Writing Frustration

[Line666]

Wondering if anyone can help me out in this, I'm sure lots of you will at one point have hit a sort of musical "block" as it were, well I've been coming up with nothing that I like for a while.

I'm current sole writer in my band and I managed to quickly push out an initial song pretty fast but for the last three months I've been shooting musical blanks, I've literally not came up with anything I like and el bando are starting to get majorly grumpy waiting for me to move my ass. Adding to the pressure I seem to be inflicting on my self to get things done, which seems to achieve exactly the opposite.

Every time I go to write though I roll through the same motions and can't find anything that I like enough to keep or that doesn't sound generic to my ears, I thought learning some new songs by other bands would help me out, but I've learnt about twenty now and I'm still stuck wallowing in the mud, desperately trying to find something I like.

So, I dunno, I could use some advice or something if anybody has any, as I'm beginning to tear my hair out here, and its nice hair.

 

[muckypup1]

Same here dude I haven't written anything for over two months now

 

[Dalinkwent48@aim.com]

^ that wasn't very helpful lol


Best thing i can tell you dude is back off for a little bit....when i get stuck in a writers block i notice that my material gets lets and less "heartfelt" and sounds more like it was just something forced together...Take some time off of music in general (like a week or two) just rock some random tunes and go about your day to day life and naturally it will come back and youll be able to pick up right where you left off...or you could ask the band members sitting on there asses to throw in some input and give you a few riffs and you build off of those.

 

[SocialNumb]

Over 6 months here or longer, lost track. I keep switching "genres" hoping to find inspiration to no avail.

Sorry I couldn't help.

Weed used to do it instantly, not so at this point.

 

[Dalinkwent48@aim.com]

Weed used to do it instantly, not so at this point.

I gotta be the only person who cant write when im stoned....Ill try and come up with some shit that is so incredibly technical that i go to polish it up the next day and just look at it like wtf was i even thinking

 

[SocialNumb]

I gotta be the only person who cant write when im stoned....Ill try and come up with some shit that is so incredibly technical that i go to polish it up the next day and just look at it like wtf was i even thinking

That would be a good thing at this point. I'm very much into the WTF was I thinking style.

 

[Line666]

Take some time off of music in general (like a week or two) just rock some random tunes and go about your day to day life and naturally it will come back and youll be able to pick up right where you left off....

I literally couldn't do this, I'd feel it was lost time, plus I'm a complete recluse with nothing better to do than sit with a guitar. I realise that sounds sad as hell, but my life really isn't that interesting.

Over 6 months here or longer, lost track. I keep switching "genres" hoping to find inspiration to no avail.

Ha, I've done a lot of that too, I dunno if it creates more of a problem though, I've been thinking maybe focusing on one genre might create single more concentrated ideas as opposed to multiple diluted ones.

 

[Cacoph0ny]

Try to find some new bands you haven't heard that will really inspire you. Also try to make them bands that aren't necessarily the type of music you are making. This helps me a lot.

Second, don't put so much pressure on yourself to write something or you never will.

 

[Dalinkwent48@aim.com]

That would be a good thing at this point. I'm very much into the WTF was I thinking style.

Def dude but when the response to the WTF was i thinking style is WTF do i do next (then stare blankly at my guitar for 10 minutes) I almost always just forget about it,save it, push it to the side (you never know when that 15 second piece can fit into another song a year later) and start over.

I literally couldn't do this, I'd feel it was lost time, plus I'm a complete recluse with nothing better to do than sit with a guitar. I realise that sounds sad as hell, but my life really isn't that interesting.
.

It totally feels like the wrong thing to do, you start to feel lost and its completely understandable, but for me at least thats the only thing that pushes me back into the spot i want to be

 

[FIXXXER]

go out, get some experience do this and that, leave all the music and recording thing aside,
that's the only way to find new inspiration IMHO.
if nothing happens in your live you just won't get any inspitration....

cheers
S.

 

[plague_rider]

No help at all here... i keep switching genres, not to try and help the flow, it the cause of the problem, i keep swinging from one thing to another, like groove to thrash to death and i can't get a good riff out without it being mutilated by a mixture of my mind fighting over how it should sound and my playing...

 

[DominikJW]

I try to look for inspiration in the everyday world. Like listening to nature (every environment is good) and hearing some sort of music/noises, well you don't hear the music exactly (unless you're high ) but your imagination supplements these noises with sounds and there you go! I hope you'll understand what Im trying to say

 

[Cacoph0ny]

My main problem when writing is that I have a hard time focusing on ONE project. Whenever I get inspired by a cool band I always want to start a new project. I end up wanting to have like 20 different music projects haha. Anyone else like this?

 

[Nuno Filipe]

Listen to a lot new shit, listen something different than usual stuff and different from what you are composing. Learn to play new songs with guitar pro and shit like that.

 

[egan.]

If any of the other guys can write worth anything, try writing together. Sometimes the back and forth really helps to bring around some great ideas.

 

[SocialNumb]

Ha, I've done a lot of that too, I dunno if it creates more of a problem though, I've been thinking maybe focusing on one genre might create single more concentrated ideas as opposed to multiple diluted ones.

I think if you have a deadline and or personal goal than concentrating on one would be ideal.

I do like learning all these different techniques used across the spectrum. Makes for interesting ideas. (production wise) I'm a hard core recluse (not religious, that should be obvious) and music isn't my cash flow. It's my obsessive hobby. Still, for a long time I've been stumped. I really don't know what to do next.

Maybe I need a deadline?

 

[SocialNumb]

Def dude but when the response to the WTF was i thinking style is WTF do i do next (then stare blankly at my guitar for 10 minutes) I almost always just forget about it,save it, push it to the side (you never know when that 15 second piece can fit into another song a year later) and start over.



It totally feels like the wrong thing to do, you start to feel lost and its completely understandable, but for me at least thats the only thing that pushes me back into the spot i want to be

hahaha I have 500+ *pushed it to the side* last year alone. I really suck!

I need something finished but I can't settle on one song. I need more discipline! That's it! So much free time and yet I struggle to finish a song. :Smug:

Excuse the rant, I'm having a conversation with myself. (I'm high))

By the way, I love this new Katatonia album. F'n epic!

 

[Dalinkwent48@aim.com]

hahaha I have 500+ *pushed it to the side* last year alone. I really suck!

I need something finished but I can't settle on one song. I need more discipline! That's it! So much free time and yet I struggle to finish a song. :Smug:

Excuse the rant, I'm having a conversation with myself. (I'm high))

By the way, I love this new Katatonia album. F'n epic!

Take a few of those 500 and mash em together....I bet you can come up with a few killer ones by doing that.

And wow I dont think I've ever witnessed ADD through typing haha

 

[James-Doolan]

If any of the other guys can write worth anything, try writing together. Sometimes the back and forth really helps to bring around some great ideas.

This

 

[FloridaRolf]

Go to a disco full of shitheads with loud fucked up techno music

I always get some nice inspiration from those nights, the only bad thing is I can't remember / write anything down when I'm in this hell