Telling your friend their song is amazing when it isn’t doesn’t help them. Tell them which part works.

Blanket praise gives somebody nothing to build with. It feels kind in the moment and leaves them exactly where they were, and if they later learn what you really thought, the earlier praise stops counting too. Specific is the useful kind, because a person can repeat a part they know worked.

Next time a friend shows you something, name one piece you genuinely liked and why. Then, if they want it, name the part that lost you. Asking first whether they want that second half is a decent way to do this without flattening them.