Want to know what is the #1 frustration I hear about making music in the home studio?
No silly goose – It’s not that you wish someone would design yet another plugin emulation of an 1176 compressor.
It’s the simple fact that most of you just don’t have the time to get in there and create new music. At least that’s what you tell yourself.
The truth is, all of us have plenty of time to do what’s important to us…if we make it a priority.
“But music IS a priority to me Graham!” you might say. And in one sense you would be right. In your MIND it is a priority. But is it one in your calendar?
Ah, there’s the rub.
The mind blowing power of a simple deadline always intrigues me.
And today I want to share with you a foolproof plan you can follow to now only create more music this year, but specifically crank out 12 new songs (or more!)
But first a little story about a misunderstanding that led to a new album.
It Started With A Simple Challenge
When I first started The Recording Revolution way back in 2009, one of the first video series I did was geared at helping people write, record, mix, and release one song in 30 days. I called it the One Song One Month Challenge.
In 2016 I decided to bring it back to the people and do another version. The concept was the same – instead of committing to writing a new EP or album’s worth of music, just commit to one song. That’s it.
The only rule was that you had to physically (and by that I mean digitally – lol) release it to the world in 30 days (or by the end of the month).
The challenge was a huge success as it propelled thousands of my students to write and share a new song in just a few weeks.
One of my students, Michael, took me up on the challenge as well. The only thing was, he misunderstood the whole “one song” thing. I’ll let him explain:
I watched your video on the one song in one month challenge. I’d had my own home studio for a couple years, but it had recently been neglected because of life. My wife and I agreed it was a perfect challenge for me and to go for it. I didn’t realize until a month later that I had misunderstood – I thought it was a challenge for ALL 2016, 12 songs in 12 months. Having already told people about it, I was locked in. – Michael Kuhen – TRR Student
Now I was fully aware that some people might decide after doing one song in a month that they wanted to continue. In fact, that was my goal, to use simple psychology to help my students unleash their potential.
You see, it’s MUCH easier mentally to commit to one song in one month, than an entire album in a year.
And once you knock out that song in 30 days you realize that it wasn’t too difficult. You might even consider doing a second or third song. Pretty soon those songs add up!
But what happened with Michael was even better – by misunderstanding the original intent of the challenge he did the most powerful thing he could – he announced publicly that he was going to release 12 songs in the next 12 months!
Like he said, he was “locked in”. This is the power of the deadline.
Outdated Equipment But No Excuses
And it gets better. Check out what kind of gear Michael was rocking.
Armed with a 2004 iMac, Pro Tools 7, and three $100 mics, I went for it. And every month, albeit sometimes on the final day, I managed to release a newly written, recorded and mixed song. – Michael Kuhen – TRR Student
The dude is using a 12 year old computer, a DAW that is 5 versions out of date, and some budget microphones, but that didn’t stop him from reaching his goal.
With that simple deadline each month looming over him he managed to ignore the excuses that many people would make:
But I need to update my computer and DAW first. But what if some months are busier than others?
Instead, even if it was all on the last day of the month he pulled it off. That is super impressive.
10x Your Knowledge And The Ripple Effect
But what I love even more is the creative jolt this challenge (and pressure) gave him.
Check out what resulted from taking on this challenge, beyond the actual songs he wrote and released:
My creativity went from spark to flame. My knowledge grew tenfold. I brought in my community with other musicians and photographers. Two songs have been welcomed into the worship music repertoire of my church. I submitted two songs to a competition and received great feedback. It was a catalyst for so much more than just getting better at audio engineering. The ripples of this project are still extending outward, creating more positive momentum.
Each month I pushed myself to try something new, whether recording a new instrument, a new technique, a new genre, a new mixing approach; each track its own exploration. I shared them all through SoundCloud – Michael Kuhen – TRR Student
This is exactly what I’m talking about when I say that the truest path to getting better is to finish more projects.
The more you do (and finish) the faster you grow, the more you learn, and the more opportunities seem to come your way. This is the ripple effect of doing as large of a body of work as you can.
Your Map To Releasing 12 Songs This Year
Are you as friggin’ pumped as I am right now?!
Hearing stories like Michael’s only fuels my creativity and desire to write, record, and release new music. I love it.
And if you’re excited to make music, but like I mentioned a moment ago you believe you don’t have the time to do it – let me give you the simple map to follow for turbo charged musical productivity:
- Commit to writing, recording, and release only one song a month. No more, no less.
- Write down the release date for your next song in your calendar.
- Tell everyone on social media (and your closest family/friends) when your new song is coming out
- Let the magic happen…
There it is. The secret to pumping out as many as 12 songs in the next 12 months. Shockingly simple isn’t it?
You see, many people never do step 1. They think it’s impossible so they give up before they start.
Some will commit to it in their minds, but never do step 2: writing down the release date. Big mistake. It’s this simple deadline that begins the magic!
And most people will never publicly announce that a new song is coming out on a certain date because they are afraid of embarrassing themselves in the event they don’t actually pull it off.
But there’s the sad irony – it’s the fear of embarrassment that actually ENSURES that you get it done!
That’s how I went from no songs to a new EP in 90 days!
And you can do the same. In fact, why not start here!
If you’re serious about making music, even if you can’t seem to “find the time” to do it – leave a comment below and let this corner of the online world know that you are going to release a brand new song 30 days from now!
Then just let the magic happen 🙂
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My name is Graham Cochrane and I'm the founder of The Recording Revolution, one of the world's most loved audio recording and mixing blogs with over 200,000 readers each month. 
I did the same challenge last year. Record 1 song per month, during the whole year.
The result was a album featuring 12 songs, some better than others. But considering that i managed to so that while maintaing a life, it was mind-blowing.
you can check the results, for free:
https://tibone.bandcamp.com/album/all-the-way-through-2016
Seems like I too misunderstood☺️ I did 12 songs last year. This year I haven´t ben as active. Maybe it´s time again.
Hi Graham, Accountability definitely goes a long way. My question is that I have 6 or more complete songs out of a possible 57 that I haven’t finished writing yet. At what point do I release a Song/EP/Album. Is it worth while just putting one song out on iTunes etc…? Do I need create an image as an artist etc first also?
I did something very similar this year. It started with a request from my nephew (a Marine at the time) to write him a song. I wrote and recorded it in December, got it to him on January 1. Then, I wrote a song for a Joe Gilder thing in February (I wrote songs in January, for another project, but hadn’t yet started this “challenge”). Then, somewhere, I started writing songs each month, with the intent they would be “gifts” for loved ones, like my nephew.
Problem is, I eneded up writing 2-3 songs per month, and have the songs written and recorded already! (Minus a couple add-ins from friends, coming in next couple weeks or so). My plan was to put out this record on December 31. Now, I’m re-mixing and should have it done by fall, God-willing. And on to the next project. 🙂
Point being, once I put myself to task, I ended up unintentionally writing MORE than one song a month! My plan was simply one a month. I’ve found SO MUCH value in putting time on the calendar to just write. No matter what comes out. And with a deadline, I get more done, vs just poking around. So – I love this challenge, and plan to continue on in it in some fashion.
Thanks Graham!
I’m in this challenge and will release the first song the 15th of August…
Sign me up!! Definitely need this creative push.
Great points Graham, as always! I can’t express how huge step one is. About two weeks ago, I found out my mother was visiting and I wanted to record a song for her. I made the commitment to have it done before she got here. Giving my final touches on it today and she gets here tomorrow. Mind you, I am working on my own and this is a full band production. Sometimes life throws some challenges into the mix (recording when your wife and 3 year old are sleeping) but you get creative when you set a deadline for yourself. Thanks for all the awesome articles you put up!!
Writing and releasing a one song a month isn’t a problem it’s promoting it so a lot of people hear it . I have been posting songs on soundcloud ,reverbnation,facebook and my other music accounts like CD Baby and Hyperedit and even You Tube ,But getting others to find them and listen to them is the problem.
I’m doing the same thing this year. I originally committed privately to write a song a month for 2017, but January came and went and nothing happened. I remembered you and other talking about publicly stating your goals, so I announced my goal to write and record a song a month for the rest of 2017 starting in February. I’ve been committed to it ever since. I made it a priority while working full time and even planning a wedding (got married in June and my wife is so very supportive of me and my music). It’s been such a fun ride to write music and I’ve learned so much in these 5 months. Thanks for all of your encouragement! 🙂
I am in the process of writing and recording an EP (or more!) that is set to release in February and I am doing it alongside 5 other artists who I am working with in my project studio every other week who will release their EP’s in February as well. At the launch date in February we will have a joined 6 EP launch party!
In a loving and kind manner….
You talk the talk, but can Graham walk the walk? Specifically, we know that he can do this challenge, but can he collab with Joe to make some new tunes? Or collab with other musicians via the webs? My challenge to you sir, 12 songs, 12 months, 12 different artists from around the globe.
I love this idea! Probably a bit more difficult. I’ve actually tried. Put feelers out to friends. Getting 12 people who are willing to do something like this, is harder than you might think. I would be game, if others are. Either part of Graham’s, Joe’s, yours, or even doing this myself if others are willing to do with me.
Aaron – I love your idea and think Graham is a great musician/songwriter but his real gift is teaching:))
Wow just what I needed to hear Graham. My wife has been on me to get my songs out there and for some reason I have been taking for ever. I have three songs ready to go with 10 more in the works so I am plunging in head first to get them out. Also loved your video on digital distribution I saw on you tube. Keep up the good work my brother your help is more than you realize…
Blessings to you
Committing to 1 song on July 31st 2017!
Thanks Graham,
God Bless!
I’m nervous to declare a date because every time I make a plan, my Almighty likes to throw in a wrench or two:) But I just bought a microphone (Shure KSM 27) and I am running out of excuses as to why I can’t record a song in my very loud city apartment.
So, I, Dakota (known as DakDaddy) will put out one song by August 14th, 2017. The name of the song is “Decaff Coffee Blues”. I live in Seattle and if I write a silly love song about how my life without you is like starting the day with decaff, it will resonate. Every morning when I turn on my espresso maker, I start be-bopping-scat-singing to the pump, the steamer, etc., and got the idea to sample all of these “coffee maker” sounds for the percussion. Hell, my can of coffee beans makes a fantastic shaker. And my fine china coffee cup makes a beautiful ringing sound when you tap the edge with the grounds packer. So, time to head to the kitchen, record a bunch of sounds, and start whining about how I woke up this morning and you were gone and now I got those decaff morning blues:)
I want to hear the result 🙂
Send me the link when its done!
Since read this blog I’ve recorded 2 song and working on a video motivation is the key can’t wait to release the ep I’m working on thanks for the help hope it encourages others to do the same
Where is my decaff cofee blues?
Hello Graham and everyone,
I just wanted to post here to publicly announce I am joining this challenge. I already have started drafting a new song but have been putting it aside a little.
Hope this challenge pushes it forward, release date: july 29 2017!!
wish me luck
Deadlines definitely help my productivity. Right now I’m responsible for making stems for the backing tracks our worship band uses every Sunday morning. That means I’m making at least pad and string section tracks for 2-4 songs every week. That usually involves carving out at least 2 hours per song for voice selection, tracking, and mastering. It may not be as rewarding as creating my own new material, but it’s definitely pushing me to be more efficient and hone my craft!
hello Graham and all
wonder why all the excuses seem to be about having old computers and not enough plug-ins?
how about writing a song in a month ****without sounding cliche musically (chords/melody/rhythm/lyrics)****
as always , huge thanks , and keep up the wonderful content and info; definitely a reading/listening pleasure
I was all set at the very start of the year to get at least 10 new songs done in a couple of months…but then at the end of January my brother took his own life, which devastated us all as you can imagine. So I totally stopped with the music for a few months as my head and heart just wasn’t in it. I decided to get back into it about a month ago as I felt it was something that could help me through the loss of my brother, and now I’m determined to get those 10 songs finished as soon as I can in dedication to him. Music has always been my one true passion but I believe it can also be incredibly therapeutic when your dealing with some kind of loss or tragedy. Oh and just for the record I simply cannot afford to spend a lot of money on my music so my home studio set-up consists of a 6 year old laptop, on which I use reaper, all my plugins are either from reaper or freeware, a £120 guitar which goes out of tune literally every 2 minutes, a £100 second hand bass, a free condenser mic which came with a pair of decent headphones (which are now broken)…so I use the mic to record the vocals and as I don’t own a guitar amp I just plug my guitar straight into the microphone jack..no audio interface….and record through various trial/free versions of guitar amp software…oh and I use loops for all the drums. So if that’s not one of the worst set-ups out there I would be surprised! But I can still get pretty decent sounding songs even with all that…so it really isn’t about the gear as Graham always says.
Ok, I have a half-written song that I will finish and release by 31st July 2017
I’m working some songs that’s featuring my cousin but the mixing is the trouble my cousin lay tracks like no other but it’s my turn to show up but I work a lot so it’s the focus more than anything hopefully I will be posting better results til next time
Hey, Graham. You inspired me last time you posted this challenge, and we started releasing a song a month in April. We’ve released 4 so far (2 in June!), and the July song is coming soon.
My recording and mixing skills are still coming along, and each song sounds a little better than the last. But I still like them all, and this process has been incredibly rewarding. Thanks for the kick!
I am releasing my new single really soon I am releasing it on July 27 The song is called Defender can’t wait for you all to hear it
Hi Graham
You know what ?
The most motivating thing in your last email was the photo you attached to your message , i immediately set it as my laptop background and i already has opened my recent project to move on …
Thanks
Hi Graham! I´ve been subscribed to your mailing list for a while now, and been a Dueling Mixes´ member for some time until I got fired from my last job so I had to minimize my fixed costs to a minimum! Then I started my own company, so that gives me the ability to manage my time in a way that i can focus on my music more than ever before!! So I think it’s time to finally pick up the glove and give this challenge a try!
So, as from today, I’m committed to releasing a new song in August 14th!
Also, I want to thank you for all the knowledge you share with us! In my case, I went from just being a guitar player to recording and mixing a 7 song album with a friend, all in my home studio! (a 2010 lenovo notebook, a Tascam US-1800 and a couple of budget mics (a Sure SM58 and a Samson CO1). Here’s the link, if anyone cares to listen!
https://open.spotify.com/album/72uzUfGbA17XXRvJOaQM79
Dandole una escucha, el primer tema ya me atrapo, la letra, el ambiente, la melodía; mucho alma
This is a fantastic article and is providing me with a much needed kick in the ___ to move forward with my original music. One question though, what about copyrights? Can you get a copyright filed that quickly or is everyone posting before filing an official copyright? I know that technically songs are copyrighted as soon as they are recorded so maybe it’s a non-issue…
Yes! I commit to releasing one song on September 1, 2017
What a great idea. I will take up the challenge and have a new song up by August 1st!
In the beginning of this year I publicly announced, I would finally release my Country EP/album “The Challenge” by the end of September 2017 (original releasedate: August 2012!).
It will contain songs, I wrote and recorded in the past five years. So, no really new songs. Instead songs, that have been on my harddisk for five years and I never succeeded to finish.
I hope, this counts as well.
Good luck and happy playing/recording everyone!
🙂 I think that counts:))
Thanks, Dakota. Good luck with your Decaff Coffee Blues! Looking forward to the 14th of august :-)!
I’ve been into DAW for a little over a year. It took me three months to complete my first album of 21 songs. Now that I’ve got the hang of things I’m turning out 12 to 14 original songs a month. I made seven albums so far of 112 tunes. I think goals are good, but I just get up and start writing because it’s fun. For anyone curious, here’s one of my best. Good luck to everyone! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6082jkdzTU&t=189s
I love what you do for musicians and singers. I’ve been watching your post for few years now. You willingness to inspire, ignite and share your wisdom and knowledge is noteworthy. I’m going to take the challenge but I can’t miss the opportunity to say thank you for your selflessness. You’re appreciated and regarded as a blessing to many. Thank you for all that you do.
Hello Graham,
I commit to release a song by August 17th, 2017!
Thanks for reminding of this challenge. I have been putting up setting dates for way to long and in turn not released have as much as I would like. Which caused a bit of a depression and through that even less progress. Now I have told everyone what I am doing and do not want to disappoint them the same way.
It is day two today and I am already doing better because of a much sturdier concept.
I am finishing up a song which had been sitting around far to long and a lot of friends want to hear the final result at their home and not just drafts at mine.
That wasn’t enough of a challenge though and since I have multiple projects another one is getting some work done as well.
My best mate writes original short stories which I record and produce. I add ambience, sound effects and music to everything you hear in the story so you get fully immersed. Basically a movie without the picture (so far). We had some live shows and people loved it.
I am super excited to announce a new song and another short story experience August 16th, 2017
Thank you Graham for everything and all the best to everyone and their challenges.
Here is what I got so far:
https://parkstales.bandcamp.com/releases
https://tros.bandcamp.com/releases
Hey everyone. I really felt inspired by this challenge. Often times I really need a good ass kicking to find my own potential. It has helped me again to not plan and think so much, but actually DO.
Doing something with the goal to have a big impact on your progress is setting a great perspective for me. Alone the organization has to be improved… A lesson good to be learned.
Here is the song I wanted to release for almost three years but only through a stronger push made it to the public. I hope you enjoy it!
https://tros.bandcamp.com/track/eloquent-birds
P.S.: The Artwork for the short story experience is being finished by the artist as I write this. Reminder for the future: Remind everyone helping a project often enough and very well ahead of the deadline…
Very nice!
Hi there, Graham!I’ve been following TRR for almost a year now and not only I’ve gotten confident enough to write, record, mix and master a record by myself for the first time – not because I think the final result will sound like a professional recording (I know it won’t), but because it made me realise I just have to start somehow. Thank you so much!
Curiously enough, I’ve just bumped into two articles from completely different sources that communicate with some things you’ve discussed here and also in the Simply Recording Broadcast along with your pal Joe Gilder (please send him my regards too, hehe), so I’d like to share them with you.
The first one comes from a familiar origin: I found it on the Flypaper website, in the Soundfly portal, and it was written by a New Age composer who took the challenge of writing, recording, mixing, mastering and releasing a song a day for 120 days – and broadcast his sessions. Once the challenge was over and the 120 resulting songs were available on Soundcloud, he weighed the pros and cons, what he had learned and what he’d do differently:
http://flypaper.soundfly.com/write/motivation-what-i-learned-from-writing-a-song-a-day-for-120-days/
The second one, however, is far more peculiar. It presents, in a concise and easy to follow writing (otherwise I wouldn’t make it to the second paragraph), the learnings of a neuroscientist called Santiago Ramón y Cajal, lauded as the founding father of the field, about what he named “the diseases of the will” – the psychological barriers that keep great and talented individuals from doing great, concrete work. Even though his book was written in 1897 (!!!) and was aimed at young scientists, the behaviours he identifies can be found in any creative context, ranging from those who show off erudiction but never actually create anything of their own to those who have great and ambitious ideas and aren’t afraid of working on them, but, instead of releasing them to the world, engages in a search for perfection that, in the end, prevents their great projects from ever seeing the light of day, such as in the paragraph below:
“They end up spending their lives planning and plotting, constructing and correcting, always submerged in feverish activity, always revising, hatching the great embryonic work—the outstanding, sweeping contribution. And, as the years go by, expectation fades, rivals whisper, and friends stretch their imaginations to justify the great man’s silence.”
It’s a great reading, and it’s really accessible to those who, like myself, aren’t scientists:
https://www.brainpickings.org/2017/03/17/diseases-of-the-will-cajal-advice-for-a-young-investigator/
Hope it inspires you!
Best wishes,
Rodrigo
I plan, NO, I AM GOING TO write and record a song a month and my first song will be uploaded to the Internet on or before August 17, 2017! Reading this has been the motivation I needed! I am working with a Satellite Toshiba laptop and Pro Tools LE both from 2004 (circa. Maybe even older. LOL) I bought new music gear such as the Kaossilator Pro, Korg Wavedrum, and a Roland RC505 and Roland JD XI but I am also going to dust off the Yamaha DX100 and the VSS30. Oh yeah, I also have new MXL condenser mic and Vocalist Live FX unit I’ll be using.
WISH ME LUCK!
Nick Quickle a.k.a. Stranded Aliens Band
http://www.facebook.com/strandedaliens
Hi!! Summing up, this year I figure out that I wanted to take music more like a serious thing in my life, and things like this page are really helpful in this journey. I hope this “trick” help me to put the shoes on and finish the songs that I’m working on (and never finish or release) in the last years:
I’m planning to release an album of 10/12 songs this year, the 1st of December.
I recently bought an audio interface, a pair of monitors and one mic; the DAW for this album will be Garage Band running in an iPad, I hope I can get a good sound from there; for next works Im thinking to move into Cubase.
PD: Sorry for my bad english.
Love!!
This is certainly inspiring, Graham, thanks a lot!
I’ve been struggling with my songwriting for a long time, and now that I’m in a new band, I definitely need to shrug it off once and for all and start composing and recording more songs.
I’ll have to check my calendar…
Here it is a few days late. Sorry for the crap vocals. https://soundcloud.com/user-207696700
Here is my new song which only finally made it out there because of this challenge
https://tros.bandcamp.com/track/eloquent-birds
Well…I was way short on recording a song a month last year, but I finally finished recording and copyrighting my most recent song. Here she is:
https://soundcloud.com/jasonlamountain
I was surprised by how long it took for the copyright to come back, but wanted to wait to get it before posting anything.
I have 2 new songs written so far in 2018 and am just starting to record studio versions of them. Hopefully I can get much closer to 12 songs completed in 2018!
Way to go!