Stuck in a writing rut

BadHorsie1216 · **Joined:** Thu Dec 24, 2009 8:24 am **Posts:** 3

I've been playing guitar for about 7 years. And I wasn't one when I started to write my own stuff. I would sit and practice and work on the mechanics of things so that when I had an idea I wouldn't have to struggle with getting the idea out. But now it's come to the point where I just can't write anything that I'm satisfied with. I'll normally just get the idea out and then toss it out because I don't think that it will go anywhere. I once read an interview with Robin Trower and he said that if you can't do anything with an idea within an hour it just wasn't ment to be.

I need some advice on getting past that writing rut.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Chad

Rob Balducci · **Joined:** Tue Feb 03, 2009 1:23 am **Posts:** 95

Hi, Wow a loaded question lol... but a good one. I will give you what works for me and I would try it and give it a shot.

I have the same issues and I am sure most song writers have issues with coming up with ideas.

Part 1

My process is: First I have a feeling, any song idea I have usually starts with a feeling i have. I may have watched a movie or read a book or had some personal experience that made me feel a certain way. I then try and find either a melody or a riff that conveys the feeling. I have written some of by best songs this way.

It is going to take some time to do this if you are not used to it but it really works and your songs with be very unique. A good exercise to do to try and communicate feeling or abstract ideas into your music is to think of a person, your mom, Dad, girl friend or best buddy and come up with a chord that reminds you of this person. Once you work through this I suggest you do it with a melody as well. Once you have done that do the same exercise but use feeling, example angry, sad, happy, whatever it may be and do the samething, come up with a chord and melody that reminds you of the feeling or the emotion....

The cool thing about this is each person will come up with something different. I have done it with students and it works very well.

As far as having an idea and you cannot move past it etc.. I sometimes have ideas and parts and can;t get past it, but I save it and later on something will come to you. I had an idea for my first CD Balance and the song was not finished until my third CD Mantra. The tune is The Dance.

The possiblities are endless.

I will answer with some more ideas in part 2.

Thanks for writing.

RB

Rob Balducci

Stuck in a writing rut

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