Question for Chris and anyone else that can help

[NevermoreMan90]

Hey Chris and all! This is my first time on this forum Heres the deal. Im primarily a rhythm guitarist that plays both 6 and 7 string guitars. I usually have no trouble coming up with a new riff, be it technical or simple. I've got 8 or 9 solid rhythm and some lead to some of my songs, but i've become stuck when it comes to writing more. I'd like to have mabye 3 more songs before I start to record. Chris, how do you like to approach writing a new song when you need to? What do you do when you get stuck in writing, if you get stuck? Your help is greatly appriciated, and anyone elses advice is too. Thanks greatly!

 

[slashvanyoung]

Try to get your head free! If you're trying to push yourself to write a (good) song it will end up being very generic and uninspired most of the times because you can actually hear if someone is passionate while writing. At least that's my experience... Remember: you're writing because you love it and you want it, not because you have to. I always thought that my songs or riffs came out best when the writing (the basic structures, not the fine-tuning) seemed to be really effortless.

Try to get inspiration. Obviously, listening to other music can give you some ideas. Usually when I'm listening to something that I really dig, the riffs seem to just flow off my hands. Just make sure you're ripping no one off. Sometimes I discover a certain technique or phrase from that and I just go on from that point until it's something really original that sticks in your mind. The same goes to technical or theoretical lessons: just keep on playing them and after a time you almost automatically expend them and take them to different places. Watching live concerts or videos can also get the fire back alive.
But sources for inspiration don't necessarily have to be directly musical. Basically everything that is able to get you in a certain mood could help you. That could be book as well as a movie. If you get caught by the atmosphere, get your guitar and try to translate this to music. Like your own soundtrack in your head.
Another important source for inspiration are other people to me. If you're playing in a band then just show them your ideas or start to jam "out of the blue". Sometimes really cool stuff comes up that way (even if it needs some fine-tuning). Try to play with as many musicians you can, no matter which style or instrument the play. It's an invaluable experience.

Well, maybe that helps you a bit. I think every one of us has these periods when it's just not flowing. Just don't get tensed up, better put the guitar away for a little while and try to get your head clear and refocused. Maybe Chris knows some other "tricks", I am also curious how he handles such situations.

 

[NevermoreMan90]

Thanks dude, that really helps. My head really wasn't clear then, and im still trying to clear it all the way I have some ideas now that i've let them just come naturally, instead of forceing them. When I sit down and jam by myself, I usually try to let ideas flow from pieces of music that i've heard, and letting new song riffs and ideas are coming back. The creative juices are starting to flow again. I'm still wanting to know how Chris handles these types of situations, though.

 

[Chris_Broderick]

Hey Chris and all! This is my first time on this forum Heres the deal. Im primarily a rhythm guitarist that plays both 6 and 7 string guitars. I usually have no trouble coming up with a new riff, be it technical or simple. I've got 8 or 9 solid rhythm and some lead to some of my songs, but i've become stuck when it comes to writing more. I'd like to have mabye 3 more songs before I start to record. Chris, how do you like to approach writing a new song when you need to? What do you do when you get stuck in writing, if you get stuck? Your help is greatly appriciated, and anyone elses advice is too. Thanks greatly!

You do realize how huge this question is???

What I like to do is imagine what I want to hear after a given part and then transcribe it on the guitar, when I can't think of where I want to go I then use theory to try different possibilities. I know this answer is extremely vague but I could write a book on this topic.

hope this helps, Chris.

 

[Nebulous]

I could write a book on this topic.

Well, since you're offering

 

[NevermoreMan90]

LOL. Yes, I know how huge the question is, and I know that there are many ways to deal with this type of situation, but I had to ask some people who know what they're doing to uncover as many ways necessary to avoid this problem, and prevent it in the future. I know it will happen many more times, so i'd like to know how to be ready for it. Thank you for the respose very much! I'd like anyone with advice to leave it on this thread, so it not only helps me, but helps others as well

 

[Chris_Broderick]

Ya know the best piece of advice I could offer is to not have any expectations when you write because if you are over critical you will never finish anything.

Take care, Chris.

 

[Nebulous]

Ya know the best piece of advice I could offer is to not have any expectations when you write because if you are over critical you will never finish anything.

Take care, Chris.

That's something I really have to try and get over.
I expect so much to the point where I often don't know where to begin.

 

[NevermoreMan90]

That's something I really have to try and get over.
I expect so much to the point where I often don't know where to begin.

Same here, bro. I'll come up with a riff that ill think would work well in one of my songs, and when I try to fit it in, I find that it doesn,t work the way I want it to. So I try to force it work, thus having expectations on what it will sound like. I find that a good way to slowly break that kind of a habit is to stop working on that riff, or lead, and let the part that sounds right to come to me another time while im jammin' to myself. Ill just be jammin, and the right part will come out which is awesome because it sounds better, and the song gets done.