# Writer's Block



## Mike Marino (May 23, 2011)

Hey everyone,

What are some things you all do to overcome writer's block? Do you have any avoidance tips? Or, perhaps you've got something you do to try an overcome writer's block when/if it finds you.

In a Mark Isham interview I watched recently he said that when gets writer's block (or just isn't sure where to, musically, go next) he takes a walk through his garden.

This is something I struggle with a bit.

Whatcha got?

- Mike


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## Ah_dziz (May 23, 2011)

nothing inspires me to write a large amount of music like someone offering me a large sum of money to do so. For serious though I find collaborations (non business related) are a good way to get yourself moving. In the worst case they will be a great reminder how awesome it is to be able to work alone, and in the best cae you will make music that you would have never made otherwise that you are actually happy with and learn something in the process.


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## Guy Bacos (May 23, 2011)

o[])


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## mverta (May 23, 2011)

I play Call of Duty. Enough headshots and I usually get an idea or two.

_Mike


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## windshore (May 23, 2011)

In the words of my comp teacher, Jack Smalley:

There's nothing so inspiring as a deadline.

It's true. Almost every time I have a crazy tight deadline, I figure I'm doomed cause I can't come up with anything, but eventually... like JUST before the deadline, it all comes together.

I frequently work on ridiculous deadlines - like 2 to 5 hours and find I come up with the best ideas if I get the assignment, set up the template, then go walk the dog for 15 - 20 minutes. Without necessarily trying, a melody or motif will come to me and by the time I'm back in the studio, I just have to produce it.


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## autopilot (May 23, 2011)

Writer's block is usually just self censoring - can't do anything good enough, can't find anything original. 

Money and deadlines give you license to write the bad version.

So now I just write the bad version. 

And trust it's usually pretty good by the time I finish with it.


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## StrangeCat (May 23, 2011)

Go work out.

Go listen to something that is in the same style of music you want to compose in.


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## midphase (May 24, 2011)

I like to think of my creativity as a battery that when fully charged is available as a continuous source of inspiration. When it gets drained however it's empty and needs to be recharged. The way that I recharge is by listening to music...every time I come out of a particularly long creative process I really need to unplug from the music creation and just load up on songs, soundtracks, anything...the more obscure and innovative the better!


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## Dan Mott (May 24, 2011)

mverta @ Tue May 24 said:


> I play Call of Duty. Enough headshots and I usually get an idea or two.
> 
> _Mike




Hahaha. Nice.


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## Daniel James (May 24, 2011)

mverta @ Mon May 23 said:


> I play Call of Duty. Enough headshots and I usually get an idea or two.
> 
> _Mike



Lol funny enough I kind of echo this sentiment :D Find something else you love to do, let your music mind work subconsciously for a while. When you are blocked you are normally either over thinking the music or over criticizing it.

Hey Mike I agreed with you on something :D

Dan


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## lux (May 24, 2011)

I personally believe writer's block is illusory. I consider it just as a signal that my brain wants me to explore new styles and stuff


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## rgames (May 24, 2011)

I play golf.

After a round of golf, everything else in life seems easy...

rgames


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## Markus S (May 24, 2011)

The only way that works for me, is to stop, period. Get a few days away, if you can, try to completely FORGET about writing music and your project, try to do physical stuff (repairing stuff, sport), it's hard if you are on a deadline, it might be a good idea to get a second writer on board. Good luck!


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## Mike Marino (May 26, 2011)

Thanks for the input everyone!

- Mike


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## impressions (May 26, 2011)

the problem with deadlines, that you might get too 'syched and that's why you get writer's block. 
then, i write without hearing the music in my head, like an experiment, but i'm searching for something that'll make me feel its the right thing, so i play and play and play until something comes out. sometimes it doesn't, but the next day its like i've advanced and i create something fresh which has a meaning-or less embarrassing.


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## ozmorphasis (May 29, 2011)

Try writing bad music, for a very specific amount of time, with the only rule being that you keep writing until the time is up.

Do this for only 30 minutes several days in a row. No cell phone, no email, strict discipline. 

Over time, you'll see that it's actually hard to write bad music the whole time. o-[][]-o


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## bryla (May 29, 2011)

Omid, that reminds me of an advice I read for writers. The exercise was to open a text document and just write random words with no breaks for 5 minutes. Then you should get some ideas from what you wrote.


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## ozmorphasis (May 29, 2011)

Yes, very similar to techniques used by writers. Obviously, truly stream of conscious improvising leaves very little room for development, so I think it's good to set some music specific parameters (instrumentation limits, key, meter, whatever). 

Also, there are some very good techniques for sketching. Taking an idea and generating many variations really quickly. Do this and keep developing the most interesting ones, while adding a deadline for turning one/some of them into a composition.


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## Ed (May 29, 2011)

If something isn't working try something different. Applies to more than just music. If you try something different and it still doesn't work, keep going until something does. 

Best advice I have.


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## Mike Marino (May 29, 2011)

Lovin' the input! Thanks!

- Mike


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## gsilbers (May 29, 2011)

bryla @ Sun May 29 said:


> Omid, that reminds me of an advice I read for writers. The exercise was to open a text document and just write random words with no breaks for 5 minutes. Then you should get some ideas from what you wrote.



the artist way 

good book. it applies to music as well!


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## Guy Bacos (May 29, 2011)

o[])


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## SvK (May 29, 2011)

If you can't write something good because your blocked...write something bad....


There will be some little fragment in there that will lead to something...

best,
SvK


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## Mike Marino (May 30, 2011)

Great stuff! Now let me throw this little monkey wrench into the conversation. Do you think that write's block is sometimes cause by "analysis paralysis?"

Here's what I mean:
My rig/setup is small and under-powered. I'm working on fixing this by simply purchasing more RAM. In order for me to write a full orchestral score I have to write it in segments because my computer just won't play it all back at the same time...or it bounces weird....etc. Soooo I feel like sometimes I do have this great, big ideas that inspire me to write....then I'm sitting here trying to figure out what my template's going to be so that it works most efficiently. Then blam, the idea's slipped away from me.

Is this only me??? (I'm fixing this by purchasing a lot more RAM, btw).

- Mike


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## rgames (May 30, 2011)

Why not write first and orchestrate later?


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## Ashermusic (May 30, 2011)

SvK @ Sun May 29 said:


> If you can't write something good because your blocked...write something bad....
> 
> 
> There will be some little fragment in there that will lead to something...
> ...



Exactly! Turn off the judge in your head and just write _something_, _anything_.

When I was studying composition at Boston Conservatory my teacher required us to turn in one page of complex music every class, 5 days a week. As a result, I really don't ever have writer's block. I can always write something on demand. How good it is, of course, varies.


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## Guy Bacos (May 30, 2011)

o[])


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## Ashermusic (May 30, 2011)

Guy Bacos @ Mon May 30 said:


> Ashermusic @ Mon May 30 said:
> 
> 
> > SvK @ Sun May 29 said:
> ...



Well then you would have failed Composition at the Boston Conservatory of Music in the late 60's-early 70"s as it was a requirement.


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## Guy Bacos (May 30, 2011)

o[])


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## Jimbo 88 (May 30, 2011)

$$ and deadlines...always the cure for me.

Actually if I'm short on ideas I head to "youtube" and search musically similar pieces. I will find something that inspires.

Jazz composers have always re-harmonized and re-worked existing melodies. I will find something and re-workd it until it no longer resembles the original.


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## Mike Marino (May 30, 2011)

Hm. Good point, Richard!

- Mike


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## David Story (May 30, 2011)

Ashermusic @ Mon May 30 said:


> SvK @ Sun May 29 said:
> 
> 
> > If you can't write something good because your blocked...write something bad....
> ...



I've heard this from Bernstein, Goldsmith, Giacchino, many composers. Works most of the time.

If that doesn't do it, Jimbo 88's suggestion of reworking an existing piece will.

The template size issue is rough. One idea is to divide the orchestra into choirs, each on a different kontaktk(play) instance. Make sure you have at least one each from brass, winds, percussion and strings. So you have a sketch of the orchestration online.


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