The songwriting process is an intimate one with no right or wrong way to work. Some people write in notebooks, or on phones or tablets. Some like to write as they sing in the shower, or commute on the train. Others need complete silence.
And really, there is no right or wrong way to write. But, there are a few things that can help streamline the process, and even improve your outcome. One of those things is recording while you write.
While it may seem daunting to hear yourself throughout the process of creation, recording while you write can have many benefits. Still need convincing? Here are 5 reasons you should be recording as you write.
1. Creative processing
First and foremost, recording can help you process some of the things you would normally miss during the creative process. For example, being able to play back the last idea you had can help you find an even better one. Or, it can even help you intentionally pour all your focus into your writing for a set time. After all, you’ll have recorded proof of your efforts for the last hour. (Or, the last take!)
After all, recording doesn’t have to be limited to the entire process. You could limit recording to testing melody and lyric ideas you’re mumbling out loud. Having all of these down on ‘tape’ will help you process them as you continue your writing journey.
2. Happy accidents
Speaking of things that would have slipped by you, we have our ‘happy accident’ lines and notes. What does that mean? Well, when you write, you tend to come up with little ideas that lead you to the right one. And sometimes, that right one is perfect. But sometimes, as you’re working you might sing a melody slightly wrong, or mumble a lyric or ad lib you would have never thought to place in your song, and strike gold.
Those ideas can sometimes be the créme de la créme of edits. Or the creation process in the first place. After all, you’re a writer. If you have an excellent idea, there will always be another excellent one to come along and beat it (one day, probably.)
Recording while you write will make sure that you capture it when it does!
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3. Melodic Clairvoyance
Reason number three is melodic clairvoyance. Or, in casual English, melodic clarity. Recording while you write allows you the chance to fully hear your songs back as they are. There’s no guessing how things will fit together, or pushing the puzzle pieces of the lyrics in place. You’ll know exactly how it sounds as you write it and be able to play it back to check at any point.
Sounds a lot easier than going back and trying to add it all up at the end, right?
4. Editing
Another reason to record while you play is for the ease of the editing process. Not only will you have kept a record of every evolution of the melody, but you’ll also be able to go back and make sure you’re performing it how you’d like.
More intensive edits like performance, nit-picking lyrics, or playing around with note selection will also be easier, because you’ll already have all the ideas in your DAW or on your iPhone voice memos. Whatever method you decide to record with is the right one and will help you later on with your edits.
5. Memory
Last but not least, recording while you write protects us from the most dire of consequences – forgetting our ideas.
Having a recording of the entire session (or of each idea throughout, if you choose to only record brief memos) will allow you to jump from where the song is now, to back to where it started with perfect clarity and certainty. You’ll never have to wonder if another idea you had was better, because it will be right there at your fingertips to find out.
Better yet, you can put the song away and come back to it, knowing all the thoughts you previously had about it are stored safely away on your device of choice. This helps if you’re juggling a lot of things in your life and in your music career at once.
It can’t get better than that, right?
In conclusion, recording while you write can help you in many ways. From helping you remember ideas to creating elevated ones, the only real downside is saving memory space on your laptop or phone – or having to play back your ‘blackmail’ moments.
Once the song is out, of course, those might be fun memories to cherish or even share with your fans to create more of an inside look at the songwriting process!
If not, you can always just delete them later.
No matter what you decide, when it comes to the creative process your way will always be the right way. And when you’re ready to try some new ideas, we’ll be here to provide some extra songwriting tips. We hope this has encouraged you to try out recording while you write, and that soon you’ll be reaping the benefits.
