Inspiration is an active process in your mind. Sometimes it’s there, and sometimes you can’t seem to track it down. You try all of your old ways that used to work before to get inspired, but sometimes even that fails. You listen to beautiful music, and maybe you think this is inspiring, but when you start to write your own, you end up with either the same music that you heard or something that doesn’t even connect.
Inspiration isn’t something that you can just sit down and say, "Okay, start the engines," especially if you have music to write. When we don’t feel inspired and motivated, we tend to push our feelings too hard. And this is one of the main tricks that we have to realize. We can’t get inspired if we are trying too hard to feel inspired. Inspiration can come in many different ways, and pressuring yourself to feel inspired isn’t one of them. Feeling inspired is a personal and subjective experience, and what inspires one person may not have the same effect on another. However, here are a few tips that might help you find inspiration to write music:
Expanding your musical horizons by listening to different genres of music can help inspire you and keep you from getting stuck in a creative rut. Sometimes when you listen to different types of music, you can catch a note that might open something new in you, or just a sentence in the lyrics can trigger something within you, and you end up writing a whole album. It’s very important to have an open mind at all times.
Consider hosting a party with your friends at home with snacks, a microphone, LED lighting, disposable plastic plates and cups that are easier to clean afterward because you feel too inspired to even think about cleaning those dishes. Even hosting a karaoke night with your friends in your backyard and being playful with it might help you get inspired. There are a lot of famous artists who used to make music with their friends just for fun in their homes, and that sort of music got introduced to the world and everybody loved it.
Attending a live music event can also get you inspired to write your own texts. Socialization can really help you feel motivated and inspired. Consider Sabrina Claudio; all of her lyrics are about her friends' love stories.
Inspiration can come when you get out of your comfort zone and take chances to challenge yourself. Even if it’s something that you don’t usually do, do it. Being experimental means just what we mentioned in the first tip: listening to different genres. Or if you have started to write something, don’t throw it all away. Create a pile with unfinished lyrics, and maybe one day, when you feel inspired, you can create something unique from them. Keep a journal with you where you can write your thoughts, emotions, and experiences.
Sometimes pressuring yourself can have a positive outcome, but not always. Not if you’re trying to get yourself to feel inspired. Inspiration comes when we have an open mind and when we surrender to the signals that are coming our way. Sometimes taking a break from writing music can help you come back to it with a fresh perspective and new ideas.
Collaborating with another writer or another artist will definitely help you create something beautiful. When two different sorts of uniqueness collide, something special can come out of it. Sometimes, when we don’t feel inspired, seeing another artist get pumped about her or his work can motivate us to write something new. Working with other musicians can help you learn new things, get fresh perspectives, and spark new ideas.
Remember, inspiration can come from anywhere, and it's important to stay open to new experiences and ideas. Don't be afraid to try new things and challenge yourself, as this can lead to unexpected and exciting musical discoveries. Inspiration is often a product of small, everyday moments, and the key is to have an open mind.