What you do when you're discouraged?

[bryan_kilco]

I have a very hard time with writing/arranging songs.

I'm talking about guitar.

I normally start by making some random drum tracks, and by the time I get about a 2:00 drum track, my brain is about to explode and I realize I'm just creating beat after beat with no real direction or riffs as a guide.

So then I sit there with my guitar and freestyle to these drums over, and over, and over, and over until I come up with something that I like. A lot of times I just can not come up with anything and get frustrated and just put the guitar down.

A lot of times, I write my "best" material when I'm depressed or down and bummed. I think this may be the case for a lot of people, sadly, but if that's what it takes......

Right now my band is starting to work on new material and I have a few 1-2 minute pieces of work that we're trying to splice together and its aggravating. The band likes a lot of stuff that I think sounds boring or cheesy.

 

[Ultimate_Tsundere]

Get some new experience. Go fight the bears, jump out of the 35 floor's window. Some fresh impressions could wake up your mind. Also you can try to get inspired by something you like - films, games, anime , ANYTHING. I wrote one of my best songs, thinking of film "Alien" lol. And I've RECORDED AND MIXED IT as well, hehe ))))))

IMHO

 

[wetpenny]

5% inspiration 95% perspiration : i like that one

 

[AeternusEternus]

Sorry, but this is simply not true. As with of all music/arts projects, the way I understand the thing, the ratio is always 5% Inspiration, and 95% perspiration.

this is also why 95% of art sucks shit

do some drugs and get sad

 

[mburton21]

As far as writing lyrics goes, I never write down the title first. You will sit there staring at it thinking "what can I write to tie it in to the title?". For me, that's a terrible way to write lyrics. They should flow and go wherever you're feeling. Writing a title down - more often than not - locks them into a box.

When I'm writing guitar I first identify the "feel" of the song (as previously stated), then I just sit there are riff; for me that is the best way. I usually have a drum section in my head by the time I figure out a "keeper" riff.

Also for me, no metronome while writing.

 

[RedDog]

Have a drink and eat some food. Watch tv and play on the clean channel. If you can't focus on a riff, you have something else to pay attention to. Just noodle around, see where it gets you. I like to play guitar with the amp cranked while taking a shit. I have taken to carrying a notepad when I go riding, instead of using my phone to track ideas. There's something about putting a pen to paper that just does it. My boy sterling used to beat box and record it to come up with grooves. All my musician friends are a bunch of weirdos and we all have our ways of making new stuff. Just be weird for a minute and let your self shine through, you'll get somewhere.

 

[monoxide_child]

If fapping helped, I'd have a Grammy by now.