After hours of obsessive, skull-sweat-inducing focus - your newest track is finally FINISHED!
(or is it??!)
You decided a few minutes ago that it was… but now that you think about it…
That middle section could use… something else…
Maybe double up the melody an octave down?
Or a little more EQing?
Better not export yet.
You'll just have one more listen to make sure there's nothing you overlooked. What's the harm?
Fast forward two hours, and you've found a whole laundry list of things you still need to change… but you're out of time.
You save and close the DAW.
How could you have EVER thought this track was done?!
Another couple days of work and maybe it'll be good to go…
...you'll just have to wait and see, right?
Nearly every producer goes through this tedious process of "is it finished or NOT?"
And the reason for it is because they're ALWAYS looking for something to "improve."
It's the hardest thing in the world for an artist to COMMIT to being done with a piece of work...
Because we want it to be PERFECT.
Thing is -
Perfection is an end point that doesn't exist.
Every single piece of music that has ever existed COULD be better.
So when faced with the reality that EVERYTHING could ALWAYS be better… the only rational way to decide when a track is "finished" is to ask yourself...
Is it "good enough?"
Of course, "Good enough" depends on context.
Good enough compared to my last tune?
Good enough compared to my favorite piece of music?
Good enough for a label A&R I've never met?
Good enough for NOW - because I'm not quite sure what to do next?
What constitutes "good enough" is a decision that you need to make as an artist and what you're trying to accomplish.
Thing is... if you strive for PERFECTION with a piece of music before you're willing to be finished with it… you'll never make any progress.
Because the more time you spend making music (not polishing it) the better YOU get at making music!
So the bar for what is "good enough" will keep getting raised.
Like the horizon, the closer you get to it, the further away "perfect" will become.
Remember - "Released" is infinitely better than "Perfect"...
...because until you've released your music (no matter how close to "perfect" you can get it) - it's like a tree falling in the forest…
With no one to hear it - does it even make a sound?
As far as your would-be fans are concerned, the answer is a resounding NO!
So, for each track you take to the "final stretch" - get clear on what's "Good Enough" to release it into the world… and make THAT your finish line.
Your fans will thank you.
Your career will thank you.
And your MUSIC will thank you.
Onwards & Upwards,
Mike
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