Never finishing tunes?

[Architectonic]

Does anyone else have this problem? I think it is something that computer composers seem to suffer from.

You make some nice beats, a catchy melody that grooves well... That's it. You just listen to it over and over (perhaps tweaking, adding fx or something) until you get bored.

The alternative is when you preset-surf and just keep adding bits until you have no idea how to shoehorn it together.

I'm kind of trapped between those two with this current tune. There is a whole bunch of other stuff that doesn't quite fit (I guess I could put it in a sister tune and by that I mean another tune I probably won't finish).

I'm not sure if the melody is really that catchy, or I've lost all objectivity after drilling it into my head.

 

[Moocow]

Yeah, I have a bunch of unfinished songs that I'll probably get back to much later. It seems that my bursts of inspiration only account for about half a song or less. I figure this changes as you get practice and force yourself to follow through more often.

 

[kantor1003]

I think it's not just a problem for composers using computers. The problem occurs for me when I fail to hear how I'd like something to continue, which happens often. Strangely enough, when improvising, I find myself more often playing lines that spring from my mind compared to when I'm writing a tune.
The issue with a large percentage of "computer composers" (and perhaps why they perhaps can be more prone to stagnation when composing a tune), as you call them, is that they aren't really composers or musicians in the sense that their ears tend not to be developed or musically trained, having a limited understanding of music and or any musical instrument, so they end up just having the tendency to just go where the presets lead them (whether it be massive, nexus or whatever else). When guided by an underdeveloped ear and limited knowledge of composing/arranging it is bound to be problems when they don't find any new presets that can add to the tune as they don't have the ability themselves to hear what they want things to be and to use the virtual composing environment (logic, protools, reason) more as a tool for creative expression rather than being controlled by it.

 

[Cognisant]

I'm not a musician but I've heard it said about poetry that if a poet could write anything they would write nothing; that having to make things rhyme and fit within a certain pattern is what makes poetry, well poetry. So I dunno, maybe write some lyrics (even just a thematic phrase or two) and try to shape the music around the structure provided by the wording, or something, I have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about

 

[Architectonic]

When guided by an underdeveloped ear and limited knowledge of composing/arranging it is bound to be problems when they don't find any new presets that can add to the tune as they don't have the ability themselves to hear what they want things to be and to use the virtual composing environment (logic, protools, reason) more as a tool for creative expression rather than being controlled by it.

For me it is not so much limited ideas as too many ideas (I guess with limited experience of trying many ideas), the platform enables too many possibilities and too much gratification when you try them out!

I guess this is why people constrain themselves to genres, but... I like to reinvent the wheel.

Here is the current tune. It's actually only about 50% done in terms of arrangement (this is just a 'working' arrangement), polish etc. There were more melodic parts too, but I guess that should go in a different tune. There is only so many melodic parts you can put in a trance tune right?

http://soundcloud.com/imperfectstructure/spiralling-singularity

I'll probably really want to finish it in a week/fortnight or something.

 

[kantor1003]

I like some things there. 1.51-154 is interesting, and I like the atmosphere of what happens next, but I don't like the bass line in that particular movement. I really enjoy what starts at 3.47 (the build up towards it is also decent) even though the bass line is still a little too cliche (very similar to the previous one) for my taste, but since I enjoy the theme it doesn't bother me as much.
I'm not sure about the outro. I guess you could just fade out somewhere after 4.46. The problem is that it goes on for so long that at 5.10 I start beginning to expect another build up. Using the motive from the intro in your outro is fine (even though it's a motive I don't like at all).
Overall there are several things I enjoy here, but I definitely think it could use a little more work and editing

I guess this is why people constrain themselves to genres, but... I like to reinvent the wheel.

There is only so many melodic parts you can put in a trance tune right?

Aren't you contradicting yourself here?
But yes, usually, for what I've figured for trance, is that a fair bit of monotony is required as it is music to be used in a dance setting and it's also something people have come to expect. With that said, there are more progressive, listening only, types of electronic music out there having more harmonic and rhythmic complexity (if someone knows of any in particular, I'd be glad to check it out). Whatever rocks your boat If you don't plan on anything business related you don't have to worry about anything but creating music you enjoy. Genres are for marketing people.

 

[Architectonic]

I agree, the contradiction is what I'm struggling with (pulling in both ways).

The arrangement of the tune so far is actually the "working" arrangement, basically a random order of parts while I was working with it. There is totally going to be another build up and I might do something with the less inspiring bassline (and fix the bad counterpoint in the middle part)... But I'm going to leave if for a few days first.

 

[Meer]

Presets are bad. Music theory is bad.

Sometimes things finish themselves. That's probably not the best way, though.

 

[Affinity]

I have about 20 projects that are not complete and I think it's mainly cause it takes me soo long to compose a whole track that I get sick of it by the time I've laid the intro, breakdown, and build up. Also the fact that I have a lot more to learn. However, I have been getting quicker at laying down the bones to a song and coming closer to finishing them which has mainly been due to practicing and trying as hard as possible to follow through.

I think something that may help you would be to limit the tools, samples, and synths as well as to define a structure for your track. Genres evolve over time so your best bet would be to follow a structure and add creativity in your own way as opposed to trying to redefine it.

 

[CBadfeather]

I used to play in indie bands and I was notorious for not finishing songs that I was supposedly writing. I think it's an intp thing - switching from project to project according to theories or new interests. also for me it became tedious to me once i figured out what the basic structure should be like

 

[EditorOne]

Perhaps there's an element of predictability in the process that's a turnoff for the INTP mind? Once you reach a certain point, is it not usually the case that repetition takes you to the end? I'm speaking of the music, not the words. In any event, might not that be your mind telling you "OK, you know how it comes out, you've got the pattern, now you are bored?"

Just thinking out loud. When I write, I have to envision the ending, then make everything work toward making that ending plausible and an interesting journey for the reader. I'm not sure how that plays out musically, but I am saying try starting at the end, however you'd do that, then work backwards.

 

[Symbiot]

I know exactly what you mean. I am new to home recording, and I have a dozen ideas and parts to songs, but very few finished.
I know exactly how I want them to sound, but it's hard for me to take the idea and spend the time fully fleshing it out. Instead, I'll start working on it, get another idea, and start a new unfinished song.

I'm pushing myself to finish some of the songs I'm working on because it's important to me, and I'd really like to have a complete disc of songs.

 

[Late2theParty]

Yes I have this problem all the time. I think perfectionism tied with not liking to the drudgery after the inspiration are two of the biggest problems for me.

I just wish I could go in and be inspired and finish the whole track in one sitting. But that only happens rarely. I get stuck a lot and I get frustrated when I can't think of the "perfect section" to go with what I just wrote.

I know the key to not getting stuck is tons of trial and error and putting in your "10,000" hours. What's worked for me in the past is sitting down in a consistent fashion and just working on something just for practice with no attachment. Give yourself some random limitations and just say "I'm gonna work on this for an hour just so I can get more experience" and see what happens. All my best stuff has come from me "not caring" about what I'm writing.

As far as their being "too many options" the best thing I've found to do is give yourself limitations. When I was doing some electronic music.... I found the infinite amount of sounds completely daunting. So I would just limit myself to a set limit of sounds, or I would pick out 1 synthesizer and only use that for all my sounds. It also helps focusing on one thing. Maybe just write a drum part with nothing else. See if you can make a complete sounding song with only a drum kit. Once you "level up" it's easier to make the pieces fit.