So I'm spending the night trying to write lyrics for a couple songs, and I've hit a bit of a block, which is to be expected. So it got me thinking.
What do you guys do to get past writers block?
Location: In a land without pants, or war, or want. But mostly we care about the pants.
Exp:
Sing nonsense syllables over and over again with the music until something pops into your head. Sort of like a zen thing, get away from thinking about what you want to write, and let your subconscious come up with the goods.
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Better educated sadness than oblivious joy.
So I'm spending the night trying to write lyrics for a couple songs, and I've hit a bit of a block, which is to be expected. So it got me thinking.
What do you guys do to get past writers block?
The best way to beat writers block (for me anyways) is kind of wierd, but I swear it works really well. Everyone has their ideas, and most people tend to say you have to clear your mind, or something to that effect.
But what I do is listen to about 10 songs in a row. I mix the types of songs up too, so for example, I might listen to 3 country songs ( I hate country, and thats what helps keep my mind on the lyrics) and really listen to the lyrics, then 3 songs that I like, to get my creative juices flowing. I might add in a couple songs that have really complicated/messed up lyrics to get me out of my shell, and keep me away from the cliche lyrics that lots of pop/country singers/songwriters fall into. Then I throw in a song or two that are kind of slow, with simple lyrics (aka Johnny Cash) to remind my brain how simple lyrics can be just as effective/powerful if done right.
Mostly with the ten or so songs, I'm trying to stimulate my brain, and remind myself to not limit my style of trying to come up with lyrics.
Then I go for a walk with very simple songs on my ipod and start getting in that mode. Then when I get home I start strumming a very simple rock progression, usually D,A,G,A (you might recognize this progression from some of Adam Sandlers joke songs on SNL) and just start hammering out VERY simple lyrics, just to start getting something down, then as I get more comfortable and creative, I start changing lines and words, and adding onto thoughts like crazy, until I have something original and meaningful, then I add lyrics to various riffs/chord progressions that I've come up with.
ps I listen to Daniel Johns/Silverchair a lot to remind myself how great a song can be with very simple lyrics and simple riffs/lyrics. Sometimes people get caught up in trying too hard to make super complicated guitar riffs, and lyrics that are really deep and original. A lot of times it's the passion you put into your music and how genuine you are that make your songs sound great. There's so manhy examples of this over the years.
Get together with a bunch of buddies and a bottle of absynth...weird ideas come out of a session like that. Worked for Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Curt Kobain, Jimi Hendrix...oh wait....
Last edited by maverickeastwood; 12-16-2007 at 10:23 AM.
Haha, that's what I thought - I love that skit. Kinda makes me want to go watch some SCTV from the DVD collection now...
If you ever get ahold of the SNL: Best Of Eddie Murphy DVD, there's a sketch with Short's Cohen character, Billy Crystal's Old Jewish Guy, and Murphy's Gumby character set at a Broadway Deli arguing about Morey Asterdam Sandwiches that's considered a classic.
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Thank you for your attention to this matter!
There's one song that I've been working on for nearly a year because the theme I wanted for it never felt right until now.
The easiest song I wrote was about this guy that I met on the bus. It was one of the craziest stories I've ever heard and it was perfect for a song.
Ha ha, I've listened to that song hundreds of times, yet I can never understand how he says beautiful day there. No matter how hard I try to hear a B in there, all I can hear is exactly how you wrote it in your post, lol.
Ha ha, I've listened to that song hundreds of times, yet I can never understand how he says beautiful day there. No matter how hard I try to hear a B in there, all I can hear is exactly how you wrote it in your post, lol.
yeah, my songwriting right now is kind of in a rut too. my guitar playing has really improved over the last couple months because i've been inspired by the kids i'm teaching...but the writing has dropped
Song Writing
