Hi,

once again I'm in the songwriting process, and as usual some of the songs are good and many more are just repetitions of what i already have done before, or just songs with maybe a part or 2 which is good.

So the big question - when do you know, that you have written a good song - what is your checklist to verify your songs' quality?

Here's my flow:
1. I try to grab a melody/tune I have on my mind or I sit an freestyle on my guitar until something useful comes up.
2. I put the parts together in BIAB and works with the parts and the score until I have a complete song.
3. I give the SGU file a name - which 8 out of 10 times ends up defying the lyrics
4. Then it's time to create some decent lyrics ( a process that goes from painful to playfully easy)
5. I then spend a couple of hours playing and singing, while adjusting chords, notes and/or lyrics - but I don't record anything at all - just left with the SGU file and lyrics.
6. I leave the song for at least a week
7. After a week or more I open the song and if I remember the song, it has passed the first test. If I forgot it is pretty much end of the line for that song.
8. I try out the song in alternative arrangements and styles for proof test - it must work with at least 5 different Styles to pass this stage
9. I leave it for at least a month or so (while writing new songs)
10. Once the "due dilligence" is over, I pick it up again - and then I verify whether I still feel enthusiastic to play and sing it....even more important if I still remember the song.

The songs that reach beyond these 10 steps are being recorded, mixed and mastered, and are listed in the queue to be selected for publishing on single, maxi or album.

Last check - do I still like it and do I still feel that I want to share the work public?

Anything I share has passed all of the above, because then I know I at least like the song myself.

So how is your flow or thoughts on creating and selecting and liking your own work?

MacMini M1 - BIAB2021 - Logic Pro X - iZotope Music Production Suite - Scaler 2 - far too many Waves plugins and Line 6 Guitars and boards + a fantastic Yamaha THR10ll mini Amp - Avid MBOX Studio

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