Songwriters

Rusty

A-HAHAHA!
Sep 14, 2001
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Nottingham
Do you ever go through patches where you can't come up with any good ideas/riffs? If so, what do you do to get over it, is it just a matter of keep trying? I need help (or more likely encouragement).
 
This sure was a class mugging.


Anyway, when stuck, try a bit of randomness. Don't try too hard to create something, or don't try and create what you want. Play randomly. A lot of progression can be created.

Or if you have some tried and trued old riffs, play them, but add something into them..

i dunno..



ME.. I'M J*ST A MAN
 
You wore your new pants I thought they were nice
You ate a hotdog that I paid for
I won a big giraffe and gave it to you
We stood in line for the lobster

Ten times for the lobster
Ten times for the lobster
We stood in line
we stood in line
Ten times for the lobster

We rode a carousel my horse was yellow
We had cotton candy it was good
You liked the clown his name was Crink or something
We got in line for the lobster

Ten times for the lobster
Ten times for the lobster
We stood in line
we stood in line
Ten times for the lobster

You wore your new pants I thought they were nice
You ate a hotdog that I paid for
I won a big giraffe and gave it to you
We stood in line for the lobster

Ten times for the lobster
Ten times for the lobster
We stood in line
we stood in line
Ten times for the lobster

Ten times for the lobster
Ten times for the lobster
Ten times for the lobster
Ten times for the lobster
 
Envious
Hates me more and more
Emerald Eyes
Feet grow old and sore
Steal my brains
And take my wings apart
Woe my mind
Your life's a waste
You're not superfly
You're not superfly
You're not superfly
You're not super...
Self conceit
Last one to defeat
Bill me up
Vultures peck your feet
Steel my brains
and take my wings apart
Angry soul
Your life's a waste
You're not superfly
You're not superfly
You're not superfly
You're not super...
...Alone...
...I am...
...Alone...
...I am...
...Alone...
...I am...
...I know...
One ninety four lies where you still are
Youre fucking wank was never shit
That stillmore jam was not my fault
Down we plucked you down you brought us down
You're not superfly
You're not superfly
You're not superfly
You're not super...
...Alone...
...I am...
...Alone...
...I am...
...Alone...
...I am...
...Alone...
Dope Brain Juice Head
Pulling at your own strings
Can you see me laughing at you
You wanted some glory 'cause it's just like you
You motherfucking hypocrite
You see me
Can you feel me
I'm burning you on inside
I have a feeling now maybe this will fly...
HYPE
We have an introduction to Dr A. Hype
The authority on nothing
Qualification substance abuse
Personality backstabber user
Dr A. Hype
Synonymous and anonymous
Losing it in his own right
Could it be this? Could it be that? Could it be this and that?
Could it be this? Could it be that?
Camels piss when it's down
Pink mothergoose mechanical clown
Incision, decision, elusive and exclusive
Jesus shook hands with a jockey from Jupiter
And some punk frowned
Asian wallpaper swallowed lemons
While burmese kittens held umbrellas
Confucius fell into a great inspection
My brain fell out now
Slow down
Could it be?... etc
Purple chair throws an uppercut
While baby powder scores a putt
Incisive decisive, illusion exclusion
Jehovah made love to an unknown alien
More punks still frowned
Islamic attorney shat on bambi
Many books and bins applauded
Isaac Newton ate his apple
Making Alice's Wonderland fall out
Hello Mr Jehovah... Religion - please bend over
Auntie Olga's Hairy Aureole's
Tallin' about the mulesteina
It was all true
A parlour strode, and the night sets forever
I stray in the quiet cold
And you gird me when I dare to listen
Elastic meadow, endless arms of sorrow
Lips try to form "because"
Trying to adapt to the wilderness
Where even foes close their eyes and leave
We are inside the glade
Every now and then I wipe the dust aside
To remember...
How I drape my face with my bare hands
The same that brought me here
But you were beyond all help
The folded message that wept my name
Shadows skulk at my coming
We survey the slopes
In search for the words to write the missing page
The tainted dogma
Time grows short
As the piper plays his time
We are almost there
You are beyond all help
Dancing into the void
We are almost there
 
there was a good thread on this not long ago in this forum
entitled "Creational Slowdown", but i did a search and couldnt find it..


anyway i think i said some of the following:
1. Listen to lots of different music, completely different to what you are normally listening to... can give you plenty of new ideas

2. Maybe its a matter of putting your ideas towards some other musical area... instead of worrying about good riffs, maybe just fuck the riffs and play a bunch of shitty powerchords and put your efforts into song structure.. Maybe instead of writing an epic 10 minute masterpiece its time to write a 3 minute verse-chorus-verse song?

3. Try a completely new approach.... maybe write a story and try and put music to it afterwards?
Or draw some pictures and try and convert those images into music..?
Use your imagination

4. Just play.. dont worry about trying to write a good riff, just improvise for hours on end while your doing whatever.

5. Change things like tunings, try dropped D.... put a capo on.. whatever... or tell yourself "im gonna write a riff using only the low E and D string" and see what happens...

6 and beyond. Theres heaps more ideas along the same lines, the main idea is just to change things around...

but yeh time will fix it, dont try and force yourself to write particular riffs coz it rarely works..
 
3. Try a completely new approach.... maybe write a story and try and put music to it afterwards?

That's what I'm doing now. That's the only reason I've got so far. Maybe I'll read my story again and get inspired.