SongLab Deep Cuts Vol. 12: The Art of Knowing Where To Start

One of the most common things we see when an artist walks into their first production session isn't a lack of ideas.

It's the opposite.

Too many ideas.

Ten songs.

Twenty voice notes.

An album concept.

A list of production references.

A vision board.

A dozen artists they're inspired by.

And somehow all of it is supposed to fit into one session.

The excitement is understandable.

You've been living with these songs for months, maybe years. You've imagined how they connect. You've pictured the artwork, the live show, the music videos, and the release strategy.

But when everything feels important, it becomes difficult to determine what is actually important.

And that's usually where the process starts slowing down.

Not every song has the same job

One of the biggest mindset shifts an artist can make is understanding that not every song exists for the same reason.

Some songs are introductions.

Some songs are statements.

Some songs reveal vulnerability.

Some songs create tension.

Some songs provide relief.

If your goal is an EP or an album, the question isn't:

"What is my best song?"

The question is:

"What role does this song play in the larger story?"

Think like a filmmaker.

Every scene in a great movie has a purpose.

Every chapter in a great book moves the story forward.

Albums work the same way.

The more clearly you understand what each song represents, the easier production decisions become.

Build the map before the road

Before a single microphone gets plugged in, it can be incredibly valuable to organize your ideas.

Titles.

Themes.

Tempo.

Mood.

Instrumentation.

Energy level.

Potential singles.

Track order.

What emotions are showing up repeatedly?

What stories are you actually trying to tell?

You'll often discover that multiple songs are trying to communicate the same thing.

That's useful information.

Because now you're no longer guessing.

You're curating.

The goal isn't to squeeze every idea into one song.

The goal is to let each song become the best version of itself.

Stop trying to make one song do everything

This is another trap we see all the time.

An artist has ten songs worth of ideas.

Ten songs worth of influences.

Ten songs worth of production concepts.

And somehow they all end up being forced into one record.

The song becomes overcrowded.

Too many sounds.

Too many directions.

Too many messages.

The strongest records usually know exactly what they are.

They commit.

They make a choice.

And that choice creates clarity.

The best first session might not involve any of your songs

This surprises artists sometimes.

They've spent months preparing material.

They finally get in the room.

And then we suggest writing something completely new.

Why?

Because chemistry matters.

Sometimes the best way to understand an artist isn't by dissecting old ideas.

It's by creating a new one together.

You learn how they think.

What excites them.

How they respond to feedback.

What kind of melodies come naturally.

What subjects they gravitate toward.

The session becomes less about finishing a song and more about discovering a creative language.

And that can become the foundation for everything that follows.

Final musings...

Sometimes artists spend so much time worrying about where they're going that they forget to take the first step.

You don't need every answer before you begin.

You don't need the entire album figured out.

You just need a starting point.

Because records aren't built all at once.

They're built one decision at a time.

And often the hardest part isn't writing the song.

It's deciding where to start.

- SongLab