Q: how do you know when a song is on the right track? i keep noodling on a keyboard and making words and sounds and chords that feel kinda random - never really knowing what progression truly feels like a song to start working on
A: what works for me is to separate this into separate job positions. when i'm idea generating, i'm never in the same job position as someone who's actually gonna work on the song. it allows the idea generation to be carefree and optimistic. so when i'm thinking of ideas, i add things to the list that i think 'could' work. And the truth is, any idea can be made great if it's handled well. so i have the confidence to know that. so i add things to the list, generously. Then, at a different time, in a different job position, i have methods of selection where i 'select' which item in the list is going to be chosen to get finished, and produced. Or there's also another step/job in between that which is to just select things and just develop them a tiny little bit. So this means your initial idea is free to be almost nothing. Just a title.... just a couple of notes.... just a groove... maybe just an image, ... something that is almost nothing, but it's just enough for the next department to grab onto and turn it into something slightly more, for next time