songwriting idea
Songwriting Zen Forum Is Now Closed
A couple of days ago I decided to take down the Songwriting Zen Forum.
The reasons for closing it down are twofold:
First of all, I didn’t have the time to devote to it anymore. For all of its good points, phpBB (the software I was using to produce the forum) gave me too much of a steep learning curve to tackle and besides, starting up a discussion forum is easier on something like Facebook.
Secondly, (and the most important reason) The forum has been over-ridden with SPAM to the point where the it has become unmanageable and because of phpBB’s steep learning curve I’ve been unable to control it.
For all the people who have registered and contributed I want to first of all thank you very much for the time you’ve put into your comments and discussions and at the same time I want to extend a sincere apology for not continuing on with it.
I do however, have a Songwriting Zen Facebook Page ready to go so I’ll be moving the forum there. Check out the page and become a fan.
Stay tuned for more information. I’ll let you all know when it’s ready to go. I’d love to pick up the songwriting discussions where we left off.
Until next time, happy writing,
Corey Stewart
Singer/Songwriter/Musician
Keywords: songwriting, songwriter, songwriting forum, songwriting tip, songwriting idea, songwriting help, songwriting resource, songwriting blog, corey stewart
Inspiration Through Change
Just wanted to let you know how things were going with the changing of my work/creative space.
After getting my home office/music room set up the way I wanted, my next step is to reformat both my admin and audio computers.
I have been very busy over the last few days but now I’m at the stage in which I can start working and creating again.
Another resolution I made for 2009 was to attempt to use open source software as much as I can in my working and creative life. I’ve installed Kubuntu on my admin system and Ubuntu Studio on my audio system.
Kubuntu is working fine and I now have my computer looking like an open source version of my old Windows XP install however, what I’m most keen to have a closer look at is Ubuntu Studio.
Ubuntu Studio is a stand alone audio, graphics and video suite that is 100% open source.
It’s its own operating system with a very long list of features and programs included in the package. I promise I’ll keep you all informed on my progress, learning and using Ubuntu Studio.
The reason why I’m telling you this is because, through changing my work/creative environment and now completing the computer reistallations I’ve given myself a new lease of creativity and freedom.
I’m excited again and ready to get back into writing songs again with much gusto.
The old adage of “a change is as good as a holiday” rings very true in my life at the moment but to achieve the same effect in your songwriting process doesn’t mean you have to make any drastic changes.
In her article “Time For Change – Expanding Your Songwriting Process” Andrea Stolpe says that changing your songwriting process often is important because “keeping the ideas fresh and flowing often requires a lot of flexibility. It’s easy to suddenly find ourselves in a dead space, a plateau where all the shimmer is gone from our ideas”
Some recommendations she makes are:
- If you write music first, try words first (and vice versa)
- Try writing on piano instead of guitar
- Let your musicality take over
- Write little motifs, and songwriting ideas
- Get out of your comfort zone
Just as changing my whole way of doing business and being creative (new environment/new operating system) has sparked inspiration and excitement you too can give yourself and your songwriting a fresh start just by doing something a little different.
Inspiration through change. Hmmm, has a nice ring to it.
Until next time, happy writing,
Corey Stewart
Singer/Songwriter/Musician
Keywords: kubuntu, ubuntu studio, open source, songwriting, songwriter, songwriting tip, songwriting idea, songwriting blog, songwriting resource, corey stewart
Home Is Where The Muse Lives
First of all, I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a fantastic new year. I’m excited about 2009 and I hope the new year is behaving itself for you so far.
As mentioned last year in my post “My Plans For 2009″ I moved my external office back home again. I took last week out to do it and finished everything by the weekend.
What a load off my mind.
Why did I do this? Well, I needed the change and even though I was able to seperate work and home by having an external office, I realised that my work (singer/songwriter/musician/webdev/blogger) was doing things that I love to do and therefore, my work is my life and not external of it.
I found that after a while, working away from home made me feel isolated from my homebase and the demarcation between worklife and homelife became a hinderence to my creativity and not the enhancement that I wanted.
I also realised that being creative requires a commitment from me to being present in my life. My previous work situation prevented this from happening. Some songwriters work well in an external office environment but I don’t, and it took me just under a year to figure it out.
Living and working at home has made writing songs a lot easier. Already I’ve started to pick up the guitar again and noodle around some songwriting ideas. I feel more inspired by being at home, work seems less functional and more holistic and creative.
For me, writing songs isn’t something that I can clock on and off to. Songwriting is my life and my life starts from the security and comfort of home. I’m glad I’ve figured this out now because I just know that great things are going to be happening this year.
A secure and comfortable creative environment can only lead to inspired output. Even though I may from time to time, travel into uncharted territory and steer myself out of my comfort zone in my quest to be as present in my life as possible, it’s good to know that I can always come home at the end of the day.
Home maybe where the heart but for this songwriter, it’s also where the muse lives.
Have a great 2009.
Until next time, happy writing,
Corey Stewart
Singer/Songwriter/Musician
Keywords: songwriting, songwriter, writing, songwriting tip, songwriting blog, songwriting idea, songwriting resource, songwriting zen, corey stewart
Songwriting Tools – The Singer/Songwriters Toolbox + The Creative Mind
One of my main aims with Songwriting Zen is to create an online platform to promote products and services related to the art and craft of writing songs.
These products and services will either be developed by me or come highly recommended from the huge list of songwriting products out there on the web.
Let me tell you, there is a lot of stuff out there.
In saying that, it’s with great pleasure that I introduce you to the first songwriting tool to use Songwriting Zen as its means of online distribution:
For me, Cal Williams Jnr epitomises the stereotype of the working artist.
He is totally devoted to his guitar and to the craft of songwriting. So much so in fact, that he wrote The Singer/Songwriters Toolbox as a way share his thoughts on how to create a welcoming environment for the muse through everyday life.
He is also a performer who captures your imagination and leads it on a beautiful journey through his songs.
Cal has agreed to release a sample chapter The Singer/Songwriters Toolbox called “The Creative Mind” as a FREE gift for Songwriting Zen readers and everyone interested in exploring both the creative and practical sides of songwriting.
Click here to purchase “The Singer/Songwriters Toolbox
Corey Stewart
Singer/Songwriter/Musician
Keywords: songwriting, songwriter, songwriting zen, songwriting tip, songwriting tool, songwriting idea, songwriting resource, songwriting blog, corey stewart
Writing Songs For Therapy
When life gets you down and you have no-one to talk to, instead of bottling up your emotions, write a song about it.
Writing a song about your feelings is a wonderful way of expressing what’s inside you and a great way to get things of your chest.
There are far too many people who never allow themselves the chance to release their bottled up feelings. It’s been proven that carrying around your sadness and anger makes you sick, so for us songwriters we are a very fortunate lot indeed.
Just remember, not every song that you write has to be performed in the public arena. You are allowed to write songs for you and you only. No-one needs to know about them. They can be your own little secret if you wish.
Just as long as you write.
If you have a problem it’s widely recognised that sharing the problem with family and friends is a very healthy thing to do. Writing songs for therapy follows a similar concept but you are having the conversation with yourself.
By putting your problems or emotions into a musical context you’re putting a positive spin on a negative situation. At the end of it all you can say to yourself that a good song came out of a bad situation
Writing songs about your feelings allows you to put things into perspective because you have to think about what’s happening to you in a different way.
Instead of spending hours telling yourself the same old long protracted story about what’s happening in your life, you condense it all into a four minute song. This requires you to ‘cut to the chase’ and by doing that, the problem or emotion are not as intense as was first thought.
What you do with the songs you write in this way is totally up to you however, it’s how these songs help you through the tough times not what you do with them that’s the important thing here.
It works for me. I have written a lot of therapy songs, some I play in public and some I don’t.
From time to time I think about what my life would’ve been like if I hadn’t written those songs. I can tell you now I wouldn’t be where I am today, that’s for sure.
Please, don’t be afraid to write about how you feel even if you don’t want to face up to it. This is a great exercise in being really honest with yourself and your feelings.
Don’t you feel a therapy session coming on about now? The doctor is now in.
Until next time, happy writing,
Corey Stewart
Singer/Songwriter/Musician
Keywords: songwriting, songwriter, songwriting tip, songwriting idea, songwriting help, songwriting technique, writing songs, corey stewart
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