----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, October 16, 2011 5:39
PM
Subject: Re: What do YOU do when
creativity dries up?
Hi Brian,
I had this situation many times and established some
sort of "catalogue" for me, what could be done against this:
1. Oblique Strategies - always a good first
choice.
2. As a guitarist, try different tunings, especially
ones, which you never have tried before.
3. Listen to some of your old stuff, which
you never have continued, because at that time you didn´t had any ideas for it
- maybe now´s the time.
4. Establish a "Composing Hour", which means that
every day at the same time (that´s best, though different times of the day
also work), you sit with all your equipment (guitars, keyboards, computer,
software, boxes - all that you have) and force yourself to DO something for
one hour - then stop and don´t think about the music until you sit there
again the next day. When you have a new idea, just record a short sketch of
it. Keep away from starting arrangements, into deep sound tweaking etc. - keep
it fast and simple and move on to sth. else. There might be little to none
output at the beginning, but the continuity of everyday´s working rhythm will
get you on the track again. After one month you listen to your recorded
material and then start to add more arrangements, sounds etc. (I got this idea
from a very good book on this subject: "The Art & Craft of Writing
Music" by Matthew Nicholl, http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/art-and-craft-of-writing-music/16071216 ,
which was originally recommended by Robert Fripp)
5. Read a book. Try subjects that are not your
favourite crime reading etc., but sth. new to you.
6. Go to the cinema. Try films that are less action
and more to contemplate about afterwards.
7. Go to a concert. Especially with music, that is not
your favourite band, but somebody you just have read about in the papers or
sb. had told you it´s interesting.
8. Go to a museum or exhibition. If you have talent in
doing sketches, take some paper with you and try to make a sketch of one piece
of art, which you liked very much. Put this sketch on the wall where you work
on your music. Let it inspire you, watch it while you play your instrument,
let your musical thoughts meander into every possible direction and do a
simple recording of what you play
9. Leave all your musical stuff completely untouched
for at least one week (or two, or three...) and DON´T worry about
it.
Hope this helps a bit :-)
Cheers
Ingo
