How to get back in the groove.

[Jamie Carr]

Does this happen to anyone else.

You'll be on a "hot streak" for a couple weeks,..in terms of writing ( music and lyrics),...then ,..your mind just goes blank. I often work in cycles. I find there are times when I just can't come up with anything worth a crap,...and other times it flows like water. I've got some new gear in my studio that I'm dyin to play with,.....but,....I'm just not feelin it right now.

How do you break a funk like this. How do you get re-inspired and back in the groove.

[shedshrine]

well, if I may pontificate...

Got to refill the well. Keep practicing so your'e ready when it comes back, but focus on some other interests. Life experiences and time to absorb them and all that. Don't have something to say unless you've got something to say..or something like that. New books, old freinds etc.... um, Rework one of your old tunes that never was quite right, or that you had an idea for a bridge for the 237th time you listened to it on your ipod. Listen to some jazz. Listen to random myspace/itunes store stuff. Mess with looping:jam over a beat and pick out a cool lick that can be looped. Get an e-bow. If you're primarily a guitar player these allow some more synthy pad like atmospherics to build on. If you can type well,(or not) bring up a nice clean MS word sheet, and type everything that's on your mind. Take everyday concepts and change them into "clever" turns of phrase. Do your own version of someones tune you respect. um.. oh, and alternate tunings,wow!

And of course sometimes (often) just too damn busy to get into the mindset to work something up. Um, that's all I got at the moment...


what's the new gear??

[mikeh]

I suspect we all have ebb and flow - but a dedicated writer must work through it. In part, the craft of songwriting allows someone to write, even if the muse does not appear. I recall reading how some of the best known writers from the Brill Building days, forced themselves to write every day - if they didn't come up with a song, the person in the next room may - and that could be the rent money for that month.

All of the ideas from shedshrine are very valid ways to approach periodic down periods. Anything that can get the juices flowing. I find alternate tuning on guitar can help me come up with lots of ideas. Or instead of playing piano I'll play around with synth sounds, etc. I don't work with loops - but I could see how that could get something going. I listen to a lot of music while commuting to and from work and I may hear some lyrics or a riff that gets me thinking.

The suggestion to go back and rework one of your old songs is very good - I was able to create 2 decent songs out of old songs that I wrote in the 80's which I had forgotten about. They originally had an obvious 80's vibe, but I tweaked the words changed the music to a country rock groove and had new, fresh material.

So - don't fret the occasional periods of writer's block, It is normal, and something that can be overcome quickly by finding new ways to stimulate the creative juices. The key is to be dedicated enough to make yourself work through it.

[Freddy]

I have two types of "ebb".

One is when I am just tired and can't be bothered. Sometimes this is cured by just sitting down and practising, then I find I am not so tired any more. Sometimes that doesn't work and I am just tired. So I take a break - "refill the well". I have no deadlines to meet after all. A few days off and I am refreshed.

I still try and make some time to practice every day though - even if only for 20 minutes.

The other type is not one I suffer much from any more. Someone once told me that "writer's block" is not caused because you can't think of anything to write - it is caused because we criticise what we are about to write and nothing is good enough so we write exactly that - nothing.

The way round the latter is to stop filtering and just write anything.. garbage, nonsense, anything. Sooner or later something that strikes a chord emerges. Dirty that page! Make some noise! JFDI.

There are some great ideas in the posts above to kick-start the brain to think differently. Another is to look for song titles. Look in anything - the paper, the news on TV, people talking.. any little phrase .. then build on it.

Examples from this thread .. "Rent Money" .. "Don't Fret" .. "Refill the Well" .. "Flows like water".. "Everyday Concepts" .. "I'm just not feeling it".

Good luck and hope you are enjoying the new gear.

PS.. an e-bow sounds like a lot of fun!

[mikeh]

Freddy,

I'm very impressed that you found at least 6 possible lyrical hooks from comments in this thread.

That is an excellent example of the type of awareness that a writer should have (I like to think of it as an "artistic antenna").

I may have to steal a couple of those from you

[chazba]

I know what you mean... sometimes I can't type fast enough, other times.....
Some would say that it's a form of depression but I don't think so. A guy has to have time to reflect on stuff. Anything worth writing about needs to be well understood if the writer's intent is to illuminate the event and the people involved. I am writing a book about my experiences as a young guy playing in a band back in the late 50's. Though the story and characters are based on real events and people, its challenging to present them in the way that creates the images that I want the reader to have . Writing songs can be just as difficult, maybe even more difficult due to the constricted time available to get the story across. Sometimes I go to www.songmd.com to read Molly's articles just to get a little boost.


chazba

[nukeitout]

I like to trick myself into writing by just thinking about a general theme for a song then starting to play it by complete improvisation. I have written complete songs this way, and sometimes they don't need any revision at all. Typically I'll have to add a couple more verses, but sometimes writing is about just messing around and seeing what comes out... Sometimes Jamming with other people helps, too.

[Layla Nahar]

Have you ever heard the term to 'lie fallow'? in the middle ages they got a greater productivity out of land by rotating fields, and by not planting any crops in a field every three years. we are organic, and cannot be productive all the time. The trick, if you have any kind of procrastination habits, it to distinguish between natural rest, and allow yourself to have it - without getting on your own case about it, and slacking off. Many get the two confused, and don't let themselves benefit from the resting time they need.

If you are having a hard time transitioning from a rest back into productivity, try & find smal steps that will ease you back in - be happy with 30 minutes of practice or writing, even if two weeks ago you were doing 2 or 3 or 5 hours of creative work a day

[mikeh]

Layla,

Your advice was very practical and dare I say, somewhat profound.

Being a classic "Type A" personality, I contantly multi task, filling every moment of the day and normally sleeping less that 5 hours a night.

When my creative/artistic output is less than expected or less than desired, I try to force myself to write/practise/record, etc. - often with results that are not up to my expected level of quality. The resulting frustration creating additional negative energy which simply compounds the situation.

While I don't think I could ever find the time or patience to "rotate my crops" (my wife has tried to get me to "slow down and smell the flowers" for over 30 years - with little or no success) - your advice is very valid!

[shedshrine]

Originally Posted by nukeitout

I like to trick myself into writing by just thinking about a general theme for a song then starting to play it by complete improvisation. I have written complete songs this way, and sometimes they don't need any revision at all. .

I like that! Hit a chord and start talking ,er, singing. I have heard law students have a class/classes where the prof will pick a topic and say something like "David Johnson, please stand up and talk about birds nonstop for 10 minutes". Think on yer feet and all that. Should at least improve your oral fillers and preparation for fillibusters

...couple hours of that and I would definitely intend to lie fallow awhile.

[jpdubay]

I know this thread is kinda old, but I thought I'd throw in my $0.02. I visited some buddies for over a week during spring break- I was immersed in music, conversation, and ideas, but mostly music. I was in a rough spot for a long time in regards to writing music, but seeing these old friends triggered something- I'm writing TONS of stuff right now- I write a lot of politically based stuff (how the right is destroying my will, etc...)- and talking with them and being exposed to new music got the juices flowing. Listen to something new, talk to some friends, watch the Discovery Channel. Just do something new. You might write the next "Nookie" (I'm joking).

-JP-

[Whatmysay]

Originally Posted by Freddy

Someone once told me that "writer's block" is not caused because you can't think of anything to write - it is caused because we criticise what we are about to write and nothing is good enough so we write exactly that - nothing

The way round the latter is to stop filtering and just write anything.. garbage, nonsense, anything. Sooner or later something that strikes a chord emerges. Dirty that page! Make some noise! JFDI..

Freddy we must have meet the same bloke because I wrote yesterday in the writer's block thread:

Originally Posted by Whatmysay

I once read that no one really gets writers block, you just get harsher in your judgement of what you produce. You then stop producing because you think it will be crap, meanwhile you romantises that your creativity in the past was better that it really was. As a result you set a ridiculously high level of expectation for your next big inspiration and you dismiss ideas as worthless that you once would have pursued and developed into greatness. In short keep writing, no matter how much rubbish you produce.

Creativity (or problem solving) is often the combination of 2 disparate ideas into a new into a new synthesis. With a song it could be words and music, words and words or even mixing music styles or structures. But mostly it is your subconscious that does this – so doing things like taking walks, contemplating nature, free writing; actually access those unique combinations that resonate with you and therefore a potential audience. But it is no good doing that if you are not feeding your subconscious with digestible ideas.

The guy who discovered the benzene molecule Fredrick Kekule said (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedri...von_Stradonitz)
that he work it out that the molecule was round (up until then the math didn’t work out like in other molecules) after he had a day dream of a snake eating its own tail. But his subconscious wouldn’t have spoken to him, if he didn’t spend hours going over and over the problem.

My point is that to often we try to write songs instead of a song; thats why working from titles or single phrases is such a good idea. Even start with a known song or musical genre in mind that you want to emulate and do a ‘homage’ its not what you end up with as what you discover along the way.

Note books are great when you have a lot of random ideas thrown together – note the ideas from your book on a big single sheet (A3) of paper then see if any of them link up well or even tenuously – the combination of unrelated idea will often spark new directions.

Free write for 10 minutes, just write the first thing that comes into your mind (or record it) then put the best phrases and use the ‘big sheet’ technique above – or better still cut them out put them in a hat and pull them out and write them as lines to a song – some make sense some don’t; Bowie has done this all his career (there are computer programmes that do this now).

TV is a great source of inspiration – sound bites or answers to interviews often can be a staging point for a whole song – particular when it is someone who is speaking passionately about a subject – the language is instantly emotive. Just jot them all down.

My theory basically goes that you feed your subconscious as many different idea as possible (listening a lot of the time) then try techniques that allow its lateral nature to surface (Like above – do not forget a brisk walk – or treadmill) and let the divergent think grow. It is only later, much later that you bring judgement to bare and you start to think convergently as you edit and craft the song.

I hope this helps people it has helped me for the last 10 years..

So far I've got:

lyrical hooks and threads
can't type fast enough to say I love you
a guy needs time reflect in all his mirrors/memorires
I trcked myself into leaving you
I lie fallow waiting for you - this one I'm going to use

[bigwillz24]

Smoke a joint, wait about 30 minutes and watch as million ideas hit you at once.

[up-fiddler]

Originally Posted by bigwillz24

Smoke a joint, wait about 30 minutes and watch as million ideas hit you at once.

Once you're in jail you may feel free to write a country song. Personally, I like to just write through it. It keeps the proper habit fed.

[JohnMoxey]

Hey

I find using a fairly formal writing process helps me. It helps focus my thinking, and developing ideas is easier.

Add to that I tend to have several lyrics on the go at the same time. That allows me not to get stuck. If I find myself lacking inspiration for one lyric I can easily swap to another. I do the same with recording and production. Helps keep the result sounding fresh.

anyways, hope that helps.

Cheers

John

[Tim Walker]

Originally Posted by bigwillz24

Smoke a joint, wait about 30 minutes and watch as million ideas hit you at once.

My secret's out.

[wreckd504]

Smoking just makes me complacent, and i tend to do nothing. I like writing sober now, but hey we're all different.

Working with co-writers keeps me inspired, it's always helpful to have a friend to bounce ideas off of.

[shedshrine]

new issue of songwriter or songwriting, forget which. Anyway, there was this particular article talking with Ryan Adams. Don't know about you guys, but if I've got a sheet of great lyrics in front of me I'm half way home. it's hard to come up with worldly, make you stop and think "killer" lyrics. ANd I definitely dont' have time (okay,I don't make the time) to read Tolstoy etc.

Ryan says he'll flip through books, and just collect phrases that catch his eye. the stuff that appeals to you will generally start to form a theme if you are lucky. Try and fill in the gaps and viola! a nice lyric sheet. I'm going to try this out for sure, especially since the county library is two flights up at my job.

(i'm seriously hoping for viola)

[Monkey Allen]

Well, I just don't worry about it anymore. I don't say who cares, but I just don't care.

[dubs duces]

when I first started writing songs I didn't quite know how to work around it, everyone in some way needs to find a work around. for me it meant applying a more constructive approach to writing. I write out my song structures and music charts first and than go about the detail work. I find by having more planed out before hitting an instrument that I can work with fewer bumps in the proccess. I can write songs faster which is important to me because if I'm making a song and it lingers too long I end up too far away from that original idea. with a game plan I have direction and can defult to some basic diatonic or triadic music theory to write my way out of a dead end.

but that has more to do with getting around writers block while embarking in a project. for me its those in between project periods that are a pain. these are the times when i'm trying to plan out the direction I want to go next. over the years I've turned this period into a thing of its self where I put together lesson plans for myself or just screw around with friends just doing improvisational stuff which is ussually jazz. when you have to make up things on the spot in a jazz trio format it forces you to think alot faster than you would normally push yourself because you need to sence where transitions and dynamic changes should be.

between doing music in a planed methodical fasion to on the spot work I've learned pretty well how to work around my writers block, but always find time to get outside the project. sometimes all a song needs is a fresh angle to figure things out.

Originally Posted by bigwillz24

Smoke a joint, wait about 30 minutes and watch as million ideas hit you at once.

nothing beats scoring a fresh apple of some hairy KB. I just snatch me some Ls, gut em and i'm gold.

[CircuitRot]

Whenever I had trouble writing, i'd do one of 2 things. One was proactive, one was destructive. As for the first, I'd ask a friend or coworker to give me a topic, any topic, and i'd write a song about it while keeping the original idea vague...worked for songs about the old Sonic the Hedgehog game and a towel (weird, I know, but it worked). The destructive one, though, I wouldn't recommend anymore. While I was doing it subconciously, I later realized that I would ruin relationships just so I could write more lyrics...each bad break-up spawned about about 5 or more songs (works for depressive/angry metal lyrics). Anyway, now I just wait for the mood to strike...forced material isn't always great material