Why Some Tracks Take Months to Finish (And Why That's Okay)

Sometimes a track asks for more than you expected.

Hours tweaking the same section.

Wondering if you're even making progress.

But if you’re feeling the pull to keep working, follow it.

That instinct matters.

I've learned that from spending weeks, sometimes even months, working on a single production.

It’s tough, for sure.

But the reward is worth it. 

Not every track ends up getting released, and that’s okay.

But the ones that do can take on a life of their own. 

One of my productions spent 10 weeks at number 1 on Galaxy FM back in the mid-2000s.

It took months to finish.

Long nights.

Endless revisions.

But it connected.

That's what we're all aiming for.

If you're in that zone where nothing's quite clicking, here are a few things that help me work through it.

• If you’re not hearing it, change something.

Switch from monitors to headphones. Take all the drums out. Solo one element and rebuild from there. Sometimes the smallest shift in perspective opens it all up.

• Recognise the good days and the bad.

There are days where ideas flow like water - and others where it feels like you’re forcing every move. That’s part of it. Don’t let a slow day define the track.

• Zoom out.

Bounce the section and listen away from the screen. Go for a walk. Put it on in the car. Often, detaching from the project view lets you hear what’s really going on.

• Leave markers and move on.

If you’re stuck, drop a placeholder and move to another part of the track. You can always circle back with fresher ears.

• Let the track play while you do something else.

Sometimes I’ll leave it looping in the background and open up other projects – artwork, social posts, even emails. Not staring at the DAW makes a huge difference. You hear the track differently when it’s not front and centre.

• Change your physical space.

Stand outside the room. Lie on the floor. Sit somewhere else entirely. A shift in space can shift your perception. New angle, new ears.

The Payoff

The difference between giving up and finishing a track is often just sticking with it a little longer.

If you’ve been working on that section for 10 hours, it’s okay.

That’s what the process can look like sometimes.

Stay with it.

Keep shaping it until it feels right.

Because when it finally does feel right – that’s when the magic happens.