guys when you're composing songs (musically speaking) do you ever get the feeling that you've reached your creative limits? i've been going through a situation where i haven't written a decent song in 6 months mostly cause all the songs i play start to sound like songs that already exist but with some minor modifications... another reason is because i have loads of demos that never make it to their final phase... i can't look at a what i write down and say for 100 percent that it's a complete song... i also have a situation where some of my ideas aren't recorded (i need to bring a mic to college) but either way most of the songs i write turn out sounding very similar stuff that's already written...

how do i get over this situation? could it just be in my head and i'm simply letting some pretty decent songs go? i truly feel like i take a lot of things off sogs that already exist

I have the same problem allot . It helps me to learn a few songs of totally different genres that i don't play normally. trying some funk, reggae, classical, even death metal. I eventually just started sounding way different. i just naturally started taking things from each of them. It even helped me to play along with pop hiphop rap type stuff a while back I had some songs that sounded very very similar, simply just changing the key and tempo experimenting did allot.

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yeah that's kinda what i mod up

Hi Ralf!

I have many years of experience writing music upon request.
This has taught me how to develop AND finish a piece of music. Sometimes just having a deadline to complete the project takes care of the process.
I wonder if you are using software to work on your music?
You can challenge yourself to finish a tune in 2 sessions, for example.
With the help of a computer one can begin to work in series, just like a graphic artist.

So you can establish some parameters and then go ahead and write several pieces that adress a common theme. The goal is to establish an unfolding idea, a statement that takes on its own life and then concludes to your satisfaction. Then on with the next piece without fussing. Then you will have a body of work, which you can revise, re-dress for an event, re-mix to cover more ground.

But focusing on them like these little precious gems can get one lost. This used to happen to me during the mixing stage. It seemed like the final mix was this grand occassion for which I was never ready!!

I think it´s ok to draw from the music sources you most enjoy. You can work on a tune that sounds suspiciously like something you´ve heard.
Finish it and then try doing a cover of your own work with some twist. So that your original tune might be close to a rip-off but then when you re-interpret yourself it will be unique.
But focus on finishing the compositions.
Don´t jump around or you´ll end up in a musical junkyard.

Good luck and keep us up to date!
Mike.

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FIGHT!

Don't worry, Lennon put it best, "nobody's been original since Bach"

i've actually been searching for some decent free software for me to be able to compose some things and a virtual drum machine but most of what i find are 30 day demos... do you have any suggestions? this way i wouldn't need a mic to record guitar stuff and i could work on drum and bass all at the same time (and i'm actually running pretty low on cash)

"guys when you're composing songs (musically speaking) do you ever get the feeling that you've reached your creative limits?"

artists get tired and hungry too, a bowl of soup and a nap usually helps.


"i've been going through a situation where i haven't written a decent song in 6 months mostly cause all the songs i play start to sound like songs that already exist but with some minor modifications"

an effective way of doing that is to harmonize with the song that you are listening to and after a few bars you'll have something close.

"another reason is because i have loads of demos that never make it to their final phase"

say four "our fathers" and five "hail mary's". then go forth and don't avoid the final phase further.


" i can't look at a what i write down and say for 100 percent that it's a complete song... i also have a situation where some of my ideas aren't recorded (i need to bring a mic to college) but either way most of the songs i write turn out sounding very similar stuff that's already written"

(see above and make the appropriate adjustments)


"how do i get over this situation? could it just be in my head and i'm simply letting some pretty decent songs go? i truly feel like i take a lot of things off sogs that already exist"

as was said before hunger and fatigue can cause changes in parts of the system. just as hunger can make the stomach grumble, hunger and fatugue can cause the brain to fart which is usually misunderstood as a lull in creativity or letting songs situations go in your head were other things already exist.

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

all software is free if you know where to look not that I am a pirate or anything

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WoW" What a bunch of similar responses. I guess that could only mean one thing, and that is that most everyone who Strives to write songs, Experiences prity much the same things. I'm in one of those slumps right now and It lasts for a while and then like someone turns on the switch I have a time that I am able to create again. But its a fleeting moment disappearing as fast as it appears. So I make the best of it . The other day I spent some time reading Lyrics from songs and was surprised to find that many of them used the same or similar ideas and sounded suspiciously alike. so I guess we all borrow and draw from eachother. Nothing wrong with that, it's been going on seance time in memoriam. I like what (mike07502) has to say. It all sounds like a professional approach and something wee can put to good use. ( Just thinking that this Forum is a wonderful place to learn. Its like a University. )
----Danny,

OK so here's my thoughts on it.

No1; When experiencing writers block I struggle like hell. A actress/writer friend of mine pointed me in the direction of a poet. Who said that nothing you come out with is your own. It's handed to you by the universe, direct to your brain. All you are is a funnel to get the thing read/heard/seen. Stop using it, stop the inspiration coming.

No2; With No1 in mind, you've been faithful in getting stuff down/out. Could it be that you haven't really finished said song that they all sound like. Editing is a wonderful thing that is only limited by our sense of whats right. Maybe you haven't finished said songs and need to add or amend parts. Thats why you're facing this constant repetition.

(As cynical and jaded as I am, the idea of point 1 is something I adhere to for dear life)

No3; Using the same chords and patterns never did Motorhead, Chuck Berry or every blues player there ever was any harm. Relax and rock mate.

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No no and no

ah, i get that alot. what i usually do is scrap the previous set and start a whole new one. dont do that. start writing some songs that are a totaly different style to what your comfortable with, while still sticking to the roots of your original style

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riley

so true... you could learn a lot here

Sometimes I will combine 2 different originals to come up with 1 final product.
I am usually happy with those results. John and Paul did that often with great success.

I always try to remember that I am my harshest critic. Everyone else likes the work and has no idea what effort went into the production.

really i could do that? lool wow i'm taking at least one song out of the scrap