Composers Block.

[high_school_bassoonist]

Does anyone get Composers block?, i got a bad case at the moment

[reith]

Occasionally happens, whereon I put the thing down and do something else musical - practice; organise stuff; play the piano/relaxation, just listen - or see if I can work on something else. It's the time when I go through old, discarded ideas (perhaps from a previous block). Sometimes I have a couple of things on the go at the same time and I can move on with the other one.

However, right now, today, yes, I want to compose but my lethargy is rather from yesterday than block!

All the best for the new year.

[kenm]

What happens to me is rather different: I feel uninspired but keep composing, more slowly than usual, and after two or three sessions, I look at the result and decide that it's rubbish. Sometimes I can keep the first few bars and add something more convincing after them, but often I just abandon the work and start again.

[high_school_bassoonist]

yes, thats exactly my problem Ken!!! described Perfectly, its a very depressing thing isnt it?, what can u prescribe, im thinking about getting a composition teacher/tutor to try and help out

[kenm]

Originally Posted by high_school_bassoonist

yes, thats exactly my problem Ken!!! described Perfectly, its a very depressing thing isnt it?, what can u prescribe, im thinking about getting a composition teacher/tutor to try and help out

Well, having had instruction in various aspects of composition from several lecturers, I recommend it for anyone who identifies large gaps in the knowledge they need for the sort of music they want to write. There are things to be learnt in many styles and periods of music, and I still use ideas and techniques I acquired through writing pastiche Renaissance, Baroque, Classical and Romantic music, even though nothing I write now matches any of these styles exactly. Another contribution to my musical understanding, which I have not mentioned so far, is that I have played, sung or conducted music in these styles, and Mediaeval and 20th C. works also, over many years as an amateur musician, and continue to do so.

As to what to do with a composition that has taken a wrong path, I already said what I do. A point I didn't make, and it may be obvious in most cases, is that you should identify what it is about the writing that you find unsatisfactory, in analytical terms rather than instinctive ones (though you should pay attention to instinctive dissatisfaction too). Sometimes that will lead you to a small change that will save a passage from deletion. If you can't do the analysis, that is another indication that you could benefit from instruction.

[Aephion]

Yes! I know so very well what you mean, high_school_bassoonist!
I'm going through the exact same thing, I mean, it's just awful.
I've got three assignments for the conservatoire right now, of which one is to make a themed tune (as in, chorus-refrain type theming (A, A, B, A and those kind of scheduals), but nothing seems to be popping up in my mind, it's ..blegh!
But well, you already know what I'm talking about, and I'm sure a lot of other people know exactly what you mean

Basically, the same happens to me as kenm described and then reside to do something else like reith described ^_^;

It's terror.

[Boneman]

I have it.(said the actress to the bishop!) but I put mine down to too much arranging and not enough composition.

[MaestroX]

I go through them periods but not recently, I'm like a waterfull of ideas but last month or so before that yeah, massive composer block. The most common thing I do is look at old materrial and see if i can make anything with it. Sometimes it goes in a downward spiral of self doubt but a new ideas comes and I'm revived!

[ttw]

I get it all the time. Mostly I just try to write a bit every day. Something will work out sometimes.

Also, I will try to write a different type of piece; waltz vs tango vs polonaise vs polka or sonata form vs rondo or something contrapuntal.

And I sometimes just copy a score from one of the greats (Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Mozart, etc.) into Finale (or whatever) to learn a bit about the program and maybe find something to use as a model later.