You've spent hours building the perfect mid-century modern studio. Your Sim has the "Music Lover" trait, a expensive violin, and a fridge full of quick meals. You’re ready to become the next superstar. But then you click the instrument and... nothing. The option isn't there. Or maybe it is, but your Sim keeps resetting or getting distracted by the nearest white cake. It’s frustrating. Honestly, figuring out how to write a song on Sims 4 is less about talent and more about understanding the specific, slightly clunky mechanics Maxis built into the game.
It takes forever. Seriously. If you think you’re going to crank out a chart-topper in a single Sim-afternoon, you’re in for a rude awakening. Writing music is one of the most time-intensive activities in the entire franchise. It makes gardening look like a hobby for the impatient. But the royalties? They can be a game-changer for a rags-to-riches playthrough.
The Skill Gate: Why You Can’t Find the Option
Most players get stuck right at the start because they expect the "Write Song" interaction to be available from Level 1. It isn't. You need to hit Level 8 in a specific instrument skill before the option even shows up in the pie menu. It doesn't matter if it's the guitar, violin, piano, or the pipe organ from the Vampires game pack.
Level 8 is the magic number.
Once you hit that milestone, you can click on the instrument and find the "Write Song" interaction. If you’re playing with the Get Famous expansion pack, the rules change slightly for the Media Production skill (the music station), but for traditional instruments, Level 8 is your hard barrier. Don't bother looking for it at Level 7. It won't be there.
Which Instruments Actually Work?
Not every object that makes noise allows for songwriting. You’re looking at the core four: Piano, Guitar, Violin, and Pipe Organ. If you have City Living, you can also write lyrics using the Microphone, but that's a slightly different beast tied to the Singing skill.
The DJ Booth is a different story. You don't "write songs" on it in the traditional sense; instead, you "Create Mixes" once your DJ Skill is high enough. If you’re looking for those sweet, sweet weekly royalty checks, stick to the physical instruments.
The Longest Interaction in the History of The Sims
Here is the part that kills most players’ motivation. Writing a song takes roughly 12 to 14 in-game hours. That is an eternity in Sim-time. Your Sim will get hungry. They will need to pee. They will pass out on the floor if you aren't careful.
The biggest mistake? Assuming you have to do it all at once.
You don't. When your Sim stops playing—whether you cancel the action or they collapse from exhaustion—a sheet music icon appears in their inventory. It looks like a little scrap of paper. To finish how to write a song on Sims 4, you have to go into that inventory, click the sheet music, and select "Resume Writing." If you click the instrument again, you’ll just start a brand new song from scratch. Many players have ten half-finished songs in their inventory and don't even realize why they can't finish one.
Check the inventory. It's almost always the culprit.
Why Your Sim Keeps Stopping
The Sims 4 is notorious for "simulation lag" or autonomy issues. If you have "Autonomy" set to Full, your Sim will constantly try to quit songwriting to go watch TV or talk to a ghost.
- Turn off autonomy. Just for the duration of the songwriting process. It saves so much headache.
- Check the surroundings. If there’s a loud stereo nearby or another Sim is trying to talk to them, the action might drop from the queue.
- Mood matters. Being "Inspired" doesn't actually make the writing go faster (contrary to popular belief), but it does help you gain the skill faster leading up to it. If your Sim is "Uncomfortable" or "Miserable," they are much more likely to quit the task spontaneously.
Getting Paid: Licensing and Royalties
Writing the song is only half the battle. Once the song is done, it sits in your inventory. It does nothing. It earns you zero Simoleons.
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To actually make money, you need to use the Mailbox. Click the mailbox and look for "License Song." You’ll see a list of the songs you’ve completed. Here is the catch: you can only license one song per instrument per week. This is a massive bottleneck. If you wrote three piano songs back-to-back, you have to wait three weeks to license them all. This is why multi-instrumentalist Sims are actually the highest earners. You can license a guitar song on Monday, a violin song on Tuesday, and a piano song on Wednesday.
The royalties usually kick in the next day around 10:00 AM. You’ll get a notification in the top right corner. For a standard song, you might get anywhere from $100 to $500 Simoleons a day. It adds up. Over time, a single song can net you thousands before the royalties eventually start to taper off.
The Get Famous Exception
If you have the Get Famous expansion, the "Media Production" skill via the Mix Master Music Station works differently. You produce "Tracks" rather than "Songs." You can release these tracks immediately through the station itself. There is no one-week waiting period, which makes it a much faster way to generate cash, though it feels a bit less "classical" than the traditional songwriting route.
The Frustrating Reality of Song Titles
When you finish a song, the game prompts you to name it. Be creative. Or don't. Honestly, after your fifth song, you might just start naming them "Song A," "Song B," and "Please Just Finish This."
The name doesn't affect the royalties. It’s purely for your own storytelling. However, if you’re trying to keep track of which songs are licensed and which aren't, giving them distinct names is a lifesaver. There is nothing worse than looking at a list of three songs all titled "Piano Song" and not knowing which one you already sent to the publisher.
Nuance: The Singing Skill
Writing lyrics is the "secret" version of this process. It requires the Singing skill (from City Living). At Level 8, you can click the Microphone or even certain chairs to "Write Lyrics."
It’s the same 12-hour grind. The same inventory scrap of paper. The same mailbox licensing. But it’s a great way to add another "slot" to your weekly royalty income. A Sim who can play piano, guitar, and sing is essentially a printing press for money.
Troubleshooting the "Resume" Bug
There is a long-standing bug where the "Resume Writing" interaction just... disappears. Or the Sim picks up the violin, stands there for a second, and puts it back down.
If this happens, try these steps:
- Reset the Sim. Use the cheat
resetsim Firstname Lastname. - Move the instrument. Sometimes the pathfinding gets wonky. Move the piano to the middle of an empty room.
- Clear the inventory. If you have too many "Scraps of Music," the game can get confused. Drag the ones you don't care about to the sell icon to delete them.
- Travel. Sometimes taking your Sim to a different lot (like a park or a lounge) and trying to "Resume Writing" there forces the game to reload the interaction correctly.
Maximize Your Efficiency
Since you're stuck in a 12-hour loop, you need to optimize. The "Needs No One" or "Steel Bladder" rewards from the Satisfaction Store are huge here. If you don't have to stop to pee or socialize, you can knock out a song in a single sitting.
Also, consider the "Creative Visionary" reward trait. It increases your chances of writing "Masterpiece" songs. While "Masterpiece" is a term usually reserved for painting, high-quality songs do tend to result in higher daily royalty payouts.
Actionable Next Steps to Musical Fame
If you're ready to start, don't just jump in. Follow this sequence to avoid the common pitfalls:
- Grind to Level 8 first. Don't even think about writing until you see that notification. Use the "Inspired" moodlet (take a Thoughtful Shower) to speed up the skill gain.
- Clear your schedule. Make sure your Sim has two days off from their "real" job.
- Stock the inventory. Have some fruit or harvestables in the inventory so the Sim can eat without leaving the instrument.
- Watch the mailbox. Mark your calendar for the day you license the song so you know exactly when that one-week cooldown expires.
Writing music in The Sims 4 is a test of endurance. It's not the polished, streamlined experience many players expect, but there's a certain satisfaction in finally hearing that completed melody play once the "Song Finished" pop-up appears. Just remember: check your inventory for that little scrap of paper. It’s almost always hiding there.