The more you use that muscle, the easier it gets to write songs. I’m a songwriter by profession and try to write around 100-150 songs a year. When I was first starting out, it was more like 200-250 a year (it was a grind). I know most people here are writing alone, or can’t devote their entire waking day to writing and that’s ok, but the more you do it the better you become and the faster the songs spill out of you. Not every song is gonna be great and that’s ok! You can learn something from each one.
It’s funny, when I’m in a crazy busy time, writing 5-6 days a week and doing doubles in those days, is when I find I’m the sharpest. When I take too much time off, the next few writes back go painfully slow. Writing is like working out… get the reps in!
Let's talk about songwriting as a muscle!
Let's talk about songwriting as a muscle!
I write about 8 songs a year; I spend lots of time on them. Recording them too. Everyone’s process is different. I think the idea expressed here though, that it’s a muscle, is true in general, but I’d say music making muscle. Doesn’t need to be finishing a song or writing 100 songs a year (which is SO many).
Let's talk about songwriting as a muscle!
I really needed to hear this. What is your writing process like?
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MetalPlayer
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Let's talk about songwriting as a muscle!
Well at some point how do you know if you are building that muscle or straining it because you are overworking it to force songs out? Songs that in the moment feel forced and uninspired and just overall awful to write, they just don’t feel worth pushing through it at all… And sometimes I’m just sitting at a piano trying to just magically “get an idea” for a new song but I just can’t… at that point I’ll just go into my current songs in process and edit refine, add second verses and bridges to the songs missing them, but generally I feel like I can’t just make a song when I want to. It’s more like a song idea comes to me…
Let's talk about songwriting as a muscle!
As someone with a busy day job and limited aspirations I still try to at least make up one song per month even if it ends up being unreleased. I can do one fully produced recording per week when everything goes well.