Writers/Composer Block?

Question

Any tips on how to get rid of a writers block (in my case composers block)?

Answer 1

Find a song in a non-classical genre you love (I usually go to the early jazz/Swing Band era), and try making an "arrangement" of it just for fun. It will pull you away from whatever has gotten in your way but keep you in a creative mode. It can be fun, relaxing, and you just might come up with something you want to pursue further (at which time you might need to address copyright issues).

Answer 2

The subconscious is a funny thing, and yours is probably like nobody else's, so what may work for one person may not work for you. But here are some ideas:

Work on a different song/story. Then go back to the original after awhile.

Get a good night's sleep. Sometimes dream work can help.
Be sure you have a notebook/recording device next to the bed.

Take a walk, or do something else calming and repetitive, like knitting. It keeps your fore-brain busy so your back brain can cogitate in peace.

Try pretending you are someone else, and writing/composing your piece. How would Einstein tackle it? How about Bach? How about Picasso? The crazier the persona, the more freedom you bring to the thing.

Some pieces just aren't meant to work, though, so it's OK to put it away and start something new. BUT, sometimes we fear finishing a piece. You have to figure out why you have the writer's block, and you have to experiment to find out what works best for you.

Answer 3

Are you stuck in the middle, or do you have a blank page?

Assuming it is a blank page (or a full wastebasket), find a way to give yourself fewer decisions to make. Length, tempo, instrumentation, volume, density, all of it -- can be decided with a roll of a pair of dice until your own sensibilities kick in. Steal a motif to start and commit yourself to five other permutations of it. Or not. Find a non-musical idea and try and write its musical equivalent. Take any or all of these suggestions -- they are not mutually exclusive. Or they are. Who cares? You're just going to compose and be done with it.

By the way, you should probably set a particular time and period of the day and stick to it. Then stop and don't beat yourself up for not being inspired. It's like a hitting slump in baseball -- it will pass if you don't freak out about it.

Answer 4

Just write. Write something. Sit down and sketch out some melodic ideas. Put several notes together as an intro or pickup into something. Write a 4 measure introduction to ........ ? Try to come up with an interesting chord progression and/or bass line. Take a simple song or melody (Mary Had a Little Lamb, Frere Jacques, ect) and write a set of variations. The trick is to sit down every day and write something even if you never use it and ultimately toss it away. If you can't come up with something original, do an original arrangement of something (be careful of copyrights).

Another suggestion is to keep a sketch book or sketch file of new ideas as they come to you. I always have two or three ideas waiting in the wings while I am working on or finishing one or two others.

Good luck.

Musician, published composer, teacher.

Answer 5

others may give you suggestions but keep in mind that they are just suggestions. The kind of "block" you are going through is specifically yours and may not necessarily be all bad. It may be your mind's/brain's way of processing through certain info or resting for good reasons. treat it as part of your growth as a musician/composer and don't fear it as some kind of disaster. when you are not composing, may be you could use the time and energy to collect ideas, sharpen certain techniques, etc....

Answer 6

go for long walks alone i ussally get ideas from that or try to listen to boring music i ussally think there.