How long do you typically spend on a track

[wub]

Depends. My entry for the brostep contest (RIP) took about 3hrs not including sample digging time, but I've had some tracks that have taken months as I'm consistently revisiting them whenever the vibe hits.

[NinjaEdit]

I throw away a lot, so it depends how you count it. probably a couple weeks between finished tunes. I've finished stuff in a few hours as well.

[SaveMidnight]

When I've had time to sit down and blow a day on a song I can pretty much knock it out.
But it all depends on how much of the mental work I've done.
If I have a good chord progression/ melodic idea/ and some good percussion patterns then all that's left is just sound design.
On average a tune a week is a good idea, but I have at least 2 going so when one starts to slow down I can use that creative time and energy on something else.
Also, sometimes songs get cannibalized into other songs. It really just depends.

[jTerror420]

Yea, I def have multiple projects going on. Sometimes it seems like that may be detrimental bc then I choose not to complete one and instead work on others, even though there's a couple that I know are pretty good. Alright, new question, when do you guys determine that a song is done? Like sometimes i feel like the track might be a tad basic but on the flip side, sometimes basic is good.

[NinjaEdit]

Can it be improved? A hit song is not written, it's rewritten. It's sounds to me like you aren't changing things, you're adding them. If you add something, but muting/disabling doesnt sound worse (even if aren't sure), remove it.

It's more a question of when do you know a stage in the process is done? When you decide it is, I guess.

[jTerror420]

Eh, I am changing things but a lot of times, ill change it back to how it was bc it sounds better that way (to me, anyway). It's like i strike gold, then try to make it a little better and I kinda lose the vibe of the original idea.. So i take it out, like a cheesy riser or vocal sample. I'm also a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to art (I also draw) so that has a lot to do with it. But yea, I work Monday through Saturday, 7 to 5:30 so I was just curious how long other people spent on songs. For all I know, this could be some of you guys' day jobs haha

[dickman69]

1-2 hours

[Optimal Prime]

Oh average i'd say around 15-20 hours.

[mthrfnk]

Sometimes I can knock something up in a few hours and have a listenable "mastered" version up on SoundCloud soon after, on the other hand I've been working for just over 3 weeks on a 4 track EP - none of the tracks are finished.

[jTerror420]

Okay, another question, how long have you guys been producing? I'm sure that's got lots to do wih the speed of workflow, how well you know your synths and whatnot. I made my first song about two years ago but there were circumstances that caused me to stop. I started up again a few months ago and have been at it pretty much every day since. I know that everybody's speed and focus etc is different, just curious as to how long you guys were producing before you found your "rhythm"

[mthrfnk]

Okay, another question, how long have you guys been producing? I'm sure that's got lots to do wih the speed of workflow, how well you know your synths and whatnot. I made my first song about two years ago but there were circumstances that caused me to stop. I started up again a few months ago and have been at it pretty much every day since. I know that everybody's speed and focus etc is different, just curious as to how long you guys were producing before you found your "rhythm"

Took me around 6/7 months before I was able to sit down and actually bash a tune out without looking something up in a manual or online.

[Cryoshok]

I can make a song in a few hours...can take me weeks to ''finish'' a song.

[NinjaEdit]

I made some tunes in Fruity Loops 3.4 with my friend in 2003-2005? Did some audio recording and very small amount of electronic music during 2007-2008. Got out of music until this year and I'm into electronic music proper. My musical training goes back forever though, and I've played guitar in bands.

[Triphosphate]

About 15 hours. Most of the magic happens in the first 6, where I focus only on arrangement. Then about 6 hours of tone-chasing/tweaking/polishing. Then a 3 hour mixdown session split into 30 minute segments to stave off ear fatigue. Any time I don't have at least 3-6 hours to spend on making a song I spend designing sounds instead.

Been producing for about 13 years on and off, but consistently producing for the last 5-6 years.

[JustDubIt]

I have just started and I know that I can make a dubstep song in no time at all, it's how long does it take to get a song to turn out how you visioned it, which even for the dubstep gods the time varies.

[illtabulous]

I have not finished a song to date. But it takes me about a week or two to produce a song to shit. :/

[Hircine]

a lot of time. I like to get a few elements in, take a huge break, watch tv, add a few more elements, walk around with the track playing, turn on my romplers and play with vintage sounds, browse the forum. I know I should focus more, but I can't. Not focusing is part of the process

[Samuel_L_Damnson]

^Basically that

[ljk32]

Been producing for like 2 years, still haven't finished a song. The latest one I'm working on may actually be able to get finished(I hope to god) - over 20 hours so far.

[skerrick]

it takes me anywhere between 45 minutes and a few weeks. depending on a few tings. really hard to say though, completely depends on the individual and the idea.