Members JamieShields Posted November 27, 2014 Members Share Posted November 27, 2014 Do you guys do anything specific to try to break free from your usual style of writing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tbry Posted November 27, 2014 Members Share Posted November 27, 2014 Nope, just do what floats by in the jet stream... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JamieShields Posted November 27, 2014 Author Members Share Posted November 27, 2014 Yea, that's usually what I do, too. Just feeling like I need something to push me in a slightly different direction. Guess I'll just have to keep experimenting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tbry Posted November 27, 2014 Members Share Posted November 27, 2014 Learn new chord progressions helps quite a lot...learn a cover song and there is usually something to nik from that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members oldgitplayer Posted November 27, 2014 Members Share Posted November 27, 2014 Not everybody has a 'usual style of writing'. Maybe the first question to be asking is, "How does that work?" My take on the answer is 'diversity'. Write in different locations and situations.Write with different instrumentsWrite in genres outside of your comfort zoneWrite about unfamiliar subjectsRead and be stimulatedLook and be stimulatedListen to classics, jazz, folk, etc…..and bounce off unfamiliar musical territory The list can go on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stickboymusic Posted November 28, 2014 Members Share Posted November 28, 2014 Do you guys do anything specific to try to break free from your usual style of writing? Change your starting point. If you normally start with lyrics....then write the music first If you normally start with guitar chords... then pick up a ukulele or piano (don't pick it up!) and see what happens..... different voicings of the same chord can lead your melody in different ways. Or pick a topic...anything.... a passage from a book.... write a short lyrical story to that. Or..... just keep doing what you are doing...if you do it well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bee3 Posted November 28, 2014 Members Share Posted November 28, 2014 Hang around here. Participate in the forum... listen to others and what they do... learn from the rest of us. Be open to critique... it may lead you down a different path. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mbfrancis Posted November 28, 2014 Members Share Posted November 28, 2014 Some great ideas above. Usually for me my challenge is not starting new songs, which come reasonably easily, but finishing the ones I've started. This usually entails work, i.e., sitting down and forcing myself to write, vs' waiting for inspiration. Once I've actually started typing (w rhyme dictionary in an open browser), I usually can finish. But for me it is insanely painful to start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JamieShields Posted November 29, 2014 Author Members Share Posted November 29, 2014 Change your starting point. If you normally start with lyrics....then write the music first If you normally start with guitar chords... then pick up a ukulele or piano (don't pick it up!) and see what happens..... different voicings of the same chord can lead your melody in different ways. Or pick a topic...anything.... a passage from a book.... write a short lyrical story to that. Or..... just keep doing what you are doing...if you do it well. I actually started doing just that a few months ago. I now own a guitar, a ukulele, banjo, mandolin, melodica, and keyboard. The different voicings certainly helps. I still feel limited though, it's weird. Its like something inside me is dying to break free and I just haven't gotten there yet. If you're curious to see where I'm at now, check out my YouTube page: http://www.youtube.com/therealbluehooney Thanks for the responses, guys. lots of great advice here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JamieShields Posted November 29, 2014 Author Members Share Posted November 29, 2014 Hang around here. Participate in the forum... listen to others and what they do... learn from the rest of us. Be open to critique... it may lead you down a different path. for sure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JamieShields Posted November 29, 2014 Author Members Share Posted November 29, 2014 Some great ideas above. Usually for me my challenge is not starting new songs, which come reasonably easily, but finishing the ones I've started. This usually entails work, i.e., sitting down and forcing myself to write, vs' waiting for inspiration. Once I've actually started typing (w rhyme dictionary in an open browser), I usually can finish. But for me it is insanely painful to start. Yes! Same for me! I have TONS of starts of songs, but then I just get stuck and it doesn't go anywhere. One great way of dealing with that I've implemented is recording all my ideas and saving them for another time. I will grab either my cell phone or my laptop and either video or tape record the song. It might take me a year or more to get back to it, but eventually, the quality stuff resurfaces and manifests into a complete song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mbfrancis Posted November 29, 2014 Members Share Posted November 29, 2014 Yes! Same for me! I have TONS of starts of songs, but then I just get stuck and it doesn't go anywhere. One great way of dealing with that I've implemented is recording all my ideas and saving them for another time. I will grab either my cell phone or my laptop and either video or tape record the song. It might take me a year or more to get back to it, but eventually, the quality stuff resurfaces and manifests into a complete song. Let's hope you're right...I do the same and have about three years of ideas now, but am only pacing at a song or two a month! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members songcat Posted December 1, 2014 Members Share Posted December 1, 2014 Writers block is the devil but most will experience it. Try to always expand your horizon. For example, if you're doing R&B, listen to some rock. If you do Country, listen to some EDM. Be open for change. That can sometimes really improve creativity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tbry Posted December 1, 2014 Members Share Posted December 1, 2014 Yes! Same for me! I have TONS of starts of songs, but then I just get stuck and it doesn't go anywhere. One great way of dealing with that I've implemented is recording all my ideas and saving them for another time. I will grab either my cell phone or my laptop and either video or tape record the song. It might take me a year or more to get back to it, but eventually, the quality stuff resurfaces and manifests into a complete song. Try putting one of your starts here and see if the community can help you flesh it out...take what works for you and blend it all together. Leave what doesn't work for you. More eyes see things that you can use in your own words. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AJ6stringsting Posted December 1, 2014 Members Share Posted December 1, 2014 Collaborating with others and having yourself become your own worst critic helps bring one out of a rut.Inspiration can become like a drought, next thing you know ... you get hit with a hurricane of inspiration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AJ6stringsting Posted December 1, 2014 Members Share Posted December 1, 2014 Do you guys do anything specific to try to break free from your usual style of writing? Theory, interaction with others listen to other instruments and learning new techniques can inspire the compositional end as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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