Difficulty Finishing Music

[meio]

I'm curious to know how many of you out there really struggle to finish your music to a degree you're happy with.
Of course there's the whole 'a piece of art is never finished, it only arrives at a destination' thing...
However, I'd say I consistently have difficulty finishing music to a level I'm happy with/can accept. I never seem to be satisfied, get bored, compare what i've done with my fave musos, have unrealistic expectations. The list goes on....
I'm curious to know how others here struggle combat these problems...
Meio

[Tone Deft]

before u post, u should try the SEARCH feature.
it's all been talked about before over here...

http://forum.ableton.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=121877

says the guy with a week old login??


I still suck at finishing songs but I'm trying to just lay out parts in arrange view and not overthink things. the one song I've finished I just took the the 90 seconds I had done, copied it to make the second half and wanked out over both halves with a Kaossilator. I put it out there feeling like it was a rough draft but I'm totally bored with it and will probably never really finish it.

what does done really mean? shit, they're re-releasing the Beatles' catalog again! songs are always being remixed as well. I'm a science guy by nature, exact answers, art isn't as such.

[Android Bishop]

hit up ill gates. he does workshops and phone sessions specifically directed for this problem.

thephatconductor -at- gmail.com

[meio]

[quote="Android Bishop"]hit up ill gates. he does workshops and phone sessions specifically directed for this problem.

Cheers, will do so. Ages ago I did things like The Artist's Way which helped a little.
Meio

[sesshin]

I feel you bro! Unfinished songs are the bane of my existence.

This is where having a partner comes in handy. You can start something and hand it off and have them add something which inspires you to add some more, and then before you know it you have too much stuff and you have to start eliminating things to make it a workable song. (there is a reason some of the best producers come in twos)

[Tarekith]

Finishing music has always been a weird thing for me. I always seem to have these huge visions of what I want a song to be, and then weeks later it just hits me that the tune is done. I don't set out that day to finish the track or anything, but suddenly in the middle of working on some part, I realize "adding more to the song reall is not adding more to the song" and I stop. Those moments are usually a blessing and a curse. On one hand I'm proud to finsih something I really like, but on the other hand I realize that I've NEVER set out to do what my plan was once I started too. I don't think that's a bad thing, it's part making art (like you said, good art is never truly finished).

It took me a long time to accept that and move on to the next good idea though.

I think a lot of it is really just understanding that when you write a song, it has to move YOU more than anything. And if you reach that point earlier than expected, there's no harm in just stopping there and polishing it up. You can end up working on something like a song or album for years and years, but if no one really 'gets' that extra work, including you, you're just spinning your wheels and wasting time.

I'd say focus on the emotions the songs brings out in you, and when you're happy with that, offer it to the masses. Certainly with today's digital means of sharing tunes, if there's something lacking you'll hear about it sooner than later and can decide then if you want to fix any issues or revisit ideas. Until, keep it simple and focused, and just enjoy the process.

[meio]

I feel you bro! Unfinished songs are the bane of my existence.

This is where having a partner comes in handy. You can start something and hand it off and have them add something which inspires you to add some more, and then before you know it you have too much stuff and you have to start eliminating things to make it a workable song. (there is a reason some of the best producers come in twos)

Yeah, a musical co-hort would be a good idea. I might put up some of my half-baked stuff and see if anyone wants to collab with me...
Cheers dude

[meio]

I'd say focus on the emotions the songs brings out in you, and when you're happy with that, offer it to the masses. Certainly with today's digital means of sharing tunes, if there's something lacking you'll hear about it sooner than later and can decide then if you want to fix any issues or revisit ideas. Until, keep it simple and focused, and just enjoy the process.

Cheers Tarekith,
I know this is all about attitudes, beliefs and expectations, self-awareness. I guess I've felt like when i do put in the effort (even with music i've made that moves me) I get bored of going over things again and again. Yeah i need to be more disciplined! haha . But maybe I need to focus more on the bigger picture. I think i'm quite good at getting stuck in little details.
Meio

[Tarekith]

I think one of the arts of writing music, is learnign to step back, and look at that bigger picture. It's soooo easy to get stuck all day/week/month on an idea, and ultimately realize it's just not worth the time or brain power. It comes with practice and experience, just keep plugging away at things and you'll evnetually learn to realize when the ends are not worth the means.

[BBScience]

Finishing songs is a problem for me as well.

After a few days straight working on the same song my ADD usually gets the best of me and instead of finishing it up, I'll jump into a new live set. I always tell myself I'll go back and finish all these 2/3rd completed projects, but it never happens.

[domwave]

i want to throw some words in.
when you guys say "unsatisfied" or the song is not finished ,then, for me it is a good sign.you are critical .
i trapped also in this mind-gap.
i'm not talking about technical issues like mixing or other problems or how to create an idea but come straight to the point where this feeling comes in,something is missing.
well at the end several problems needs to be solved and that's a hard work.
just think about how long a good sound-engineer must practice until he's ready for professional working.
i would say.
producing computer music included several real jobs at once.

coming back to the point.
apart from the influences and from the idea of producing,ask yourself,what is the kind of music i love.
i guess 99%,most music you love ,there is a musician involved.
a instrument a voice,something that moves you ear,something you like to follow.
change is the answer but change need also some logic and to make it very simple.
a child know very much how to change something.
it's all about dynamic,change and yes some tonality,noting complicated to understand.

now it's getting a bit more complicated.
generally i like simplicity but the border where it just begins to sound "some kind of cheap" is very tight.
i can't understand why some music is so much mainstream and there are the biggest hall's and thousand of people enjoy only a "cheap" beat with a cheesy mindless melody which may sound good but inside there is nothing.

coming back to love.
so ,if you think about making music,you're already a musician,no need to be perfect but some love and a good feeling for rythm and tonality.

now the more difficult point.
i think the real challange is how to work together.
not in case of ideas but in case of honesty,accuracy and a social feeling,to have a knowledge about the difference what is critic and what is personal bitching.
to make the music better and to work on a project,to take care of another person and to be strict that it is also the other way around.
i think this is the most important work.
it is easy to sit the whole life at home,producing but not coming to the point nor having a target or a vision.

myself i made the decision to only make projects because you have the possibility to cut(afterwards) and be free for a new project.

[H20nly]

myself and a cohort were trying to re-record some vocals just last night... the song was "almost done" 2 months ago... what happens??

[domwave]

myself and a cohort were trying to re-record some vocals just last night... the song was "almost done" 2 months ago... what happens??

i guess you changed the mix.

[H20nly]

myself and a cohort were trying to re-record some vocals just last night... the song was "almost done" 2 months ago... what happens??

i guess you changed the mix.

not, what happened... what happens.

subtle, but different.

[meio]

Finishing songs is a problem for me as well.

After a few days straight working on the same song my ADD usually gets the best of me and instead of finishing it up, I'll jump into a new live set. I always tell myself I'll go back and finish all these 2/3rd completed projects, but it never happens.

Can completely relate to this experience! I can't think of how many songs I've started and not finished...Am going to try and be more focused though. I think my tendency to work in the Session screen may be hampering me....Do you do this?