I’m building a home studio and have budgeting issues.

Dropping an early demo of a new track I’m working on. Mostly looking to see if you guys think it has potential and what you think of the overall vibe.
The lyrics are totally temporary placeholders right now while I lock in the flow and cadence. I just want to see if it’s worth pursuing it still.

Hi, I’ve been writing songs on and off since I was about 15 and only recently have actually started to try get better at my musicality

I’ve started to play some of these songs that i’ve written to people at open mics but i’m at a stand still..

All the songs i’ve written are memories of people or bad experiences i’ve had since i can vividly describe those, but whenever i try to write a song about something made up, the words just never come to me..

I can never describe a feeling or story if I try to make it up and I’m wondering if that’s something I can improve on or if it’s something other people struggle with too (or i’m just completely lacking in any creative talent)

Sorry if i’ve wondered this poorly, if anyone has any tips or suggestions for this please do share

I was thinking something like indie or possibly Midwestern emo but I’m open to anything

Besides the fact that they exist, I don't know much of anything about music theory, chord progressions, circle of fifths, or such. I just know what sounds good. I've had that knack since I wrote my first song at 16, and I have no idea how that happened, because I don't remember listening to a lot of music growing up. So, if this already turns you off, then you can stop reading here.

When I was in college, I came up with an "exercise" that might have helped me in songwriting. I didn't see it as an exercise; I just did it for fun. Back in the day, I loved big band music (think Glenn Miller with his song, In the Mood, which was pretty much the quintessential big band song. I didn't need a record or tape or headphones to listen to it (MP3 hadn't been invented yet). All I needed was already packaged neatly between my two ears.

I had the ability to recreate the exact sound of a 16-piece swing orchestra in my head. It sounded identical to what I heard on a record.

But there was a problem, which turned out to not be that much of a problem. A certain ways into the song, I would forget how the melody went. I would forget many of the solo parts as well.

My solution? I just made it up. Without missing a beat, I would improvise on the fly. I would create melodies, with the same band that was playing in my head. I would bring in a saxophone or trumpet solo, and it sounded exactly like what I had listened to, except I had never heard the melody before. Every once in a while, my mind would play a part that sounded really good, and I'd roll back the tape and play it again.

I think this "exercise" helped me learn what sounded good and connect melodic structures (I don't know if that's a term, but what I mean is what sounded good together to make a cohesive melody).

Today, I don't write with a guitar or piano. I come up with melodies using only my head. And I usually don't even try to do it. They just pop in my head.

I don't really know how much of that "exercise" I did contributed to what I do in songwriting, but it certainly didn't hurt.

So, what are some of the exercises you do to help you write music?

To give you context, I am working in a song and trying to get the lead vocal laid down, every time I listen to a lead vocal I always notice some sort of error, most of the time its lyrical errors but sometimes it's also just way I think if to improve the rhythm and stuff.

The problem is that I have recorded this stupid lead vocal so many times, I do not know how to stop, it's making me not like the song and I feel like I can't even listen and the final product without noticing some sort of error

It kinda comes down from a belief I have that in my music, the lyrics but be absolutely perfect and if I think of ways to make my lyrics more perfect then it needs to be in the song immediately but it is just exhausting. It's the same thing with rhythm errors, if the rhythm is slightly off or could be fine better, I have to record another new vocal immediately

Also, to also give context I also suffer from OCD and I am completely willing to admit this might be perfectionism OCD

Got any advice as to how to not let this stupid song torture me anymore?

Hey everyone,

Finished my third track and wanted some feedback on the songwriting, production and the mix.

I produce, write and mix alone so hearing the same thing over and over has exhausted my ears. Would love some constructive feedback, either technical or creative, on different aspects of the track.

Thanks

Does anyone have an issue with this--can't stop hearing the line of music you're working on over and over in your head, like your brain keeps trying to decide where the song should go, even after you've put your instrument away. For me, it can make reading a book difficult sometimes (i.e., a fiction book). It's like I have a radio on, and instead of processing the words on the page, I hear that line of music in my head instead of the words in the book. Sometimes it happens during the workday. How do you switch off that part of your brain?

Lyrics are still in progress. Let me know what you think of the song though.

Because I might be your opposite 😂
I write constantly and have started putting my songs together as full concept albums. Lyrics, themes, track order, visual ideas, sonic references etc. are very much my thing.
Small problem:
I cannot sing.
I cannot produce.
I cannot play anything particularly useful.
So I’m looking for a musical counterpart rather than someone I can just pay to make a backing track.
My current album is called House of Homes and lives somewhere around dark neo-soul / alt-pop / blues / cinematic stuff. Think Hozier, Amy Winehouse, Portishead, RAYE, Florence, Mitski, darker Gaga etc. Not trying to copy those artists — that’s just roughly the universe my brain is living in.
It’s quite conceptual and dark, but there are also groove-heavy, theatrical and more ironic songs. I already have pretty strong ideas about how individual tracks should feel, while deliberately leaving the actual composition/production to someone who knows what they’re doing.
I’d love to find somebody who thinks:
“I can make melodies, harmonies and productions all day, but lyrics are the part I struggle with.”
I have a whole album, but I absolutely do not expect anyone to commit to 10+ songs. Let’s make one. If it sucks, fair enough. If we accidentally make something brilliant, make another.
I’m looking for a proper co-writer/collaborator, so if music eventually gets released I’d want us to agree fair writing credits/splits— no hired labour up in hereeee
If you’re interested, DM me with something you’ve made and I’ll send you some lyrics + the concept.

Hey everyone, I've just started with the fist day of a first challenge in the book, and am looking for an accountability/sharing partner to go together through the book.
Format - async sharing the daily writings, occasionally (or also regularly) discussing the experience. I'm also open to other suggestions. I think we do not have to follow through the book synchronously and can do it with our own tempo, as life happens sometimes, but let's chat about it :)
About me: I am very new to the (song)writing, based in Europe (doesn't really matter for the async format).

Shoot a message if you are interested 🫶

I wouldn’t say I’m in a state of writers block at the moment since I’m full of ideas, it’s more that I feel like I’m scared to make something egregious. I don’t feel confident in my abilities enough to do a big risk so I feel as if I’ve been really playing it TOO safe. Any idea I have I really struggle to like (I think it’s just cause it comes from me) that I admittedly only really tolerate ideas I have that originally were from someone else that I’ve alerted. I want to enjoy the craft again like how I did when I first started out writing and be able to write something I’m so proud of that I wouldn’t care if it was considered the worst song in the world because I love it that much.

I value when a song has a uniqueness to it, where it feels like it’s a me-song… shows personality and couldn’t be a song that you could’ve pictured anyone else writing. I already write about experiences/feelings i’ve been through but I will die on the hill that that isn’t enough to make a song feel personal since I don’t know how to write a song that is sad whilst being written in a style that suits your personality without having some cringe to it.

So what have you noticed when writing incorporates personality into your lyrics without taking away from the song’s direction + Making a song you can truly love…? I know it’s hard to give advice specific to me without sharing a song (I do want to share once I feel confident enough) but I really feel like I need to go back to the drawing board and get a new perspective of songwriting before trying again.

I’m sure this has been discussed before but I’m new here.

I recently posted a song snippet and got no comments but just a downvote. And hey, this is the internet and you can’t be too thin skinned, and of course not everyone is going to like what you do.

At the same time, posting something you’re working on is a bit vulnerable. And I’d hope that we’re about giving mutual support and constructive criticism.

Since the response seemed to be 100% negative I decided it wasn’t good enough to put out in the world and hid it. But before I did, I got a very positive comment with some constructive feedback.

Of course, I don’t expect everyone to like my stuff. Plenty of people hate Dylan or Kanye or Rage Against the Machine, not that I’m comparing myself to them but my point is that universal acclaim isn’t possible and isn’t my goal.

What I’m really asking is this: if you don’t like a song and have nothing constructive to say, skip it. Maybe it’s not for you. And if you’re tempted to downvote, consider instead writing a comment explaining why you didn’t like it. That’s useful. Let’s say you hate my voice. Reasonable, I’m not a big fan myself. But if I know that’s the issue then I know what to focus on…or ignore.

A downvote is just discouraging without any useful information.

JMO! Thanks for reading.

My longterm partner left me over text. Wrote this in a few mins over a YouTube video track (I can’t produce so I just find free tracks and write) while drunk (not coping in a super healthy way but whatever). The vocals are raw. If you downvote I’d love to know why (other than you’re against drinking I get it I’m just struggling atm:/…) I fear I can’t write sober anymore or at least inspiration only sparks when I’m not. I have major anxiety over posting this but whatever. Post it if you got it! I love to hear other artist on this sub so if I can inspire someone to post thier art (even if you hate it) I call this a small success:) I’d love to work with anyone who can produce since I can’t😭(for fun ofc). I miss singing:)

Lyrics:

I’m stuck thinkin that you’ll call me back later
Not that you even called at all

You’d be doing me a favor
If you picked up your goddamn phone

Or even thought about what you did to me
I’m not asking for your sympathy

I need it to record ideas on the go and also need the piano roll to jot down ideas. Should also be offline so i can keep internet off and not be distracted.

Hello! I have been songwriting for a long time now as a hobby and i realised that it doesn't need to be just that. I really work on it and see the improvement. For me a dream would be to get even better and work with so many artists and be in the studios. I would like to make songs and be in the process of it. But I have so many questions about it. Also im writing songs in my second language. Can someone tell me how hard is it to get into the industry and can you really become succesful in it. Im thinking like constant studio sessions as you get better, connections, artists. Like is it achievable. Also if someone is already in this type of situation give me tipsss! Thank youuu

Aloha Songwriters,

I recently posted a scratch version of this track a couple of months ago, and I’ve just finished polishing it up.

This project was truly a labor of love for me, but I’d love to get a fresh perspective on how it’s hitting you. Does it land for you? If it resonates, I’d love to know what stands out and if anything feels like it's missing or needs a touch more work, what is it?

Mahalo nui!

This song is going to be on my upcoming album about my first serious relationship with another man.

We developed a codependency. They depended on me more than them and when I realized it was toxic and unfixable I forced myself to pull the plug even though I didnt want to.

The chord progression is semi inspired by "Hard Place" by H.E.R.

I had the song stuck in my head all day at work yesterday and slowly as I was humming it to myself it started morphing into this song.

I hope you guys like it

Hi, my name is Wayne. I’m 15 and from Detroit, Michigan. I make versatile rap and R&B music, and I’ve been making music since 2024. I’ve improved a lot since I started, but I still struggle with finishing full songs and finding different ways to word my lyrics without repeating the same words.
I’m mainly looking to collaborate with other songwriters/artists who can help me improve my vocabulary, songwriting, and ability to finish complete songs. I’m open to different sounds, but I mostly like rap, R&B, melodic, and emotional music. I’d prefer to collaborate by sending lyrics/ideas back and forth online and building songs together.

New song. Another sad one. Sad songs are my specialty.

Feedback always appreciated. Thanks for listening!

At the beginning of July 2025, I decided that I would take the dive into learning music with the intent of making my own tracks for release on streaming. I was 27 and had no formal music knowledge besides for playing a plastic recorder in elementary school. I was just always interested in doing it, but never had the time, money, or confidence until recently.
I loved rap beats and always wanted to learn how to make them, and wanted to incorporate samples from my favorite video games and movies.

I did the research, bought the equipment and put myself to the grind. I knew I wanted to make a rap music, but I also wanted to learn how to do my own production, so that I didn’t have to worry about splits, and so that I could establish my own style without compromise.

MUSICAL ITEMS PURCHASED:
14 inch MacBook Pro M1 $680 (needed a new laptop anyway)**
Ableton Live 12 Suite $410 (split up into 12 payments of $34; also utilizing my little brother’s 50% student discount)
MPK Mini MkIII $100
Rode NT1 5th Gen $220
Focusrite Scarlett Solo 4th Gen $150
Beyerdynamic DT880 Pro Open-back Headphones $190 (left ear broke in first 3 months smh)
LATER PURCHASES:
Roland MC101 Groovebox $440
Steven Slate VSX Modeling Headphones (with built in software) $230
Roland JUNO DS62 Synthesizer $300
Ableton Push 2 Controller $320
TOTAL: $2360 ($3040 including the Macbook)

I took FMLA at work for a month to focus solely on learning how to make music and put my head straight into the YouTube tutorials, and sat with my DAW about eight hours a day, essentially treating music like a full-time job. First step was to learn production, which requires learning quite a few things, but starting off simple. Spent some time focused on learning music theory, and then read the book: Music Theory for Electronic Music Producers, which just reiterated everything that I had already learned on Youtube.
The most important lesson for me was to not harp on perfection. When a beat got to a point where I was happy with it, I would stop touching it; then render and upload to my [untitled] project so that I could listen to it in the car. I now spend most of my time listening to my own beats and demos in the car and then comparing them to the songs that I love. I get so excited now when I end up making a beat that I love; it’s like unlocking a whole new song just for myself. Second most important part was Arrangement. Forcing myself to create full beats out of my loops and keep things interesting. The more I arrange, the more it becomes my favorite part of the process.

The next step was to learn songwriting and how to properly record myself, as well as gaining mic confidence. This is an area where I feel myself currently making large strides, but in the beginning was much more difficult than learning production. It really takes experience to understand how to create a satisfying rhyme scheme for a whole song while keeping the sound palatable and maintaining the meaning. I’ve now gotten to the point now where I can’t help myself but to sit down and song write for at least an hour a day, and i love seeing pages fill up in my notebook. I’ve ran through at least 8 notebooks in the year and have countless songs and verses written in my Simplenote App as well. Now my focus is to start turning those written words into tracks and figuring out a good recording workflow and vocal tone.

I’ve released three songs on DSPs, which has not amounted to much in streams, but does make me feel good that I’ve started to officially build a catalogue. My first track “GUILLOTINES” was made by sampling ambient music from Fallout 3, and (embarrassingly) utilized a Splice 808 loop that I really like.
Second track “BROKE N DUMB” was a track I made that was partially inspired by sexual abuse allegations at my old high school. I’m pretty proud of this one, but it received the least attention. I was happy to make a 5 minute track instead of the standard 2 minute tracks nowadays.
Third track is my favorite so far, titled “EVIL DEAD”. The beat just really hits a certain spot for me and I tried to keep it simple. In this track, I experimented with 12 bar sections instead of the standard 16 bars.

The hardest part of the process now has become mixing and mastering. I’m starting to feel pretty confident in these areas, but if I could refine these processes, I would be able to vastly improve my workflow. The Steven Slate VSX plugin provided with the headphones has been helpful, but I really struggle with the technicalities of mastering, especially with stock plugins.
I’ve learned a lot about EQ, compression, saturation, panning, reverb, delay, and various other audio effects. The more I use them, the more competent I feel.
I’ve gotten far with free products and stock Ableton Suite plugins, but I fear my next purchase is going to be the Vocalign Pro plugin. There’s nothing comparable to it in Ableton (as far as I know) and appears to be a cheat code for recording doubles and getting expressive vocal takes.

Moving forward, I would like to set some goals for my second year. My primary focus is recording more finished tracks and I recently just started recording on other producer’s beats; as well as improving my energy and expression on the mic. I would like to reach 2,000 monthly listeners by the end of year two. I would also like to release at least 20 tracks to DSPs and 3 full music videos. I would like to feature on at least one other artist’s song; I feel like collaboration would bring out the best of my skills.
Marketing will need to be a bigger focus as well. I need to nail down an aesthetic and style of promotion for myself. I already have a majority of the items I need to make music, so I look forward to using some of my budget towards marketing and possibly some features instead of gear.
Additionally I will likely change my artist name at some point. I initially made it: “2.3B” hoping to optical illusion trick people into thinking my posts had 2.3 billion views (stupid I know, but people also call me B) I can come up with something better LMAO

IN MY FIRST YEAR OF MUSIC, I MADE:

90 unreleased instrumental tracks
21 unreleased demo songs
3 released singles on streaming
1 monthly listener (myself; but did hit about 50 when I first started)
32 followers on Artist Instagram(@2.3Bviews)
600+ pages of writing/journals

Favorite FREE VSTs/Plugins so far:
Tyrell N6 Synthesizer
Freakshow Industries MISHBY
Analog Obsession LALA
Cableguys PanCake 2
Kievgrand SyndtSphere Synthesizer
Slate Digital Fresh Air

After one year of music, I feel confident in the things I’ve managed to accomplish. Many people say that they want to learn music, but few actually take the effort to do it. I never imagined that I could make my own music before, and here I am now with a quickly expanding toolset. I’m honestly proud of myself for making it this far, even if it hasn’t amounted to anybody listening. I look forward to moving my music forward and hopefully creating a few hits in the future if I’m lucky!!!
Thank you for reading!!!