By the time a single is dropped on iTunes or SoundCloud it takes less than a minute to pull it up and start streaming, but how much time does it take to get a single published? SENIOR Lydia Noll started writing her own music freshman year and has gone through the writing, editing and publishing process many times.

To start the writing process, an artist must discover a subject that creates that mood desired by the artist.  This is commonly referred to as a muse. “When I do [find my muse], it’s because I have something that I really want to express. It’s usually a message that I want to say to someone, but I know that I can’t actually say it to them in real life,” Noll said.

Once the subject is decided upon, it is time to write the lyrics and the music. “I usually come up with chords that match the emotion, so I will choose the major chord if I’m feeling happy and then put in some minor ones when I am feeling sad,” Noll said.

The editing process tends to be a long, stretched out phase featuring revising and sharing repeatedly. “I just play around with it as much as I can. I try different chords that kind of make the song more interesting,” Noll said.

During this part of the production process, Noll relies heavily on her friends for their honest feedback. “Usually, they give me constructive criticism, like ‘I don’t like this tone’ or some of the lyrics,” Noll said. After receiving the feedback from her friends, Noll returns to the song and works in their suggestions in order to make the song the best it could be.

With the first draft revised and approved, it is time to publish the song.  Putting a song onto the internet can be a very overwhelming process, “Writing a song is so personal and I want people to enjoy it and relate to it. But at the same time, it is like these are my deepest things that I am revealing to the world and it is really scary,” Noll said.

In Noll’s experience going through the writing, editing and publishing process of a song can take weeks, but once one song is over she is ready to jump into another.

You can check out Noll’s music on SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/lydia-noll