i feel as i'm in the beggining stages of another writer's block. both lyrically and musically. usually i go 3-4 months with a 'set' of songs, then i scrap em cause i cant come up with something totally new. i have made a promise to myself whatever i do, do not scrap this set. i am getting lots of idea's, i just cant translate it to a guitar sound, or write it out as poem for that matter.

what do you do to get through a writers block?

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riley

good question, feeling that way too.

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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.

I thought of a couple riffs and songs, but my guitar was messed up and my amp burnt out, so I can't play em.

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1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic

thats not working....

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riley

Distance yourself from it. Hum it all in your head. Try something new, like 6ths- one of my favourite tricks to spice up a song is strip it down to a two-note motif. For example, if it was Emaj7 > F#m7 > G#m7, I'd take the two notes that make a sixth from each chord...

Emaj7: 9th fret on D and B strings (B and G#)
F#m7: 11th fret on D and 10th fret on B (C# and A)
G#m7: 13th fret on D and 12th fret on B (D# and B)

Works really well, try it.

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'01 American Deluxe HSS Strat.
'87 Japan HSS Strat.
'11 Custom Shop FMT HSS Strat.

"Without music, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines and dates by which bills must be paid."

Hi Riley: couple of things to start with.

First, put down the guitar. As Brian May always says, with the guitar in your hands your fingers just keep doing the same old things they already know how to do. I find a long, long walk helps for giving space to listen to the music in your head rather than the music in your hands.

Second, ask yourself; what are you actually trying to SAY with the song? Once you know that everything else - lyrics, melody, tempo, etc - is just a method of conveying the central idea. A song can have a giant message or a very small one: "an end to world hunger", or just "I feel like dancing". But all songs are saying something. Once you know what yours is trying to say you know which direction you're working in.

Good luck - C

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Buy a new shirt.
Play like that shirt.

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Rated "M" for meaty.