Capture the moment first, turn it into a song later

by J
(New Orleans)

Capture the moment first, turn it into a song later.

For most of us the disparity between the creativity of writing new material and the rigid structure involved in capturing a recording of that same material is enough to frustrate anyone. It's important to remember that you don't need to record, mix, master, and print your idea right off. I find it's much easier to record what I call "idea tracks", capture the moment, and then return later to put it all together.

I have a project studio, but I can't always get things ready to record, and still preserve the integrity of what I'm writing. Often I will use a digital camera or cell phone to record a short video to reference later. I find that emotion can be lost the more familiar I become with a new piece. Once I have my "idea track" preserved I can focus on developing the idea further or starting the recording process without fear of losing what I've just written.

The trick is to be prepared. I'm sure that many of you have written something, didn't bother to record it, and found a few days later that you could no longer remember that piece you were working on. I have resolved not to let any of my ideas escape me ever again. I have seen my productivity skyrocket, by utilizing this approach. Some ideas never make the cut, but more often than not I am surprised at what happens when I capture that first inspiration and have the freedom to develop it further.

Happy Songwriting