Breaking the cycle

[fierojoe]

Hey guys, just curious. What do you all do when you get into a slump? I used to sit down and write a song and be done with it inside of 20 minutes (not-including small face-lifts, of course). Seems lately (like the past 3 years) that I havn't been able to get more than 4 lines on paper before I go dry for a few months.

 

[dafduc]

I just go do something else - the songs come eventually.

Sometimes I'll just do an "exercise" - write a song for the sake oif writing a song - occasionally come up with a keeper that way, and even if it's not, it might get the creative juices flowing again.

Daf

 

[smuckinfart1]

Try doing something different. Like,get completely smashed and then write. Or go to a public place and watch people and how they interact with one another. Thats always good inspiration. You're like me Luke,you always wanna write about yourself so try writing about someone else. I should take my own advice......

keith

http://www.keithray.net

 

[Aaron Cheney]

Sometimes I can get a song in one giant brain dump, and other times I have to resort to doing it academically. Both of them work, I guess, and I enjoy doing it both ways. I can't say either way yeilds better songs, as I've gotten good and bad songs both ways. For me, the point is to just keep writing either way. The more songs you write, the more good songs you'll end up writing.

The most important thing for me is recording a seed of an idea the moment I have it. The old "bar napkin" thing.... One thing I do all the time is call home and sing into my answering machine. When I get home, I listen to the message to remind myself and then sing it into Sonar.

Another thing that always hinders me is trying to edit when I write. You just can't do that.

Aaron
http://www.voodoovibe.com

 

[Aaron Cheney]

One more thing....

As with any project, sometimes when you're really frustrated with it the best thing to do is just walk away and shelve it for a while. I've left songs half done for years and then come back to them and finished them in a whirlwind of inspiration.

The other hard thing to do is leave an idea that just isn't working with the faith in yourself that you'll come up with another idea. Sometimes you lose that faith and end up beating a dead horse, because at least it's a horse. If a song just isn't working, scrap it and begin again.

Aaron
http://www.voodoovibe.com

 

[fierojoe]

Thanks for the tips guys, I'll try my best. i do know the one thing that changed was my ex girlfriend that left several years ago. I'm sure you all know about those... She was the inspration for almost everything I wrote, wether it was about her or not. Well, she's gone now and I havn't been able to write since. I just need to get out there and find some more inspiration. lol, My new girlfriend doesn't depress me enough!