When do you decide when your track is done?

[Woah]

Tarekith you seem like you know your stuff Can you share some tips on how to combat audio stagnation? How to view the track objectively? The main reason I have trouble getting it "done" is the beats getting stale and boring to me I think, so I change it and kind of get stuck at programming percussion all the time. How do you get the objective ears back after working on a track for quite a while?

[Tarekith]

I hear you on programming percussion all the time, I can get like that with my machinedrum too. You get stuck redoing beats constantly because you can, so take that option away. Work fast and record everything to audio right away, so you can't go back and keep messing with it.

Staying objective for me just means taking a lot of breaks so I can listen to the track as a whole when I come back to it. I tend to work in very quickly paced little bursts of energy, but with longer breaks inbetween. That way it's easier to keep from getting stuck focusing on any one part of the song.

Also, be honest with yourself. If something is just not working, or you're having trouble with one part of the song, ask yourself if you really need it. A lot of times getting rid of the one thing that isn't working will take the track in a much better direction with a lot less stress.

[nesbit]

I would say take time off from that track. Take 3 days and go back to it. If you don't like it do minor (very minor) tweaks then rinse and repeat.