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I feel your pain Grah.

I think all songwriters have periods of time when they think the muse has left them.  Do you usually come up with a tune first then add lyrics (more common to rock and bluegrass) or start with a lyric/hook and add the melody later? (folk/country)  I'm more of a folk song writer and lyrics are the most important to me so I've developed what I call the "list" method of jump-starting my writing when I have "down" periods.  I'll pick a subject (example: Things that make me happy) then make a list of things that bring a smile to my face (children laughing, watching an eagle fly, spending time with my family).  I'll choose items from the list that would make good verses for a song, figure out a rhyme scheme, and just start doodling.  It seems to get my creative juices flowing and soon I'm thinking about a hook, melody, etc and I'm on my way again.  Another thing I've done is think of a subject that would be interesting for a song and look up famous quotes on the subject.  I'll "steal" an interesting part of a quote to use as a hook, fall back to my "list" method of items/ideas that support the hook and then choose the best ones to work into verses.

A friend that tends to start with the tune/melody when writing his songs told me that a trick he uses is to turn on a radio in another room but keep the sound at a level that can be barely heard. His ears catch bits and pieces of tunes and his mind fills in the blanks.  Soon he has a new tune waiting for lyrics to be added.

Have you ever tried any of the ideas I've mentioned? Maybe they'll help get you going again. I'm sure you have some of your own tricks.  Are you willing to share any?  I've been in a "slow" period myself lately and could use some fresh ideas and alternative methods for getting the old brain jump-started and chugging along again.

DE

I've never a played a 000C-16GTE but owned a 000-16GT for a while that I bought off ebay.  It never had the sound I wanted (too weak on the bass end)  so I sold it on Craig's list after about a year.

I was in Pensacola Florida last week for my oldest grand daughter's high school graduation.  I wandered into a GC and played a few acoustics.  Played a Martin DSR (rosewood/spruce custom made for GC).  Normal price was around $1299 but was on sale for $1049.  By far the best sounding acoustic of the 2 dozen or so I played.  Big deep, booming bass that I'd expect from a Martin.  I think I'm beginning to feel the early pangs of new GAS attack.

DE

WOW! That's a real work of art. I'd be afraid to put my big mitts on it.  Putting that beauty in my hands would be like putting a $10K saddle on a $100 horse.

DE

Amy, found out this morning that the knee replacement surgery I've been needing is scheduled for June 22.  The surgeon I talked to said if I follow the rehab instructions properly I should be getting along fine in mid-August, so unless there are problems/complications I'm still planning on attending. Jen may come along too if we can get someone to watch our two little pooches while we're gone.

DE

I've added strap buttons to 3 Martins and at least another 1/2 dozen guitars I've owned. I rarely play standing so I seldom need to use them, but for a few bucks its an easy add-on.  I usually keep an assortment of silver, gold and black ones around so I can match colors with the tuners and/or the end pin.

DE

I've got songs I've written in less than an hour and others that have taken months.  Most of my songs are in the tradition of Appalachian story tellers.  If a story can be told quickly then it doesn't take long.  I've sometimes spent months researching info for some of my songs. Sometimes  I've  written down an idea and came back to it years later.  I think my record is around 20 minutes for my fastest song and I've also got one that I wrote nearly 20 years after I got the original idea.  For me the key to writing a good song is in the re-write - taking out unneeded words or substituting better words, adding a bridge if necessary, etc, trying to make it as simple as I can without losing the vision I originally had for the song.  Sometimes I'll play a song dozens of times, making slight corrections until I'm satisfied with the tempo, meter, clarity and overall prosody of the lyrics and music.

Saturday evening I'm being featured in a songwriter's showcase, playing 90 minutes of my original songs.  I've been working on my playlist for weeks, trying to decide which of my songs to play, how to space out various types of songs and how to approach the whole evening.  I plan to end the set with 3 songs that were written several years after forming the original idea.

At various times I've spoken or performed for some fairly large groups of people and am usually pretty relaxed, but I have to admit I'm pretty nervous about this event. I've never done a solo gig in which the entire 90 minutes is playing only my original work. Have any other Chordians done this? How did you handle it?

DE

Hang in there Graham.

DE

Here's an interesting interview with Doyle Dykes - an artist by any definition, about playing guitar. Note that he thinks those that play should share their "gift" with others.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wEI822BXBs

DE

Having known you for years Zurf, I consider you a competent musician and respect your opinions.  Like most of us, you play for your own enjoyment.  Do you think of yourself as an artist? A performer?  Or something else? What defines what we do? 

In my opinion, the role of an artist is creation of art. Doing what they feel is right or what they enjoy can affect their artistic creations just as negative emotions can also have an effect, but the bottom line is they feel the need to create something which did not formerly exist, whether it be a painting, sculpture, music, poetry, or whatever medium they work in.

Am I over-thinking this whole "artist" thing?

DE

A guy I used to work with grew up in Bozo, West Virginia back in the 50's. One day we were talking about fishing and he told me this story.  When he was 13 years old, after hearing stories of "blast" fishing, he and his buddies decided to try their hand at fishing with dynamite in one of the small local streams. One of the boys got a stick from a supply his dad kept in a shed.  What they didn't know was that only an 1/8 to a 1/4 stick is what was commonly used.  They put some rocks in the bottom of a gallon jug, inserted the dynamite, lit the fuse, quickly screwed on the lid, tossed it in deep hole in the creek and ran like hell.  The blast blew all the water out of the hole, fish were stuck on limbs high up in the trees, and a shack owned by the local coal company came off its foundation and slid down the hill into the creek.  A sheriff's deputy happened to be cruising one of the back roads and heard the blast. All the boys involved ended up in jail and had to have their parents come get them after the sheriff figured they had been scared enough.  Tom said he got one of the "wurst whoopins" his dad ever laid on him.

DE

I assume the title will contain the hook so we'll know which direction the song is supposed to be going?  Who decides song structure for the verses and chorus ( example: ABAB, AABB, ABABAC, rhyme scheme, 3/4 or 4/4 time, etc, etc) ? If these elements are unknown up front,  it'll be more like the collaborative writing of a poem with music being added later.  Still, the effort might produce an interesting piece.

DE

Sounds like a fun weekend. Looks like about a 9 hour drive.  Unless something comes up, I'll try to make it.  Thanks for the invite Amy.

DE