A powerful songwriting and chord progressions tip

[PhilMoufarrege]

Got major writer's block? Check this songwriting and chord progressions trick...

When you run out of ideas, the key thing that you need to do is shift your focus in order to start the snowball effect of momentum so that the creative ideas can come once again.

 

I will now show you just one of many methods I have to get the momentum rolling again.

Check out the article plus examples here:

 

http://www.grow-the-voice.com/songwr...gressions.html

 

I'm sure it'll give you some fresh ideas!

[Lee Knight]

Wow. Nicely put together. I'm actually busy right now working on something musicy of my own and can't dive in to the fullest but look forward to doing so as soon as I get a chance. This looks very interesting, thanks!

[PhilMoufarrege]

Hi Lee, glad you found it interesting. There's heaps of little "hacks" like this I do and I literally never run out of ideas. Hope you find success with it.

[Delmont]

Got major writer's block?

 

Yiikes! I have a dozen major artistic problems, but writer's block has NEVER been one of them.

 

There are words running around my head every waking minute, and scribbling or typing them out has never been a problem. My problem is figuring out how to ignore them.

 

Highly distracting. It drives everyone around me crazy. Always has. "You're a thousand miles away." "You never hear a word I say." "Where did you just go?" "What did I just tell you?" "Earth to Del! Come in, Del!" Bosses hate it. Girlfriends hate it. Parents hate it. Everyone hates it. (So, like, how do they think I feel?!)

 

Now, if they ever discover a cure for bad writing, send me the prescription!

 

Del

www.thefullertons.net

( •)—:::

[PhilMoufarrege]

Hi Delmont. I think what you may be lacking is the GROUNDING ELEMENT. It is great to be in your head and let your mind wander and generate creative ideas, but it is another skill - as you already know - to funnel it and focus it into reality.

 

What I think will help you is doing things that get you back in touch with your BODY more than your mind. Such as heavy weight lifting, sprinting or anything intense that requires a concentrated, focused effort without your mind wandering. Also eating a lot of grounding foods, starchy potatoes, carrots, anything that grows under the ground.

 

Another thing you can try is when writing a song, be very stubborn. Commit to one idea and refuse anything else. Just as an exercise. When you do this, don't be so serious about trying to make a great song, just use it as practice to learn how to command your body and get GROUNDED emotionally.

 

I hope this gives you some ideas. The issue you are talking about is common and can be quite a deep trait that effects you in your life as you've mentioned.

[Delmont]

Thanks, Phil!

 

I know you're right. Working out probably helps writer's block (it gives you something gruesome to write about!), but I've never had trouble writing a song, story, script, article, or essay. As long as there's a keyboard or pen and paper handy, writing is as easy as sitting down. I love editing, too. As I say, one of my problems (in life) is how hard it is to concentrate on what someone else is saying when I have all these other distractions (words!) bouncing around my head.

 

In music, my biggest problem is memorizing. I've tried everything anyone has suggested in person, in articles, and online, (including hard exercise, hypnosis, and replacing my many metal fillings with white fillings), and nothing helps much.

 

I'm not saying my writing is any good. You don't have to be terrific to be prolific! It's just hard to remember words. For instance, I've been trying to learn the same song for three days, and I still don't have it. It's an up-tempo bluegrassy thing that goes:

 

I know a gal named Maggie Brown,

gets dressed up and goes to town.

I’d meet her there at half past four,

but she don’t go to town no more.

 

I know a gal named Maggie Black,

lives in a blowed-down miner’s shack.

Dress her up in silks so fine,

promenade down to the company mine.

 

I know a gal named Maggie Blue,

shows the boys just what to do.

Goes high-stepping Saturday night,

Sunday morning, sets things right.

 

I know a gal named Maggie Green,

prettiest thing you ever seen.

Known far and wide throughout the land,

boys kill and die for Maggie’s hand.

 

I know a gal named Maggie White,

says she won’t, then she says she might.

Many a boy who took that bet

now lives a life of grim regret.

 

I know a gal named Maggie Red,

kicked Carrie Nation smack in the head.

Bottled in bond and dressed to kill,

runs a ten-mile tab at the whiskey still.

 

I know a gal named Maggie Gray,

never can tell just what she’ll say.

Bought her gifts rare and devine.

She said, “You’re kinda cute, go get in line.”

 

I know a gal named Maggie Cerise,

she’s more fun than a barrel of geese.

Made her pie and jackalope stew.

She said, “You ain’t too tall, but I think you’ll do.”

 

By now, I've sung it more than a hundred times. I know people who could memorize that in just a few readings.

 

After memorizing, my biggest music problems are singing, performing, connecting with the audience, and when I'm in a band, playing stuff I hate that other people wrote. In short, my ego is my biggest enemy. (And I work on it! I do! Every day!)

 

If I had to deal with writer's block, too, I'd make myself learn to love to play other people's stuff!