General Music Chat

If its hard, thats a good sign, just dont put the guitar down to go watch tv.

If you aren't inspired after having tried hard to come up with something, Just record anything and build on it asap, dont think. That really works wonders !

mruff

As soon as you have an inspiration for lyrics wright it down. It do'nt matter where or when. If your driving pull over and write it on anything you can find. If its melody or melody and vocals record it NOW I dont care if you have to sing it to your cell ohone message. Just record it or BANG its gone. He who hesitates is lost.

Couldn't agree more
Recording is key

Seconded

Seconded

Old pda's work wonders for this plus you can make notes afterwards.
I dont even sync it to the main 'puter anymore...I just use my trusty old Ipaq to make voice notes and written notes.

Cheap on ebay as well
B)

P.S. now to actually DO something with all these bits of songs...lol

pda?

Yea I had this little recorder in my pocket with all these little song ideas in it, went to the restroom bent over to lift the seat and you guess it, the recorder fell in the toilet. I always figured it was Gods way of telling me something. So I just flushed it.

As far as songwriting I just have to be in the right mood, and ussually when I am the mood hits hard and fast. If I dont capture it either writing it down, or into a little recorder its gone.

If its hard, thats a good sign, just dont put the guitar down to go watch tv.

If you aren't inspired after having tried hard to come up with something, Just record anything and build on it asap, dont think. That really works wonders !

mruff

There's practicing time ( theory, technique or playing with a band ) , composing time, improvising time and recording time.
Personaly, I find inspirations in all those forementioned special times either it's exchanging ideas with people your jamming with, sharpening your technique , using theory to enhance a song.... inspiration comes from all these places for me.

I have like 5 songs that I started but just can't finish, bcause I can't come up with anything. I've tried, but nothing comes out

I have like 5 songs that I started but just can't finish, bcause I can't come up with anything. I've tried, but nothing comes out

Try collaborating with another writer. Sometimes it is miraculous what two people can come up with throwing ideas off each other.

Also, occasionally, several things you "thought" were different songs, become a single song quite nicely, where one "song" is the chorus and another the verse, or else the song is just a cool mesh of a tune starting in one place and going into another.

Listen to songwriters that you admire for inspiration.

Walk away for awhile if you need to. Go to a peaceful or inspiring place, and get in touch with what's inside again.

There are lots of things you can do to break a rut.

well Marie if you get stuck, for the lyric's try to figure out exactly what you are trying to say or express, and let it come to you.............musically just try to express that state of mind. start with just one note if you have to....
enjoy your quest
Hayden King

talking about working with other musicians to finish songs
I just wrote an article concerning online collaboration websites.

Getting very popular these and frankly some platform really kick ass.

check it out:

http://gigdoggy.wordpress.com/2008/06/25/where-musicians-go-for-online-collaboration-social-networks-for-recording-remixing-and-mashing-up-tracks

Songwriting advice ?. hmmm.
What works for me may not work for others.
I usually will hum the motif...melody or riff till I have access to my old Casio CTK/810.
Play the above mentioned as a melody first ....find the root and build a chord around it. The ctk lets me know automatically what chord I'm playing.
Full range sequence is the best , it adds base and strings automatically .
Now your off and running for lyrics, and singing along with the chords.
Next ?
I present my ideas to other well seasoned musicians for collaberation.
Thus leading to some scratch tracks for everyone involved to work with.
I'm a singer by trade ... so that's what works for me.

I have like 5 songs that I started but just can't finish, bcause I can't come up with anything. I've tried, but nothing comes out

Try collaborating with another writer. Sometimes it is miraculous what two people can come up with throwing ideas off each other.

Also, occasionally, several things you "thought" were different songs, become a single song quite nicely, where one "song" is the chorus and another the verse, or else the song is just a cool mesh of a tune starting in one place and going into another.

Listen to songwriters that you admire for inspiration.

Walk away for awhile if you need to. Go to a peaceful or inspiring place, and get in touch with what's inside again.

There are lots of things you can do to break a rut.

Thanx!

well Marie if you get stuck, for the lyric's try to figure out exactly what you are trying to say or express, and let it come to you.............musically just try to express that state of mind. start with just one note if you have to....
enjoy your quest
Hayden King

Thank you!