songwriting craziness

[mrcreed]

Hi:
My first post here

Does anyone else second guess their songs after they are recorded etc..It makes me crazy .Everything is great till i listen back..at first im like ..this is ok ...then the more i hear /mix it the worse it gets and eventually i try re recording /rewriting parts and it never seems to get any better ..Is this a common thing ?Like im almost getting in the way of the song

regards

 

[DM60]

All the time. Doesn't bother me, it is part of the process. When you compose and record at the same time, it is very much a work in progress. I will even go back and change my phrasing after hearing several time.

All a part of the journey. If you think the pros don't, well you would be wrong. Most songs never come out just right the first go rounds.

 

[mjbphotos]

After writing the basic song (not all the parts, just the chords/melody/lyrics), I'll record a scratch version of it - just guitar and vocal, or keyboard and vocal. Basically to remember what I've come up with at this point. Then I may seek some early feedback, either in person with the monthly songwriter circle I facilitate, or online at a songwriting forum. Then, depending on the feedback, I may rewrite some of the song, or rearrange it.
Then at some point I'll sit down to do the actual recording, record all the parts, do a first mix, and then decide if something drastic needs to be done, or I can work with what I've got, or if I just need to retrack some parts. I seldom need to go back to start over again (but it has happened rarely).

 

[musicgeekandlvr]

Yeah this happens all the time. The good thing is every time you find something to improve, you're improving. Eventually you'll love what you come up with to a degree but you'll always find a way to improve upon it. Welcome to HR!

 

[ashcat_lt]

I guess I'm going to be that one guy and say that no, when it comes to songwriting, I don't generally have this problem. One could make a valid argument that what I write aren't really songs , but whatever they are, they are to me things that already exist and it's just my job to get them out into the air. That is, I'm not just trying to piece together something out of thin air and try to make it into something people are going to like. (And they generally don't ) Instead I hear it, I know what it needs to do, and I make that happen. There is usually a point in the mix process where I completely hate everything about it, but that's a much different thing.

Edit - I'm definitely not saying you're wrong or crazy at all. I understand that my way is quite abnormal. It might be worth reflecting sometimes on exactly what you're trying to do and why.