HELP with SONGS!

[katrina]

Okay, so I'm attempting to record an album. I need to go to the person with the studio with GOOD MATERIAL, and I feel like nothing I am writing is good enough anymore! All of my songs sound the same, and they just bore me. I mean, they say you're your own toughest critic, and in my case that's probably true, but C'MON NOW! I can't TAKE it anymore.

How can I get inspired?
How can I make my songs better?

This is just getting OLD. I listen to other people's songs (keep in mind that I'm acoustic!!) and they have these awesome chords.. And when I can't figure out what they are, I'm just.. Awful. I don't know.

And if you've seen my videos on youtube, just know that every other song I've written is like that! Maybe a bit of arpeggio, and CHORDS.

Any ideas??

All help is greatly appreciated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

~ Katrina

[newbieguitarmaker]

can u put a link to ur youtube vids? and ive been having the same problem as you so dont feel alone haha. Ill be watching this for tips also

[katrina]

Actually I currently had to put my videos on private, and I don't know how to approve people for them yet.

I actually had A STALKER weirdo who kept messaging me the same thing over and OVER.. So. I decided to privatize them for a while! Sorry.. I'll have to figure out how to approve viewers soon though.

~ Katrina

[jemplayer55]

Sometimes putting down your guitar and changing your listening habits helps to clear "your" mind and gets you past "writers block"..... try listing to some type of music you'd "normally" just wouldn't listen to. I'll sometimes try to find some good jazz or classical to listen to. Not much help but it has worked for me in the past.

[jim777]

Take lessons. You can't improve dramatically without understanding better what exactly it is you want to do. Lessons cure bad playing, and practice cures GAS.

Do not waste this wisdom.


jim

[Ferrous Lepidoptera]

I have similar problems with not being able to come up with stuff that I'm satisfied. I'm pretty much an amateur though, so It doesn't bother me too much.

I imagine that participating in something like this:

http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/50songs90days/

Which as you might guess, involves writing 50 songs in
90 days, would likely hone your songwriting skills, provided it didn't kill you.

[bammbamm]

One thing to help keep your ideas fresh, is try writing something that may be above your skill level as a guitarist. That was always a boost for my playing and writing.

Another thing, learn at LEAST 5 different versions of any chord, that alone gives you more tonal variety. I've written entire songs based on a new chord I wrote, mainly because it inspired a new way of hearing my guitar playing.
play your notes in alternate orders in different places, that alone can create a melody line.

It's what works for me...
There is a DMaj 7 chord that I wrote This based on.
I love that progression although my singing isn't the best.
but you get the idea, anyway.

Bamm

[supermau]

Originally Posted by jim777

Take lessons. You can't improve dramatically without understanding better what exactly it is you want to do. Lessons cure bad playing, and practice cures GAS.

Do not waste this wisdom.


jim

Agreed. When I started feeling stale I took it upon myself to learn more, to try and go beyond my current abilities as a guitar player. Still working on it! There's tons of video's, books, and mag's with great lessons. You just have to put in the time. Once you begin discovering new things then new ideas happen.

I can't tell you how to get inspired. That's something unique to everyone. But learning new chords, scales, etc might help you get inspired. Try reading the book "Zen Guitar". It's a quick read and might give you some new insight on how to go about your musical path.

[jim777]

I know a guy named Jack Zucker who wrote a book on how to play guitar when he thought he was losing his ability to play because of illness. He wanted his kids to be able to take advantage of all of his knowledge and ability (he's an absolute monster guitarist), so he wrote a book on how to do almost anything. The book is called "Sheets of Sound" and it contains more useful info than 20 'famous guy' DVDs. It should be easy to find on the Net, and is something that would benefit probably every person on this board. Very worth the money, and the effort.

[bpd111]

Originally Posted by bammbamm

I love that progression although my singing isn't the best.

Don't slight your singing, dude. I think it's top notch, and I don't say that lightly. It's actually motivating to a player (like me) who is hesitant to start singing.

[ChopTart]

What I like to do when I'm writing is after the initial burn out, when I feel like I can't add much more to what it started from, I let it "air out" - give it a week or so not touching it, but remembering how to play it. Then when I come back to it, if it still sounds fresh and good like it did originally, its a keeper

[shredfreak]

Well I don't know how good you are Katrina or how many chords you know but as guys already said, maybe learning something new will help, that's what I would do.

It's hard to give any advices to how to get inspired but maybe take few days off from playing and music. Don't listen to anything or play for a day or something, it should clear your mind and it sometimes helps me.

I don't usually write any songs, I just come up with a bunch of riffs and I introduce those riffs to my friend and then we start to build a song on the ideas we have. It's kinda hard to explain it I guess. So I'm not really forcing myself to write anything, it's either I have or I don't have a good idea. Sometimes when I'm playing I find a new interesting riff, then I just start to build a song around it but if it doesn't work or I don't have any ideas or I don't find anything good for it I just leave it and don't force myself to write anything.

That's my 2 cents.

[katrina]

Thanks to everyone for your advice!!

It seems here like what I need to do (duh) is take a break from the songs for about a week or so, and then ask my guitar teacher for some advice! I'll have to check out that book mentioned above, too!

Thanks guys!!!

~ Katrina

[HSH]

+1 on the break if you're getting burned out. You may want to try electric. I find playing with different effects can lead places, gives a "mood" which can spark a "mode". (In my case usually a "commode" but at least I'm flushing something new! ;-)) +1 also on listening to different styles, or not listening to anything music until you start to hear your own in your head. When you have something to say, it will come out. Then listen to it. A lot of people forget that REwriting a song is almost as important as writing it in the first place. Seldom is something perfect when first invented. Listen to how a chord makes you feel, use that chord in that part of a song where you want to feel that way; i.e. if you want to sound mushy, use a MAJ7; sad, use D- because Spinal Tap said D Minor is the saddest key ha ha. You get the pic. JUST KEEP GOING.

[ChopTart]

How much is set so far? Post any clips?