How to write without a muse

[dsw67]

Great. Thanks for the tip!

[LimpyLoo]

Originally Posted by Daniel Munro

I'd like to share an exercise that me and a few fellow songwriters have been doing for the last few years that has really helped my song output and songwriting ability.

I call it "Song a day for 2 weeks". It is basically just that. First, you find some songwriting partners (it could work alone but I found that being accountable to at least 2 other people is really helpful). Then you each write a song a day for 14 days. After each day, you all share your lyrics and recordings. Some days are painful, some days are easy.

I had a non-writing period of about 3 years, then I started doing this. Over the last 2 years, I have come out with over a hundred songs, at least 30 of which I play out. I highly recommend this for anyone in a rut.

Gonna try this.

[baskervils]

Read beat poetry / modern poetry. Spend an afternoon at the book store and get inspired.

[Polarelch]

Wow great, thanks a lot for the tip.
I didn't write a lot in the past 3 years, but I so wanna reactivate it.
Missing the days when I'd walk through the streets and just catch the ideas flying around me.

Too much music in the streets nowadays, out of shops, cars, everywhere, destroys any idea at the beginning :/

[aaronsmith]

This is a good idea, not sure im brave enough to do it, not writen in about 2 years.. hmm

[BlackBackDrop]

I get my kids to write lyrics and then do the rest... they have no boundries just raw talent. try it!

[garymusic]

One way to write when you don't think the muse is to think of something that happened in the past and write about it as if it was today. It doesn't matter what it is. Lots of stuff happened in the past. Just find a way to bring it forward and write about it.

-Gary

[Diligence109]

I like thinking back to my dreams and making music for that. I'm trying to get into lucid dreaming so I can try composing in my sleep, too!

[rnaple]

Gee....dummy me thought when it said: Writing without a muse. Well....I thought that meant elevator music. So much for my brilliance.

I seriously have a hard time thinking of writing; so and so many songs in a certain time frame. I just enjoy it. When I'm in the mood. The words just come. Write down only what I'm hot on.

I do have to admit. At the very very least. Your suggestion sounds like a good exercise for songwriters. I confess that I'm just not a person trying to produce any amount of work.

[marcgood]

I find I'm always building the musical parts in my head. But then when it comes time for the words it becomes difficult.

I will definitely try this. Thanks.

[theblue1]

Originally Posted by Daniel Munro

I'd like to share an exercise that me and a few fellow songwriters have been doing for the last few years that has really helped my song output and songwriting ability.

I call it "Song a day for 2 weeks". It is basically just that. First, you find some songwriting partners (it could work alone but I found that being accountable to at least 2 other people is really helpful). Then you each write a song a day for 14 days. After each day, you all share your lyrics and recordings. Some days are painful, some days are easy.

I had a non-writing period of about 3 years, then I started doing this. Over the last 2 years, I have come out with over a hundred songs, at least 30 of which I play out. I highly recommend this for anyone in a rut.

Sounds frightening.


Good advice and all. But... frightening.

[Spiralsurfer]

Another good technique is to hit record and play for 30 minutes, or pick up a pen and write for 30 minutes without stopping. Don't worry about what you play or write, or whether it's any good or not. Just don't stop, keep going non stop for the full 30 minutes. It's amazing what comes out. Ideas just begin to flow from who knows where and it's always helped me come up with new material.

[IVIaverick52]

Good tip. I always find myself writing random parts of songs and never completing them, mostly because I'm always burnt out after work. But I've moved recently and I'm currently not working so I need to make the most of my ability to do this.

[21doors]

I might have to try this.
thanks!

[Grovestand]

Originally Posted by Daniel Munro

I'd like to share an exercise that me and a few fellow songwriters have been doing for the last few years that has really helped my song output and songwriting ability.

I call it "Song a day for 2 weeks". It is basically just that. First, you find some songwriting partners (it could work alone but I found that being accountable to at least 2 other people is really helpful). Then you each write a song a day for 14 days. After each day, you all share your lyrics and recordings. Some days are painful, some days are easy.

I had a non-writing period of about 3 years, then I started doing this. Over the last 2 years, I have come out with over a hundred songs, at least 30 of which I play out. I highly recommend this for anyone in a rut.

I'm on day 4 with 2 friends. Thank you for this!!!

Edit: Day 9 I would say that we have at least 6 usable tracks between us have to be rerecorded of course and at least 10 more really nice snippets/ideas! 16/27 ain't bad!

[Dave.R]

i think the OPs exercise teaches the value of writing everyday

if you're a pro you write everyday (1 or 2 days off?). if not, you're either a hobbyist/amateur or you're procrastinating. pros can't afford to procrastinate

see The War of Art
http://www.amazon.com/The-War-Art-Th.../dp/0446691437

http://www.stevenpressfield.com/the-war-of-art/

[Blast9]

Cool thread - some nice ideas to dive into

[NaturalBlack]

That sounds a lot like what ive been doing. I got the idea from here.

Jerry Seinfeld's Productivity Secret

Been going for a week so far. unbroken chain and I have already been getting positive results. My goal is one year of of daily work in sickness and health. Even if all I can do is work out some melody parts on my iphone for a half hour.

[relativityema]

I thought this was going to be a thread about writing without crushing on someone, which is how I write my best stuff.

But the exercise as mentioned above is good; since I have some time off, I can give this exercise a try.

It would prove useful to people that are in a song writing rut.

[Blast9]

Originally Posted by NaturalBlack

That sounds a lot like what ive been doing. I got the idea from here.

Jerry Seinfeld's Productivity Secret

Been going for a week so far. unbroken chain and I have already been getting positive results. My goal is one year of of daily work in sickness and health. Even if all I can do is work out some melody parts on my iphone for a half hour.

Very interesting

[initialsBB]

I've been doing the seinfeld thing for about a year and a half and it works, but it's really hard for me not to break the chain sometimes. It's good to visualize your progress though. After the first year my goal was to at least improve my percentage of days worked this year, even if I still don't manage to keep a consistent unbroken chain, and so far that's working out.

Apparently the Asher family had a sort of journal that they were all expected to log their daily accomplishments in, and that was a big influence on Paul McCartney when he was living with them.

[Jca]

thanks for the advice. Like living as though you're about to present songs to a label and you only have 2 weeks to write them. but you get the benefit of constructive criticism.

[Heyclown]

Originally Posted by Polarelch

Too much music in the streets nowadays...

Don't blame the streets

PS! Don't buy the 8030A without listening to ADAM A7x. Sold my 8030's and bought the ADAMs. Cheaper. And better.

[JogolandGroup]

When I had to make long car trips through the desert (i.e., Los Angeles to AZ), where there is nothing to see but sand, sand, and more sand, I'd make a game out of it. One new song per hour! I'd have my mini-tape recorder perched on my dashboard and I just improvised as I drove. Sure helped pass the time, and I did get a few good songs that way!

[ProToCall]

My best advice. Keep writing, and write about everything. Use your writing as a vent, and you will evolve as a song writer.

My writing started at 16 as poems for girls, at around 20, it evolved into songs (Hip-Hop), and now I will be 25 in a couple months and my writing has never been better. The greatest advice I can give, is just KEEP doing it. Just like anything you do in life, the longer you practice to achieve , the more skill you will obtain to succeed.

Stay open minded, and you will find new ways to write, to rhyme, to overall express what is on your mind. I think staying true is the most important feature to writing. You cannot be fake, you have to write what comes within for it to hold any critical value.

Also, find when your writing is at best. I find when I am mad, stressed, or pissed off, I can execute my thoughts perfectly, but when things are just going A+ around me, I don't have the same motive to do so. It also effects the subjects I choose to write.

Hope that helps!

[robkramble]

It's a little late in the topic to ask this, but what is a "muse" anyway?

[jwh1192]

something like this ... maybe ..

[Heyclown]

Originally Posted by robkramble

It's a little late in the topic to ask this, but what is a "muse" anyway?

In common language it means inspiration. What inspires you to do something? One of the Muses. In classical language it refers to goddesses from ancient Greece which had power over inspiration especially in art, poetry, drama, storytelling, etc...
See Muse - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[jwh1192]

but a picture is worth a thousand words ...