Hey Reader,

Welcome back to Inside the Studio – my weekly newsletter about finishing tracks, staying productive, and building your music career next to a 9–5.

Last week I talked to another producer.
He had just uploaded his very first track on SoundCloud.

Normally, that should be one of the happiest moments — pride, excitement, maybe even motivation to keep going.

But instead, he was unsure. He even thought about deleting it again, because after comparing it to other “pro” tracks, he lost all excitement for his own.

I know exactly how that feels.

When I released my first track, I played it at a party in front of all my friends. They went crazy — cheering, dancing, celebrating.

And me? I stood there thinking: “This sounds terrible compared to real producers.”

Instead of remembering that moment as a success, I first stored it as a negative memory.

That’s the trap of self-doubt.

It tricks you into believing your track isn’t good enough — when in reality, you’re just too close to it. You’ve heard it hundreds of times. Of course, it doesn’t feel fresh to you anymore.

Here’s the truth:

1. You never know who will hear your track.
2. You never know who will like it.
3. You never know which club it might get played in, or on which radio show it could land.

And one thing is certain: if you don’t release your music, there’s a 100% chance no one will ever hear it.

Look at the stats: on Spotify alone, more than 120,000 new tracks are uploaded every single day.

If someone doesn’t like yours? So what. They’ll forget it instantly, because the next track plays right after.

I’ve released tracks I thought nobody would ever support — and suddenly they got played by DJs I admire.

And I’ve had tracks I thought would be my breakthrough, and they went nowhere.

The point is: you never know until you put it out there.

So here’s the mindset shift:

Music is art.
And art is meant to be seen and heard.

If you finish a track, release it. Have fun with the people who enjoy it, learn from the process, and move forward.

If later you think it wasn’t your best work, take your new skills and put them into your next track.

That’s how progress happens.

I’d love to know: have you already released tracks, or are you still holding back? What’s stopping you right now from sharing your music?

Hit reply and tell me — I want to hear your story.

That’s it for now. Have a great week!

Stay Productive,
- LEMAN

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If you're looking to go deeper, here’s how I can help you:

🎯 Track Finishing Blueprint
My complete system to finish tracks faster, from first idea to label submission.

🚀 Stay Productive Template
Organize your music business, manage tracks, and stay on top of everything.

This email is sent by Stefan Lehmann via https://musicbyleman.com. I help independent music producers stay organized, consistent, and focused – even with a full-time job. These emails share tools, workflows, and personal insights to support your music journey.
You can reply directly to this email with questions or feedback – I read every message. To manage your preferences or unsubscribe, use the link below. For legal or support inquiries: contact@musicbyleman.com

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