(Finding Inspiration)
In my article, “ Getting Over Songwriter’s Block” , I shared some tips on getting back to songwriting and getting over frustration. Suppose, though, that you really have run out of fresh ideas? Where can new ideas be found? Here are some everyday--accessible to everyone, ideas:
1. Need to write a classic bluegrass song? I’ve got just what the doctor ordered: a heaping helping of…History? Now you may think-- I don’t want to sound like a history teacher!--But hear me out. History and Bluegrass Music go hand in hand, just think of some traditional bluegrass songs, a few like “Legend of a Rebel Soldier” (Civil War History),
And “Muleskinner Blues” (Old West History), come to mind. In fact, it’s fairly easy to take a historical setting and make a good song, and I will go into this more in another article.
2. Family and friends are another great place to find fresh ideas, because they are a constant source of stories. Think back the time your cousin Joe was spurned by a girl from the big city, or the time you best friend got her shoestring caught in a railroad track and a train was coming… The point is, you can use these situations and the emotions they cause to write songs.
3. The third and last idea for this article is Personal Experience. Have you ever crossed the Mississippi? Seen the Grand Canyon? Or-- wonder of wonders-- weeded your garden? Whether your experiences are grand or menial, if you can use them to evoke emotion or share wisdom, then you should think about using them in a song. Now, I’m not talking about the time your plumbing got clogged and your brother-in-law thought it was a good idea to pour baking soda and vinegar into the pipes--unless you have a really good reason to sing about something, or it’s just too funny not to sing about. As a general rule, if nobody listens to you talk about something, they most likely will not enjoy listening to you sing about it either. Oh, and don’t try the baking soda and vinegar down the pipes thing… it doesn’t work out so well!
Keep Songwriting!
