Fighting the perfectionist.

[geo]

Quote:one thing I've learned is to not force the song into something it's not. We're all looking at making some money from our writing and having some commercial success from it so it's tempting to guide a song into what we want it to be rather than what it actually is.Magic is a common theme in all great songs -- great songs are larger than life. The magical element of music is what I believe keeps us at this crazy game day after day. If you have some of that magic in your songwriting then do whatever you can to keep it.doug s.Here, here, you too Chits!Quote:I really believe that songs write themselves sometimes.....the process of songwriting is a mystical sort of processI stopped trying to force songs into something they are not, the average successful album (showing age again) has what... 2 hits and 10 album cuts... so there are room for songs that don't have that "hit" potential, many times I prefer the album cuts to the hits. I allow the song and the people who play it to define it themselves... allowing my session players (both of them ) a little creative leeway sometimes puts a song in a place you didn't expect... recently I had a song start ALT/Rock and end up AC, no regrets, sounds awesome!!I try to keep the basic principles there, hook prominant, lyrics cohesive, uptodate, but I don't sweat the album cuts... in fact I've had screeners tell me some of my fav tunes are album cuts, but I like them, so they stay as is. The question that is at the core of it is, why do you write? I write for me foremost and if some of those tunes succeed in the world I'll be happy and if they don't I'll just say the world sucks and keep writing.I think a more appropriate thread title might be "When will Lindsey conquer the perfectionist within and post a tune." Peace, love and happiness.... Geo

[linziellen]

Ha ha ha (in a cackle like fashion)! Thanks for your post Geo, I was only saying the exact same thing the other day. My music isn't going to 'do it' for everyone everytime...if at all but what matters is that it does it for me! These songs will mingle with the ones that make an impact on others and that's just the way it goes, like you say most albums only ever contain a couple of big hits. I'm not saying I should slack off and stop improving, just that I could perhaps be more confident and keep chucking out tunes rather than leaving them to waste because they don't seem good enough. I have to admit to being rather embarrassed about my recordings, you guys all seem to be studio bunny's while I sit on the cold floor with keyboard and MP4 lol! How can I post that kind of crap up in here!?!Until next time.Lindsey

[hummingbird]

Quote:I have to admit to being rather embarrassed about my recordings, you guys all seem to be studio bunny's while I sit on the cold floor with keyboard and MP4 lol! How can I post that kind of crap up in here!?! Lindsey, you may think I'm a studio bunny now (and I hope I am, as I've worked hard to catch up to the pros), but when I started out, in 2005, I didn't know what a mic pre amp was and I made my demos by playing band in a box through the speakers while recording the vocals with the mic. Lot's of times that meant I'd have the speakers and the mic on the desk while I was leaning over to sing, so that the levels would be decent.Fast forward to today, when I am orchestrating instrumentals and creating broadcast quality music that's getting forwards. But you don't see the process of how I learned to do that. It starts by being brave enough to post your work and ask for help. There's lots of great advice from everyone here, plus the Taxi screeners. Also listen to the samples & a la's and what's being forwarded. Over time your ear will get better and you will hear the nuances.If I can become a spaceage studio bunny, so can you. Just takes time & experience.hugsHummin'bird

[geo]

Quote:I have to admit to being rather embarrassed about my recordings, you guys all seem to be studio bunny's while I sit on the cold floor with keyboard and MP4 lol! How can I post that kind of crap up in here!?! I got two words for you "Garage Band" though in the world of Apple that's one word I think , that's where I do my stuff, the most basic DAW there is I think... I actually have the big fancy program but haven't used it yet.. I will, but I have to upgrade in stages... my point is it not what toys you have.. it's what you do with them... since it sounds like you are in the embryonic stage of your songwriting career now is the time to get advice, nip those bad habits in the bud... I've learned so much about the craft through the interaction on the boards I hate to see someone missing out on an opportunity. So here's a suggestion... don't post in Peer to Peer yet but you have the lyrics forum, songwriters nook, just explain your not looking for production critiques... I even post myself singing from time to time when I looking for pre-production suggestions and I can't sing.. kicked outa the choir at 7, very traumatic .So, think about it... peace, Geo

[Mark Kaufman]

Well now, Lindsey... Most people seem to be telling you to put it on the back burner, and also that if you don't hammer it into commercial shape, then you're being lazy.So I'll submit another strategy, especially since you don't seem to be at the point yet of producing "broadcast quality" product, locked and loaded, ready for sale.How about you go back to your original "magic" version and identify what you found appealing? Then follow that path. When it's finished, decide whether it's worth pursuing for commercial use someday. If it is, then put THAT one on the backburner.But right now, you have a song that lost its heart...that neither sells nor pleases you. Sometimes maybe it's better to write what your heart likes, no edits. Then edit and rewrite later. Otherwise you'll have a hollow song...no heart, no commercial potential.

[timbehrens]

What a good topic. The title alone describes my daily battle. I agree that you almost need to go back and identify what it was about your original version that resonated with you. Some times, I'll shelve my original attempt at a song, keeping the parts I like in mind, then go and write a whole other version of it. I'll try and keep the same feeling and write a whole new set of lyrics. Somewhere in between, I'll take the best of both and evolve it into yet another song. I think a song can exist on two different levels... the one you keep to yourself, that resonates with your personal meaning, and the one you have goals with. When I write for myself, a lot of my stuff tends to be abstract and riddled with things that might not translate well for others. As I come to places like Taxi (which is a really new experience for me... I think this is my third post), I start asking questions like 'if I'm reading this line to a stranger, will it make any sense?' or 'is there a story here beyond my internal dialogue and, if so, what kinds of imagery can I use to bring it out'... It doesn't mean that the magic parts have to be exclusive to one or the other... just that, in some cases, you almost have to define for yourself what resonates with you in a song and then translate it for the world...Hope that makes sense... I just had to reply, though, because my internal editor and daily battle against the perfectionist in me are such a big hurdle that I'm trying to overcome right now. Best wishes.

[linziellen]

Hi there, thanks for your reply. From what I can gather we are all pretty much sailing the same boat on what can be a very rough sea from time to time! I have come to learn so very quickly the differences between something that's coming from my heart and something that's going to touch the heart of others. Only a few weeks ago I was very much blind to this but thanks to the help of my musically minded friends ( ) I am now writing from a different perspective -at least I think so!No two people hear a song in the same light, what might be special to the first person could mean nothing to the second. I think we have to remember that and also to keep a little of our own magic in there without totally losing the plot! It's a difficult art to master but we should be proud of our music - whatever the outcome we're blessed with a such an amazing gift, don't you think? Whether we're doing for ourselves, the neighbors dog or the whole world...I'm so happy to have found TAXI and you guys, I bet you all hear yourselves say "nobody understands me" from time to time but I get the impression I've finally fallen into a whole new community - of people who "understand" Thanks everyone.Here's to sailing whatever the damned weather!Lindsey

[timbehrens]

Quote:It's a difficult art to master but we should be proud of our music - whatever the outcome we're blessed with a such an amazing gift, don't you think? Whether we're doing for ourselves, the neighbors dog or the whole world...I think it is a blessing to find something in this world that doesn't involve fitting into a mold. Seems like everyone has something unique about themselves that makes them happy, that gives them meaning (beyond just paying bills, going through the routines that have been taught to us, etc). Not everyone, though, has the opportunity to pursue those special talents, and for that, I'm truly thankful. I haven't had great monetary successes with music yet, but that is more just a goal in a long line of emotional successes and milestones that I have had with it.I get caught up and a bit overwhelmed by how much I need to learn some times and how far I have to go to be where I want to be with my writing, recording, playing, everything.... but it is good to take a step back and see how far I've come, how great the journey has been, and how meaningful it feels to me when compared to some other things in my life (like my day job, where I'm writing this right now).Anyways, thanks for the reminder. The fact that we are even on that journey is something to be thankful for.best wishes,--Tim