Techniques to deal with the "creative blocking"

Hi all,

Time to time, I face some blockings where it gets hard to get a musical idea, it simply doesnt come out, no matter how hard I try, I only see scales and chords, nothing else. But without thinking, after a while (days, hours, or weeks), the ideas just start appearing. Not sure what causes having a blocking (stress?, a specific mental state?, etc.). 

I think this may be common for several people (even guys like John Lennon as I read today in an article), but I guess there should be techniques for improving this or getting out of this situation (specially if a person works professionally in this world and he/she is against time). Are there techniques that you know to deal with this?

I appreciate any feedback. Thanks!

A very familiar problem for me: writer's block.

Fortunately, I am not dependant on my compositions to live from these (yet), so I just decide to not compose for a while.
I namely know that I will not write any notes when I force myself to compose.
Personally, I compose because I have the feeling that I have to compose. I don't have this feeling when I have a writer's block, so I just quit composing for a few days and come back when I have some inspiration again.

However, sometimes I did need to write for an assignment or competition. In this case I made word clouds to brainstorm about ideas. I also listened to many compositions by other composers to become inspired.

Hopefully, this will help you too!

Maarten

I think composition has two sides (well, many more in fact):

1. Making just nice music (at least for oneself), just for the pleasure to do it. This is relatively easy: brainstorm, improvising, developing a scale, etc...

2. Trying to express something. In this case I always have something to say (to myself). I look inside and try to put the emotions or feelings, or whatever, in music. In this case, the more resources you have for writing, the better. You'll have more vocabulary. 

That doesn't mean I can be writing at any time... But the second options is more rewarding, although no one understand what I'm trying to say, that's not necessary, this kind of music, as poetry is subjective.

I compose also because I have that need, I don't have the necessity for a living. But I wish I had more time to do it.

As Maarten says, listening to other people's works is inspiring.

And finally: COPY:

7 hours ago, Maarten Bauer said:

A very familiar problem for me: writer's block.

Fortunately, I am not dependant on my compositions to live from these (yet), so I just decide to not compose for a while.
I namely know that I will not write any notes when I force myself to compose.
Personally, I compose because I have the feeling that I have to compose. I don't have this feeling when I have a writer's block, so I just quit composing for a few days and come back when I have some inspiration again.

However, sometimes I did need to write for an assignment or competition. In this case I made word clouds to brainstorm about ideas. I also listened to many compositions by other composers to become inspired.

Hopefully, this will help you too!

Maarten

 

Very interesting, as now I remember that the best creative periods were after I stopped composing, this made me seeing things more clear. Maybe it is a good practice to do nothing for a while, only listening music and make some reflections. I also do not live of music, so, I guess I have time too :)

Thanks Marteen! :)

1 hour ago, Luis Hernández said:

I think composition has two sides (well, many more in fact):

1. Making just nice music (at least for oneself), just for the pleasure to do it. This is relatively easy: brainstorm, improvising, developing a scale, etc...

2. Trying to express something. In this case I always have something to say (to myself). I look inside and try to put the emotions or feelings, or whatever, in music. In this case, the more resources you have for writing, the better. You'll have more vocabulary. 

That doesn't mean I can be writing at any time... But the second options is more rewarding, although no one understand what I'm trying to say, that's not necessary, this kind of music, as poetry is subjective.

I compose also because I have that need, I don't have the necessity for a living. But I wish I had more time to do it.

 

As Maarten says, listening to other people's works is inspiring.

And finally: COPY:

 

Thanks Luis, as usual, for your kind opinions and time :). It is nice to have mates like you here (and there, you know where :D)

5 hours ago, ilv said:

Often times, I come up with a good theme/opening, but often have trouble completing my compositions from there.

 

I have the very same issue :D
 

I, too, experienced the occasional block of the cranium. I believe it's fairly common, even for some professionals. As @Maarten Bauer stated, I simply stop writing for a few days and depending on my mood in that time I find an idea I want to write.

I tend to find inspiration for music by using however I'm feeling at the time. If I'm angry, you'll hear a piece like 'The Seventh Insignia' or if I'm in a good mood you'll hear something like 'An Heroic Odyssey.'

And I don't necessarily pay attention to the smallest detail when writing because when I do I begin thinking that it isn't good enough and toss it aside, rinse and repeat. So I just write what I feel. That's why most of my pieces of music are structured strangely.

For some, paying attention to the tiny bits suits them well...for me, not so much.

Thanks lostSamurai for your opinion. I think it is clear: stop this until it comes naturally. I agree with you also in the small details, you can deal with them later, if necessary of course. The obstacles seems to be mental sometimes.

Rgds,

Ricardo

Hmmm...  I'd say:

1.  Keep trying to write at least a little while every day, because sometimes you just have to sit in the chair and work at it to give an idea the opportunity to appear.

2.  But be sure you aren't doing nothing but work.  If nothing is appearing in your brain, it may need some new outside stimulation to get the ideas started again, so take time to go for a walk, read new books, go out with friends.  Put yourself in situations that are rich for your physical senses in new ways so your brain will start creating new pathways, even if that just means trying a different sandwich for lunch.  You don't have to take a two week vacation, but find at least a little novelty every day. 

3.  Make sure you have the right physical environment to work in.  I need to be somewhere comfortable, quiet, and alone, so I can hum out my ideas.  I have to be able to hear it out loud as I'm working to get the next part of the idea to come.  Maybe you like the background hum of the dishwasher so it isn't too quiet in your house, or to know someone is in the next room so you don't feel too lonely.  

4.  If all else fails, try listening to some music you like and singing along on a harmony part.  Then shut the music off and keep singing your harmony.  It often develops a life of its own and becomes the start of an idea.  

5.  Sometimes you can't think of a beginning, but you CAN think of a middle or an end, so go ahead and start with that part and then work backwards.  

6.  Some of the best works by famous composers are based off of simple scales, and key changes.  Don't be afraid to write according to basic principles as a start.  What you add to the texture can make that incredibly exciting.  Writing absolutely according to expectation with respect to chord progression, and then denying the listener the resolution is a wonderful tension-creating device that keeps a work moving and developing when you are stuck.  

7.  Poetry usually has a very strong sense of rhythm and an internal structure of beginning, tension and development, and resolution.  Just add pitches and that is a well-structured piece of music.  Try to set some poetry you like to music, as if you were writing a choral piece.  Then erase the words to turn it into an orchestral piece, add more parts to fill it out, and play with orchestration.  

I experience lulls in composing quite a bit.  Generally what I do is revisit an older work and try to work on that for a bit.  I also listen to a lot of music and try to see if something I hear could work well, even copying it directly to my work and then reworking it in to something more original.  When I am really stuck, I'll completely switch gears and find that re-arranging a popular tune or writing a set of variations can sometimes jumpstart the creative process.

Nice tips, all of them saved for the special moment when this happens again. :)

I friend just told me a tip that he read somewhere (not sure where) and I want to share it with you.

The tip is: analyze sentences and their rhythm, for example:

"Drag files here to attach, or choose files" (it could be any random sentence), which would be "drag-files-here  / to /  a-ttach   /   or-choose/files" (imagine musical figures of the pronunciation), then use that rhythm to create a melody with it. Not sure if it works, but I found it very interesting, at least it may obligate you to use a rhythm you didnt use before :)

Thanks mates for all your tips :)

When I get writers block.. I to a 'cover' of a song.. Sometimes I start the cover.. Throw out the melody, embellish the chords a bit (you can't copyright chord progressions).  and I go from there. So I get to learn something knew by exploring another's work.. I of course mutate it into my own. Sometimes I search online for chord progressions, and write a piece using them. Especially using complex chords I wouldn't come up with on my own. A few times years ago.. I took to throwing dice to create a chord progression (had to do a bit of altering).. It's an old technique some one came up with long ago.

Even if I have writers block, I write something. Even dribble,  can be modified into something better later on

The Beatles wrote what they called 'bits'.. That is they were song ideas, a verse part, a chorus, a bridge.  and just saved that, not having the inspiration to finish the song. 

Later they would use these tidbit to fill in on their or each others song, when the song got stuck. 

The Abbey Road Medley on Side II is that.  Lennon was losing interest in the  whole project..  His contribution to the medley were just song parts, McCartney and George Martin

very laboriously strung them together to create a fitting final piece for the Beatles career.  I heard one outtake of John Lennon's off a 'basement tape'.  He sang the same 4 bar phrase, in every way imaginable.. changing the melody, phrasing, etc. until he settled on the proper way.