Feeling stuck in a musical rut? Don't worry, we've all been there! Seriously… it happens more frequently than many of us are prepared to admit. Even here at The Songwriting Charity, we are not immune from lean spells where creativity and inspiration appears to have abandoned us.
NT finds his happy place and inspo in music technology, creating new loops and sound textures for his sample libraries for example. Walking and capturing the world around him for his Insta. Next thing you know, he's written ten songs and thought of a new project we could add to our portfolio!
For JQ it's the seemingly endless grind of writing fundraising applications or expressions of interest that causes him grief. Gaming is his go-to space where you can forget about work and be immersed in a moment or two of Star Trek madness, appearing the other side of a session ready to go again.
The point is for many of us the solution to these spells of creative-drought is there in plain sight. We're too busy searching far and wide for a solution, forgetting to take a moment and focus.
Here are 10 ways to get those creative juices flowing for your next masterpiece:
Life's a Story, Sing It! Everyday experiences can be goldmines for lyrics. Pay attention to your emotions and use them as inspiration.
Free Your Mind! Sometimes a blank slate is all you need. Just start playing or humming and see where the music takes you.
Deep Dive!* Explore a genre you don't usually listen to. Who knows, you might find a hidden gem that sparks a new idea! JQ
*Yep, we had to take ownership of that dreaded term used so frequently in corporate-land and try and re-purpose it with a creative context!
Headline Inspiration! Read the news or social media posts for current events and see if they spark a story or feeling you can turn into a song. Not suggesting these headlines might always be happy-making, but they could stimulate action, an idea or spark a response that you could explore within your lyrics or music making.
️Picture Perfect: Look at a photo or painting and let it evoke emotions or a narrative that you can translate into music.
Sample the Greats! Pay close attention to how your favourite artists structure songs and use it as a loose template for your own creation. Imitation, flattery, you get what we mean.......
Twist It Up - Shake it up - Make a mess! Take a familiar melody or chord progression and flip it on its head. You might be surprised what you come up with!
Collaborate! Bounce ideas off a friend, musician, or online community. Sometimes another perspective is all you need.
Freewriting Frenzy! Write down anything and everything that comes to mind for a set amount of time. You might stumble upon a golden lyric!
Unplug and Recharge - we mean you, not your devices! Sometimes a break from screens and noise can do wonders for your creativity. Go for a walk, explore nature, or do something you enjoy by yourself or with friends.
And finally, this is not a tip as such, more a piece of general advice. Embrace Failure: Not every idea will be a winner, and that's fine. It would be unrealistic of any of us to think we can get lyric, verse, melody, theme etc right first time. If it does, well done! Failure is often a stepping stone to success. Learn from it and keep pushing forward. Stay positive, take a breath, go for a walk, have a cuppa, play a game of Boggle!
Share your tips and tricks with us in the comments below. They don't have to be just for music making, perhaps you're a painter, sculptor, poet...... We'd love to hear your thoughts.
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