This is a songwriting subject.
Hey Jacobsy - I know what you mean. As far as 'songwriting' means 'arrangement', I'm sure all of us at some stage have been disillusioned when the spontaneous inside-your-head arrangement isn't matched by the earthly restrictions of the home studio. If you're new at recording then I'd just say 'have patience'.
There are other possible problems besides whether one's mere equipment is sub-par:
* 'Phantom Orchestra' - Arrangements from 'the subconscious' can be really powerful, moving and inspiring, but there's probably a host of parts, vocal augmentations etc being asumed in there - trying to recall it all and even mimicking it is going to be a tough job. Also perhaps you are trying to add all the different parts and have left it too cluttered and noisy. The next step then is to minimise, as they say. Space is full of tension and silence is loud.
* 'False Memory' - Our memory of something is our knowledge/appreciation of it. Hearing a real recorded song leaves an indelible memory, and we can fairly easily dismiss it as bad or appreciate it as good quality. But a spontaneous inspiration or 'phantom orchestra' arrangement is 'remembered' in a very vague, ever changing sense, because your memory of it keeps changing in the absence of an original point of solid reference. Basically our memory of it is more complex and developed then the inspiration itself, so in the end can you really say that the inspiration was that much better? There's no 'proof'. It's a losing battle. Build the songs with your hands, not with your head alone.
* Understanding of a Good Arrangement/Mixing process - If your level of recording experience and prowess isn't that grand then maybe a greater understanding of 'how loud/close' to make this part and 'how verby' to make this part are underdevloped - and not deserving any criticism other than the constructive kind
* 'Inspiration' Syndrome - perhaps what you heard floating around your head was a vague amalgamation of one or two other pieces, or the form was very generic. When this translates to a recording it may all of a sudden be recognizably hacked, torpid or basically 'not that great'.
* Quality of lyrics - if you spend a year editing a song and can only change one word to make it the best song you can possibly write, well isn't the best song you can possibly write worth that?
Anyway these are from my personal experiences and may not be exactly what you meant.
