Was in a musical cul de sac all the way through Christmas and well into January which only ended about a week ago when I somehow managed a new song. But I really felt at the time I had no idea how I would go about doing anything original or new. I just felt like I had forgot and I didn't want to try and force anything out as for one thing as you get older you have less energy to force songs out. And as many say... they come when they are ready and often they are better that way.
But I noticed in the last year or so my way of coming up with new songs is changing a little. Instead of coming up with a riff on guitar and then trying to fit lyrics to it, songs have been coming in a slightly different way. A few of my last of songs have come to me as a line or two of lyrics out of the blue while I am driving or walking which I put to a tune in my head. I'll record the line or two into my phone so I don't forget. Then try to work them up in to songs at a later date.
Was wondering where other folk are at in their songwriting/music journey right now... or anyone have any tips to share to get out of a musical rut etc?
If you get in a rut, buy a new pedal ;)
B
I get a similar feeling all the time. I come up with song ideas and I'm all pumped to record them and when the time comes.... bam! I'm don't feel like I'm in the mood and I don't start them. I like sitting at a Piano and hacking songs out that way a lot of the time I find. It feels like the chords are more.... available shall we say than on a guitar sometimes.
A lot of times though, an idea just sort of pops into my head randomly and I flesh it out later if the idea sticks. Like you, I typically come up with an initial line or two that's fits in the melody that I have and I sorta structure the chords around that. Then comes the hard part... arranging the whole song out on GarageBand drums! I usually do this with a guitar in hand and play out the chords with the drums to see how long I want the verses/chorus and if there should be a bridge and add fills accordingly. After that it's just a matter of recording all the parts and then later on finalizing the lyrics, that's pretty much my "method".
Don't beat yourself up too much I'd say, it's best not to force it. You've got incredible talents as a songwriter and musician and I'm sure you've got many great ones coming down the pipe :)
In a deep rut, so I bought a new pedal ;)
Seriously, I have decided to stop doing "traditional" music. I just keep repeating the same riffs and tropes when I try to write anything so I have decided not to bother. It's also so much effort for me to get stuff recorded (drums in particular are a challenge) that I simply don't have the inspiration any more.
I'm happy with the stuff I have done so far and enjoy listening to it, but I think I have done about as much as I can do given my playing and writing abilities. Anything else will just be the same stuff over and over again, and TBH I can't be arsed.
So I finally bought a pedal I have been considering for a while, a Hologram Microcosm. This is an amazing sound mangler with looping capabilities. I plan to do some live looping ambient post-rock stuff, purely instrumental. I realised that I mainly listen to that kind of stuff now anyway so I thought I would give it a go. I probably won't post much of it here as it will likely be a bit of an acquired taste. Or it may just be self-indulgent twaddle. Or both.
So yes, buy a new pedal......
Quote from: Ferryman on February 03, 2022, 04:51:35 AMSo I finally bought a pedal I have been considering for a while, a Hologram Microcosm. This is an amazing sound mangler with looping capabilities. I plan to do some live looping ambient post-rock stuff, purely instrumental. I realised that I mainly listen to that kind of stuff now anyway so I thought I would give it a go. I probably won't post much of it here as it will likely be a bit of an acquired taste. Or it may just be self-indulgent twaddle. Or both.
So yes, buy a new pedal......
please do post some of it... I can't wait to hear it...sounds cool
this is an interesting subject. I am guilty of doing similar songs etc. I don't worry about it though because most people would never know. The only ones would be me or a few on here that listen to alot of my stuff so I think every song is stand alone.
Sometimes to get me going from being bored with my stuff I do a cover or covers of songs. The other thing is to collab. I have to admit that I find colabs really quite difficult in that each person you work with does things a bit different and it takes time to get to know folks preferences. I am quite sure that I have offended a few during the process without trying to. This isn't really the thread for this but I will say it now anyway. We are all very different. I am a fly by the seat of my pants kind of guy so working with folks who are very detail to the miniscule dot can be challenging for both parties. I will say that the process has been worth it though as some of my absolute favorite musics have been colabs.
Bruno is right...new gear can be inspiring... whether it is a pedal or a new mic. Whatever gets you going down the creative path. I think there is still much ground that can be broken just in the process of recording alone... I learn from everyone who bothers to share what they do in their process.
I try to slow down a bit in doing songs and posting but.... if I finish something I am generally going to post it. Tomorrow may never come!!! So even if one person likes it, or listens to it and smiles, laughs, cries, throws something at the wall etc it was worth it...
I dig ya'lls music very much
Totally get the point of not wanting to repeat yourself, its quite disheartening to produce a piece, only to realize that you've done something similar in the past.
Therefore, new sounds and unusual layering's.
So some of the stuff I've thought about lately:
- I never write using the standard chord set, always looking for unusual sounding chords and progressions
- chromatic progressions up and down are your friend
- new sounds = new inspiration, that can be pedals or instruments you don't normally use. I really like the electribe for samples sounds for that
- mistakes are your friend, it will become part of the song. You strive for perfection, it sometimes becomes stale and stagnent
- write in parts (layers), not a single chord set. When you add 3 guitars playing different things, interesting things will happen. Remember you are not trying to write for a solo accoustic, you have a pallet of sounds to work with
- every one can sing, but you have to mean it
- play with emotion, you can stretch times and be dischordant, but you have to mean it. I've made an effort to stop playing the same old phrases when solo'ing as it becomes meaningless. If you play within your capabilities, but add dynamics and emotion, it always sounds better and more inspirational.
- having a good sound matters, work on getting the right sound, you will enjoy that alone when you play.
- Remember this is not life or death, but your hobby. Expect crappy songs in between the good ones, you will come up with a cracker every now and then
- No one ever wrote a song without playing - its okay to play and not record anything - that will be next time
- Go with the flow - all you need is the seed, the rest will grow of its own accord. Follow your muse.
- Remember, some songs you'll become sick off. But sometimes when you go back to them months after, they are invariably better than you remember
I could add more - but that is enough for now. Perhaps we should have a combined 10 rules for song production
B
Wise words Bruno. Sadly for me, I've tried most of that. I found a music theory site I like (Signals Music Studio) and he has some great ideas. I've tried to use modes to drive songs in a different direction, and he has some great ideas about songwriting and creativity. Which I have employed on much of my recent stuff. But when I listen back to it, I can't get away from the fact the same core compositional and playing elements are in there, even if they sound different superficially.
The key point you have made is that this is a hobby, and I have fallen into the trap of trying to make stuff that I feel is of a certain quality. So I think doing different things more for my own consumption will bring back the hobby element.
BTW, not only did I buy a new pedal, I also splashed out on some custom pickups and am waiting on those. Maybe they will help.....
Interesting stuff, that is a great point to remember... it is a hobby, it should be fun. That fear of posting something sub standard, I get it, but whatever the standard - and it's normally pretty high - I get a great satisfaction from following the musical journey of everyone on here. You can hear it, that in itself brings a good feeling and it's damn interesting too to hear how people develop.
And another great tip was changing things up... a new pedal ha! :) But that type of thinking has helped me finally make a decision... I am gonna buy a cheap bass... likely from Thomann. That might help bring something new out. Another purchase (further down the line) is gonna be some kind of cheapish guitar synth thingy, if only a cheaper pedal imitation version.
Was in the same funk well my buddy bought me a partial cut capo simulates a drop d tuning but is really a A sus when put on it sounds nice and forced me to learn new chord positions. I did cover take me home on the cover section with the tuning. My mom recently passed and I played this song even though it just has basic chords D G A the capo in that tuning gave it a different flavor
otherwise I will hear little phrases in my head and work a song from there
Tim
Bruno said "- every one can sing, but you have to mean it" I am becoming a big believer in this and also I heard this from somewhere else "a bird doesn't sing because it can, a bird sings because it has a song." I follow that up with does a bird know if it sings well or not?
I am finding that singing is just like playing. You have to practice. If you spend 1 hour a day playing guitar then if you want to sing one must apply same approach to be good at it. Everyone can and will get better with practice. Also must try new things because you will surprise yourself. Singing into a microphone and recording it well and then mixing it is the hardest thing I have ever done in recording and it kicks my arse. Little by little I am learning to do better. It takes practice.
I just got an idea for a festival. Write a song where the lyrics are made up from comments on the site.
When I'm in a musical/songwriting rut I just write lyrics...a lot of complete lyrics without any music in mind. I find that if I have the lyrics written, then when the melody or chords present themselves it's easier to complete a song. As I work through the song the lyrics almost always get changed and re-written. Sometimes to the point where they have a completely different meaning than when I originally wrote them...or I buy a new pedal or microphone, lol! Which btw, I just ordered a new Aston Element mic this morning...it's a mic designed and manufactured with new technology in mind. I'll give a review when it gets here and after I've tried it out.
I was going to share some turds of wisdom here, but i feel like i would be beating a dead camel. So i'll just post some outsider ideas.
1.
If you're always writing similar songs, or playing the same riffs. Find a new short chord progression / simple riff that you like and make playing it a habit. Instead of grabbing the guitar and always playing your favourite riff / chord, play the new one instead. Don't turn it into an exercise (like trying to learn it in other keys, or move around). Just enjoy that one riff and don't worry about anything else. Eventually it'll become a second nature. Then when you feel like writing a song, try to approach it from the perspective of this new habit. If it's a two chord vamp that felt great to play, build the song from that. Whatever you do... Don't make it a learning experience. The next stage would be to force yourself to make more songs from this ONE habit. When you'll get back to normal you'll be overjoyed of the possibilities at hand :D And you'll still get to keep that chord progression / riff ;)
2.
Forget about the chords. When you'll approach the instrument from that perspective it's almost the same as writing from a command. You can probably write from command, but the songs you make could be those that make you feel that you're in a rut. The chord progressions are cool and fine, but they're still just chord progressions. I know this is backwards advice, but situations vary and sometimes things that you think can help might be actually those that keep you from progressing. For me approaching songwriting from chord / chord progression perspective is almost like using the wrong side of the brain. The non-creative part. It's a different hat. The same one used for other tasks. Valuable for learning and getting the craft down, but not when you're teasing the muse. Sometimes the chord stuff can spark a song idea, but don't rely on it.
3.
Try the "hit record" and yell something into the mic approach. Preferably with a somekind of an instrument at hand and a now you can hit some chord. Just don't think about it too much :) I agree with Berrypatch that with piano the notes are somehow more "available". Or at least they don't feel the same as when you're playing guitar. Overall i'd say piano and acoustic guitar are most often the tools where the songs popout more often. Also you don't have to really know how to play the piano to make it happen...
4.
Buy a new pedal, or get a new instrument. Weird instruments can spark creativity and you might find new songs from them. Also getting rid of musical instruments / pedals you don't use, or get any inspiration can be inspirational (!).
5.
Do you really need to write a song? Do you have something to say? If you don't hear anything inside your head and don't have anything to say. Just maybe you're pushing yourself into making a song without really even wanting to. Sounds weird, but happens. If you still want to make a song, but are "empty" just force it out. Grab that chord progression you learned (even though i didn't recommend it :)) and write the lyrics. If you don't have anything to say then just force them out. Choose a topic and write the lyrics. They're probably bad, but as you didn't have anything on your mind / heart then that shouldn't bother you too much :)
Now what happens is that you might actually get inspired this and what you did might suddenly turn into a great song, or it might spark something that'll come out with the next song.
6.
Think about what kind of sound you really like. Are you getting it? Is it more about the sound, or the feel? The connection, the signal? For me it took ages to really understand what i like. Turned out it wasn't as much about the sound as it was about the signal - connection to the sound.
7.
Learn to throw away good ideas that don't fit the song. Sometimes the parts you like the most in your songs are the things that are the problem. You might start with a cool riff, or an idea and then the song develops. Suddenly you'll notice that you're stuck. Perhaps the part / parts you felt were necessary are the problem.
8.
Check your old songs. Perhaps you could develop them further. Also try to change songs from one genre to another. Like if you have a good guitar based rock song, but you're stuck with it, or aren't happy with it. Turn it into an electro song. The change of style makes you approach the playing, singing etc. differently and this might help you to hit a home run with the song. You might even get back to the original style, but with new ideas derivered from the temporary style change.
9.
Do lots of bad songs.
10.
"Paint" with broad strokes. If you have an inkling of a song idea, but nothing 100% formed then avoid using chords that outline tonality. Keep the chords simple, and if you can... Use lots of space. You can always add chords later and define the chords more properly (major, minor, or gasp... some grown up chords :D). Or you can just approach your first track as a rough sketch and "paint over it". Then you can find melodies and ideas by just humming over the backing track. Often you'll find more interesting ideas this way. They might be simple, but they're more human, melodic and different than if you'd try to solo immediately. As long as you keep thing VAGUE you'll be able to hear lots different things and find happy mistakes in the form of melodies as everything is still open. When you've painted yourself into the corner you have less options.
11.
Work faster. Make faster decisions. Rome wasn't build in a day. So you're already late.
*
I've been suffering from a some form of writer's block for a while now. It's not a total block as it's more of an "i can't write the kind of songs i'd like to write" block. I've used all of the above ideas, and some are part of my routine. I thrive on musical error and bum notes. I've forced songs out, i've changed genres and i've done really bad songs :) In the best times i don't even know the chords i'm playing. As soon as i start to think too much my brain takes over and i lose all the spontaneity.
I've also written lyrics and song ideas down, but i don't think i've ever used them. For me the lyrics suggest a certain kind of melody and i can't just write them without thinking about the melody. Currently i don't have anything to say / offer so i can't just "channel lyrics" from the sky either. Which does happen to me when i do have something to say... Also i've never managed to write a verse, or a chorus and use it later. I usually get most of the song immediately and the place where i get stuck is the place where it usually stays :D So i hope i'll get at least verse + chorus going.
Here I am.
All good ideas. Odd how writing can be easy one day and impossible the next. I love new gear but it's been a while since I could. I've been listening to alot of music lately with I think has been creeping into my choices. I try to find new progressions or odd outlines for songs. Instead I'd V-C V-C- B
I'll make it C-V-B-C or just basically screw around with the unexpected . Make something work that shouldn't. For lyrics I listen and look for titles and phrases all the time. Save them on my phone. I dictate my lyrics into phone now, that helps especially to get that stream of conscious stuff.
Your recent offerings have been outstanding, I would worry yourself too much. It's always 80% time issues for me.
Rock on!
this one cracked me up...
Zoltan 9.
"Do lots of bad songs."
for me I like them all (mostly).... so I do lots of bad songs...but I don't know it... ha... there is so much good stuff on here...hope people keep chiming in
I saw this the other day.
I love Zoltan's reply - loadsa wisdom :D
I was at "not doing too much except remaster all my old recordings using Studio One".
I've got some AMAZING versions I'm sat on, ready for postings at some point in reasonable sets.
(I've actually refreshed the last 15 songs already - but I've learnt MORE since then, and I have a workflow that, well, don't take quite so long as that set did... So I will be redoing those too).
But, but, BUT!!!
I just found out yesterday about something called FAWM.
It's what RPM was based on, but it's about SONGS not recordings.
The "target" is 14 songs written in the 28 days of February.
I can buy into that. I've always been a songwriter, recording is something separate for me. RPM was a no-no for me. But I can do songwriting.
I ummed and aahed and then joined up... a bit late to achieve the 14 songs in 28 days in 2022, maybe.
But I've already written one.
Also, after much heart-searching, I decided to post the songwriting demos.
You don't actually have to do any to join in FAWM, just write the things.
But I decided I'd do single mic demos, can't be that hard can it?
I just conquered how to do that, master it and post it alonetone so I can link to it from FAWM.ORG and here.
First one's up already :D
So... where am I at?
Yesterday: "yeah, woteva, don't stress about it, it's a hobby guys... love, peace, and spaceships :) ;)"
Today: "YEEHA!!! Do lots of bad songs 8)"
I realise that not everyone's writing technique is well suited to this sort of thing, but mine is. I always have written sat on the sofa (or toilet, or where ever) with a guitar, a pen and a pad of paper... I sing the songs to write them. It's recording them that's the big drag for me... ;D ;D ;D ;D
Good sum-up Zoltan, I will try to follow this advice.
As I also get this feeling all the time. I always seem to gravitate towards the same chord progressions and scales and been trying to change this recently. I've been trying different chord processions , different tuning DropD, DropC to get a different tone and feel. I mainly use the Pentatonic minor scale for leads, but recently I've been trying to included the Natural and Harmonic minor scales.
And been trying to pay more attention to song structures when listening to songs, to see how different artists start their songs, how they bridge the verse and chorus etc .. I always start with a guitar or piano/synth riff and when most of the song is build I add the lyrics, I will also try to change that process, maybe write the lyrics first ...
Will see where this takes me .. But the main thing is to keep having fun doing this ;D
> If you get in a rut, buy a new pedal
Or a new guitar. I've been dreaming of a Gretsch White Falcon for so long.
I got sucked into the flight simulator wormhole at some point in 2021 and disappeared from the song writing thing for a while.
but I did keep playing guitar every day, and just jamming with my looper pedal and my boss br600, even though I didn't bother transferring any of those jams off my boss recorder, I notice that in six months of playing pretty much every day I have levelled up as a guitar player.
Today I wrote my first new song in several months. And then I remembered how nice it was to post those on SC. So I'm back.
Warren, so glad to hear you are back...!!!!! :) :) :)
my son is a pilot so I know a bit about the flight sim wormhole...ha.. it is fun though...
the site isn't the same when you are away!!
Between my mother's illness and her passing last year, I was in a funk. I still wrote a fair amount of songs, but it wasn't the same. After going on vacation to Seattle and San Francisco to see my daughter for the first time since she was married, I've finally gotten my groove back a bit. In addition, I've returned to school so my spare time is even more limited. But I've been super creative this past January and February. Having to make specific time to write songs (or poetry, that's another conversation) has suddenly made me super focused for an hour or two at a time. It's a strange feeling and I'm kinda worried I'm gonna burn myself out.
A few things that help me.
I give myself permission to suck, to fail, to do the best I can with what I have and move on. More accurately, I "do the best I can today and try to do better tomorrow. Sometimes I fail. That's okay."
I start in different ways. Sometimes it's a few lines then grab a guitar. Sometimes it's load a synth and start playing with sounds. Sometimes it's grabbing the guitar first. Sometimes a mixture of all of those.
Rejuvenate. I'll be creative in other ways. Making album art for songfight entries or writing prose or poetry (or homework.) Or go for more walks with the dogs. Or do house repairs to get a feeling of accomplishment and try to hold onto that feeling when being creative.
And I've learned to make time to spend with my wife. I just find a time and spend it with her. If she's watching T.V. (I don't like it much) I'll do that. If she's grocery shopping, then I do that. If she's cleaning then I help.
Hope this helps.
I feel like Covid has really put a cloud over everything lol
I was in the same boat recently, but started switching from my acoustic stuff back to electric and getting into my pedals more. So I have about 10 tracks I've recorded that are my MXR Blue Box jam tracks and I run a synth or guitar or both thru pedal board and finding good sounds and what works to build on. If I hear anything listening later, I might dig in further but it's allowed a little more focused creative exploration.
Quote from: T.C. Elliott on February 21, 2022, 09:10:04 AMAnd I've learned to make time to spend with my wife. I just find a time and spend it with her. If she's watching T.V. (I don't like it much) I'll do that. If she's grocery shopping, then I do that. If she's cleaning then I help.
Nice to hear from you TC... I totally understand the wife thing... mine will sometimes play music with me but only because she needs to because we play in a band together where we get paid! Usually if I am going to hang out with her it's I go hang out near the kitchen (I do almost all the cleaning now I am retired) or go shopping with her etc...I like TV but don't watch tons of it and once in a while I can get her to watch with me while folds clothes or something (I do my own clothes too...losing too many socks otherwise!)
> I give myself permission to suck, to fail, to do the best I can with what I have and move on.
Amen. My motto is suck till you don't.
I give myself permission to write and that means, if my song sucks, so be it. It's not so much that I'm endlessly NEGATIVE it's that I'm deeply idealistic about songs, and art.
But I need that internal critic to shut up and sit down sometimes so I can let the kid inside me play.
I see AndyR has trouble playing by the rules ("Write a lot of bad songs"). I've been trying to hear ONE bad song coming from him, and he just keeps on cranking out great songs. He should try harder :D
For once i've managed to follow my own rules instead of just ditching them out. Do i need to write a song? No. The main reason being that i've been quite tired lately. Things have started happening again after the biggest corona restrictions have been lifted so there's been lot to do.
About sucking. I once did a song called "Sucking in the 60's". I wonder what happened to it? I guess it was bad as i don't have any memory of it...
StephenM playing with his wife. I can see that spelling trouble. Especially if Stephen gets wild in the live situation. All proge and stuff (I managed to avoid using a dirty word although it would have rhymed better. And by explaining that i just used lots of words. Filler ain't killer. The ramble machine is on;)).
Great to hear T.C Elliot is back in the game and WarpCanada has landed!
> I can't get away from the fact the same core compositional and playing elements are in there
I struggle with this on guitar. The capo (partial) idea is one thing. But you have tuner heads on there, and a whole different tuning is a great way to force your fingers to go somewhere else and do something else.
My favorite is open D chord tuning, but I also love DADGAD. I don't have any idea where my usual chords, melodic runs and double stops are on DADGAD and in open D I have built a different set of licks.
After you run out of tricks like that it might be time to pick up a different instrument. Maybe harpejji or synthesizers.
To me it should be PLAY (fun) because it's only when the mind is at play that we are fully ourselves. And art of a certain quality must be us becoming more fully ourselves. Not escaping what we always are and always do, but transcending and refining it.
Quote from: WarpCanada on February 25, 2022, 08:04:08 PMTo me it should be PLAY (fun) because it's only when the mind is at play that we are fully ourselves. And art of a certain quality must be us becoming more fully ourselves. Not escaping what we always are and always do, but transcending and refining it.
wow Warren, that is an interesting thought and one I must think is very true.
I really like your idea of trying new things as well, such as changing your finger positions on the runs etc...alt tuning...
I do things like put my shoes on the opposite way I am used to. Brush my teeth left handed. etc, etc. after a while things feel normal. I am actually considering getting a left hand guitar or string one up side down... One I thought about doing that turned out to not be a good idea was drive on the wrong side of the road. apparently the other drivers didn't think it so smart ???
Over the years, I have also struggled with
"I can't get away from the fact the same core compositional and playing elements are in there"
I can tell you how I personally got over it...
And it's related almost exactly to what WarpCanada says: "Not escaping what we always are and always do, but transcending and refining it"
The answer for me is:
It's not something I can actually get away from!
Try this:
Every time you feel the "same old same old can't get away" vibe coming on, just take your most used chord sequence, rhythm, feel, whatever it is...
(mine, at the moment, is G C9 Dsus4, Em7/9, Am type stuff)
... and write another song with it!
It's as simple as that - don't fight it, go with it.
When I do this, I can guarantee that when I've finished, I'll realise that I've got a new song that can stand beside the others that used, apparently, the same stuff.
AND... there's almost certainly going to be something "new" in there too.
-----------
On some tricks I have and still might use:
I personally do use the capo trick, still do - a straight capo - because if you play your usual chords in a funny key, you're bound to write a different sort of melody (I'm thinking like someone who uses their voice to write the melodies - you've got a certain range, if you always write in G, the melodies will all be in the same area... move the capo up 4 frets, you can't reach the high notes anymore, so you write a different sort of melody).
I used to use open tunings, but I find they get in the way of song-writing for me.
I end up playing guitar and writing arrangements, not writing a song.
I also find the same thing using an electric guitar to write songs.
Years ago, when in a band, I used to write on electric.
I was looking for riffs. I was looking for using that Chorus effect, when to be clean, when overdriven, where to fit the echoes, where to fit the wah-wah.
I was looking for bits that would sound good when I played them on stage... that's all it was.
And I'd get stuck on a really good song idea because I was busy worrying about the stuff that would only be important if the song got written.
I think I can argue that the good songs made their way through.... but I'm not sure anymore.
However, even back then, the best songs I wrote were always written on an acoustic, not worrying about the arrangement.
Eventually, I learnt that yes, a new effect or something can inspire me to hatch an idea - but the minute it's hatched, turn the effect or whatever off and concentrate on the idea.
I've actually got two perfect examples, from my recent stuff, of how I use this knowledge now:
Example One
The other day, thinking I'd finished writing for a while, my current "last song" (Be Big), started on an electric guitar.
I came up with a groovy electric guitar part, that recommended some sort of vocal climbing out of it.
While I stayed on electric guitar, I was coming up with more groovy parts, exploring chords, imagining how a performance might go.
I wasn't writing a song, though.
As things developed and it became obvious a song was possible, I deliberately put the electric guitar down and switched off the amplifier.
I took the acoustic and wrote it with that.
The original guitar part still exists, but you guys haven't heard it - it's NOT part of the SONG.
It will be part of any "band" arrangement I make of the song, but it's not important to the demo I recorded of the SONG itself.
Example Two
An earlier song in the set (Surprise Me) is based on a guitar part I first played several years ago.
It was originally played on a telecaster through an amp sound that was clean Fender pushed hard, chorus, tape echo, reverb (think Twin Peaks).
I LOVED this little part.
I couldn't see how to use it, though.
Was it an intro? Was it what?
Every time I played with it, I went for that same clean reverby etc sound...
I never got anywhere with it, I always got sucked into jamming with the sound... but no song to use it in.
The other week I stripped it down to the implied chords, NO effects, amp, or fancy stuff...
Very similar chords to loads of songs I've written, incidentally.
But I got the song written, no problem.
I tried to ensure the original part can still be played (most of it is in the demo, but the "Twin Peaks" vibe/bit isn't), it can, and might be, if I do a band arrangement. But it won't be the main hook - that's in the vocal in the song written.
But... there's at least one other set of implied chords under the original guitar part... What if, maybe, I don't use this part in Surprise Me and, maybe, I go for those other chords and write another song, instead? ;D
-----------
Anyways, the last few weeks doing FAWM has really hammered the following home to me:
"Andrew, embrace the apparent restrictions and repetitiveness in your abilities, don't try to escape them, use them"
Before I started, I decided that I was going present all these as yet unwritten songs as acoustic demos, if I demoed them at all.
Of the 15 I ended up writing, only one of them is a single voice single guitar song in my mind.
The other 14, although they're presented here like that, are all songs best presented as ensemble pieces.
Forcing myself to go "live acoustic demo" enabled me to focus on the songs, not the arrangements, made me concentrate on making the bare songs interesting enough to stand on their own, and it forced me to embrace my own personal chord/melody foibles (call them restrictions, tricks, preferences, whatever) and to use them as they arrived.
It's the only way I could have managed to write that many in that short a time.
Quote from: AndyR on February 26, 2022, 07:27:14 AM"Andrew, embrace the apparent restrictions and repetitiveness in your abilities, don't try to escape them, use them"
this nails me right between the eyes. It's a bit like learning to appreciate myself, my efforts, what I can and cannot do, and not judging myself right or wrong in it. It's just being me. That is something the last 10 years of my life I have really been working on. Discovering who I am and just being me. In doing that I also appreciate and embrace others much better. What I strive for in life is (and I have not attained it but it's a goal) to observe without judgement. This is also breaking into music in my life...in all it's forms whether it be harmonica, electric guitar, acoustic, keyboards, vocals ...whatever...
I enjoy reading these comments as I learn alot and also understand the other SC's better this way....
Quote from: StephenM on February 26, 2022, 07:42:31 AMQuote from: AndyR on February 26, 2022, 07:27:14 AM"Andrew, embrace the apparent restrictions and repetitiveness in your abilities, don't try to escape them, use them"
this nails me right between the eyes. It's a bit like learning to appreciate myself, my efforts, what I can and cannot do, and not judging myself right or wrong in it. It's just being me. That is something the last 10 years of my life I have really been working on. Discovering who I am and just being me. In doing that I also appreciate and embrace others much better. What I strive for in life is (and I have not attained it but it's a goal) to observe without judgement. This is also breaking into music in my life...in all it's forms whether it be harmonica, electric guitar, acoustic, keyboards, vocals ...whatever...
I enjoy reading these comments as I learn alot and also understand the other SC's better this way....
Something I've grown to realize is that even the best guitar players, singers, musicians, etc get in the studio and really have to work on songs. They're not perfect right away and they may have 50 recordings before it sounds good. That guitar solo we hear on the radio is the best version they had and that player messed up over and over or didn't have it clean. Sometimes that's a comforting reality check to know it's the same process we all use
I've grown to kinda embrace the rough patches because sometimes I get something good
I've done / do all of these...
1. Collaborate - write to somebody else's lyric or idea
2. Try a completely new genre or time signature
3. Use a different instrument
4. Alternate tunings - which is like a different instrument
5. Keep a notebook / phone notes for titles and phrases that might inspire a song
6. Buy a new guitar!!!!
7. Learn a weird new chord - every chord I learn opens up a new world
Most of all though, don't beat yourself up. Life is hard enough.