Total wall

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theuniversalist

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I've hit a total wall as far as vocals go...does anyone have any tricks to break writers block? Every time I write vocals it seems like they're all copies of someone elses song just reworded...
 
theuniversalist said:
I've hit a total wall as far as vocals go...does anyone have any tricks to break writers block? Every time I write vocals it seems like they're all copies of someone elses song just reworded...
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Excellent topic.
I think a lot of people go through this from time to time and it's normal.
Just don't force it....leave it alone.
Sometimes a long walk, or go out with a camera take pictures, something to break the routine...songwriting shouldn't be about routine anyway..but something that takes you away from it.
Sometimes a little break works wonders.
I find that for me personally songs tend to come in waves and then there's a dry spell for awhile....I actually enjoy the dry spells so I can re-charge the batteries.
 
theuniversalist said:
I've hit a total wall as far as vocals go...does anyone have any tricks to break writers block? Every time I write vocals it seems like they're all copies of someone elses song just reworded...
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If you think about it, there are so many reasons and variables of underlying reasons why a particular individual may find they can't write that probably no two people have ever been in exactly the same position.
Also I'm not sure what you mean by writing vocals. Do you mean lyrics ?
If so, just note down loads of phrases that catch your attention in everyday life. Try writing short 4 line pieces. And see where it takes you. But it may also be more helpful to try and assess or discover exactly what may be bugging you and deal with that.
 
I used to get that all the time, I had written such a good song recorded it and all that was left were the vocals and I had nothing. I got myself a notebook just to jot down everything that caught my attention. I try to make a story out of things that I see or do. I totally agree with StevenJacksonMu a break will work wonders, your not going to get anywhere stuck inside your house.
 
A couple of years ago I was asked by my wife to write a song about her sister who passed suddenly and tragically and what followed was my first real writers block. I sat there with my guitar in my lap staring at a blank pad for a week. One night I was watching Apocalypse Now and thought about Coppula having trouble getting the perfect opening scenes from Martin Sheen so he got him pissed to the gills and just started filming. Upstairs I went for the bottle of Golden Wedding and tape recorder. The next day I listened back and had my song(and the squirts). I don't promote this method but since then, I do sometimes take an actors or directors approach to tell my story.
Here is the result if you are interested.
YouTube - Trying on Wings
 
My strategy has generally been: always be ready to get your ideas down when inspiration hits. If I just try to sit there and write a song out of the blue, it's usually awful. If I have as sudden flash of brilliance and say "That would make a great song!" I feel like I'm right more often or not (probably not a lot more often, but, like, 51%)

Unless I don't have a way to record those flashes. If they don't get noted down. They're gone within a few hours.
 
I like this topic...even though it makes me feel a certain amount of dread just to think about it :) I think that everyone is different of course, and I'm not sure from the OP whether or not the lyrics are being crafted to music, or prior to the music, or otherwise. But....I generally write words and music together, and something that always tends to help me write is to change instruments. I'm primarily a guitar player, but if I sit down at the piano, I come up with totally new ideas. Bass guitar, same thing. I bought a ukelele last year and learned to play it, and that yielded some ideas. If I pick up a harmonica, that might spark something. Kazoo, cow bell, whatever...it's all good :) Different tunings can help too...instead of tuning my guitar to standard, I'll start fooling around with alternate tunings, etc, and come up with a new song. I'm not sure if this will help you, but it's worked for me many times. Plus, it's always fun to learn to play something new.

Good luck!

Dave DeWhitt
SoundClick artist: Dave DeWhitt - page with MP3 music downloads
 
The oruginal post was not clear if the problem is lyrics, melody or both.

I don't really subscribe to the theory of "writer's block". While I think we all all have times that what we write is not as good as we would like -I have a hard type believing we can't think of anything to write about.

I think a writer must write everyday. A lot of it may be crap or incomplete concepts - but write something. That simple process defeats "writer's block".

I think a successful writer has to be organized. This means always have pad and paper or a digital recorder record to capture the muse when she appears - simply be prepared for inspiration when it comes.

I my case, whenever I have free time (and I make time when I have to) I always have a guitar in hand or sit at a keyboard and work on progressions, etc. - eventually an idea will form.

As an example - last week, I bought a guitar processor and was tweaking the presents to create sounds - a given sound inspired a riff - and that was the start of a new song.

You never know when the muse will hit - but the more you leave yourself available (by writing everyday and/or playing an instrument every day) the better the chances are that the muse will find you.
 
You know what they say. . .

One can only find something, when one has stopped searching.
 
. . . . and dont worry about re working sombodies lyrics, with all the songs that have been written up to this point chances are that every line is a reworked version of anothers work. aslong as it is not your intent I wouldnt worry. You ma
 
I constantly lower my expectations of myself - that how I cope with most things including songwriting.

Seriously try Robyn Fredericks and her books give great advice on Songwriting techniques - breaking blocks, crafting inspiration, etc.

Another thing to consider is that your realisation that you are 'sounding like other people' could be indicative of your improving understanding of music and the craft of writing - not necessarily a diminishing ability as a song writer as an increasing ability as a 'critical listener'. You now have a choice do you continue to sound like others (which is part of the key to commercial success) or do I want to try hard to not sound like others (which may be the key to personal success).

There are only 7 stories in the world it is how you tell them that makes them different. We are always effected by other music and artists you just have to decide where on the continuum of inspiration to influence to imitation you want your song to sit.

HTH

Burt
 
go and break your own rules, travel somewhere you have never seen or been, stop writing for some time, do something you never done before, make your creativity juice boil.
 
Dear Universalist,
Are you having difficulty with lyrics, melody or both? It's difficult for me to determin what assistance you require as you wrote "Every time I write vocals...".
 
Just do something different.
This is something different I recently did, no Instruments just vocals, it was a lot of fun, no pressure....I had a blast.
Try it, it can be liberating.

YouTube - Footsteps Of A Child
 
Whatmysay said:
There are only 7 stories in the world it is how you tell them that makes them different.
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Whoever it was that coined that saying/concept needs to spend a month in a good library !
 
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