How To Hear A Critique Of Your Song

Playing your songs for others and asking for feedback is something every songwriter should learn to do. At some point, every writer needs another set of ears. The challenge is learning how to hear what the comments are saying about your song.

Listeners fall into groups based on the direction of their opinion. Some listeners focus on the lyric. Others notice the melody, production, or performance. A few may simply tell you whether they liked it or not. Remember that every response is information and telling you something about your song. And, listeners will have suggestions about how to improve your song, but not every suggestion is a solution to making your song ‘pop off the page’. The great composer, Duke Ellington once said, "I listen to everyone, and I listen to no one."

One of the biggest mistakes songwriters make is reacting too quickly to criticism. They hear a critique and then rewrite their song with this suggested change in it. Then it happens again and they change another part of the song. So, three people give you three different opinions, changing the song after each comment can leave you more confused than when you started.

Instead, listen for similar critiques of the same part of your song. If several listeners point to the same section, it's worth examining.

It's also important to understand the difference between identifying a problem and prescribing a fix. A listener may say, "The second verse loses my attention." That's useful feedback. But then they go on to suggest a direction and lyric for your second verse. This is not useful feedback, it is rewriting your song without asking for additional subject matter. As songwriters, our job is to discern the difference between a useful comment and a comment that will have an adverse effect on the song.

When receiving a critique, resist the urge to explain the song. If a listener misses the point, that may reveal something about the writing. The song has to communicate on its own. If you have to explain the lyric, then the lyric didn’t translate clearly to the listener.

I often encourage songwriters to ask specific questions rather than simply asking, "What do you think?"

  • Did the CHORUS feel memorable?
  • Was the HOOK memorable?
  • Did you ever lose interest? Did you zone out?
  • Was the SUBJECT of the song clear to you?
  • Was the emotional message of the song felt?
  • Did you connect to the song?
  • Would you want to hear it again?

Most importantly, a critique is not a judgment of your talent. It is part of the songwriting process. As I often say, ‘the art of writing is rewriting’.

The goal of feedback is not to determine whether a song is good or bad. The goal is to discover whether the song is communicating what you intended.

For those who have a fear of critiques. Repeat this 3Xs

"The goal of feedback is not to determine whether a song is good or bad. The goal is to discover whether the song is communicating what you intended."

The art of writing is rewriting.  Randy Klein