Making Progress In Short Bursts
There are days that don't go to plan. Sometimes the hour I thought I was going to have turns into 20 minutes. Or I've been sitting at my desk all day and just can't stomach the thought of sitting back down at the computer to work on music. It's easy to say "screw it" in those circumstances and just do something else. I've done that plenty of times. But I've got a lot of music to work on, so I decided to make a list of some low-friction and/or computer-less actions that I can take to keep things moving forward when these times arise.
1. Write or Edit Lyrics
I put this first because it's my nemesis and I want to keep it front and center. Try coming up with new concepts, reworking verses, or writing placeholder lyrics for existing melodies. Even just reading through unfinished lyrics and ideas can spark inspiration. Even coming up with one word that's better than what was there before is a win for me.
2. Practice Your Instrument
Ten or fifteen minutes is all it takes to shake the rust off. Grab your guitar, sit down at the keyboard, or just warm up your vocals. Run through scales, a song section, or even noodle aimlessly. It all counts.
3. Do Some Instrument Maintenance
Change strings, clean fretboards, tune your drums, dust your synths. It’s surprisingly satisfying and you’ll thank yourself later when inspiration strikes and everything’s nice and fresh. I just bought a new set of mandolin strings for this very purpose.
4. Evaluate Your Progress / Adjust Your Calendar
Spend a few minutes reviewing your active projects. I have a giant whiteboard in my studio with a list of my current projects to help stay on track. Sometimes it's helpful just to look at this list and remind myself of what I said I was going to work on. A quick realignment session can help to make sure you're still making progress on the right things.
5. Make Mixing or Production Notes
Listen back to your rough mix (even on your headphones or in the car) and jot down what stands out. Noticing too much low end in the verse? Write it down. Want to try a new vocal layer? Capture the idea now and act on it later. I've been using Samply for my ongoing demos and mix revisions, but Google Drive or iCloud works. It's just nice to have a way to listen to your tracks away from your computer.
6. Critically Listen to a Favorite Song
I haven't done this in a while, but it's a great exercise. Put on headphones and pick apart a track you love (or something new). What’s going on in the arrangement? Can you pick out all the different instrument layers? What are the goosebump moments? Are there any production ideas that you could try to use in your own songs?
7. Record a Quick-and-Dirty Voice Memo Demo
If you're in a place where you want to write some new stuff, bust out your phone (or a portable recorder) and lay it down. Don’t worry about quality. Hum a melody, beatbox a groove, sing a hook. My phone is full of raw ideas that I can go back to later.
8. Transcribe Something You’re Writing (or record a video of you playing it)
I've made some demos that I would love to record for real, but I can't remember how to play them. If only I had written out the chords... I'm sure I can figure them out, but it would be a hell of a lot easier to have the tab to look at. I'm not good at keeping up with this, but it's a habit I'd like to build.
9. Clean or Tidy Your Studio Space
I love a clean desk. Sometimes things get out of control and it's nice to reset the space. Wrap cables, wipe surfaces, get rid of the clutter. A clean space creates mental clarity. Do that at the end of the day and you'll appreciate it tomorrow.
It's good to remember that making progress doesn’t have to mean spending hours in front of the DAW. Micro-sessions like this can really add up, and they help to keep our projects front of mind, even when time gets tight.