How to Finish a Song Without Getting Stuck in the Process

Finishing a song can feel like it’s dragging on forever, especially when you’re trying to perfect it for release. Whether it’s making small tweaks to the mix or arrangement, the final steps can feel like there’s always something more to fix or improve. If you find yourself stuck in this loop repeatedly, there are a few things you can do to finally wrap up a track, from revisiting the mix to letting someone else finish the job.

The arguably most important step in finishing a song is knowing when to stop. As simple as it sounds, you need to drop the idea of reaching a point where your track will be flawless. Just because in theory, there’s always something that could be changed or improved, it doesn’t mean it will actually make the song better or that it will be noticeable.

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take your time to fix the obvious issues, like a kick that’s way too loud in the mix or inaudible vocal fragments. But keep in mind that the average listener won’t even notice the tiny details, like that last-minute micro-adjustment you made to the hi-hat pitch.

Thus, to finish a song, you have to let go of perfectionism, embrace imperfections, and remind yourself that the things you’re overthinking might not even register with your audience.

When finalizing a track, it is easy to get deeply invested and want to get it out as soon as possible. This can lead to long hours hyperfocusing on the details, listening to the track on repeat, and constantly readjusting small elements.

As a result, musicians can experience what producers and engineers call ‘ear fatigue,’ a state where you’ve spent so much time on the same track that your ears and mind feel overstimulated and burnt out. Ear fatigue can occur at any stage of the music production process. At this point, it becomes difficult to detect which parts or elements actually need fixing and which ones don’t.

For this reason, it’s best to step away from the track for at least a day before making final adjustments. If you start to feel lost in the mix again, take another break or give yourself another full day off. Giving yourself that distance will provide a fresh perspective and make it much easier to identify what truly needs improvement.

Once you feel like your track is almost done, take a few minutes to double-check whether you’re adhering to the most important mixing rules. For example, make sure the low end of each individual track is balanced within the overall mix. This prevents muddiness stemming from too many clashing frequencies and leaves room for the kick and bass. Remove any unwanted pops and clicks at the beginning or end of exported tracks, as these will become even more noticeable once the song is mastered.

Finally, make sure you’re leaving enough headroom before finalizing your project. Ideally, aim for around -6dBFS of peak headroom, meaning your loudest peaks should not exceed that level. Also, don’t put a limiter on the master bus while mixing, as anything mastering-related will be taken care of during the mastering process.

Test your track on headphones, speakers, car stereos, and other playback systems to make sure it translates well across all platforms. This step is crucial because listeners will experience your song in various environments, and it would be a shame if it sounded great on one system but completely unbalanced on another. (Side note: This is something you should do after mixing and mastering.)

If you’ve been working on the same track for too long, you might ultimately lose perspective. Under these circumstances, sending it to a musician friend, producer, or even a casual listener to get their feedback can help you identify what aspects can still be improved.

Just keep in mind that when asking for feedback, you should reach out to the right people, depending on what you want feedback on. If you just want to know whether the song resonates, send it to someone who enjoys the genre you’re working in. But if you need insight into technical aspects, ask someone with the experience to give informed advice.

Read more about when and how to ask for feedback on your music.

As an independent artist, you might be used to taking care of everything yourself. However, if you’ve spent too much time tweaking the mix or stressing out over the final details, it might be time to let someone else take care of the rest. This doesn’t just apply to mixing and mastering, but also to other aspects like cover artwork or promotional materials.

Hiring someone else to help you finish your track is an even better idea if you’re not experienced in areas like audio engineering. In this case, bringing in a person with the right knowledge will not only save you time but also allow for a more professional result.

If you cannot afford paying for professional services, you can try to find people who are willing to help you out for free in exchange for gaining experience by collaborating with someone who provides them with tangible guidelines.

Looking for professional mastering or online audio mastering solutions? Explore our mastering services for independent artists!

If you feel like something’s off with your lyrics, check if the way each line is written reflects the song’s message. If your lyrics are more of a stream of consciousness, check if the flow feels smooth and consider trimming, reworking, or replacing anything that feels unnecessary or out of place. Reading or singing them out loud can also help you catch awkward phrasing or spots where the rhythm or rhymes don’t quite fit.