Poll of the Day > Stuck in a music writing rut

(+) Yeah! (+)

Can't really seem to draw inspiration from anything for a few weeks now.

Kinda want to go out and buy a new guitar to see if that fuels me to play more, but that's probably not the wisest use of my money.

On an unrelated note (since I don't want to make a new topic), does anyone know how I can get into contact with Stephen Colbert, or an agent of his or something? I thought about writing him a letter but I don't know if he'd ever actually read it :/

I guess take a break and do some things you've never tried, whether it be a restaurant you've never been to or maybe an activity you've always wanted to do.
---

On another unrelated unrelated note, the whole "ignoring someone's texts so that you look busy during the day and then barely talking at night" thing is difficult, especially when it's 99% possible you're the only one doing that and the other person is actually busy or just ghosting you.

trodi_911 posted...

I guess take a break and do some things you've never tried, whether it be a restaurant you've never been to or maybe an activity you've always wanted to do.

I've wanted to learn how to drive for about three years now <_< think I can do it in twenty days?

go get a tele bro
---

Do you play piano? It can work on guitar too but pianos are easier for writing imo cus you can have a rhythm and melody at the same time

Anyway, turn on a TV show or movie and mute it. Then try to write music that goes with it. Doesn't have to be good, but once you have a few decent melody/progression/hook ideas, just take them and build off that.

Works for me

Well first I get really sad. Then, I write music to feel better.

Sometimes it's forced and I can't tell when I'm making it, so the next day I just throw it out. Writer's block happens when I go through a period where I'm not feeling any emotions.

God lyrics must suck to write though. "I'M SO SAD, MY HEART IS AN ETERNAL VOID" I don't even go there. If I ever write lyrics it'll be Panic at the Disco style where they don't make any sense or they just tell a story.

I_Always_Die posted...

go get a tele bro

Like, a telephone?

gravy posted...

Do you play piano? It can work on guitar too but pianos are easier for writing imo cus you can have a rhythm and melody at the same time

Anyway, turn on a TV show or movie and mute it. Then try to write music that goes with it. Doesn't have to be good, but once you have a few decent melody/progression/hook ideas, just take them and build off that.

Works for me

I play piano (probably better than I do guitar) but I don't have access to one right now. The TV thing is a good idea though! I'll try that out when I can get to a tv.

jamieyello3 posted...

Well first I get really sad. Then, I write music to feel better.

Sometimes it's forced and I can't tell when I'm making it, so the next day I just throw it out. Writer's block happens when I go through a period where I'm not feeling any emotions.

God lyrics must suck to write though. "I'M SO SAD, MY HEART IS AN ETERNAL VOID" I don't even go there. If I ever write lyrics it'll be Panic at the Disco style where they don't make any sense or they just tell a story.

Oof my music is awful and I end up never keeping it either. My lyrics are even worse, with the added level of mega cringe, but they're usually pretty genuine to how I'm feeling so I keep those in a notebook I sometimes look at and think about how much of a dork I am.

PurpIePerson posted...

On another unrelated unrelated note, the whole "ignoring someone's texts so that you look busy during the day and then barely talking at night" thing is difficult, especially when it's 99% possible you're the only one doing that and the other person is actually busy or just ghosting you.

going on my fourth hour of not reading the texts now. boy I'm getting good at this

caved in and text back. now we wait

PurpIePerson posted...

trodi_911 posted...

I guess take a break and do some things you've never tried, whether it be a restaurant you've never been to or maybe an activity you've always wanted to do.

I've wanted to learn how to drive for about three years now <_< think I can do it in twenty days?

Easily. Just do your best.
---

trodi_911 posted...

Easily. Just do your best.

ayyyy

It's raining right now so I'll try to take a drive around the neighborhood tomorrow maybe

PurpIePerson posted...

trodi_911 posted...

Easily. Just do your best.

ayyyy

It's raining right now so I'll try to take a drive around the neighborhood tomorrow maybe

And that is why it has taken you three years to learn how to drive.

JUST DO IT!
---

uhh no

driving in thr rain the first time you ever drive seems like a stupid idea.

Switching up your methods can help, as well as what you listen to.

If you usually write music and then come up with lyrics, try writing lyrics before you write music.

Start with a simple beat, riff, and slowly add tracks to it to see what you like. If you don't like something, ditch it. If you like it and/or fall in love with what you've written, play it over and over while you think about what you want to feel. Don't even think about an audience. Just play what makes you feel good.

In my experience, simplicity is golden while you add appropriate levels of complexity in the background. Simple usually makes it catchy, but if you utilize complexity in such a way that adds to the simplicity... well, here's one of my favorite examples:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCVgWq9B_HE

Even if it's not up your alley, hopefully you get the point. And I hope I could help.

Worst comes to worst, you're in a slump and you take a break... then you come back to your music with a new idea and ready to rock out.

Cheers.
---

Someday I'd like to learn how to write music, but I'm still a beginner just at playing it, so baby steps I guess

You can do it chewbers

oh are you MrMelodramatic

"Chewbers" gave it away? lol

PurpIePerson posted...

driving in thr rain the first time you ever drive seems like a stupid idea.

Rain is much less of an issue than people make out, just make sure you haven't taken off traction control, don't go speeding on the highway and don't attempt car mountaineering.

Btw, manual or auto?
---

Manual.

PurpIePerson posted...

"Chewbers" gave it away? lol

Not really, but I was like "Oh this obviously must be somebody who knows me" and then I looked through your post history because I was previously wondering who you were and then it kind of clicked

Also on the subject of writing music, I know this happens to everyone, but sometimes I get dreams where I hear decent music that I'm pretty sure doesn't exist IRL and I'm like how the fuck can I figure out how to come up with that consciously

DorkLink posted...

PurpIePerson posted...

"Chewbers" gave it away? lol

Not really, but I was like "Oh this obviously must be somebody who knows me" and then I looked through your post history because I was previously wondering who you were and then it kind of clicked

Yeah I'll get back to using my main sooner or later.

DorkLink posted...

Also on the subject of writing music, I know this happens to everyone, but sometimes I get dreams where I hear decent music that I'm pretty sure doesn't exist IRL and I'm like how the fuck can I figure out how to come up with that consciously

I hate this so much. Sometimes I think of something amazing during a movie or whatever and have no way of writing it down, and then it's gone forever.

A similar one that's semi-recurring lately for me is nonexistent Simpsons episodes. I always feel like "This is better than the actual show is now", but I don't know if that's accurate, they seem to be pretty hazy and I'm sure since it's a dream there are big chunks of the episode missing

Just be slow and smooth, rain is only an issue for aggressive and fast driving, don't rush yourself and you'll be fine on the road.
---

smoke cannabis
---

That stuff kills people, fam. Fuck that.

ha you got jokes
http://static4.fjcdn.com/comments/Currently+arguing+with+my+friend+on+skype+whether+or+not+_4f8acc3db1382fc5799810b44c63a468.jpg
---

Well, if you wanna write something for me... I need some Viking EDM for a game.
---

Have you tried eating potatoes and molasses?
---

DorkLink posted...

Also on the subject of writing music, I know this happens to everyone, but sometimes I get dreams where I hear decent music that I'm pretty sure doesn't exist IRL and I'm like how the fuck can I figure out how to come up with that consciously

Learn which notes are what by ear, just take an instrument and sing along with scales, then play a random note and match it with your voice, then eventually sing a note and find it on guitar, then eventually play a note and learn to sing the major 3rd, 5th, other common intervals

Also a thing that helps is start associating music with shape/color. I do it without thinking but it can probably be learned since apparently it's not a typical thing. That way you can wake up and draw it right away or at least write down the basic note intervals for whatever melody you dreamed.

It's tomorrow. Did you go for a drive yet?
---