Brain frozen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[UuB Nijam]

I'm totally blocked! I have 20 or more unfinished songs I need to finish atleast 3 more this week!!! So I fig'd ranting about it will miraclously make them finish them selves!!!!!

[dolivas]

quoth Oblique Strategies card:

"when all else fails... have you thought about the slow jams?"

[Professor Riffs]

Originally Posted by UuB Nijam

I'm totally blocked! I have 20 or more unfinished songs I need to finish atleast 3 more this week!!! So I fig'd ranting about it will miraclously make them finish them selves!!!!!

When I can't finish a part, or a song, I'll grab a tape recorder. Then I'll record myself while I sing the part that I do have finished. No instrument, just halfway mindlessly singing the melody or the riff, like when you walk around and hum a tune that's been stuck in your head all day. But instead of stopping when you get to the part that isn't finished, keep on singing. Don't think about it too much, just keep right on humming or singing. Chances are, you'll end up singing exactly what the next part should be. A lot of times your brain knows where it wants to go but we get so caught up in thinking about it that we don't just let it flow. I've fixed the "how in the hell do I finish this song?!?!?" problem this way a bunch of times.

THRASH IN OUTER SPACE TO DEATH.

[mikegee]

Originally Posted by UuB Nijam

I'm totally blocked! I have 20 or more unfinished songs I need to finish atleast 3 more this week!!! So I fig'd ranting about it will miraclously make them finish them selves!!!!!

yea yea a lot of times, i will take 2 or more of the unfinished songs and merge them together into one big song. or take a bunch of them and make a real cool meddley of songs ala "the end" on the beatles white album...you can hear that in a lot of songs, actually, where it sounds like two totally different songs. the beatles did that a lot (a day in the life) and also paul mccartney and wings (uncle albert) sorry for all the beatle references, i have beatles on the brain today!

[smopo24]

Originally Posted by Professor Riffs

When I can't finish a part, or a song, I'll grab a tape recorder. Then I'll record myself while I sing the part that I do have finished. No instrument, just halfway mindlessly singing the melody or the riff, like when you walk around and hum a tune that's been stuck in your head all day. But instead of stopping when you get to the part that isn't finished, keep on singing. Don't think about it too much, just keep right on humming or singing. Chances are, you'll end up singing exactly what the next part should be. A lot of times your brain knows where it wants to go but we get so caught up in thinking about it that we don't just let it flow. I've fixed the "how in the hell do I finish this song?!?!?" problem this way a bunch of times.

THRASH IN OUTER SPACE TO DEATH.

i have been having the same problem as UuB Nijam; and a lot of people gave me different suggestions.....none have worked so far, but that one seems to make a lot of sense. also, my personal suggestion is to try to teach the song to other people and have them try to help you with it. doing it may help you with the process of writing.

[Whoopysnorp]

Fortunately, I've rarely had to work on a deadline for a song, so I've always gotten the best results by just cooling down, stepping away from it for a while, and then attacking it again when the ol' noggin feels more up to the task. Sometimes that's the only way, I think.

[warmowski]

Originally Posted by Whoopysnorp

Fortunately, I've rarely had to work on a deadline for a song, so I've always gotten the best results by just cooling down, stepping away from it for a while, and then attacking it again when the ol' noggin feels more up to the task. Sometimes that's the only way, I think.

Find something annoying you outside of your song problem and react to it musically.

When I was composing the Gearwire AES 2006 theme at 37,000 feet of altitude on my Yamaha QY-70 the guy in the seat next to me kept giving me the elbow. Stuck as I was for a layer to add to the track, I thought I'd fat-finger some chord stabs in just for the chance to give him some elbow back. Sure, I could have thumb-typed them in instead, but then I woukdn't have the chance to passive-aggressively escalate the hostilities in Row 29. And the stabs sounded pretty good.

-r

[McLean]

One thing that I have done to give a bit of inspiration is to have a cocktail or two. This can put your brain in a different state and release some creative juices. Do this with great caution!!!!!!! Make sure to have your recording gear set up and ready to go. It is easy to forget those great parts with a bit of sauce in you. Another word of caution....I do not recomend this for all cretive indevors. Only in situations where you might need to relax a little and look from a different prespective. Sort-of like beer googles. Sometimes that was the result. I have listened to recording done in this mannor. Some are good, some are faaaar form good. Either way, don't forget to have fun, this is the most important part.

[Bellringer]

Sometimes I will cut off a toe and mail it to myself with a threat. I wait for a response and if nothing happens I remove another toe and repeat the process.
Then I remember that this works best in kidnapping movies and I pass out in a pool of blood. Then 3 headed canaries begin flying around my head chirping interesting chord melodys. If the birds don't give you the right part, usually the pain will inspire something interesting.....Like infection!