How Long Does It Take You To Finish A Song?

[pluginseeker]

A few days. Most of the producers I admire admit to finishing songs in a few days, so now I'm doing that.

[juanpablo]

Depends how clear was my vision at the start of the project. If I had a clear idea/melody, I probably have it done in less than a week. But if I just started a project "because of reasons" and to let it flow, it may take months haha

[soldieronvodka]

Can I say, that I think you are asking the wrong question.. I don't think it is relevant how long a song takes from start to finish since the listener doesn't care and it doesn't make a difference in the end product (assuming you just take the time you need and not hurry trough the process). I think the question you should ask is how you can improve in finishing songs, for example: where are you getting stuck at most of the time?

Hope that gets you somewhere.

Cheers

[EdwardGivens]

"If I have a riff and title I'm half way there" - Lou Reed

[Oliver Schmitt]

I know many guys who never ever finished one but have hundred ideas on their harddrives

[elsaq84]

Yeah, I'lll second the never. only finish when there's a deadline, otherwise it's easy to keep tweaking

[jmm6486]

This is something I need to work to get better at. The fastest I've finished a song is 10 days, longest can be over a month

[gearwatcher]

Between 10 and 50 hours but they can be spread over weeks in any case. Sometimes months.

I usually leave a bit of distance between developing/recording/tracking and arranging and mixing.

Then the latter two get refined over days, usually in small 30 minute sessions after I've had a few listens over few days.

It's an inherently iterative process and on top of it I have a day job and chores and a family and all that other adulting to do.

I don't finish everything but I don't have a lot of churn for years now, as I rework old ideas for other pieces. It is very infrequent that I will save a project with an inception of an idea that isn't at least 75% good shit that I really like.

I have no problem not hitting that save button when it's a dud, tho.

[cnt]

When inspired 2 days. When not, 2-10 years.

[Harry_HH]

Depends on the song. And if you mean arrangement, playing, producing as well.

1h - 2 years

[xrr12]

same for me: days to years.. some stay unfinished forever i suppose

[RunBeerRun]

141 billion 246 thousand 181 years and 5 seconds and dissipating

[olepro]

Don't know yet...

[Shane Sanders]

I'm usually 80% there after four hours or so and then I fuss with it to ruin it more to my liking.

[Y3K]

Around half a day. When I don't have to attend at workplace, I can make two songs in twenty four hours.
They are short, no longer than a minute and half, but all this time includes configuring synth, writing a melody (not one bar loop), writing parts for three instruments, recording vocal parts.

I try to release five songs in a week, then i need a time to rest.