Getting in the mood

S

Senor Cactus

New member
I'm curious what y'all do to get in the mood to write a song.

I'm kind of an odd duck among my friends who write songs. They have such an easy time about it. I only seem to be able to write songs when I'm feeling strong emotions. When I write a song with a certain emotion attached to it, I have to immurse myself in that emotion. I recently wrote a sort of depressing song and in order to finish it, I had to become depressed myself. That works but it can take a lot out of you.

Maybe I'm just not emotional enough to be a songwriter. Does anyone else have this sort of trouble? What do you guys do to get in the mood?
 
Hi Senor

All of mine is posted in the thread,
"describe your writing styles/process"
in this same forum.

Sometimes I wish I could emmerse myself the way you do. I have so many unfinished songs laying about due to the fact that I can't relate, feel, or duely express what I want to get across, or in the middle of the song I was writting,,,,,, the flow just quit.

Everyone has a different approach to beginning and completeing a song. What works for me may not work for you.
First off, and it's only a suggestion, I'd take what you have and work on the fundemental basics of it, hone the rough spots down so it's smooth and the flow is unpeaded. Once you have a style of writting that your comfortable with, then, try other techniques.
I think what each of us has something naturally that can work for ourselves if we study what comes and the way it flows, and then use it and make some adjustments where needed.

I have about 240 completed songs, and about 2,000 parts of songs. I'm not a professional songwriter, by any scense of the word, just a guitar player who likes to do my own stuff.
I've tried various styles and techniques but always fall back onto the way I do best, for me.

Guess the bottom line I'm trying to say, is if you do try to change your style, don't forget your own roots. Don't forget that you have written some songs by getting into the feeling of the song. I honestly believe this is one of the most important aspects of songwriting. Using what you have, sharpening and shaping it with more and more songs.

Good luck, Senor.
 
Yeah, I used to. Still do. I have listened to some great advice, but I have trouble putting it to practice all the time. Sometimes I catch myself still waiting for the clouds to part and the lightening bolt to hit me betwixt the nuggets, but...

The advice that I recieved is this: You can't wait to write from inspiration, if you do, you will start to believe this is the only way to write, and you will be waiting for inspiration that never comes.

The solution, I am told, is to write everyday - don't try to write a hit every day or some incredibly deep, emotional masterpiece, just write.

I used to feel I had to be inspired to write, but now I try to write something at least every other day - most of it will never bombard anybody else's ears - sometimes it is just some stupid song about somebody I saw on the freeway, or someone on this BBS, or something I heard somebody say, or a scene from a movie or something. Writing about waiting for inspiration works too. "I have to be depressed to write my song" is a great premise for a country ballad. ;)
I stubbed my toe on my way to the shower was my song yesterday.

The point is this - that song will never be heard, that song is not meant to be heard and that is just fine by me, the great thing is that I practiced my craft, if you will, although not with the intent of ever playing it anywhere. This way, I think this is supposed to be how it works anyway, when I am inspired to write about something meaningful, the groundwork is there. The practice will pay off when it is time to write something from the heart and express something going on inside my grape.

I have to admit, some of those stupid songs are pretty entertaining, um - to me, that is.

So this is pretty basic stuff, and stuff that is probably talked about a lot in "songwriting circles" but I think it is a good point to make because it is really easy to slip back into that "waiting for inspiration" mode.

Brad
 
Feel the emotion, but also pay attention to the details of the image formed in your mind that triggers the emotion. For instance, who is envolved in the image in your mind? Have you walked yourself thru their steps, looked at the situation thru their eyes? Usually, when I do this its it causes the song to evolve on its own and the words seem to come easier. Works for me anyway.

<><
George
 
If I decide I'm gonna sit down and write music, then I usually won't get very far unless I have an idea or particular mood I want to convey.. What happens a lot is that the idea or mood itself will come from the music I listen to or see on TV.. a good example is the first song off Second Coming's debut (I can't think of the name of it right now). It's a great song with lyrics that are a bit obscure but appear to be about espionage.. I took the narrative and musical flow of the song and came up with something completely different: a sabbath sounding track about murder and redemption..

I'm going through a similar experience right now. I've always liked the panic feel the video for Soundgarden's "Rusty Cage" portrays, and it seems to fit the song perfectly.. and since I can't get the overall idea out of my head, it's a sign that I should write something at a similar pace with a similar feel.. I haven't translated it to guitar yet, but I already have the rough melody in my head, along with a preliminary lyric: "Feel my breath on your neck as I chase you/but don't look back/It will just slow you down"

Cy
 
Senor -

Listen to Brad - he's right. Writers write! Waiting for "Inspiration" is like waiting for love; you're probably going to wait a long time.

"Maybe I'm just not emotional enough to be a songwriter. Does anyone else have this sort of trouble?" S.C.

Songwriting has very little to do with emotion. It has more to do with structure, progression, uniqueness, melody, clever lyrics, dynamics, etc. All the emotion in the world will not substitute for technical skill or experience. Sure, you might want to write a song about "oh, she left me, blah, blah" (very original idea, too), and you may get emotional about it. Fine. Great exercise in self-flagellation. But a Songwriter will be able to say the same thing in an interesting or unique way, or from a different perspective.

"What do you guys do to get in the mood?" Senor Cactus

Try writing in the third person. Write a song from a woman's perspective. Write a children's song. Write about a headline or obituary you read in the paper. Write a funny song. Before long you will be able to write on cue in a variety of styles. Go to open mics and play the songs for people. Along the way you will learn that as your skills advance, so too, will your writing.
Good luck!

Bob
 
inspiration is in your weaknesses

when i feel tempted by habit or the norm, i know it is time to write a song. out of the worst parts of my brain come my best creativity. i suggest using songwriting to break your oldest habits. this is not only very healthy, but it is productive as well.
 
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