Tips For The Young Musician Vol.16

by Stephan Hume

Got writer’s block? Can’t seem to write new original music to save your life? Have you ridden a big wave of new material only to find yourself dead in the water, with nothing new and exciting coming to the surface?  You are not alone. In these moments you may feel stuck and at a loss for what to do. Here are some helpful tips to break that block:

Go through the motions.

Whether you are a music writer, a lyricist, or even a poet, you will feel the death grip of writer’s block at some point in your life. But, instead of scratching your head, just start writing. That’s right, just start. It doesn’t matter if you write pages of material you think is terrible, just go through the motions. Also, think about it. If you are writing and there is a bunch of stuff you don’t like, you are closer to finding out what it is you are truly hoping to express. It’s like a process of elimination, sometimes even just doodling helps.  Literally getting ink to flow from your pen as your hand moves will get you further down the path of creativity than just sitting still.

Consume your passion.

If you are trying to create poetry but can’t get the juices flowing, read some good poetry. What if you are trying to write a great new percussion piece? Listen to one already recorded. The fact is, sometimes we aren’t creating the most inspiring thing because we aren’t actually inspired to begin with. Find something that inspires you and read it or listen to it. Start asking yourself how it makes you feel. Chances are, you are going to find some cool answers that will help you to find something within yourself. Sometimes the best way to create passionately is to consume what you are already passionate about.

Collaborate.

If you see a list of the top 10 pop radio songs at any given time, chances are most of them are collaborative efforts. Why do you think this is? Granted, there is such a thing as “too many cooks in the kitchen,” and when it comes to writing music this can certainly happen. But healthy collaborations between artists with a common goal and complimentary skills are very often more successful than the efforts of solo artists. It’s a simple fact: you don’t know everything. Or a softer way to say it: you have strong skills and so do others.  Find those people to work with that help you produce material that is greater than if either of you were to have done it on your own.

Remember these tips when it happens again.

Congratulations! If you had writer’s block and you tried any of these techniques, you are now well on your way to getting back in the swing of things. There are many more techniques than these, but just remember if it happens again, you know what to do to get out of your funk. Be creative with finding your creativity. Happy writing!

Category: The Future