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Inspiration?

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postmn

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« on: February 04, 2011, 11:26:36 PM »
i was wonder were you guys get your inspiration to write most of your songz because i dont have much inspiration and im finding it harder to find some

tone

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« Reply #1 on: February 05, 2011, 12:32:05 AM »
It's a tricky thing, inspiration... To be honest I don't go anywhere to get my inspiration; I wait for it to come and find me. There are two things that help though - one is being around other musicians, especially songwriters. Since I've begun going to a weekly open mic night, my musical mind has become much more active. Second is to spend time playing. It doesn't matter if it's not your own songs - just sit down with the guitar/ piano/ whatever, and at some point your fingers will start to wander off and you'll be in the middle of writing a song. At least, that's how I find things come to me.

It will be interesting to see what the others say...
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mihkay

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« Reply #2 on: February 05, 2011, 10:49:54 AM »
If I'm stuck, I tend to just doodle around on the guitar or piano, putting my fingers in places they don't normally go until I hit on a chord or a sequence that catches my ear. It normally only takes that little spark to fire up my enthusiasm again.  :)

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postmn

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« Reply #3 on: February 16, 2011, 12:54:07 AM »
i found my inspiration, im just going with what i can, since i dont play any instruments but im allways struggling to write the second verse or third of a song any advice there

hofnerite

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« Reply #4 on: February 18, 2011, 02:31:22 PM »
Personally I don't slave away at lyrics (maybe it shows!) and I don't sit looking for inspiration. The easiest way for me to come up with a song is to either think of a song title or a first line and the rest just follows. 

For example, I found that a great way for coming up with song titles is to look at the horse racing section of a newspaper. Racehorse names are generally catchy, short, to the point and may lead to a story.

I found one once called "Slipstream" and thought it was a good title for a song so from that title I came up with the line "Don't sit in the slipstream, turn against the flow" which then led to a song about not sitting still and letting things happen but taking every opportunity given to you. Each line just came from the previous line and if you just treat songwriting like a continuous train of thought, I think they write themselves.

I find this the easiest way to create lyrics without ever getting writers block or having to wait weeks for something to appear. Also the more you do it, the easier it gets. try some yourself, with or without music just to see how easy it can be.



waspfromipanema

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« Reply #5 on: February 21, 2011, 09:45:08 AM »
I never write lyrics first, never have done, I find the melody and the chords just happen, and I sing any old thing over it, and then write some lyrics when I'm happy with the melody.

As for inspiration, that too seems to be quite random, I guess because I don't actually have in mind what I want to write about til it's written. I think the sub-conscious knows what you want to write about but your conscious mind doesn't necessarily know at first, maybe....

Paul

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« Reply #6 on: February 21, 2011, 10:40:47 PM »
Like all writers, I experience times when inspiration is difficult to find.  However, at other times, writing seems to happen easily. I feel blessed at the moment, that I can write or at least find the initial idea without too much trouble. Once I have my initial idea, I rely on my experience of how to construct a song to complete the process. It doesn't take too long before something which appears a little labored springs to life, heading off into new and exciting directions. If you're struggling for inspiration, then use a word or phrase that someone speaks as your idea for a song, to kick start the process.  I'm half listening to tv as I write this post. Some of the actors are talking about regret. I'm now contemplating tackling this subject (regret/living life without regrets and so on). I know that initially my efforts will be laboured, but my experience will make this song work. I'll make the song personal, so that it really means something to me.  If you're struggling to find interesting or new rhythms, listen to different styles of drum rhythms.  There are plenty of loops that will help the songwriter.  Play chords to these loops, vary the number of bars that each chord lasts. Hum a melody, hang your lyrics on to the chords. Your melody will dictate the number of syllables that are available for your lyrics. Soon enough, you'll have something that you can work with. I know that many writers have their own unique style or writing.  This is only intended for anyone who's hit a brick wall and is struggling to find the initial spark of a song!

Apologies for the long post, I just wanted to throw in a few ideas to get the ball rolling for anyone suffering with writers block or lack of inspiration!
Best,
Paul
« Last Edit: February 22, 2011, 04:06:54 PM by pablo »

Moon

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« Reply #7 on: March 10, 2011, 05:11:46 PM »
I too wait for it to come to me... usually a melodic phrase that comes will have some emotional / semantic / attachment or lean itself to such ideas.

I haven't really tried to write for a while though... occasionally a song will come but most of the time just now I'm trying to finish / record old ones and so am not actively going about writing new stuff really at all ;)

Andy Price

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« Reply #8 on: March 11, 2011, 12:50:09 AM »
Like alot of people have already said, I too find the easiest way musical inspiration comes is to sit down with your instrument and just doodle and play around with different chords and melodic ideas - more often than not after a while something (a melody or chord sequence) will hook me into the beginnings of a new composition, for me lyrics come way later - vocal melody is far more important generally I feel. To me personally the music should speak to you far more than the lyrics, decent lyrics are just icing on the cake! :)

I suppose every composer is different, wants different things and songwrites in different ways and with different methods. Inspiration for ideas/concepts/lyrical themes come from all kinds of places - emotional upheaval, hurt, (never happiness or contentment though!) a good book or film, a place, a memory or just listening to music you respect and that touches you inside. I suppose the desire to stir emotions in people (mainly myself at the moment!) is the reason I write primarily - I see my songs as emotional ticklesticks!

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« Reply #9 on: March 11, 2011, 10:29:50 PM »
As a lyricist i do place importance on the lyrics, to me a great song cant be great with average lyrics likewise great lyrics are just poems or prose without music. Half of the songs we write are musically inspired and half are lyrically inspired, i wonder if anyone could tell which ones were which? I'm not sure i could if i didn't know already. Dutchbeat wrote the music for "Identity?"  after reading my lyrics so i guess its horses for courses.
As for inspiration everything and anything around me inspires me. Sometimes i have too many ideas buzzing around at once and they end up getting in each others way. It could be a news story or a film or tv program, it can be something that someone has said to me maybe even a few words. The odd time its just a vague idea that i like from someone elses song and of course there are the lyrics i write about my own feelings and emotions. I agree with Tone in that i dont try to find inspiration i let it come to me otherwise i think it sounds forced to me.
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« Reply #10 on: March 17, 2011, 06:38:37 PM »
When I'm stood behind the piano, I always try to be completely honest with myself. It's not always easy or comfortable, but music and songwriting is a sort of therapy for me. And there's always something wrong. With everybody. Nobody is ever completely fine.

If you can isolate what that problem is and know that you're being totally, brutally direct with yourself then I find this is a good way to get emotional honesty into the lyrics.

As for the music, I have bad habits. I tend to try to find chord structures that sound interesting and then try to cram a melody into it somehow. But my best songs have come from imagining the melody in my head first - letting it flow naturally - and they finding it on the keys. This always produces interesting structures.
This is the time for metaphor.

postmn

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« Reply #11 on: March 22, 2011, 05:01:39 PM »
i've noticed that alot of you can play instruments, which is great for inspiration, if i could play an instrument i would be on it everyday, even take it school and bore my friends. so i think its alot easier for you guys to fin your inspiration where as someone like me;not a player, its harder because it gets to a point where u bore u brain out and u only get a few good songs in like 2 months and half of them u dont even write down.


im not complaining im just saying :L

massa

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« Reply #12 on: March 22, 2011, 06:40:55 PM »
I recommend learning an instrument.

hofnerite

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« Reply #13 on: March 22, 2011, 09:02:05 PM »
i've noticed that alot of you can play instruments, which is great for inspiration, if i could play an instrument i would be on it everyday, even take it school and bore my friends. so i think its alot easier for you guys to fin your inspiration where as someone like me;not a player, its harder because it gets to a point where u bore u brain out and u only get a few good songs in like 2 months and half of them u dont even write down.


im not complaining im just saying :L

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« Reply #14 on: March 22, 2011, 10:29:22 PM »
I keep a notebook with me and write down song topics as I think of them. Then when I'm not feeling creative I go over my old ideas and work on one til I get inspired by it. Sometimes I finish a whole song without ever getting inspired. When creativity strikes capture it and work on it when you have time. :)