what the song should be."

I realize so much more could go into the piece. It is almost like it never becomes acceptable to me, and I can never move on because everything is already done, and it would be quicker to start over from the beginning than to change everything that I had laid down.


Do you know what I mean? Has this ever happened to you?

Don't bother to put yourself down, plenty of people will do it for you..

(just a waste of your energies)

Today so happens that I'm gonna lay one of my songs down to rest... We've done everything we believe we 'can' do for it .. Its gotta get through the hopper now .. There just comes a point where you gotta stop stirring it, and serve it up.
Having said that... I know that creators of music could fall into an endless spiral . In musical theater, there is a damn good reason for having a fat lady on hand...lol!

HEY!!!


I got it, a statement to explain:


"When I write a piece of music and claim it finished, I realize it is just a shell of what the song should be."

I realize so much more could go into the piece. It is almost like it never becomes acceptable to me, and I can never move on because everything is already done, and it would be quicker to start over from the beginning than to change everything that I had laid down.


Do you know what I mean? Has this ever happened to you?

meh...
I have a song i recorded probably 16 months ago and i keep going back to it, but never feel like it's finished. It actually has 3 recorded versions including an all acoustic approach. 3 is not always a charm.

I've been working up an original with a drummer and it took me a long time to get the bridge down. I just didn't hear it.

however, I keep a 'song' that is really just a container for chord sequences or lead riffs that have no home but might be useful.

Ultimately I pulled the bridge out of there.

It's a challenge. My new year's resolution is to get at least a rough recording of every song that I have completed. Not doing that has been my greatest mistake.

Talbot

We will set anything aside that does not take breath of it's own accord and complete it's own writing.
As well as that which may not suit the band personality.
Often these melodies or lyrical content reinsert themselves to become whole new compositions as did UNDER THE SPOUT of which there is a rehearsal recording on my player if your interested.
The rhythm section was simply wanking away at a simple melody I was warming up with when Ray began to insert the lyrical content of a previous uncompleted composition. BAM three minutes latter a song.

I feel the key ( or one of many ) is to not mentally beat an idea into submission as you can beat the life right out of it in a short period of time.

Like a great piece of steak chewed for hours until it's but a flavorless mush.
Then you wonder why you put it in your mouth to start with.

I will also say that all our works remain in flux and none are set in stone.