I studied music, I lost all the passion...

you can't go back. don't try. it amounts to regret, whcih is not making use of the maturity and knowledge you have gained since it "flowed."

everyone gets disoriented in a new place. if you take it as loss, then that's what it will be. maybe the universe is directing you on a new path - not necessarily away from creating music, but maybe a detour to see some things you need to see...

life is long. at 19, i figured life was all downhill once youth was gone. now, i feel like i have everything to look forward to as i age. there is plenty of time.

enjoy each day as a way to make it all come true sooner or later, because it may be later, and either way or if you die tomorrow you will enjoy each day.
 
slaps makes good point

Learning music theory is largely a process of learning the language of music. ii V I, history, evolution. Like any language,
the longer you speak it, themore words one learns, and develops the ability to construct more complex sentences. Cool so far but did you ever meet anyone whose command of the language was so highly developed that they couldn't convey a simple idea like
" come on in". They will say" Please enter my humble domicile thru yon portal where streams also the glorious sun" or whatever...get the point. be the guy who has kept the ability to deal with the complex and profound in life with simple and direct language. You will reach people and get your ideas and vision across a lot more effectively. Aint that what songwriting is all about?

writeon...chazba
 
Take a week off and take your instrument and go hang out in the woods for a week where there are no interuptions and dont forget the mushrooms.
 
Write shit!

I wrote a novel. Took me three years of all my time off work. 400 pages they wouldn't publish. Anyway, in the process I studied every aspect of writing, and one of the main points is: Write shit!

What you do is to separate the creative part and the editing/rewriting part. Don't let any critical thoughts get in your way while creating. You can always improve later on.

My guess is that many of you have developed critical skills while maturing. That is quite natural. But shut out that critical voice while you get the initial ideas.
 
Depending on what instrument you play, play it upside down. Or backwards. If you play guitar, lower your strap to 80's rock star level and bang out a poison song. Stand in front of a mirror and see how "cool" you look while you are playing. Learn how to play your least favorite song. Learn a song out of your "style". Go to a karaoke bar and sing some old motown tunes. Or some prince tunes. Or showtunes. Grab a hair brush and sing along to your favorite song, LOUDLY!! When you say yes to a question throw the all too familiar Ozzy devil horns up and say "I can dig it" Do anything you never thought you would. Feeling in music comes from your ability to be human, not from your ability to "think" that your human. Say "radical" once a day. By doing what you are not you find out what you are. By being somebody different you find out who you are. Once you know that, the music will flow and be natural. And that's what makes music "good"

Then again that's just my opinion, I could be wrong(In best Dennis Miller voice)
 
When I was 19yrs old, I had my first daughter. I know exactly where you are coming from.

I'm with tombuur "write shit", I started 2 novels, never finished one, but it was an interesting tangent.

I find I cannot write at all when I am happy. Only that unidentifiable, "sad-happy", like the feeling you get on a sappy part of a movie when a mom and daughter are reunited.

Go to the woods. Watch the leaves change color. Take a tour of some interesting old architecture. Eat large doses of hallucinogenic drugs (just kidding), find inspiration where it may lie, and if you don't find it, wait patiently.
 
Well, I played guitar professionally for some years and found eventually that I'd swapped music for something else.

More recently I was asked to do some work that would have been very lucrative but I had to turn it down as I just couldn't face any more of that way of doing things. Besides, I'd changed the tuning on the guitar and my fingers would not go in the right places any more.

My recommendations are these:

1. Stop playing altogether for two weeks

2. Forget about "Music"

3. Dream

4. Write songs away from an instrument (in your imagination)

5. Then, use a different tuning or a different instument


Ideas are more important than scales and arpeggios and no one will care if you can harmonise a harmonic minor scale.

The world is full of music college graduates who have no idea what music is. These people have been un-confused over time.

6. So get re-confused and trust your own creativity.


All the very best

Dave
 
You mean I'm not the only one ?

I'll share too if that's okay. In my early to mid 20's I was about nothing but music. wrote a bunch of crap I wouldn't bother wiping my butt with now. Played in bands, was going to be a rock star, couldn't find enough sober, serious musicians to make it work. Gave up on music altogether.
Fast forward, now I'm almost 39 and I have had a musical rebirth. My wife can't sing to save her life but damn she's a great songwriter. So now , because of her support and encouragement I've picked up the guitar again, playing keyboards again, and loving it. The stuff we write together is so much better than what I did before and so much more satisfying. The life maturity and life experiences have made it much better now at almost 40 than ever before. I'll never be a rock star but I'm a dad star now. Two kids, full time casino job, and not much free time but what I have now I would never trade for what was there before.
I feel what you're feeling and been through it too.
Try to have some fun with it and don't try too hard. Good luck friend and may the MUSE return to grace you with inspiration. Peace.
 
Been there ja_cote. You should be totally inspired by all this feedback telling you that you are among others who understand and support your positon in life as a person who has the passion for making music. Having a child is also the greatest inspiration for living, teaching and sharing your passions in life. It will all come around one day and I'll be buying one of your CD's, you'll be super rich, have everything you ever thought you wanted and sitting in front of your computer one night starting a new thread on this web site saying that you have lost your drive for writing music again. We'll be there for ya.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top