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8/12/2008 7:31:20 AM
Where has the inspiration gone and how to get it back?

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8/12/2008 7:31:20 AM

Where has the inspiration gone and how to get it back?
Why does it seem the older you get and the more you get caught up in everyday issues, you loose that certain creative edge? Back in my younger years, when money was hard to come by and time was plenty, everything around could be incorporated into song. Now having money, but much less time it seems much more difficult to catch a creative moment...The desire is there but the "spirit" seems to get smaller. Maybe its just part of getting old and that creative portion of the brain begins to lessen?

8/12/2008 7:40:00 AM

You have to have a project you believe in. You have to know how to frame your world so your art again becomes vital.

8/12/2008 10:12:27 AM ---- Updated 8/12/2008 10:14:40 AM

8/12/2008 10:13:44 AM ---- Updated 8/12/2008 10:20:30 AM

I am with you! With work and family responsibilities it makes it hard to make time for music. Most of my free time is spent with my Son,but I would not change that for anything in the world. In the end I know it is up to me to make time. As for creativity I still write songs often, its just the time to arrange, write lyrics, and record that is lacking. I think I am a much better writer and musician now, so experience does have advantages over youth. Its all about priorities! I do sit down with the acoustic guitar at least 30 minutes a day, its a perfect way to wind down and I find it relieves stress :) Just keep playing and write when you can, the music will always be there for you when you make time for it. You cannot force creativity, relax and enjoy the moment and ideas will begn to flow. You are older and wiser, and as such have a wider range of experiences in which to draw inspiration. Good Luck!!!

8/12/2008 2:01:13 PM ---- Updated 8/12/2008 2:04:21 PM

There is a twisted irony to life but it's the only game in town so you may as well play. When I was young I had all the energy in the world and I felt like I could do anything but I didn't have the experience or the wisdom to actually accomplish all of my goals and dreams. Now that my head and my skills are in the right place, my energy level is not and the time to do things is more limited than in my youth because of responsibilities I have now that I didn't have then.

As Jeff suggests, you have to put things in perpsective and enioy life in the moment and not get hung up on puzzles that can never be solved. Creativity comes in many forms. I don't have to be writing and recording to be creative. Chasing creativity is like chasing your own shadow. The more you chase it the more it eludes you. Sometimes taking a break from your art increases your enthusiasm for it when you return to it. Jeff is right that you can't force creativity and you don't get less creative as you get older. You just ration your energies so you can channel them more effectively.

I used to write many more songs than I do now but they weren't as good as the the ones I write now. I'm taking my limited energy and my increased talents and focusing on quality rather than quantity. I no longer have the time or energy to waste time or energy. I try to make every day count.

I also totally agree with Fly on the wall.

8/12/2008 2:34:22 PM ---- Updated 8/12/2008 2:36:52 PM

I think that as you get older and have more resposibility you forget how much time you spent on each creative venture in the past. It's harder to find as much time in large blocks. So it becomes very important to use the time you have effectively.
For song writing I try to record my musical ideas when I get them so I don't forget what made them compelling to me.
For lyrics I try to write spontaniously and ignore my inner critic until I have some choices.
It's easier to edit when you have too much material.

It still feels like each song I finish is a fluke and may be the last. But I know better.

The problem with having money is that it can easily shift your focus to being a consumer instead of a creator.....

8/12/2008 3:24:01 PM

I have almost the opposite problem!!

songs just arrive in my head ----I either capture them at the time or they are gone forever-----being a music teacher, I do not have to pull away from music to another job---(although I am also a sheep farmer)

I have about 20 songs to work on at the moment

The problem is which ones to discard ???

8/12/2008 4:40:26 PM

Interesting ... I find the older I get the more "Creative" I get ... I find it to be both a blessing and a Demon ... the blessing comes in the form of the fun I'm having ... the Demon is the fact that my brain has a lot of trouble staying focused on the technical side ... It seems every time I sit down to learn something technical to enhance my music, a new inspiration over-rides what I should be doing and I'm off into La La land again with my writing ... Sometimes I wish there was an "off" switch as it can be burdensome at some times ... but I hope I never find the time where I find myself not able to create, all the technical knowledge in the world could not replace it ...

8/12/2008 5:38:51 PM

Hi there

Well, it looks to me anyhow like you have a pretty good song going on right there.


Back in my younger years, when money was hard to come by and time was plenty, everything around could be incorporated into song.

But having money and much less time it makes it harder to may things rhyme Where did the time....go.... where did it go.............

I could go on but I'll let you finish i t. :)


Good luck and remember, you may lose touch with your music for a while but never forever.

Steve

8/12/2008 6:09:01 PM

Judy Collins has a great song called "Who Knows Where The Time Goes".

8/13/2008 5:16:43 AM

Go sit at a bar within earshot of a guy trying to pick up a girl or visa versa and you just may get some inspiration.
Dwell on a loss of a loved one, even a pet and you'll probably put pen to paper. Although these things tend to work well, "writer's block" can rear it's ugly head and become an unwanted guest. You just have to ride it out sometimes.

8/14/2008 10:22:40 AM ---- Updated 8/14/2008 10:35:12 AM

I think alot of it has to do with the natural human desire for habit,security and comfort...
People generally get more money as they get older-more 'settled' -more comfortable-more set in their ways
While a general day-day stable feeling of 'ok' is personally
preferrable to being emotionally manic
-there's less intensity,less striving,less ups and downs,less conflict,less excitement,less openeness to the new,less desire to change in that way of being
-all of the things that stimulate personal creative expression in music..

I can sense that sleepy energy sometimes if i'm sitting down with the guitar..I could be just going on auto-pilot,half-heartedly making up something bland and predictable..Going thru the motions
-then i'll suddenly get irritated with my creative
inertia-That creates a whole new energy and tension and will wake me up abit and suddenly make the music more vital and present..

8/14/2008 10:45:50 AM

I have gotten much more creative as I got older...but I am working less...too much work and stress can eat up your energy and stall your creativity. If you want to be creative you have to try to find the space in your life to let the creativity flourish. There's nothing like working a day job to kill creativity and I became the most creative when I lost my job.

8/14/2008 10:46:06 AM

I have gotten much more creative as I got older...but I am working less...too much work and stress can eat up your energy and stall your creativity. If you want to be creative you have to try to find the space in your life to let the creativity flourish. There's nothing like working a day job to kill creativity and I became the most creative when I lost my job.

8/14/2008 10:53:07 AM ---- Updated 8/14/2008 10:55:46 AM

I think you make great points Steve.... Sometimes we do get too comfortable.In Life and with our songs. I sometimes try to resolve to an unusual chord, but I often find I just voiced an A in an interesting manor :) I think as we mature, we have an excellent opportunity to include this experience with our songwriting.

I recently bought a capo after thirty years of playing, For some reason I always avoided using one. I find it has opened up a whole new world of melody. It's amazing what a change of Key can do.

I also learned "Here come the Sun" (capo on the seventh fret) "Michelle" (Capo on the third) and "Julia" (capo on the second). I think I am in love with the Capo :) Try it, it will take you down new avenues in songwriting.

Jeff

8/14/2008 2:05:02 PM

Jeff..I definitely want to learn some fingerpicking techniques...The clawhammer that Lennon uses for Julia,dear prudence and happiness is a warm gun..
I guess you can play that with those songs you mention..
I'm gonna get a couple of guitar lessons to get that technique :)

8/14/2008 2:38:36 PM

Hey Steve, the Technique is called "Travis Picking" here in the States. alternating strings for the bass notes with the thumb while using two fingers to pick. Do a you tube search on it, there are some really great instructional videos there as well...its how I learned the three songs I mentioned, I have Here comes the sun nailed! :) I am practicing Julia and getting better every day, it really is a beautiful, simple song. Proof the best need not be complicated :) Dear Prudence is on you tube as well, the intro uses Travis picking exclusivley as does Julia. Lennon was quite adept at it! Another good one for the technique is Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide".

Cheers!

8/14/2008 4:14:39 PM

Thanks so much for that bit of info Jeff..I've only heard Donovan refer to it as 'clawhammer' that he taught Lennon in India-so was looking on youtube for clawhammer guitar tuition weeks ago and there was nothing..
Travis picking there's loads tho!
So now i can finally learn it :)

8/14/2008 4:25:34 PM

HI , I have been writting to all my life im extremly creative ,, but to really get down to the grass roots of my soul i have to be in some form of emtional pain. I call it tourchered or in your own intensive care ward.
When life becomes mundane and your edge has gone then you need to change something . Are you in a rut???????
I am 58 and i have times when i cant write a great song but can write an average OKAY sort of song
You need to create a new aritting space for yourself may be away from where you are,, When you were hard up and a bit lean and hungry you had the edge . Life is to easy for you now ... Hope this helps cheers Rose

8/14/2008 4:40:18 PM

Rose and Steve,
You both make a very good points. When I was young, life seemed more difficult and every emotional conflict was more painful. It was that "teenage angst" that pushed me into writing music in the first place. Now after raising 3 kids who at this moment are stable and an ongoing happy marrage, I'm missing that pain...not that I'd wish it upon myself, because shure enough, in time, something always comes along and kicks you in the ass. I guess I'll continue and enjoy life as it comes and relax and let creativity come on it's own. Thanks for everyone's helpful insight.

8/14/2008 4:43:53 PM

Break on through...to the other side!

Jim Morrisson

8/15/2008 1:22:04 AM

An example would be :- http://iacmusic.com/songs.aspx?SongID=62904
(sorry I've lost the HTML for links) but this song was inspired by a silly phrase I read on the IAC page that gave examples of how to produce a DMD. "There's no time left for jelly doughnuts" I had no idea what it meant but I managed to write a whole song around this though and I am really really pleased with it. Check it out and you'll see what I mean, and if you can understand it, please tell me what it all means. Jilly ~~~

8/15/2008 3:49:59 AM

The inspiration has gone to Guam and is hiding out in a tiny little half eaten jar of peanut butter in a tattered shack under a shut down tourist attraction where a hooker is breast feeding her infant prodigy that ought to have been eating solid foods three years ago but is terrified of uncooked food. A few more years of hard work and she will be able to get him into one of those fancy art schools where he will blow all of their little minds with a new way of forming triangles with sound waves and a wet sponge. Wait for it ...

8/15/2008 4:41:42 AM

heee. ..heeee. hheheee -- you da bomb Anjuli

8/15/2008 11:24:12 AM

Well, I'd rather have it go to Guam exisitng in a tiny jar of peanut butter than to China as a threat to family and loved ones.

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