Kind of a funny idea but do you actually like the stuff you put out to the world or do you dislike it completely like me ( although I have a few exceptions to that)....

Do you like them or not...

Lot's of posts here are asking how songs are written, or they're requesting people to provide production, lyrics, and music for their projects. It's like an auditorium full of various booths offering just that and people are coming and going sampling what they need. One of the rarely asked questions is about decent recording.

Is the song more important to convey a message, or to use use as a vehicle to display instrumental chops? This is a songwriting forum and I see videos of people whose body English and facial expressions clearly show emotion in the singing. But, the voices can be so quiet or inaudible, or the lyrics so poorly articulated that the value in them they are obviously trying to convey is essentially background noise to the instrument being played. Some know it because they either post the lyrics or they're on lock-step display in the video. Really? A closed-captioned song?

The act of recording is not that hard. If I can't hear my singing over the instrument, I record again and get the levels set so I can. The lyrics are the heart of the song so I'm asking those who post songs that sound like they're singing from two rooms back through a closed door to up their games and pony up a decently audible recording or video so I can give the feedback being sought.

I’m a songwriter and have always loved collaborating with other artists. My experience of this has mostly been playing in bands, but I’ve really wanted to expand into songwriting with or for other artists, and have made many unsuccessful attempts over the years. It shocks me the sheer amount of music nowadays with multiple songwriters because what I have found, time and time again, is that the other artist I’m collaborating with just does not care about a song we’re writing together if they aren’t the one steering the ship. So many great songs that have been started, and never finished because the other artist just doesn’t want to pull their weight, and even in some cases, have rewritten the song and finished it themselves without me. The majority of co-written songs and collaborations I’ve done that have actually gotten off the ground have been ones where the song was more or less already complete and all I (or the other artist if I’m the primary writer) had to do was add additional instrumentation. Which is fine, but when I actually want something that’s truly collaborative, it disappoints me when the result doesn’t actually feel like a true collaboration.

I’ve had songwriting sessions with other artists that felt amazing with us both contributing equal to the songwriting process, and then we take a break, agree to meet and work on the song again… and then never do. Meeting to finish the song and/or write other songs is like pulling teeth for them, and the song ultimately ends up being unfinished, and I end up ghosted. This has happened to me more times than I can count at this point. And it makes me wonder, what am I doing wrong? Is it just people afraid to tell me they don’t like my contributions, or that our songwriting doesn’t mesh well? Am I the problem here? What is the secret to actually getting a song that is truly written collaboratively? Does that even exist?

As I said in the previous video, this song is one I wrote about this divorce I’m currently going through. I chose work and providing over spending time with my family and I am paying dearly for it. It’s funny because I wrote this song in maybe 30 minutes, it kind of just poured out to me. I’m not a pro, not the best guitarist, not the best singer, but it is something I love to do, and I hope y’all enjoy it. Also very open to any feed back y’all may have as yall did in the last video. Thankyou!

Trying to pump out song sketches. This was 2 days but i wanna try and get it down to 1. Anyone else got tips about how to structure a day to try to get a sketch done efficiently?

Should the final part repeat forever?

I have a decent variety of influences from Deftones to Meshuggah to slipknot to underoath to massive attack to radiohead to isis and things like that and I accidentally keep writing riffs that sound very similar to the original one and I’m wondering how I create my own completely original thing while keeping the elements of the bands intact

Trying to pump out song sketches. This was 2 days but i wanna try and get it down to 1. Anyone else got tips about how to structure a day to try to get a sketch done efficiently?

I've been working on this song for a bit and I'm still working out if I like the lyrics or not yet. The song is meant to look at a relationship where one person is feeling anxious about where they stands and the other person is asking them to take a breath, let go, and just be in the moment instead of losing themselves to the minutia. Happy to take any suggestions on anything I can change to make the lyrics fit better into this concept.

Also, still can't decide what genre this fits into, if you have any thoughts?

Lyrics are as follows:

Overthinker
You're on the brink of
Falling to particles
Making a big deal

I'll hold your place in line for now
I'll hold your place in line for now

You have it all
You know the words
Why are you worried?
Why doesn't this work?

You have it all
You know the words
You have me
For whatever it's worth

Yeah, we're this deep
Yeah, I'm where I wanna be
It's the caffiene
It's blowing in the morning breeze
Making this harder
Than it ever should be
Good thing I don't love easy

Don't think twice
Don't try to get it right
Don't you go
Running in circles

Find my eyes
Please don't cry
Baby, fight or flight or die
Just kiss me

Don't walk away
Don't let this fade
Don't you go
Playint the long game

Look at me
This is what I need
Baby, fight or flight or die
Just kiss me

“Never Enough” explores the idea of greed as an inner mechanism rather than a social slogan. The song approaches greed as a quiet, persistent force one that slowly transforms desire into comparison, and comparison into jealousy.

Built on a restrained and atmospheric arrangement, the track focuses on tension rather than excess. The composition leaves space for unease and reflection, mirroring the emotional cycle where wanting more never truly resolves the feeling of lack.

Rather than offering a moral judgment, “Never Enough” observes this dynamic from a distance, letting repetition, tone, and mood carry the message. It is a minimal and introspective piece that fits within Max Marginal’s broader exploration of isolation, emotional friction, and modern inner conflict .

A song I wrote and recorded some years back. I would love to hear your feedback. 🙂

finally recorded a very rough take on my phone of a song i wrote last year - any and all feedback is welcomed please !!

planning on properly recording soon :)

here is my song Arcturus! any feedback is wanted!

Hi everyone,

I'm a 23-year-old songwriter from Algeria, and for the past year I've been writing songs almost every day. I have a growing catalog covering different styles—some emotional, some rap-heavy, some melodic—but they all focus on telling a story or exploring a specific emotion rather than just filling songs with random bars.

Most of my songs were written over existing instrumentals (many of them Doja Cat beats) because those beats inspired my writing process. They were never meant to be released over those instrumentals—they're simply how I developed my songwriting, flow, melodies, and concepts. I also have songs written with original concepts in mind.

Everything I've written has been written entirely by me.

The problem is... I haven't been able to record any of it.

I'm from Algeria, and I don't currently have access to decent recording equipment, a suitable recording space, or producers. Even recording rough demos at home isn't really an option because I don't own a good microphone or the basic equipment needed to produce something that represents my work fairly.

At this point, I'm trying to figure out what my next realistic step should be.

I'm looking for advice from people who have experience with things like:

Building a portfolio before having professionally recorded music.

Finding producers who are interested in working with new songwriters.

Whether lyrics and songwriting alone can help open doors.

How independent artists from countries with very limited industry access get noticed internationally.

Whether relocating or obtaining visa support through music is something people have actually experienced, or if there are more realistic paths I should be looking into.

I'm not expecting someone to sign me or magically solve my situation. I'm mainly looking for honest advice from people who have been in the industry or who've had to build a career starting with very limited resources.

Thanks in advance for any guidance.

I'd love to hear any feedback on where to make it better. Thank you 🙏.

Hi, the drop in the song im working on atm is missing a lead and I just cant get anything to work. If anyone is opening to collab id love for someone to out together the lead for the drop, song is 128BPM and in G minor.

I imagine something either string or guitar or even bagpipes but am also open to vocals if anyone had any! Obviously if anything gets added and the song released ill give credits where due.

Drop is in the video, still very a much a WIP but gives you the vibe :) im happy to send through the WAV to anyone interested just let me know!

What approach do you take? Do write a melody first, lyrics first, music first? All at once? Do the lyrics or music feel more important to you?

How’s the melody?, should I change the lyrics?

Em Quem Ele Pode Confiar?

Mais uma das minhas faixas de ouro, "Em Quem Ele Pode Confiar?" É o retrato mais vulnerável dos meus medos mais profundos. Os trechos da letra disso surgiram em meio às lembranças de algo difícil do meu passado que só pude colocar fim esse ano. A letra é em terceira pessoa e narra a história de um garoto solitário e traumatizado que viveu a vida toda solidão e que busca um lugar seguro para repousar, com trechos do refrão sendo "Ele procurava por um lar, alguém para se segurar, alguém para abraçar. Em quem ele pode confiar?" A música se trata da busca desse garoto por um lugar que ele possa chamar de seu. Todo esse cenário parece tão triste para mim, alguém que não consegue se sentir digno de valor, que se ache tão substituível, é tão triste. Imagino o cenário dessa faixa como uma rua nortuna um pouco suja, mas luxuosa, onde as luzes dos prédios e os postes são as únicas coisas o iluminando a escuridão. E assim como todas as minhas faixas mais sombrias, essa também foi selecionada para o meu projeto descartado "Boneco Original". Essa música também é vista por mim como a continuidade de outra chamada "Centro Da Cidade", que não entrarei em detalhes nesse post por querer fazer um apenas sobre ela. No fim, "Em Quem Ele Pode Confiar?" É uma faixa vulnerável sobre experiências passadas dolorosas e todos os medos e inseguranças que se titulam cicatrizes disso. Fala sobre alguém que se sente sem valor ou sem merecimento de um porto seguro em meio a sua confusão, e talvez seja por isso que nela me refiro a mim como terceira pessoa, porque não consigo falar sobre isso em primeira pessoa.

Well,
The way is long and winding
It turns up on the bend
I ride blind under starlight
Head straight narrows end
Straight for the end

I've burned too many bridges
I've crossed too many paths
I don't look back past sunset
The good, why would it last?
Why would it last?

Salvation comes with fees
At least it does for me
But I've emptied dry, the coffers
These chains wont drop for free

Smoking pure gunpowder
The wheels are growling loud
No brakes to force a slowdown
I'm going off the rails
I'm off the rails

Steel and iron grinding
Friction burns the wind
Closing hot the margins
Too late for words to mend
Words to mend

Salvation comes with fees
At least it does for me
But I've emptied all the coffers
These chains wont set me free

A life flash in an instant
A sampling of the pain
Of snapshots in a flurry
To tear apart this train
And I'm to blame

'Cause I can't go any further
It's written on a page
Of an ancient manuscript, yeah,
To sow my end of days

Salvation comes with fees
At least it does for me
But I've emptied all the coffers
These chains wont set me free