Creative blocks can be very frustrating. It happens when you want to write something but can’t make it happen. You end up staring blankly at your DAW or fidgeting with the guitar. Today we will discuss ten ways to overcome that slump and make your musical ideas a reality.
Record a voice memo or video
Inspiration can strike at any time, and it is often fleeting. You can use your phone’s voice or video memo functions to capture and save the idea for later reference. Even though it may get you a strange look from your family and friends if you start singing on the phone at fancy dinners, it is worth it.
Use a Simple Tool
Musicians can sometimes get too involved in creating the sound they desire. This can lead to musicians needing to catch up on the details and start a new tone. You don’t need to tweak pedals or twist knobs when you want to create something. Avoid falling into this trap by using a simple tone such as a piano or guitar tone. This will help you focus on the lyrics rather than the timbre. Even though you may have the most beautiful guitar tone, it may mean something other than that the song is perfect.
Write Scratch lyrics to remember Melodies
It’s a great way of helping you remember a melody later. This can be seen in children singing the ABCs to remember and in commercial jingles that can stay in your head for days (I’m thinking of Kars for Children). This association can help you retain the idea. You can use these place-holder lyrics to describe the dish you get from your family while singing the ingredients to your side meal. It doesn’t matter what they are; it will help to retain the musical idea.
Get an App
You can find tons of music apps for your tablet or phone today. At any one time, I have at least four to five of them on my phone. Different apps can be helpful in various areas of music. My favorite keyboard app is where I can practice the melody. You can also use other apps for sound design and sequencing. These apps can transfer your musical ideas from your head to a tangible format.
Get Something New
Although new things may seem daunting or scary, they can also have the fantastic benefit of challenging your perspective. Try a different tuning on your guitar and then play a G chord using standard tuning. You might not end up with one, but you might end up with something you didn’t know. This can be a great way to get inspired and help you generate new musical ideas. Producers can try a new synth plug-in or a completely new DAW. It is essential to see the 12 notes of an octave differently.
Distinguish Your Engineering Brain From Your Artistic One
This was a problem that I struggled with for many years and still work with at times. I cannot distinguish between the two sides of my brain. For composing, my primary workstation was a DAW. I spent the first 10 minutes of every writing session setting up virtual instruments and routing signals. I don’t make music. It was too late when I was ready for the next step. Now, I have a template that does everything for me. It’s easy to sit down and start writing immediately without needing to switch gears. You can use your engineering skills to create a template or a pedal board to be ready for inspiration when it strikes.
Emulate songs you like
It’s an excellent way to learn a song from another artist. You also get insight into the composition process of the original artist. You can incorporate little ideas, such as chord changes or a different tone, into your music. You can’t copy a melody. However, you can use a chord inversion that you like to spark new ideas.
Get started writing with a new element
Instead of writing a chord progression, you can write a melody instead. Then, go on to write the chord progression. You can also write the verse of a song first before you start writing the chorus. This is the same idea as the others. It allows you to see the music from a different perspective. My preferred method is starting with a drumbeat and then progressing to a chord progression. I have written many songs this way. Some of my favorite pieces have been those where I wrote lyrics and melodies and added other elements.
Set Limitations and Challenges
Limitations can be a great way to encourage creativity, as I have always believed. You can develop new ways to get the desired results by having limited effects or tracks to use. I love creating production challenges for myself. My favorite thing about making a song is to use only my voice samples. This allows you to express yourself creatively with processing. I’ve used them a lot to take pieces to the next level. You can challenge yourself to limit specific sounds or require every song to use a particular effect. This will spark creativity and provide a lot of fun.
Take a break
Sometimes, you have to take a break. That’s fine. Writing music is only possible with a crack. Music has such an emotional connection that you might not get the desired results. You can walk outside or clean your workspace to calm your mind.
These are the techniques I use most when creating music. These tips can help you to reduce frustrations, such as creative blocks or forgetting your ideas.