Defeating Writer’s Block

That is encouraging to read. I am not even sure I have a muse.

I generally order a muse and a pizza at the same time. I have them delivered by Uber Eats.

[Oh, I know what you're thinking people...get your minds out of the gutter before I tell your moms!]

Hey. You can't be creative on an empty stomach, and the muse has to be fed.

I have been preparing for it for a little while now. I have a process that I am trying to see if it generates some ideas and excitement.

If I may be so bold as to offer advice...

If you haven't actually written something you're happy with, how do you conjure up a process to write something you're happy with?

There's insufficient experience to hang your hat on and say, "Eureka! This is what works!"

Forget it.

Just start. Starting IS the process. There's no other process. You get better at writing music by writing music.

You don't need a muse, and you don't need to think about it.

You know how it's said that great athletes play best when they stop thinking?

Creativity works like that, too.

Instead of thinking about writing music, just do it. Might take a few tries. Might take a LOT of tries. And that's OK. Practice makes perfect.

Side note:

One of the greatest orchestrators of all time was the composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. He wrote the most respected book on orchestration of any of the classical composers; it's still taught.

At the beginning of the book he said he could teach the reader everything they need to know about orchestration, but he couldn't teach anyone how to compose music.

I think that's true. There are things that can't be taught.

All I can share is what I do when I'm faced with a blank sheet of paper and my livelihood depends on writing something. At some point there's no choice other than to sit down and just get started.
 
Maybe as risky as feeding the bear.
If you're thinking along the lines of the nine goddesses/daughters of Zeus/Jupiter and Mnemosyne who were the actual Muses, this is true!

You definitely have to take whichever goddess shows up out to a restaurant instead of ordering in. I wouldn't show up in a dirty toga, either.

On the other hand, if your Muse is a person, find one who's OK with Uber Eats. You don't want to take a break to go out for a snack when inspiration strikes.

"Laz, do you allow people to eat in your studio at all?"

"No."

"Then what's the point of this talk about Uber Eats?"

"I'm giving advice to normal people here."

"What makes you think anyone here is normal?"

"Good point."
 
I generally order a muse and a pizza at the same time. I have them delivered by Uber Eats.

[Oh, I know what you're thinking people...get your minds out of the gutter before I tell your moms!]

Hey. You can't be creative on an empty stomach, and the muse has to be fed.



If I may be so bold as to offer advice...

If you haven't actually written something you're happy with, how do you conjure up a process to write something you're happy with?

There's insufficient experience to hang your hat on and say, "Eureka! This is what works!"

Forget it.

Just start. Starting IS the process. There's no other process. You get better at writing music by writing music.

You don't need a muse, and you don't need to think about it.

You know how it's said that great athletes play best when they stop thinking?

Creativity works like that, too.

Instead of thinking about writing music, just do it. Might take a few tries. Might take a LOT of tries. And that's OK. Practice makes perfect.

Side note:

One of the greatest orchestrators of all time was the composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. He wrote the most respected book on orchestration of any of the classical composers; it's still taught.

At the beginning of the book he said he could teach the reader everything they need to know about orchestration, but he couldn't teach anyone how to compose music.

I think that's true. There are things that can't be taught.

All I can share is what I do when I'm faced with a blank sheet of paper and my livelihood depends on writing something. At some point there's no choice other than to sit down and just get started.
I am trying to develop a process that plays to my strengths. I am a very logic and process driven person. I have created new processes for things in my work many times over and am pretty decent at it. I am coming at this form a couple of different angles this time. I am coming at it from the logic aspect of music theory. I am hoping that will get me into an area that creates things that sound more interesting to me. The other aspect is from the lyrical side I am using a process similar to how I structure meetings. It is something I learned quite a few years ago that I have used in my professional life successfully. I happened to make a connection of how the lyrics and structure of a song are very similar to how I organize meetings and presentations. I am hoping that playing to these skills that I have used in other scenarios successfully will get me across the finish line and into making something I can be happy with the outcome of.
 
I generally order a muse and a pizza at the same time. I have them delivered by Uber Eats.

[Oh, I know what you're thinking people...get your minds out of the gutter before I tell your moms!]

Hey. You can't be creative on an empty stomach, and the muse has to be fed.



If I may be so bold as to offer advice...

If you haven't actually written something you're happy with, how do you conjure up a process to write something you're happy with?

There's insufficient experience to hang your hat on and say, "Eureka! This is what works!"

Forget it.

Just start. Starting IS the process. There's no other process. You get better at writing music by writing music.

You don't need a muse, and you don't need to think about it.

You know how it's said that great athletes play best when they stop thinking?

Creativity works like that, too.

Instead of thinking about writing music, just do it. Might take a few tries. Might take a LOT of tries. And that's OK. Practice makes perfect.

Side note:

One of the greatest orchestrators of all time was the composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. He wrote the most respected book on orchestration of any of the classical composers; it's still taught.

At the beginning of the book he said he could teach the reader everything they need to know about orchestration, but he couldn't teach anyone how to compose music.

I think that's true. There are things that can't be taught.

All I can share is what I do when I'm faced with a blank sheet of paper and my livelihood depends on writing something. At some point there's no choice other than to sit down and just get started.
I have to agree with this, for anything creative.

I grant that there are days, or nights when ideas just come to me, but for the most part it is a matter of sitting down and doing something. Sometimes it will be crap and I will discard it immediately and try something different. Sometimes it is just the germ of an idea that I will come back to and try to develop.

I tell some friends that know I play guitar that I don’t really know any songs, but I know how to express myself. More important (maybe, I haven’t really thought about it before now), I can change how I feel my playing the feeling I want to have.

Bottom line: just start something.
 
I tell some friends that know I play guitar that I don’t really know any songs, but I know how to express myself. More important (maybe, I haven’t really thought about it before now), I can change how I feel my playing the feeling I want to have.
This is where I really am these days. It has been long enough since I had to be ready for a gig that I have really forgotten how to play many of the songs I used to play, at least to the point where I would want to go through them and freshen things up before playing them with a group, even at a jam. I still know my theory and how to put things together. That is what makes me eager to figure out how to do this thing by myself in my home. I have been toying with the idea of putting myself back out there for joining a band and playing gigs. However, I really am not up for the 3AM bed times on the weekends and 6 AM wakeup times during the week. I am getting a bit old for that schedule. I have everything I need to do this. I just have to figure out what is going to work for me. I am trying to take it at whatever pace I have to for things to come together. I am trying to not beat myself up too much so I don't get discouraged. I am however beating myself up a little, which I think is needed right now.
 
I am trying to develop a process that plays to my strengths. I am a very logic and process driven person. I have created new processes for things in my work many times over and am pretty decent at it. I am coming at this form a couple of different angles this time. I am coming at it from the logic aspect of music theory. I am hoping that will get me into an area that creates things that sound more interesting to me.
If logic and process will carry the day and help you write something good, more power to you!

I fully realize I'm never going to convince most folks of my thinking - how could I, I don't fully understand it myself, and I don't think anyone truly does! I'm also no paragon of great writing, so I can't hold myself out as a shining example.

I'm responding because it's a topic close to my heart. Here goes:

Theory and orchestration are logical things.

Meetings are logical things.

Composing isn't a logical thing -- it's an intuitive/emotional thing.

Logical things can be mastered with training, preparation and process. I've run enough meetings and courtroom presentations myself to understand that. Music's different.

The reason I mentioned Rimsky-Korsakov's statement that he could teach theory (orchestration), but not how to compose, was that it illustrates my thought process on the topic of music writing. It ain't logical, in fact, like many intuitive talents, it can't be fully explained. So I say this to people:

"Go with your feelings, Luke!"
 
If logic and process will carry the day and help you write something good, more power to you!

I fully realize I'm never going to convince most folks of my thinking - how could I, I don't fully understand it myself, and I don't think anyone truly does! I'm also no paragon of great writing, so I can't hold myself out as a shining example.

I'm responding because it's a topic close to my heart. Here goes:

Theory and orchestration are logical things.

Meetings are logical things.

Composing isn't a logical thing -- it's an intuitive/emotional thing.

Logical things can be mastered with training, preparation and process. I've run enough meetings and courtroom presentations myself to understand that. Music's different.

The reason I mentioned Rimsky-Korsakov's statement that he could teach theory (orchestration), but not how to compose, was that it illustrates my thought process on the topic of music writing. It ain't logical, in fact, like many intuitive talents, it can't be fully explained. So I say this to people:

"Go with your feelings, Luke!"
The separation of composition and orchestration (and I would like to include production under the orchestration umbrella) resonates with me. In the swing band I played with, some combination of the pianist, guitarist and myself would compose then send it out for orchestration. At first, I thought it was a waste of time, but I was wrong.

It’s conceivable that I could have learned that, but it didn’t really interest me. Still doesn’t.
 
If logic and process will carry the day and help you write something good, more power to you!

I fully realize I'm never going to convince most folks of my thinking - how could I, I don't fully understand it myself, and I don't think anyone truly does! I'm also no paragon of great writing, so I can't hold myself out as a shining example.

I'm responding because it's a topic close to my heart. Here goes:

Theory and orchestration are logical things.

Meetings are logical things.

Composing isn't a logical thing -- it's an intuitive/emotional thing.

Logical things can be mastered with training, preparation and process. I've run enough meetings and courtroom presentations myself to understand that. Music's different.

The reason I mentioned Rimsky-Korsakov's statement that he could teach theory (orchestration), but not how to compose, was that it illustrates my thought process on the topic of music writing. It ain't logical, in fact, like many intuitive talents, it can't be fully explained. So I say this to people:

"Go with your feelings, Luke!"
I get what you are saying. I am doing this to get me started. I expect I will have to make some adjustments and emotion will definitely be in play. That is where some of the lyrics I have written down came from and how I determine what type or genera the song will be.

One thing that made me try this approach is a video I watched from Signals Studios. Jake has a down to earth way of explaining things. He created a song based off of his theory knowledge. He made the statement that you can absolutely learn to write songs by using theory because that is how he learned to do it. He said without his knowledge of theory he wouldn't be able to do what he does. It was either in that video or another video of his where he wrote a song then used that as a starting point and made changes to it to make it a completely different song. He created a few songs that way. If memory serves me, it was 4 songs. Memory fails me some these days so it may have been a different number. :)

One thing I learned when learning music and fretboard theory is that I seem to think about these things a little differently than others. When I was teaching it, I found that I am not the only one that does that. I was able to make things make sense to others by explaining it the way it makes sense to me. It was a pretty big hill for me to get over between learning the knowledge and learning how to actually apply it. I am feeling some of the same things with this adventure. That is why I am trying to come up with something that makes sense to me that will get me to where I want to take this. I didn't mention emotion in the process but know that it is definitely there and is a big part of it. I just feel like I need some of the other things to harness that emotion and funnel it in the right direction. Time will tell if this works. I will not be afraid to adjust things if I feel something isn't working.

My biggest hurdle right now is not feeling like I am in a creative mood so I don't set down at the recording desk to mess with anything. I am doing somethings to address that. I had planned on spending some time this past weekend at the desk and forgot that my wife bought some large quantities of meat that I had to break down and process. I spent a chunk of my day yesterday grinding a large quantity of pork and vacuum sealing it in 2lb. packages. That means I am going to have to try to get myself to spend some time at that desk after work sometime this week.
 
I get what you are saying. I am doing this to get me started. I expect I will have to make some adjustments and emotion will definitely be in play. That is where some of the lyrics I have written down came from and how I determine what type or genera the song will be.

One thing that made me try this approach is a video I watched from Signals Studios. Jake has a down to earth way of explaining things. He created a song based off of his theory knowledge. He made the statement that you can absolutely learn to write songs by using theory because that is how he learned to do it. He said without his knowledge of theory he wouldn't be able to do what he does. It was either in that video or another video of his where he wrote a song then used that as a starting point and made changes to it to make it a completely different song. He created a few songs that way. If memory serves me, it was 4 songs. Memory fails me some these days so it may have been a different number. :)

One thing I learned when learning music and fretboard theory is that I seem to think about these things a little differently than others. When I was teaching it, I found that I am not the only one that does that. I was able to make things make sense to others by explaining it the way it makes sense to me. It was a pretty big hill for me to get over between learning the knowledge and learning how to actually apply it. I am feeling some of the same things with this adventure. That is why I am trying to come up with something that makes sense to me that will get me to where I want to take this. I didn't mention emotion in the process but know that it is definitely there and is a big part of it. I just feel like I need some of the other things to harness that emotion and funnel it in the right direction. Time will tell if this works. I will not be afraid to adjust things if I feel something isn't working.

My biggest hurdle right now is not feeling like I am in a creative mood so I don't set down at the recording desk to mess with anything. I am doing somethings to address that. I had planned on spending some time this past weekend at the desk and forgot that my wife bought some large quantities of meat that I had to break down and process. I spent a chunk of my day yesterday grinding a large quantity of pork and vacuum sealing it in 2lb. packages. That means I am going to have to try to get myself to spend some time at that desk after work sometime this week.
You definitely have to find your own way, so I see no reason to disagree.

I do think you'll get the knack for it one way or another, by trying things out and seeing what works, if nothing else. If the process and logic thing works, I'll be mighty impressed!

If so, lots of folks will want to know the secret. You can make a fortune on YouTube if you can teach it! 🤟
 
This is my most recent orchestral piece. I started it last week and brought it to this point over the weekend. It's a work in progress, but it's starting to come together. I'll probably expand the section that starts toward the end with the bassoon rhythmic motif and see where that takes me.

Not that I can explain how the ideas embodied in this piece got started. I started by messing around. Somehow melodic lines developed, and then harmonies.

I can, however, explain how I orchestrated parts of it once the melodic ideas were laid down. What I know of that is simple nuts and bolts stuff.

 
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Here's a little article that came to my email today from Softube. It explains a little about 'being in the flow' as an antidote to writer's block.

I thought it was interesting.


One thing I do is remove all distractions while I write music. Everything in my studio is out of the way, and I know where everything is so I can get to it quickly and avoid disturbing the flow. I keep it clean and simple.

I use an amp and cab switcher so I can try different sounds quickly, too. No plugging and unplugging, everything is ready if I want to lay down guitars. I also mike up all the amplifiers, so I don't have to deal with the distraction of moving mics around.

Also I silence the phone, turn off notifications on my computer, etc.
 
Here's a little article that came to my email today from Softube. It explains a little about 'being in the flow' as an antidote to writer's block.

I thought it was interesting.


One thing I do is remove all distractions while I write music. Everything in my studio is out of the way, and I know where everything is so I can get to it quickly and avoid disturbing the flow. I keep it clean and simple.

I use an amp and cab switcher so I can try different sounds quickly, too. No plugging and unplugging, everything is ready if I want to lay down guitars. I also mike up all the amplifiers, so I don't have to deal with the distraction of moving mics around.

Also I silence the phone, turn off notifications on my computer, etc.
Flow is super important. I am very familiar with it. In my coding days it was something always tried to get into as fast as possible and then stay there. I found an interesting way to get there that would probably never work for most people. When I was working on things at home and I was the only one there, I would turn on some music and turn it up pretty loud. It was like that gave me something to ignore that covered up any other noises so they wouldn't bother me. I do this some times with headphones or earbuds. It is kind of hard to do it this way while working on music and recording. :)

I will definitely read this today.

That was a quick read. I think one of the most important thigs in that is to set the right conditions that allow YOU to get into the flow state. This could be different for each of us. As I mentioned above, I found something that is pretty much backwards for how it works for most people that works really well for me to this day. I sort of stumbled on this idea by accident one day and it worked so well that I decided to try it again. After a few times I had to admit that it works for me so I should continue doing it.
 
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I think one of the most important thigs in that is to set the right conditions that allow YOU to get into the flow state.
Absolutely! It seems like it's gotta be a bit different, or even totally different, for each of us.
I sort of stumbled on this idea by accident one day and it worked so well that I decided to try it again. After a few times I had to admit that it works for me so I should continue doing it.
You bet. If it works, you're onto something!
 
One thing that I have found that helps is making an "inspiration" playlist on your music streaming service of choice. When I have the "everything sounds like crap" mood, I usually go back to this playlist and it gets me going again. Not necessarily music that makes me happy or that I love jamming to, but music that makes the hairs on my arms stand up.
 
In my coding days it was something always tried to get into as fast as possible and then stay there. I found an interesting way to get there that would probably never work for most people. When I was working on things at home and I was the only one there, I would turn on some music and turn it up pretty loud.
Then-current, now classic, rock music worked great for me while doing problem math/physics/engineering problem sets in college by helping to make the experience more fun. But it wasn't needed for coding which was too much fun by itself though I never did it more than part time professionally. It might have been different doing it 50 or more hours per week. And music was a huge distraction when trying to read textbooks.

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, called 'the father of flow', wrote a dozen books did a TED talk on flow. Good reading.
 
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Here's a little article that came to my email today from Softube. It explains a little about 'being in the flow' as an antidote to writer's block.

I thought it was interesting.


One thing I do is remove all distractions while I write music. Everything in my studio is out of the way, and I know where everything is so I can get to it quickly and avoid disturbing the flow. I keep it clean and simple.

I use an amp and cab switcher so I can try different sounds quickly, too. No plugging and unplugging, everything is ready if I want to lay down guitars. I also mike up all the amplifiers, so I don't have to deal with the distraction of moving mics around.

Also I silence the phone, turn off notifications on my computer, etc.
Great read, thanks for sharing! The lights in my studio are different from the rest of my house. I’ve also setup my space so that all my gear is within arm’s reach and that my layout doesn’t change so I can reach for things without thinking about where they are. I’ve noticed I’m in very different mindsets when I’m composing, arranging, sound designing or mixing. I tend to naturally separate these processes unless things are flowing seamlessly. It’s similar to something I’ve read about greatness. A person doesn’t become consistently great at something just by doing it for 10000 hours or whatever. More that you get better at getting into that state of greatness that is fleeting to all of us.
 
A person doesn’t become consistently great at something just by doing it for 10000 hours or whatever. More that you get better at getting into that state of greatness that is fleeting to all of us.
Food for thought!
 
Start the next song from a place you never started to write before.

A word?
Make it a point to use only 2 chords?
Draw a graphic of the song before you even start playing?
Whistle a melody and only then grab the guitar?
Learn a new scale?
Take the chords of a song you like and reverse them?
Ask AI for ideas?
Stop writing and go outside live more...

Those are ideas that come to mind lol
 
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