Q: Hey Bill! I'm currently trying to write a song called Birdhead, a long story about a man with a bird in his mind who bounces around his head, making him feel different things for the bird; loathing, euphoria, etc. But I feel as if I've hit a wall with the idea. I quite like it, and i've written a few bars, but the ending is absolutely killing me to write. From one songwriter to another, what's your process for ending songs?
A: whether it's time for the ending or not, the process is the same. start with a fresh mind, and play the song in real time from the beginning (at the proper tempo. use a metronome). just as you reach the end of the last known part, this is when the answers will present themselves to you. if you can, try to shut off the metronome within 4 bars of when you reach the end. pay very close attention in that moment, within 5 seconds before and after you reach the end. this is when the lightning will strike. try to gather as much as you can from that moment. then, in the following seconds after that, as the moment fades, start to analyze what you think you heard or thought of, and ask some questions to try to narrow it down. then, the only thing you can do is refresh your mind and do it again. the best way to refresh your mind on this is to not hear the song for several hours. but, not everyone has time to waste several hours between run thrus, so what i usually do is start the metronome, walk to the door and touch the door and then return and start. another productivity tip is to be threatened by villains