What Makes A Good Idea Eventually Seem Bad?

[cwillms]

Originally Posted by bolt

I know this is a weird question. But does anyone here write down or remember a good idea for a song, only to come back to it later and it's not such a good idea?
What causes this?

Is the original idea the better choice? Or is the change of mind a good thing?
I seem to write a lot of different parts and versions of my songs and I seriously can't decide what to do.

Yes, this happens all the time. For me the song I'm working on at the time is not only the best thing I have ever done but it's ground breaking, breathtaking and literally greater than sliced bread. A few days later - not as much. At that point I just hope I can salvage something out of it.

I think it's just the creative process at work. For reasons unknown we become inspired and something "wonderful" starts pouring out. It's like sweet sugary goodness and I believe it actually creates endorphins or other such chemicals in the brain that trick our sensibilities at the time. When the hangover is done rationality returns if the song or parts of it sound any good then it was good.

This can be tricky of course. History is replete with hit songs that almost didn't make the album because the writer was convinced it was still sweet sugary goo. Therefore it might be a good idea to let a trusted confidant hear it before you throw it out.

As session guitarist I have used riffs and chord progressions on client's songs that I had taken from failed songs of my own - and they loved them! So not all was lost.

Craig
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The American Idol Song MP3 Player SoundClick

[Electronandonica]

I always trust that initial gut reaction when I get a wave of creativity. If it's good at the time then there's something about it that should still be good now. But then, finding a good riff doesn't mean you can necessarily turn that into a good song. I have a fair few riffs that I just can't make the connection into full songs. They are stuck in musical purgatory, neither unborn nor ever truly realised...

[lovekrafty]

Overthought, too much thinking, a good idea can turn bad in your head
If you overthink or burn out on a idea.

LK

[theblue1]

Originally Posted by bolt

I know this is a weird question. But does anyone here write down or remember a good idea for a song, only to come back to it later and it's not such a good idea?
What causes this?

Is the original idea the better choice? Or is the change of mind a good thing?
I seem to write a lot of different parts and versions of my songs and I seriously can't decide what to do.

I kind of think I know what you're getting at.

In my creative pursuits, I'm a very intuition and feeling driven person.

My best songs seem to come out, in large part, almost unbidden and uncrafted, so I've learned to respect my intuitions and inspirations. When I'm going over a new/in-progress song for the first edit/proof/eval, I usually have a strong sense of what 'belongs' (per my intuition) and what can be gracefully replaced.

But sometimes my intuition keeps voting to keep a bit that my intellect/internal editor says no to. And then it's a bit of a struggle.

In those cases, I usually sort of keep a mental asterisk by that contested bit and, if inspiration hits -- or my intellect keeps beating on me -- I'll try reworking that bit. Sometimes it works and my intellect wins. But, ofttimes, the intuition tells me to hang on to that bit. Sometimes, a little farther down the road, some other piece will drop into place and make that once-awkward-seeming part suddenly seem really right. But sometimes the muses keep me on hold for a long time...

[bolt]

All great responses!

The songwriting process is coming along a lot better. I'm going with my gut feeling this time.

[lovenara]

Been there,passed it now,i call it struggle to pass the learning curve.This year i read Pat Conroy and progress more,now no more tentative lines,i can rewrite better ones that i have no reluctancy to keep.

[JogolandGroup]

Happens to me all the time! I'll jot something down, then when I come back to it I just scratch my head and wonder what the heck was I thinking? I've found notes that just say something like "D, A" and I think, "And this is exciting and special, how?"

These days when I jot stuff down, unless it's a full-fledged song, I also write the date and add notes about the context. "Sounds like something for a disco song." "The microwave made a funny humming sound like these notes." "I was listening to (band) and thought this was a better melody line."

[kafka]

I can sit down with the guitar and write solid, interesting parts for hours. I'll record anything that has any merit on a portable recorder. However, I won't spend any time working out an idea unless I can come back to it much later without any reminders. These are the ideas worth working on, because they're memorable. The rest is all filler.

[Rockinrob]

Agree with lovekrafty. Over thinking is the death of a good idea. It doesn't matter what the tought is, write to that train of thought and then weed it out later on. Hit the iron while its hot. Many, many major artists write songs that don't make the cut but they still write the song. Finish the thought, capture the song, and then see how it stands up after leaving it set for a while.

[microwave]

The fact that it was a bad idea in the first place? Not being cynical, and it has happened to me many, many times. But so often the simplest reason / solution is the right one.

[johnny nowhere]

Sometimes it simply represents a sign of growth and maturity, depending on how much time has passed. Not knowing when to stop is always detrimental to a good tune. Songs are like bread dough and if you knead them too much you'll mash all of the life right out of them.

Don't work toward the perfect song, work toward a good one. Use as few words as necessary to get the feeling across. After songs age, we all may like them more or less, but if the essence is there, chances are we'll like them more.

[Dave.R]

all my new ideas immediately go into a handheld recorder (or a midi file). if i come back to one a week later and it doesn't give me goosebumps i trash it

i don't care if someone else thinks it's good. the fact that i'm no longer "thrilled" means it will not turn into something worthwhile

it was nice while it lasted, but that's all

[creegstor]

I don't think this has ever happened to me. I'm amazed that it seems to be such a common experience. I have decided not to pursue an idea later on based on aesthetic judgment but never had to junk an idea later because it wasn't good in the first place.

[sameal]

well I'm definitely my worst critic, and probably way to hard on myself. that seems to get worse as years pass on. that being said, i usually hate everything i write until much later in the game. i gotta let something sit for a few weeks at the least and then come back to it to really get a better opinion on if it was crap or not.

with electronic computer based music i do, i feel this is because i sat in a chair for hours hearing it over and over again and I'm tired of listening to it. i also feel that if i listen to it while making it for too long, i get less creative and more focused on just finishing the song.

as far as lyrics, i think everything sounds great when i make it, somewhere later i decide its crap. but then sometimes i feel its good again. i think thats largely related to my mood that particular day.