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When I first got into music production I arrived as a songwriter. I was writing my own music and playing all the instruments. Living in a small town with only a few musicians led me to be self-sufficient.

I would spend large amounts of time on each song. I would go back to older songs and keep chiseling away. Sometimes, I was improving. But other times I was in my head, trying to perfect what shouldn’t be perfected.

This is really common among songwriters who self-produce. Being on your own in a closed-off room doesn’t really allow for outside input.

Checking In

Sometimes, it’s important to have someone there just to say you’ve gone too far. The self-producer/artist tends to hear and stress about things that nobody will hear.

When I moved to NYC, it was quite a surprise how people recorded. They didn’t spend weeks on one song. Things moved fast. They left in things I would have sweated over and spent an hour editing.

My first impression was that this was sloppy work. That was an incorrect assessment though. The fact was, this was really how music was made. There is beauty in what some may call imperfection. That human element is what makes music special.

More importantly, it wasn’t that they didn’t edit cleanly or weren’t particular about parts. They simply didn’t self-destruct. Perhaps it’s the cost of studio time in NYC or the constant struggle to make ends meet. The fat tends to get trimmed a lot.

Migration

Moving to NYC or LA isn’t an option for everybody. You don’t have to live in a mega city to evolve your mindset on self-producing.

I can’t stress enough how important it is to finish projects! There is never going to be a perfect time. You’re never going to “finish” your masterpiece.

There comes a time in every project when it’s important to take the album away from the artists to protect it. Otherwise, we’ll just keep chipping away, and not for the benefit of the music either.

Break the Cycle

How do self-produced artists learn to cycle on their music less?

Working on deadlines can be very beneficial for self-preservation. Try writing a song and producing it with a tight deadline, just as an exercise.

Make sure you stick to it! Don’t get all perfectionist! This exercise isn’t necessarily meant to produce the songs you’ll put on your record. It’s meant to give you perspective.

I’ve been composing a lot of 30-second spots for TV shows. I’ve noticed something really interesting while I’ve been working on this project. I’ve become less critical of myself.

I do a 30-second spot in about an hour. I compose, record, edit, and mix in 60 minutes. That’s quite a cram.

This doesn’t mean I leave in mistakes or get subpar sounds. I treat it like anything else I do.

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The Devil’s Own

When it comes to my own records, I spend more time than an hour. These days, I tend to be less critical in a self-destructive way. I’m able to discern between real self-criticism and that little devil of perfectionism on my shoulder. I attribute this to the need to work fast.

I also believe it’s important to work on some productions that you’re not emotionally attached to. There are times when artists will keep reconstructing a song, not because it’s wrong, but because they’ve got an emotional attachment. It’s not about what they hear, it’s about how they feel and how it may be attached to something that makes them insecure.

Rehab for Perfectionists

Once or twice a week working on a short composition that you have no attachment to. Let all the emotion go. Write and record the first thing that comes to mind, like a stream-of-consciousness production.

It’s the same with engineering and mixing. What’s your first impression of how it’s supposed to sound? How do you get that sound? Figure it out and do it immediately. No going back. No cheating.

Compose, record, mix and master in the same day. Place the MP3 in your iTunes library for whenever you want to listen to it. You’re not going to open up the session for a tweak, right? Remember, I said no cheating.

Step Aside Bully

One cool side effect of this experiment is you’ll find the door to creativity will open wider. You’ll be getting out of your own way.

Many producers/songwriters have a bouncer at the door of creativity. They ask for an ID and eye the new idea up and down.

These days I let everyone in and buy them a drink. It doesn’t mean I think they’re all gems. They’re not, but I find gems come in more frequently, and projects get finished.

Mark Marshall

Mark Marshall is a producer, songwriter, session musician and instructor based in NYC. More at guitaristmarkmarshall.com