This essay describes a single case self-study of a music composer in order to track the compositional process in real time. In the study the subject and the researcher are the same person. The study builds on previous empirical studies that have used methodological approaches such as analysis of computer-based digital data collection, verbal protocol and video observations. It deals with issues of the compositional process related to for example time consumption, number of artistic decisions, the different roles and skills of a music composer, and methods of research in the musical composition process. During three shifts the researcher worked as a music composer dealing with the issue of converting an audio sketch of a composition into a representative finished audio product. The aim of the study was to highlight a specific phase the composititional process. The results can be divided into artistic and a scientific perspective. An artistic result is a developed and improved musical composition. Examples of scientific results is making visible and discussing artistic strategies in the context of musical composition. The study discusses different artistic roles that the composer uses during composing, each role with different skills and conditions, and how this role-playing significantly may influence the artistic result.