Week 8: How do you know when a song is “finished”
One of the trickiest parts of making music isn’t starting a new track—it’s knowing when to stop. There’s always one more thing to tweak, one more plugin to test, one more automation curve to adjust. But at some point, you have to let the song go. This post is all about recognizing when a track is finished, embracing last-minute revisions, and trusting your instincts.
What Does “Finished” Even Mean?
In my experience, a song feels finished when it tells the story I wanted it to. It doesn’t have to be perfect—it just has to feel right. Sometimes that means everything clicks in the mix: the low end is punchy, the melodies flow naturally, and nothing is fighting for attention. Other times, it’s more emotional. I’ll listen back after a break, and if the song gives me chills or makes me smile, I know it’s there.
But I didn’t always feel this confident. I used to spend weeks tweaking tiny details no one else would notice. Eventually, I realized that perfectionism can kill creativity. Now, I aim for impact, not flawlessness.
My Final-Touch Checklist
Here’s a quick rundown of what I go through before calling a track complete:
- Final Mix Review: I double-check all volume levels and EQ settings. This is where I make sure nothing is too muddy or overly bright, especially in the low-mids and highs.
- Automation Cleanup: Any weird volume jumps? Sudden panning shifts? I smooth them out and make sure transitions feel natural.
- Mono Compatibility Test: Not the most exciting step, but I always check how the track sounds in mono. It’s a quick way to catch phase issues or overly wide elements.
- Limiter Check: I’ll slap on a limiter, push it to about -0.1 dB, and make sure I’m not squashing the dynamics just to make it “loud.”
- Car Test / Headphone Test: If it sounds good both on studio monitors and in my car or earbuds, I’m usually good to go.
Last-Minute Tweaks (That Actually Matter)
Sometimes, the smallest changes make the biggest difference. Here are a few tweaks I’ve made right before exporting that elevated the final song:
- Adding a subtle high-pass filter to ambient pads that were crowding the mix.
- Automating a reverb send to make a vocal tail shimmer right before a drop.
- Nudging a snare back by a few milliseconds to make it sit better in the groove.
- Bus-ing the melody and harmony to a channel connected to the Drums to make the Kick come in more prominently.
These changes aren’t about perfection—they’re about feel. When I listen back and everything flows effortlessly, I know it’s time to hit bounce.
Progress Check
This week, I dove into the fourth track of the EP. Following your recommendation, I spent some time immersed in the Hollow Knight soundtrack—and it sparked a lot of ideas. I was especially drawn to the frantic movement of the violins and the driving presence of ostinatos, both of which I’ve started weaving into this piece. Those textures give the song a sense of urgency and tension that I’m really excited about. My goal is to wrap up this track by next week so I can jump into the fifth and final songs and keep the momentum going strong.
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