{"id":4350,"date":"2022-02-16T18:51:35","date_gmt":"2022-02-16T18:51:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/02\/16\/10-creative-challenges-to-get-you-out-of-your-songwriting-rut\/"},"modified":"2022-02-16T18:51:35","modified_gmt":"2022-02-16T18:51:35","slug":"10-creative-challenges-to-get-you-out-of-your-songwriting-rut","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/02\/16\/10-creative-challenges-to-get-you-out-of-your-songwriting-rut\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Creative Challenges to Get You out of Your Songwriting Rut"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n<div class=\"iframe-container\"><\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\">Have you ever picked up your guitar and couldn\u2019t find the right chords? Or sat down at your piano and the notes just weren\u2019t there? Of course. We all have.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Maybe you\u2019ve found yourself returning to your comfort zone of a familiar chord progression or melody in an attempt to unblock yourself. That\u2019s completely understandable! It\u2019s natural for us to look to something we already know in times of doubt. But it\u2019s not the only way to dig yourself out of a songwriting rut, or even full-on writer\u2019s block.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The next time you find yourself stuck, try one (or more!) of these ways to find some inspiration and get your writing back on track.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_81 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/02\/16\/10-creative-challenges-to-get-you-out-of-your-songwriting-rut\/#1_Play_the_%E2%80%9C20_Song_Game%E2%80%9D\" >1. Play the \u201c20 Song Game\u201d<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/02\/16\/10-creative-challenges-to-get-you-out-of-your-songwriting-rut\/#2_Partake_in_FAWM\" >2. Partake in FAWM<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/02\/16\/10-creative-challenges-to-get-you-out-of-your-songwriting-rut\/#3_Try_a_30_or_60_day_challenge\" >3. Try a 30 or 60 day challenge<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/02\/16\/10-creative-challenges-to-get-you-out-of-your-songwriting-rut\/#4_Cover_an_entire_album_from_another_artist\" >4. Cover an entire album from another artist<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/02\/16\/10-creative-challenges-to-get-you-out-of-your-songwriting-rut\/#5_Play_in_someone_elses_band\" >5. Play in someone else\u2019s band<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/02\/16\/10-creative-challenges-to-get-you-out-of-your-songwriting-rut\/#6_Copy_your_heroes\" >6. Copy your heroes<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/02\/16\/10-creative-challenges-to-get-you-out-of-your-songwriting-rut\/#7_Destroy_your_heroes\" >7. Destroy your heroes<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/02\/16\/10-creative-challenges-to-get-you-out-of-your-songwriting-rut\/#8_Work_with_a_co-writer\" >8. Work with a co-writer<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/02\/16\/10-creative-challenges-to-get-you-out-of-your-songwriting-rut\/#9_Co-write_with_someone_whos_dead\" >9. Co-write with someone who\u2019s dead<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/02\/16\/10-creative-challenges-to-get-you-out-of-your-songwriting-rut\/#10_Try_playing_a_different_instrument\" >10. Try playing a different instrument<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Play_the_%E2%80%9C20_Song_Game%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>1. Play the \u201c20 Song Game\u201d<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\n<div class=\"iframe-container\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\">Write 20 songs in 12 hours. Sound impossible? Hear us out.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The idea behind this challenge is to wake up and spend the entire day writing. A time constraint of 12 hours doesn\u2019t sound like much until you have to write 20 songs in that time. To work within that limit, you can\u2019t be picky about what you write. Do you labor over your songs and make tiny adjustments so they\u2019re just right? This is the perfect way to get out of that habit, if only for a day.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">What\u2019s really liberating about this challenge is that the songs don\u2019t have to be perfect, or totally finished, or even good for that matter. You\u2019re not looking for your next big hit with this exercise, but you just might find something great when you least expect it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">You\u2019re really just getting as many ideas on paper or tape as possible so you can sift through them later and find what might work for something bigger.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">And because this challenge can be daunting, we encourage you to tackle it with friends. Organize a songwriting party either in person or virtually so you can share your successes and commiserate your frustrations.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Partake_in_FAWM\"><\/span>2. Partake in FAWM<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\">Timely for the publishing of this article, FAWM stands for February Album Writing Month. It\u2019s an annual challenge that happens each February where participants write 14 new songs in one month.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Similar to the 20 Song Game, FAWM puts a time constraint on your writing. Since February has 28 days, the math works out to one complete song every two days. The longer limit means you can spend more time crafting each composition. Go ahead and be pickier about your choices! Labor over a chord change. Take some risks and experiment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">While you can organize a group for the 20 Song Game on your own, FAWM has its own online community. Songwriters from all over the world take part in this challenge each year, using the website to critique each others\u2019 work, collaborate with other artists and share helpful songwriting tips.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/fawm.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Check out FAWM and join the discussion!<\/a><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Try_a_30_or_60_day_challenge\"><\/span>3. Try a 30 or 60 day challenge<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\">Is writing one song every two days for a month not challenging enough? Try writing and recording one song every day for one month, or two!<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">This challenge is a nice mix of the \u201cdon\u2019t think, just do\u201d mentality of the 20 Song Game, and the larger community vibe of FAWM.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Like the 20 Song Game, the songs you write each day don\u2019t have to be complete works. Heck, they don\u2019t even have to be multiple bars of a song. They just have to be at least 30 seconds; just long enough for an idea or nugget of something that might be destined for greatness.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Like FAWM, this challenge is most effective in a community setting, so get 20 or 30 people to go in with you. Their support will mean the world when you\u2019re struggling on your 15th song in as many days.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">And you\u2019ll need that support, because this challenge has a three strike rule. That\u2019s right: if you miss three days of this challenge, you\u2019re out! While you get Sundays off, this challenge will absolutely test your work ethic and compositional mettle.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">As you make it further into the challenge, you\u2019ll see more of your group drop off. What started as 30 may be down to half that by the middle of the month, and if you manage to make it to the end chances are it\u2019ll be you and a few other diehards. Congratulations! You accomplished what 25 other songwriters couldn\u2019t!<\/p>\n<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\n<div class=\"iframe-container\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Cover_an_entire_album_from_another_artist\"><\/span>4. Cover an entire album from another artist<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\">What\u2019s your all-time favorite album? How about an album you love that\u2019s completely opposite from your normal genre?<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Take the time to learn an album front to back and record covers of each song. What\u2019s great about this is that if the album you choose is one you already know well enough to have memorized, you\u2019re almost halfway there! It\u2019s just a matter of finding the tabs and putting in the work of recording each song.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">This challenge also gives you an opportunity to expand your palette, especially if you\u2019re a multi-instrumentalist. If you play guitar and piano and already know how to play your chosen album\u2019s songs on guitar, try switching it to piano.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">You can really expand your taste and cover an album you\u2019re not familiar with. Pick something outside your normal wheelhouse and you could just expand your own songwriting by exploring someone else\u2019s compositions. If you\u2019re an alt rock artist, ask your metalhead buddy for a recommendation. You might just come out with a few new techniques that translate into your usual genre.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Play_in_someone_elses_band\"><\/span>5. Play in someone else\u2019s band<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\">If you\u2019re a solo singer songwriter or the main creative force in your band, you already know that role is its own challenge. So why not jam with another group where you\u2019re not the main songwriter?<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Playing in a band where someone else writes all the music \u2014 even temporarily \u2014 can be freeing. You don\u2019t have to worry about writing for that particular project, so your creative attention can be placed elsewhere while still honing your playing chops.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">These little moments of inspiration can come during a jam session, or especially soundcheck where each member is on their own when their instrument is dialed in. If you\u2019re on guitar, noodle around while the drummer takes an hour to tune and then retune their entire kit before a gig. You never know what can happen when you\u2019re just looking to pass the time and not overthinking it.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_Copy_your_heroes\"><\/span>6. Copy your heroes<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\n<div class=\"iframe-container\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\">Even the biggest artist has an artist they look up to as a guiding light in times of doubt. We all have our heroes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">So why not try to copy them? We already do this instinctively when we first start playing. After all, someone had to inspire us to first pick up an instrument or write a song.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">As we get more confident as artists and songwriters, we start writing our composition. That\u2019s the natural progression for the budding musician. But we can still take a brief trip back to our roots and try to rip off our favorite artists when we\u2019re looking for inspiration.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Here\u2019s the secret: you won\u2019t be able to perfectly copy the artist you love. The truth is that you\u2019re not your hero. You\u2019re you, with all your skills and faults.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">If you try to copy your favorite musician, you\u2019ll probably land somewhere else. That\u2019s even better, because you\u2019ll sound like you.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7_Destroy_your_heroes\"><\/span>7. Destroy your heroes<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\">We look to our heroes for inspiration. If you\u2019re stuck in a rut, you\u2019ll turn to your favorite artist for a little nudge to get unstuck.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">But if you\u2019ve gone that route too many times, try to do the opposite of what your hero would do. To quote Seinfeld, \u201cIf every instinct you have is wrong, then the opposite would have to be right.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">If you\u2019re playing the same riff that\u2019s too similar to your favorite artist, put down the guitar and fiddle on another instrument. Go against your normal direction your hero is heading.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"8_Work_with_a_co-writer\"><\/span>8. Work with a co-writer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\">This is similar to playing in someone else\u2019s band. The solo songwriting process can be isolating. Bringing in a friend as a <a href=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/music-rights\/how-do-publishing-rights-get-split\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">co-writer<\/a> invites an outside influence and a new perspective.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Maybe your collaborator makes a suggestion you wouldn\u2019t consider if you\u2019re working by yourself; or one you would normally veto even working with other writers. Just go with the creative flow and allow some ideas you usually wouldn\u2019t try.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Co-writing is about letting go of ego and letting in someone else\u2019s vision, at least for a song or two.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"9_Co-write_with_someone_whos_dead\"><\/span>9. Co-write with someone who\u2019s dead<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\">There\u2019s tons of stuff in the public domain by people who are long gone. Unlike covering a song, recording your version of a public domain composition doesn\u2019t cost anything. It\u2019s free for anyone to use as long as they credit the original composer.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Lots of artists do this. Rock bands use classical melodies to lend a song some gravitas; hip-hop producers take old jazz samples or spoken word clips and add them to their mix; country artists record 19th Century traditionals from the Great American Songbook. The songwriting is already taken care of, and you don\u2019t need to worry about copyright!<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">And remember, just because someone is no longer alive, it doesn\u2019t mean their music is fair game. Lots of compositions and recordings are still under copyright long after their creators pass on.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">If you decide to use part of a composition that\u2019s not public domain, make sure to purchase the license. And if you\u2019re sampling a copyrighted recording, get permission from the owner. And always make sure to <a href=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/music-rights\/spotify-now-displays-songwriter-credits-musicians-make-habit-documenting-credits\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">credit the original creator<\/a> where applicable.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"10_Try_playing_a_different_instrument\"><\/span>10. Try playing a different instrument<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\">This doesn\u2019t even have to be completely different. Do you normally play electric guitar? Try the riffs you\u2019d normally play distorted on an acoustic guitar. Even a small change like that can provide a new perspective on simple chords you\u2019re familiar with.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Changing instruments becomes even more drastic when you move from one type to something completely different, like guitar to piano. Every time you try playing the same notes on a new instrument, you learn a new approach. It takes time to figure out how to make the same chords work.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The perspective you gather from this experiment will provide new insight into your usual instrument when you go back to it. If you hear how a chord sounds on a piano, you might figure out something new to do with that chord when you pick up your guitar again.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p class=\"p1\">Have you tried any of these challenges? Did they help you expand your songwriting? If you\u2019ve tried these or are planning to try these, let us know in the comments how they worked!<\/p>\n<p>The post <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/musician-tips\/10-creative-challenges-to-get-you-out-of-your-songwriting-rut\/\" target=\"_blank\">10 Creative Challenges to Get You out of Your Songwriting Rut<\/a> appeared first on <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">DIY Musician<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Have you ever picked up your guitar and couldn\u2019t find the right chords? Or sat down at your piano and the notes just weren\u2019t there? Of course. We all have. Maybe you\u2019ve found yourself returning to your comfort zone of a familiar chord progression or melody in an attempt to unblock yourself. That\u2019s completely understandable! It\u2019s natural for us to look to something we already know in times of doubt. But it\u2019s not the only way to dig yourself out of a songwriting rut, or even [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"h5ap_radio_sources":[],"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4350","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-best-seo-blogs"],"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":false,"author_link":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/author\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4350","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4350"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4350\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4350"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4350"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4350"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}