Interesting article, Jon. I think every new instrument we learn to play has some song ideas built right in, it seems. I played acoustic and electric guitar since I was a kid. But when I was about 22 I took up bluegrass (5string)banjo. The style of playing is VERY structured, so at least initially I was relegated to playing simply. I got tons of great songs ideas. Later, as I got deeper into bluegrass music I took up playing the Dobro. Six strings but a very simple tuning (GBDGBD) and a BAR to make chords and individual note melodies. Even more restrictive than the banjo initially. I got new ideas for songs from the Dobro too. Perhaps each instrument taps into a different portion of the "musical brain" and so makes us think about the music and songs we can create in a different way. Many years later I took up pedal steel guitar, anything but simple: two necks, twenty strings, 8 foot pedals, 5 knee leavers, and...a volume pedal. Goodness gracious it's complicated. But oh what beautiful sounds come out of it. Anyway, I got some new song ideas from the steel too. I think each instrument we learn makes us think differently. And of course you take that thinking back to the other instruments you can play. For example, learning to play banjo with fingerpicks made my acoustic guitar playing SING with extra volume and a more detailed sound. The musical mind is an amazing instrument all on its own.

Enjoyed your post. Thanks.
Bob grin

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