hi
any1 else start loads of tunes then never actually finish them or just delete them all together because ur not happy with the results? i usually work on something for a week or so and im liking it then think thats **** n delete it :crying:
i seem to watch vids on here and future music etc n think rite im gunna have a go at that n then keep comparing mine to the stuff im listening to or whatever.
im really liking maceo plex atm, i think his stuff is really good. i reckon i need to get out of the mind set of keep comparing my music to the pros!
cheers any comments would be greatly appreciated
andy
Think you’re not the only one not finishing tunes.
Start off quite often and then get another ideas that need some attention as well.
Because I haven’t got the time to work on a single track for a whole day, I have quite a bunch of unfinished projects. But if you do have the time to work for multiple hours a day, you should try sticking to one project and finish it.
This will increase your satisfaction.
Besides that, it’ll also learn you a better workflow and all different aspects you never probably touched. Ie, mastering, limiting, etc.
I have 100s of unfinished tunes.
Sometimes its happening sometimes its not.
I go through every once in a while and listen then scrap anything that sucks. (most of them)
I feel you, buddy. I’m sure we all do.
There’s a quote from a woman named Martha Graham I have on my bathroom mirror to remind me to keep going:
“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it.
It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.
You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep yourself open and aware to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. … No artist is pleased. [There is] no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.”
So, keep going. But most importantly, FINISH if at all possible. You’re allowed to hate it, to think it’s total ****. No matter HOW good you are, you will probably ALWAYS be left wanting more from yourself and your music. So it’s your job to get it done and share it with the world and keep learning.
Ok, now that I’m done being an inspirational speaker, here’s my actual workflow, which I hope might help. 
I tend to only have one track, maybe two if I’m working on something with a friend, that I work on at any given moment. This really forces me to fix and correct anything that I don’t like about the track and keep moving forward instead of distracting myself with another song, another tutorial, and so on. It also keeps the track fresh and lively and the time between when I start it and when I finish it is short (usually 2-3 weeks) which means that I never get lost, technically speaking.
For the most part, I always try and finish the track, even if I’m not 100% happy with it, so that it’s at least done and I have the satisfaction of knowing I finished it and I can put it to rest. Most of the time, the finished tune is better than I personally think it is, and most people say so when I share it, and that’s part of why I finish – it keeps me motivated and moving forward, gives me momentum for the next song.
Sometimes, if I REALLY just can’t make it work, I let it go, but I almost always put in at least 20 hours before I call it quits.
My suggestion would be to pick a “How to make” tutorial here on SA and follow it EXACTLY in every way, except with different samples and your own melody. Start to finish. When you get about 80% of the way through, and begin to really like how it sounds because you’re not caught up in the details or self-doubt, you’ll probably start fiddling and make it truly your own – and finish it.
Just think of it as a recipe. Once you know the recipe, you can modify it to make it better. And once you know a bunch of recipes, you can cook almost anything – even without the recipe itself.
Keep at it, buddy.
finish your tracks. it’s great practice.
when your sitting there for hours believe it or not you will come up with ideas to make that first idea into a complete track. there are no short cuts though.
some parts of learning this trade can’t be taught you just have to sit there and grind it out. even if the track your working on isn’t all that great completing it could be a goal for now.
check out what the crystal method said in the 2009 amsterdam event for aspiring producers.
thanx for the replies guys.
i reckon ill have a proper stab at finishing a sonic tut or something. i did a diploma at Manchester midi school last year, at night after work, going into the school using their gear etc (hard work). it was hard with working full time but i will say when we were set tasks to do in a time frame i got it done finished booom! they are the only tracks ive actually ever finished:w00t: weird…
cheers andy:cool: