# Would doing "a song a day" help me speed up the composition process or just result in frustration?



## SimonCharlesHanna (May 13, 2018)

My writing process is still stunted by uncertainty/lack of confidence/understanding etc. This is especially an issue when I start a new track. I've tried lots of things to get the ball rolling (I have a pre-compose checklist) and it's still not really working.

Would forcing myself to write a track a day for practise help with this issue? Force me to make choices and not second guess every finger movement or will I just a pile of mediocre tracks?


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## Jimmy Hellfire (May 13, 2018)

It's an interesting topic. You call it "second guessing", but in reality, aren't sensible decision making, attention to detail, experimentation, "playing" and separating all the "good" choices from the endless "bad" possibilities core concepts of artistic and creative work? The fact that you feel pressured and seek ways to "go deep" less kinda shows what happens when things turn into an "industry".

And there's just something about how our imagination works - there often seems to be a period of time, or a certain amount of motion we have to go through before your brain starts to produce the more interesting, valuable stuff. If you never have the "time" to go there - that's gonna do something to your work.

But anyways, I feel that pressure is debilitating, unhealthy and soul crushing in the long run. Not sure it's gonna do your headspace any good to try and force yourself to function like a machine for longer periods of time. I think one should be careful with these things. A track a day sounds very limiting and constrained. Do you even have the time?

For me personally, it wouldn't be very inspiring, honestly ... and I think that actually might be the issue. Making music, especially on the computer, is actually incredibly boring and tedious, isn't it? If I don't have a great, inspiring idea, it's a terrible chore. Don't know if making a stressful discipline out of it even more would help ... maybe thinking about how to get to those inspiring moments of creativity faster, or more often, would be more interesting. But people's minds work differently.


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## Desire Inspires (May 13, 2018)

A song a day? LMFAO!

You need to be doing a minimum of 3 a day to keep up with the trends and patterns emerging. This is serious work. Yes, music is work, not an indulgent hobby to be performed whenever the "feeling" strikes. Either you feel it always or you get a dayjob. 

Many lazy people have far greater talent, but far less accomplishments compared to those that do the hard work on a consistent basis and forge ahead.


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## jonathanprice (May 13, 2018)

I couldn't find it on a quick google search, but supposedly John Williams said, "Compose something every day. The rest will take care of itself." Apocryphal or not, I think it's good advice. It might be referring to the business aspect of music, but even the art side can benefit. We learn by doing. We get better by doing more.


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## MaxOctane (May 13, 2018)

I've never been able to find the quote (I heard it over 20 years ago), but supposedly Duke Ellington said he wrote a song a day to "get the bad ones out."

Or maybe it was Billy Strayhorn.


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## SimonCharlesHanna (May 13, 2018)

You guys need to bookmark your quotes! 

Interesting discussion so far, and a variety of opinions....I might have to just try it out and form my own. 

Thanks for the responses so far


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## MatFluor (May 13, 2018)

A full track per day might be much (if your goal is just to get rolling).

Write everyday, two bars or two tracks. Experience is experience. And when the spark comes, you can easily expand. Creativity is a habit (Twyla Tharp) - so capitalize on the habitual nature of how we function.

For example - set a timer (30m for instance) and just create, no barriers. Just write down/play notes, craft your way one note or chord at a time. In the word of Miss Tharp "scratch for an idea". If after the allotted time nothing promising is out - doesn't matter, you created. Take a break, clean your mind and maybe go again. If you this daily, you automatically start to generate a bunch of ideas in these 30m, or maybe even the spine of a good track - from where you can go off and finish it. It's not like, when the alarm goes off you throw your pencil across the room - but when you have your idea, you have that initial spark, then let your craftiness take over and forge something cool.

But, pressure free experimentation - you can set your timer and go. Limit yourself as needed, as in "only brass" or "an interesting time signature". And just write, 2 bars at a time and throw away or save these idea chunks as needed.


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## Replicant (May 13, 2018)

Desire Inspires said:


> A song a day? LMFAO!
> 
> You need to be doing a minimum of 3 a day to keep up with the trends and patterns emerging. This is serious work. Yes, music is work, not an indulgent hobby to be performed whenever the "feeling" strikes. Either you feel it always or you get a dayjob.
> 
> Many lazy people have far greater talent, but far less accomplishments compared to those that do the hard work on a consistent basis and forge ahead.



The OP didn't say (s)he wanted to be a pro film composer, though — I mean, maybe they do...but still, your example is a bit hyperbolic.

Anyway, to answer the question:

I've overcome this issue myself by doing two things:

• Only make the piece be as long as it actually needs to be. A lot of people who are just regular listeners tell me "oh, I wish your track was longer" but I don't care. It's said all it needs to whether it's 2 minutes or 45 seconds. This allows you to get shit done and onto the next one quickly.

If you're going the film composer route, it's also a very useful skill because A) it allows you to build a portfolio of music quickly (nobody who is just being introduced to your music wants to hear your six-minute epic), and B) Film cues are generally changing a lot and they consist of different, but musically-related segments that work to serve the picture. In video games, the score's always consist of shorter pieces played and looped at appropriate moments.

• Knowing everything there is to know about what you're doing so that it's narrowed down to a process so familiar that it's second nature and a deviation from it is only done out of necessity.

This is why I always argue in favour of people knowing music theory and composition/musical devices like you're trying to be a damn encyclopedia. Know the modes, harmony, etc. like it's the back of your hand if you don't already.

For me, it works like this after deciding on the general concept and theme of the tune if I'm just composing from scratch:

Start with JUST a piano patch > Pick mode, scale, or just an interval that I think will be represent the idea I'm going for > Jam on that for a few minutes to pick out the first melody > Keep coming up with melodies that support this idea and compliment each other until I run out of ideas > Harmonize the tune according to the rules of 4-part writing and break them where I feel necessary.

From there, it simply becomes a matter of deciding which instruments should play which lines and turning that sketch into a virtual instrument mockup.

A time-consuming process? Sometimes, depending on the complexity. But an easy one that I have yet to get bored of. I'd say to just "compose" a 1 - 2 minute track with a lot of thematic material might take me a couple hours at most.

That's my 2 cents anyway.


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## Saxer (May 13, 2018)

There's nothing to say against writing mediocre tracks. If a track is good or bad or boring isn't decided when writing it. The tracks I still like today were never the tracks I expected when writing them.


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## Henu (May 14, 2018)

Most of the first ideas aren't good or bad, they just _are_. It's up to us how we continue and evolve them, but I suggest you just writing first and whenever you feel like it doesn't go on anymore, don't waste your time on it. Save it, start a new one. At some point you can revisit your "idea library" and start evolving them. I do it all the time and it's really helpful. (I compose/ produce music for living.)


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## jhughes (May 14, 2018)

SimonCharlesHanna said:


> My writing process is still stunted by uncertainty/lack of confidence/understanding etc. This is especially an issue when I start a new track. I've tried lots of things to get the ball rolling (I have a pre-compose checklist) and it's still not really working.
> 
> Would forcing myself to write a track a day for practise help with this issue? Force me to make choices and not second guess every finger movement or will I just a pile of mediocre tracks?



You see this sort of advice often. Write everyday as much as possible. However, it misses part of the equation, which is a feedback mechanism. 
You can work years doing a song a day making the same errors and not get any better. I know people that play/practice an instrument but don't improve. They don't correct their mistakes.
You have to do the work but then you need to post it, hire a teacher, get feedback some way. I don't think it's as simple as doing more.


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## carlkingdom (May 14, 2018)

This is a fun topic to think about. In general I would say this is a good idea (a track a day / compose every day) but it is missing the aspect of trying completely new things. 

A similar idea that might be just as valuable is to COPY a piece of music per day. Not necessarily an entire track. But pick a section of a score or song and try to replicate every note and instrument and articulation, even the mix. It won’t give you a large collection of music to license out, but it’s amazing for learning. 

-Carl.


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## wst3 (May 14, 2018)

I used to do something like that, I'd pick a thought, or emotion, or just a challenge (compose in an odd time signature, or a strange mode) and then I'd have at it. I didn't set a minimum or maximum time to devote, and I didn't feel the need to complete the tracks every day, sometimes they were just really that bad<G>!. In hindsight I think completing the assignment might be important?

Where to get the ideas? Well I do a lot of work with a local theatre, so I read a lot of scripts. If I like a script I might decide to do the sound design or write the music for a production I imagine in my mind. A good script can keep me busy with exercises for weeks!

Some days it might just be "life is wonderful" or "my life sucks" - a thought that strikes me and I feel like writing about it.

Most days I work with the computer, but I try to write with nothing but pencil and paper from time to time. It's really good exercise. When I do that the next exercise is producing the track. Maybe not the very next day, but as soon as possible.

Every once in a while I will try to develop a new arrangement for an existing song. That's a lot of fun!

The best part of all of this? When a real project comes along I will, sometimes anyway, find a project I an use as a jumping off point.


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## Mattzart (May 14, 2018)

Desire Inspires said:


> A song a day? LMFAO!
> 
> You need to be doing a minimum of 3 a day to keep up with the trends and patterns emerging. This is serious work. Yes, music is work, not an indulgent hobby to be performed whenever the "feeling" strikes. Either you feel it always or you get a dayjob.
> 
> Many lazy people have far greater talent, but far less accomplishments compared to those that do the hard work on a consistent basis and forge ahead.



Dude, what? The dude just asked for some simple advice on writer's block, not the financial lowdown on the struggles of media composing LOL. Get real.

Any artform can be an "indulgent hobby to be performed" whenever the feeling strikes. You think Grandma Moses was sitting there one day in her 70s worrying about having to churn out a new work?

Also, don't just keep up with trends, set them. Or you'll always be 3 steps behind the trend setters.


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## Desire Inspires (May 14, 2018)

Mattzart said:


> Dude, what? The dude just asked for some simple advice on writer's block, not the financial lowdown on the struggles of media composing LOL. Get real.
> 
> Any artform can be an "indulgent hobby to be performed" whenever the feeling strikes. You think Grandma Moses was sitting there one day in her 70s worrying about having to churn out a new work?
> 
> Also, don't just keep up with trends, set them. Or you'll always be 3 steps behind the trend setters.



Naw, I don’t buy it.


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## tehreal (May 15, 2018)

A lot of good opinions here and I agree with pretty much all of them, even ones that seem to be at odds with others (go figure). It's always good to try different things to get the creative juices flowing.

When the wide-openness of creating something from scratch starts to feel insurmountable and procrastination or doubt start to seep in, it may help to impose restrictions to jump start the process.

One example would be to pick two, three, or four random notes from a scale and write a piece with only those notes (any octaves and rhythms can be used).

Google other writing exercises or create your own. Or you could go for a walk. Writer's block has infinite solutions and none of them work except when they do.



SimonCharlesHanna said:


> Would forcing myself to write a track a day for practice help with this issue?



Why not? I wouldn’t do it every day but speed writing is essentially an exercise, too. Try it for one or two days just for fun and see what you learn from it.


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## Ned Bouhalassa (May 15, 2018)

I work on contract deadlines, so I write many cues a week. Here’s an idea:
- start a cue/song until you get stuck.
- start another one, and keep going until you get stuck.
- repeat once or twice more.
- next day, *start by listening/going back to each work in progress.*
- you probably have new ideas thanks to sleep/long break, and so you *finish a cue.*
- repeat until you can’t finish a/some cues.
- start a new new cue (go back to the beginning of this process)


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## PaulBrimstone (May 15, 2018)

No kidding, but I get half my melodic ideas—or at least a kickstart—from random windchime sounds on my porch, and various household appliances that keep pinging and bleeping through their cycles. I suspect other more successful people do this too, as I swear I've heard fragments from famous scores quite frequently: Howard Shore’s Lord of the Rings is currently the front-runner, so I strongly suspect he also owns an LG dishwasher, and Music of the Spheres chimes bought, like mine, from somewhere magical like Inn of the Seventh Ray in Topanga. There again, the whole notion could be my OCD getting worse, much worse.


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## AlexRuger (May 15, 2018)

When I was in school, I was obsessed with getting faster. So, I made myself write faster. Arbitrary deadlines, real deadlines, whatever I could do in order to make myself output more.

The end result? I got used to writing lazy and producing messy sessions.

Focus on quality. Spend as much time as you need -- though, if you have a real deadline, obviously adhere to that -- to make it as good as possible. The speed will come.


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## AlexRuger (May 15, 2018)

douggibson said:


> I highly recommend thinking of "writing" as distinct from "producing" or anything with your computer.
> 
> Many a lesson I have had a very talented student come in and when I ask how they went with the writing assignment
> and out comes "XYZ crashed, had to rebuild template" or "I spend all my time trying out samples and sounds"
> ...


Counter: merge together "writing" and "production" (as well as "orchestration," "mixing," "sound design," etc) and make it one process, and learn your tools well enough that they will never be an excuse.


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## ThomasNL (May 15, 2018)

Desire Inspires said:


> A song a day? LMFAO!
> 
> You need to be doing a minimum of 3 a day to keep up with the trends and patterns emerging. This is serious work. Yes, music is work, not an indulgent hobby to be performed whenever the "feeling" strikes. Either you feel it always or you get a dayjob.
> 
> Many lazy people have far greater talent, but far less accomplishments compared to those that do the hard work on a consistent basis and forge ahead.



So i assume you do this? How do you decide what you're making and when it is finished? things like, how long, what style etc. Composing/Producing when it is for an assignment is no problem for me. It is when I just do it for practice when I can't seem to find the discipline to finish it.



PaulBrimstone said:


> No kidding, but I get half my melodic ideas—or at least a kickstart—from random windchime sounds on my porch, and various household appliances that keep pinging and bleeping through their cycles. I suspect other more successful people do this too, as I swear I've heard fragments from famous scores quite frequently: Howard Shore’s Lord of the Rings is currently the front-runner, so I strongly suspect he also owns an LG dishwasher, and Music of the Spheres chimes bought, like mine, from somewhere magical like Inn of the Seventh Ray in Topanga. There again, the whole notion could be my OCD getting worse, much worse.



well, that's the easy part. Actually pushing yourself to make something out of it is what takes discipline and energy.


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## SimonCharlesHanna (May 15, 2018)

douggibson said:


> I highly recommend thinking of "writing" as distinct from "producing" or anything with your computer.


This is exactly what I have been pondering. I am actually planning on trying this out tonight. I've tried this in the past but I have this problem where until I hear something mocked up, I can't be sure I like it.


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## Jeremy Gillam (May 15, 2018)

I think Alex Ruger has some great advice in this thread. Maybe the broader question isn't really "should I write every day?" it's "how do I get out of a creative rut?" For me forcing it never seems to work, though sometimes the ass in the seat is the only way. Going outside for a hike or a swim, being okay with taking a little time off (if possible), seeing friends etc. can really help me when I'm going through a creative dry spell. Being disciplined is great until it takes all the enjoyment out of something that is supposed to be play.


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## AlexRuger (May 16, 2018)

douggibson said:


> Very, very few who take the route you outline will ever learn to orchestrate like Ravel.



I _highly _disagree.

Those who attain orchestration skills like Ravel must understand that their tool, the orchestra, requires mastery to use effectively. So, they seek mastery.

Many of us, myself included, make orchestral music that is, specifically, _recorded. _Orchestration is just one tool in the toolbox now. Those who reach great heights with synths, processing, mixing, sound design, etc do so via the same route as the orchestrators: seeking mastery.

"From one thing, learn one thousand things." Take that approach, and all these different topics don't seem so different.


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## mikeh-375 (May 16, 2018)

Simon,
I don't know if you can read or what level your music education is at so I can only generalise, but apart from sensible advice given above, have you considered seriously coming to grips with your flaws (assuming you have them given the nature of the OP) and being honest about your weaknesses? Start there and develop a plan to improve upon said flaws, little by little and bit by bit. An example.."I can't seem to write a good theme". Well ok then.
Great themes have an inevitability about them but writing one is often hard won because sometimes one can try too hard when simplicity is needed, or through a lack of technical focus/ability, not able to feel ones way out of the hands down mentality and find inner implications of an idea (which is a big contributor to inevitability).
A great theme's inevitability comes from (stepping aside from other factors) its shape, climactic ark, intervallic/motivic manipulation and phrasing. Clearly harmony, genre context and other factors come into play, especially (if writing for orchestra) appropriate scoring and instrument selection. But generally speaking, one can glean a lot of know-how from just looking at the theme itself.
( As an aside, the ideal is to be thinking in terms of colours as you write and if you know your instrumentation well enough, that will also inform your creativity in the way you write for the instrument - think JW and Star Wars trumpets or The bassoon solo in the Bourne films, both are musically and psychologically appropriate timbres).

These technical aspects of a theme can be studied and assimilated but don't expect it to happen quickly. One needs to apply and commit to regular (everyday) focused work much the way one practises scales and arpeggios when learning an instrument.
So yes, something everyday, but what that something is can only come from an honest appraisal of what you are missing at present and a willingness to get your head down for a prolonged period.
I hope this didn't go to far off the mark for you.


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## Desire Inspires (May 16, 2018)

ThomasNL said:


> So i assume you do this? How do you decide what you're making and when it is finished? things like, how long, what style etc. Composing/Producing when it is for an assignment is no problem for me. It is when I just do it for practice when I can't seem to find the discipline to finish it.



Don’t force yourself to finish it. Just put it away. 

Once you get hit with a deadline, you work with what you started and work like crazy to knock out the music to meet the deadline. That is when you finish.


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## Nesciochamp (May 16, 2018)

Forcing yourself into creating compositions sounds indeed like labor instead of fun. 

I'm 100% with @AlexRuger on this one; Take your time, focus on quality.


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## SimonCharlesHanna (May 17, 2018)

douggibson said:


> Charles:
> 
> If I may directly comment towards you.
> I recall about a year ago you posted two short pieces, and I gave feedback on them.
> ...


haha close (it's Simon btw). I am not a high end animator or anything like that.

I do remember you commenting on piece of mine but as to the exact ones I cant recall sorry.

Development is still something I am working on.

I must say I've read your post over a few times now. As you said: you know and you're completely correct where my skills are lacking.

Those tracks you posted are pretty incredible to listen to. The differences are just...larger than I could have imagined.

FYI I've started my next track going through these steps. The last thing I want to do is continue how I have been: Throwing crap at the wall and seeing what stick....well not entirely, but often it feels like that; stitching together ideas until it resembles a song, rather than having the blueprints to work from.


Thanks to everyone else who's commented. It's really interesting to hear many different opinions.


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## Alex Fraser (May 17, 2018)

To answer the original question.
I've done the one/two/three tracks a day. I don't think it will help your compositions in the long run. Speed writing becomes more about refining the production *process* and workflow rather than the music itself. So, it'll teach you to work quicker but you (might) find yourself getting into a rut in other ways: Using the same sounds and plugins as a crutch for example. Efficiency is important, but it's one part.

I'm with Alex and others. You can't really compartmentalise all the different skills. It's a process with overlaps.

My advice would be to put a cap on investigating/buying more stuff, clear your headspace (maybe ignore this forum for a while) and just write. Trying to structure the process is simply another form of resistance to actually writing.
Actually, I should probably follow my own advice. Best of luck!


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## JEPA (May 17, 2018)

Nice thread! I go often after feelings (coming from theater music). The first i do is: i define the goal of the track, what it should transmit to the listener. If i have that feeling defined the rest is eaten bread, i am then free to express this feeling with a bongo, a balalaika, metal guitars, synths or orchestra.


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## SimonCharlesHanna (Jun 6, 2018)

For anyone who's interested, this track took me about 2 weeks (35-40ish hours) to compose/orchestrate


Contrary to many opinions here, I found that taking the step by step approach really helped me focus. Not compartmentalizing, composing by feeling and not structure - these things just aren't working for me because it appears my brain is like a child on hyper ADHD.


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## Desire Inspires (Jun 30, 2019)

So has the OP made any progress?


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## SimonCharlesHanna (Jun 30, 2019)

Desire Inspires said:


> So has the OP made any progress?


Still much slower than I want to be. 

I've tried many approaches suggested here but nothing has worked definitively for me.


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## muk (Jul 1, 2019)

Simon, unfortunately the soundcloud link above stopped working. But over time I have listened to quite a few of your tracks on member's compositions (including the 3 tracks for an Indie game that you posted recently). And I remember them to be outstanding, in terms of composition and mockup both. To write and produce on this level is quite the stunt.

Writing orchestral tracks of this quality takes time. And programming mockups with such levels of detail and skill takes time. Of course it would have obvious benefits to be quicker. But look at it this way: in your case, I would say being a bit slower is not a deficiency, but a feature. The quality of work you deliver is outstanding, and it can't be had without a lot of hard work, which inevitably takes time. So yes, do strive to get quicker. But at the same time be aware that beyond a certain level, becoming even quicker would mean cutting corners and compromising the quality of your work. So don't expect unrealistic things from yourself. And keep up the sheer quality of your music and mockups, even if it means being a bit slower. Because it really makes your music stand out from the crowd at the moment, and giving that up would be sad indeed.


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## SimonCharlesHanna (Jul 1, 2019)

muk said:


> Simon, unfortunately the soundcloud link above stopped working. But over time I have listened to quite a few of your tracks on member's compositions (including the 3 tracks for an Indie game that you posted recently). And I remember them to be outstanding, in terms of composition and mockup both. To write and produce on this level is quite the stunt.
> 
> Writing orchestral tracks of this quality takes time. And programming mockups with such levels of detail and skill takes time. Of course it would have obvious benefits to be quicker. But look at it this way: in your case, I would say being a bit slower is not a deficiency, but a feature. The quality of work you deliver is outstanding, and it can't be had without a lot of hard work, which inevitably takes time. So yes, do strive to get quicker. But at the same time be aware that beyond a certain level, becoming even quicker would mean cutting corners and compromising the quality of your work. So don't expect unrealistic things from yourself. And keep up the sheer quality of your music and mockups, even if it means being a bit slower. Because it really makes your music stand out from the crowd at the moment, and giving that up would be sad indeed.



You're too kind. And I do really appreciate the support you've offered over the years! It really does help. 

There's 2 main reasons that my pace drives me a bit mad

1. Writing slow means the transition to full time composer (or just generally working in the industry) means a longer slog, and it gets hard sometimes. 

2. I feel like for 5% of my time, I am actually writing productively, the rest feels like I am banging my head on the desk. Perhaps my perception of my process is 'off' and that's just the way it is.


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## Desire Inspires (Jul 1, 2019)

SimonCharlesHanna said:


> You're too kind. And I do really appreciate the support you've offered over the years! It really does help.
> 
> There's 2 main reasons that my pace drives me a bit mad
> 
> ...



Well, what do you consider to be “working in the industry”? Do you have any music with production music libraries?


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## SimonCharlesHanna (Jul 1, 2019)

Desire Inspires said:


> Well, what do you consider to be “working in the industry”? Do you have any music with production music libraries?


I'm getting there... but my slow writing and day job really make me not well suited to library work I think.

I'd love to be earning minimum wage doing anything music related (composing, teaching, orchestrating, midi mock ups etc).


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## muk (Jul 1, 2019)

Your situation sounds familiar to me. I am in the fortunate situation to earn a living in a music related dayjob. Working parttime it leaves me with time to create some music too. If you want to transition into fulltime composing, I think this would be an ideal way.

Maybe you can talk to Carles. He quit his dayjob to go all in on library music. He might be similar to you in the style of music he writes. If I'm not mistaken, he is also not crazy quick at writing and producing tracks. I'm sure he might have a trick or two to share with you.

Other than that, library music does favour having a lot of tracks published. You are reporting that speed is a weakness of yours. I am telling you that quality of composition and mockup are strenghts of you. In this configuration, focusing primarily on library music is probably not the best match for you. If I were in your shoes, I would a) try to get into top tier music libraries, where quality counts more than quantity and every track has a good chance to generate royalties. b) try to get custom scoring jobs for games, short films, ads etc (you seem to be doing good here, judging from the tracks you submit). c) look around for composition competitions that are open to the style of music you write, and offer prize money/and or a commission for a work.

It's tough and takes a lot of time and commitment. I hope you will get there, because I think that musically you have got what it takes.


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## dgburns (Jul 1, 2019)

Music is like golf, you play against yourself. Whack @#$&k

And like golf, you don’t necessarily get better the more you do it. Handicap ?

But you get really good at repeating your bad strokes.

There’s always beer after the ninth hole however.


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## Markus Kohlprath (Jul 1, 2019)

SimonCharlesHanna said:


> Still much slower than I want to be.
> 
> I've tried many approaches suggested here but nothing has worked definitively for me.


Maybe the “want to be” is the problem. Thats what I figured out for myself at least. I mean it takes what it takes and we are no sorcerers unfortunately. And imo computers haven’t made it easier necessarily. But if I’m satisfied with the end product I don’t think about the amount of time it took me there anymore. (Well more or less) I think if time and money is a serious issue for somebody who is making music this isn’t really the place to go. Is it? I say this as someone who has been very frustrated about how long it took me to get my last track together. And it was nothing all that complicated.


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## Desire Inspires (Jul 1, 2019)

Don’t worry about it.


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## ka00 (Jul 2, 2019)

If it's any reassurance, Takeshi Furukawa said it took him 13 months to write The Last Guardian. Was he paid for 13 months of living though? That I can't say.

Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross took 14 months to write the score for Dragon Tattoo, and arguably that's not as complex as orchestral work. But presumably, they had money in the bank to live off of in the interim.

Depends on what your client is looking for and how much time they have. And then how much time you have to devote to something that is paying you X amount of dollars.


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## JohnG (Jul 3, 2019)

ka00 said:


> Depends on what your client is looking for and how much time they have. And then how much time you have to devote to something that is paying you X amount of dollars.



I can't even fathom the mentality of "dollars per hour" for composing. 

If the goal in life is to make as much money as possible in as short a time as possible, with the minimum effort, then maybe go learn how to trade futures on the Philadelphia exchange? One of my friends did that when he was 18 and made a packet. Thumbs up for him.

*Time, Money, Music*

When I compose, like anyone, I face financial / divided time with family pressures, wanting to be decent to people. But I'm not competing with other composers now -- I'm competing I guess with my best / ideal self, with great composers living or dead. I'm restless and find repeating what I've done in the past generally unsatisfying and (often) not all that successful.

Consequently, I think setting a timer on how long I'm allowed to work on a piece based on how much I'm getting paid is incompatible with really reaching and pushing myself all the time to try generating material that's new, or at least new to me. Even when arranging someone else's music, I spend whatever time it takes to make it as good as I can make it.

I wrote a score for a Hallmark movie not long ago, despite all that comes with that. Dollars per hour? IDK. I don't measure that; the director is a friend and that's why I did it, and I hired players and went all in to do the best I could in that situation.

Of course we all need money. But if you want a lot of money and a predictable income, I don't think music generally would be regarded as top choice. I am not attacking people for wanting money or nice things or a safe place to live. Who doesn't want that?

But reducing music to "dollars per hour" -- I don't do that and I don't think I could do that. And I am doubtful whether, in the long run, that's a good strategy, even looking purely at the financial side of things.


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## SimonCharlesHanna (Jul 9, 2019)

douggibson said:


> Hmmm...... did you follow my sage advice with my favorite piece of wisdom ?
> 
> Find a professional composer and see what scores they have to study from, and then steal one from them.
> 
> ...


HAha you're killin' me! I tried to organise a meet up to give it back :( 

I'll be in town first week of August, would love to catch up! 

Thanks as always for the advice


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## SimonCharlesHanna (Jul 9, 2019)

ka00 said:


> If it's any reassurance, Takeshi Furukawa said it took him 13 months to write The Last Guardian. Was he paid for 13 months of living though? That I can't say.
> 
> Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross took 14 months to write the score for Dragon Tattoo, and arguably that's not as complex as orchestral work. But presumably, they had money in the bank to live off of in the interim.
> 
> Depends on what your client is looking for and how much time they have. And then how much time you have to devote to something that is paying you X amount of dollars.


If I was working in the industry it wouldn't be such an issue for me (unless of course my clients weren't happy with my productivity). As I mentioned above, it's more that it's taking me longer and longer to establish my business.


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