RockfordStone Posted May 27, 2013 Share Posted May 27, 2013 suffering very badly from this at the moment, anyone got any ideas on how to shift it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topo morto Posted May 27, 2013 Share Posted May 27, 2013 (edited) Do a couple of cover versions of songs not in your usual style - might kick you off in one of those directions. Learn a new instrument. Get a new girlfriend. Or dump your existing one. Take advantage of the time you would be wasting writing to do some of that other shizzle you have to do! Edited May 27, 2013 by topo morto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted May 27, 2013 Share Posted May 27, 2013 C G C G D A You're welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdown Posted May 27, 2013 Share Posted May 27, 2013 [url="http://www.pointblankonline.net/blog/10-ways-to-overcome-writers-block/"]http://www.pointblankonline.net/blog/10-ways-to-overcome-writers-block/[/url] [url="http://www.guitarhabits.com/33-impeccable-ways-to-overcome-songwriters-block/"]http://www.guitarhabits.com/33-impeccable-ways-to-overcome-songwriters-block/[/url] [url="http://www.djtechtools.com/2013/04/29/a-producer%E2%80%99s-guide-to-overcoming-writers-block/"]http://www.djtechtools.com/2013/04/29/a-producer%E2%80%99s-guide-to-overcoming-writers-block/[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skol303 Posted May 28, 2013 Share Posted May 28, 2013 Some good advice posted here already. The only time I ever tend to get a creative block is when I'm strung out about other stuff going on in my life - money worries have always been the worst culprit in the past. That said, some people can take inspiration from strife (the entire blues genre, for example!)... but for me it just clouds things when my mind is constantly flitting elsewhere. So if you've got a 'background hum' of stress then that could be what's causing your writers block. At least that's been my own experience. Other than that, I find listening to new music is a great source of inspiration. And especially music that I wouldn't normally choose to listen to. Give me an hour or so of browsing internet radio stations and my head will be bursting with ideas! Try it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted May 28, 2013 Share Posted May 28, 2013 Write a contrafact (new head over existing changes). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockfordStone Posted May 28, 2013 Author Share Posted May 28, 2013 think part of my problem is stress from work. it isn't helping that the "band" i'm in is so sporadic and is showing no signs of getting anywhere after 6 months which is putting pressure on me to write my own stuff. i think im writing because i need to do something, not because im inspired of WANT to do it. ive not gigged in 438 days, so i am somewhate inactive musically and it is frustrating the hell out of me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skol303 Posted May 28, 2013 Share Posted May 28, 2013 [quote name='RockfordStone' timestamp='1369743377' post='2092170']think part of my problem is stress from work. it isn't helping that the "band" i'm in is so sporadic and is showing no signs of getting anywhere after 6 months which is putting pressure on me to write my own stuff. i think im writing because i need to do something, not because im inspired of WANT to do it. ive not gigged in 438 days, so i am somewhate inactive musically and it is frustrating the hell out of me [/quote] That sounds like the problem right there Rob. I'm picturing those days chalked off on your wall like a prison cell. Typically, good ideas never appear when forced under pressure - which is why I find the BC monthly challenges such fun, as there's no real pressure other than the critical ears of folks on here (but at least we're all among friends on this forum - a rare thing based on my experience of other music communities where egos run rampant). I'm no Sigmund Freud, but it sounds like your songwriting is in danger of becoming a labour of 'work', rather than something you do for 'play'. I think once you're able shift that balance then hopefully you'll find the pressure will lift and new ideas will start flowing again. You'll know best how to go about that yourself, but that'd be my tip for starters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockfordStone Posted May 28, 2013 Author Share Posted May 28, 2013 i have them etched into my skin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted May 28, 2013 Share Posted May 28, 2013 IMO this is the main reason for doing songwriting in collaboration with others. Having someone else to bounce ideas off when you get stuck is pretty much the quickest way to get the creative juices flowing again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdown Posted May 28, 2013 Share Posted May 28, 2013 [quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1369740556' post='2092115'] Write a contrafact (new head over existing changes). [/quote] Blimey, I did not realise so many Bebop musician/composers had writers block. Garry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted May 28, 2013 Share Posted May 28, 2013 Take a chord sequence, the one supplied earlier by Wayne will do. Then take some time to: Play it in a country and western syle. Play it funky. Play it late 80's shoe gazer indie... etc. Doesn't matter too much what you come up with, but being creative with other styles can help unblock your own creative juices as it were. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted May 29, 2013 Share Posted May 29, 2013 [quote name='MacDaddy' timestamp='1369754570' post='2092354'] Take a chord sequence, the one supplied earlier by Wayne will do. Then take some time to: [/quote] [quote name='waynepunkdude' timestamp='1369688200' post='2091715'] C G C G D A [/quote] I'll help, we'll put it in G. Cmajor - Gmajor - Dmajor & Aminor Someone else come up with a time sig and how many bars for each chord and we're away... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topo morto Posted May 29, 2013 Share Posted May 29, 2013 Can we have 6/8? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Vader Posted May 29, 2013 Share Posted May 29, 2013 i think we need to go for 9/8 for the Cmaj, 6/8 for the Gmaj, a cheeky spot of 5/4 for the Dmaj and an unexpectedly bland bit of 4/4 on the Amin. Time changes are fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted May 29, 2013 Share Posted May 29, 2013 (edited) [quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1369835381' post='2093239'] i think we need to go for 9/8 for the Cmaj, 6/8 for the Gmaj, a cheeky spot of 5/4 for the Dmaj and an unexpectedly bland bit of 4/4 on the Amin. Time changes are fun. [/quote] Nothing like a nice simple rhythm to break out of that writers block.... So is it 1 bar of Cmaj @ 9/8 1 bar of Gmaj @ 6/8 1 bar of Cmaj @ 9/8 1 bar of Gmaj @ 6/8 1 bar of Dmaj @ 5/4 1 bar of Amin @ 4/4 Whilst that would be fun I'm not sure I could make it sound like I hadn't just dropped my bass down the stairs... Prehaps the 6/8 throughout is a safer bet? Edited May 29, 2013 by CamdenRob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayben Posted May 29, 2013 Share Posted May 29, 2013 (edited) Sounds good but I'd invert the Amin to an A/C! Edited May 29, 2013 by Jayben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topo morto Posted May 29, 2013 Share Posted May 29, 2013 [quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1369836263' post='2093261'] Nothing like a nice simple rhythm to break out of that writers block.... So is it 1 bar of Cmaj @ 9/8 1 bar of Gmaj @ 6/8 1 bar of Cmaj @ 9/8 1 bar of Gmaj @ 6/8 1 bar of Dmaj @ 5/4 1 bar of Amin @ 4/4 Whilst that would be fun I'm not sure I could make it sound like I hadn't just dropped my bass down the stairs... Prehaps the 6/8 throughout is a safer bet? [/quote] How about one repetition of the whole chord progression in each time signature rather than just one chord in each? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockfordStone Posted May 30, 2013 Author Share Posted May 30, 2013 Ive pretty much decided to give up song writing for a while. im going to let the block win this time, and i'll find other things to occupy my time, then maybe come back to it when i have the urge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurksalot Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 [quote name='RockfordStone' timestamp='1369906876' post='2094170'] Ive pretty much decided to give up song writing for a while. im going to let the block win this time, and i'll find other things to occupy my time, then maybe come back to it when i have the urge [/quote]............ I cant get no expression to fit my style . I'll give it up for the words to rhyme , yeah, just chill out till I get the sign , I'll soon nail it down when I've rid the scourge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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