You’ve started a project but can’t seem to finish it. You stare at your DAW and nothing comes to you and your unfinished song sits there for days, weeks, or even months. A common struggle for many artists is their inability to complete projects. I’ve been around artists in many different stages in my life and this is a problem that seems to plague artists from all disciplines. I wanted to share some ideas on how you can overcome these struggles when creating music.
Review Your Song
This may seem obvious, but listen back to your track. What is missing? Are you at the point where the composition is finished? If not, then think about the parts of the song and what you can add. Often times songs may have a decent structure, but they are a bit flat because there are no changes in energy. Look for ways to bring the energy up or down.
Maybe the composition is done, but the song sounds generic. Does it need more texture, more variety, or maybe more layers? Try adding risers, drops, or even different synth types to complement the ones you have. These additional layers can have a significant impact on your song.
Lastly, check for embellishments or effects that you can add. Reverb, delay, vibrato, drum fills, and other forms of ear candy can make your song stand out.
Use a Reference Track/Listen To Music by Other Artists
If you didn’t use a reference track from the beginning, then find one that matches your genre. Learn from other artists in your genre and see what they do. Even if it’s not a perfect match, listen to a playlist that you like and see if there are common tricks that artists use in their songs. Sometimes I find that I’ll be missing textural components that I never noticed before. You don’t need to copy other artists, but get inspired by their techniques and adapt them to fit your songs.
Take a Break if You’re Stuck
Taking a break from music/art is often as important as the hands on time. If you’ve been working on a track for hours and aren’t getting anywhere then it’s time to turn off your DAW and do something else. This can mean doing other musical things such as sound design or learning new techniques, but give your main project a rest. Resting your ears is an important part of working effectively. Give yourself some time and comeback to the project another day.
Don’t Start Too Many Projects
One mistake I used to make is start 5-10 projects at once thinking I would go back to each one. Reality is, I got caught making endless loops and didn’t learn how to finish songs. It’s ok to start a few projects at once, but the reality is you want to learn how to finish tracks, not just start them. If you need a break and find inspiration in another beat, then work on it, but don’t give up on that one too!
Find New Resources
A great way to get unstuck is learning new techniques that you can add to your music. The best way to learn new techniques is by finding material that fits your genre. However, I found that extending past your own genre can open up new techniques that you may have never considered. Take a look at my content creators page to find some great resources that can help you learn all new techniques!
Learn Sound Design!
This may sound like a plug for this website, but learning sound design is a big part of creating music. You don’t need to create every sound from scratch, but knowing how sounds work together will help you put sounds in their proper place. You’ll find that your songs will be missing something and having the knowledge and understanding of the type of sound you want will help you fill those gaps faster.
Remember, music is meant to be fun. If you’re feeling frustrated, employ some of these tips and don’t get stuck in the same old patterns. Be flexible with your music and don’t be afraid to experiment!
Synth Designer 
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