One of the things that is very troubling when working on a song that someone has been playing for a long time is getting them to be open to changes. It can be very hard to be open to changes and new ideas if you have heard a song a million times in the same way. Earlier this week we discussed playing the song many different ways like the Rolling Stones, to know that you are taking it in the right direction. The problem I often find is musicians sometimes oppose good ideas even when the new idea is better, just because they are used to the old way. I also suffer from this as a producer. If I have been working on a song for a long time and have heard it hundreds of times, when we add a new backing vocal, for example, I sometimes don't like it because I am used to how the part sounded before. I find one of the most helpful things to do in this instance is to take it home and sleep on it. When I listen back the next day I often have a fresh new perspective and can make a great decision about whether the new part is good or not. Take some time away from the song when you make a big change and listen to it both ways and then decide. Many changes take a little getting used to before you can get true clarity. Listen to each way a few times and you will know the right way to go with confidence.
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