If there’s one thing I’m guilty of, it’s having a bit of self doubt when it comes to a finished song. I am pretty much to the point where I don’t really like to say much other than calling something done and moving on. But when I get people to listen to material and they’re giving feedback and each person starts saying the same thing, it begins to make me wonder if they’re all blowing smoke up my ass. I can’t help it. Mostly because I’m so used to getting comments that are all over the board when it came to earlier music I did years ago.
Maybe I need therapy.
Case in point, I finished a song that is intended for a project going on at Universal. I wrote it, I recorded it and I did a quick mix of it. I then sent it off to be yea’d or nea’d. I’m still waiting on the answer. The gatekeeper who shuffled it along made the comment that the song was nothing like he was anticipating, but that it was catchy. Then I let another friend of mine listen to it. He said that he really dug it and that it was extremely catchy. A third person said the same thing. Ok, a pattern is developing. Yet, I go back and listen to the song and all I can think of, is that I’m not the right person to be singing the song. Go Figure.
The thing that makes me happy about it is, I got it finished and in my mind the music portion aside from the timbre of the voice is happening. Though I do need to tweak the mix a bit more to take it out of the demo phase. I’m getting that fire to finish more songs back. And this, I like.
It’s not that I don’t believe I have musical ability. It’s not that at all. I know full well I’m capable of writing great music. I’m still getting used to the act of getting feedback, that is all.
A old song by a friend of mine explains this quite nicely as it relates to relationships. While songs are not exactly relationships – wait did I write that? No, hell no. Songs are relationships. They are the offspring of the writer(s) and then they take on a new life when they become a part of listeners life. Mary’s song is very much about how self doubt can creep in and create problems. It’s a beautiful song. The lilting guitar part and the haunting vocal dancing over the top is very powerful despite the delicate nature of the song. Don’t you agree?
Go gets it. I swear you won’t be disappointed in owning it.