PG Music Home Forums General Discussion Songwriting Songwriting inspiration and creativity

As a regular songwriter, I recognise that my inspiration for a song and creative motivations have many different causes. I went searching this forum with the words 'inspiration' or 'creativity' in the title, and in each case, the last thread was 2019 or before - so I think it's time to revisit!

Scrolling through what people have written in previous threads (see links below), here is my summary.

Question: what have you found to be a great source of inspiration or have influence on your creativity? Recognising that some take their inspiration and creativity from the written word, whereas others might be inspired musically - this probably informs the lyrics first / music first differences. Do you have an example(s) or story(s) of where one or more of the following inspired you? Feel free to answer short, long narrative, or ranking - the points are numbered for your convenience. Also feel free to add to or expand the list. My own answer is in a reply to this post.

1) Location or environment
2) Your mood or emotional state
3) Theme or subject matter
4) Relationships and interactions with others
5) Circumstances you have experienced
6) Character study
7) Title or phrase or quote
8) Media, movie, TV, reading, podcast
9) Listening to other artists, new songs
10) Listening to other genres, styles
11) Experimenting with different sounds, tunings, effects
12) Using different instrument than your normal e.g. playing keys if normally a guitarist
13) Using tools and tech e.g. BIAB, loop station, effects pedals, plugins
14) Playing for fun, jamming
15) Playing/noodling and discovering riff, melody, chord progression, groove etc
16) Co-writing, collaborating, responding to a songwriting challenge or idea
17) Medicinal or chemical assistance

Previous forum threads:
https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=458355#Post458355
https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=395171#Post395171
https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=465143#Post465143
https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=399186#Post399186
https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=416621#Post416621

For me, the main sources of inspiration or creativity are:

2) Your mood or emotional state - not very often, but I remember a time in the early 2000s where I stayed up late into the early hours while the family was asleep, and began writing a song - and I got on a roll. I am convinced that the tiredness of staying up late had a creative effect and was the reason why I wrote 3 songs (including lyrics) in that single night.

7) Title or phrase or quote - definitely helps me with lyrics, but not so much musically. Even though it is not my preferred starting point (a chord progression or melody line is usually the start for me), the few times I have written 80% of the lyrics first have sometimes been my most successful.

9) Listening to other artists, new songs - this is a significant motivation. Hearing a new song that I like will motivate me to write something, and not necessarily a similar song. I can still remember listening to Jack Johnson's album 'In between dreams', and in particular, the song 'Never know'. I rushed off and wrote songs in days after listening to it. Same with Paul Simon, Smash Mouth, Sugar Ray, Thirsty Merc, Blur, Stornaway, The Jayhawks.

13) Using tools and tech e.g. BIAB, loop station, effects pedals, plugins - this is where BIAB styles are very influential for me. I might have a chord progression, then choose a style, and if I find something good, the style itself will inspire or influence a lot of the song. I reckon about 30% of my songs have been inspired this way.

14) Playing for fun, jamming - from 2000 to 2012, I collected the chord sheets of over 2000 songs, and playing these and understanding the chord progressions and lyrics fed into one of the most prolific times of my songwriting.

16) Co-writing, collaborating, responding to a songwriting challenge or idea - for the last 3 years of so, I have been meeting up with a couple of guitarist mates who were aware of my songwriting and wanted to start themselves. We took turns to set a songwriting challenge that we would have to play our song when we re-grouped 5-6 weeks later. The challenge might be based on a title or song lyric; a chord progression; a style; a time signature; or a melody. It is amazing what a deadline will do and none of us have ever failed in completing over 20 assignments. What's even better is when we all join in to play and sing each other's song.

I hear a phrase or see/remember someone doing something and my brain starts to make something out of it.
It's not voluntary, I can't stop my brain from doing that.
I guess I'm wired that way.

Andrew, I would say #1-#16 are my inspirations. If #17 included beer I would have added that to my list .
I have used every one of them.

But if I had to pick one it would be BiaB. I am playing in genres I never would be playing in if it wasn't for BiaB. Also the melodist and soloist can generate phrases that can lead to entire songs.

I almost always start with complete lyrics from a collaborator. From there I MIGHT use any of #9-14. But I've written songs (ie, music for lyrics) while walking, showering, driving...well, almost anywhere that part of my mind can engage. White noise helps. Sometimes I know what the musical inspiration is ("hey, that sounds like Neil Young!"), but most frequently it's just something that comes out. I know a lot of songwriting techniques that help, but how/if they're employed is hit-and-miss.

Quite often a lyric notion comes to me when we are hiking or mountain biking. And that doesn’t imply that the lyric is nature oriented. I tend to develop the notion when sitting on our elevated front porch overlooking our forest. I’ll then throw together a SGU oriented toward the genre I have in mind. Then Janice will work her magic and quickly come up with a progression and melody and tweak my lyric for meter purposes.

Our friend and music partner Peter Fulham in addition to guitar provides great input for all aspects of the production.

Of course w/o BiaB none of this would be happening. While we played in bands for years we wrote very little until BiaB offered us the opportunity to work in genres we had long listened to but not performed.

And then there are the 1920’s PD tunes we love to work up but that’s another story. 😀

We are not prolific writers but enjoy it and particularly the plays we get on Spotify, etc. Always nice to know that folks other than family and friends like our efforts.

Bud

Mario - same here. I suspect its the case for others as well. In my case, these can sometimes be 'unplanned inspirations'. BIAB exposes me to styles that I would never think of, and elements of these give me ideas that lead to a full song also. As for #17, I reckon a Bailey's Irish Cream or a nice tawny port would surely help my creativity!

Interesting DC Ron. I wonder why that would be? Maybe the white noise is tantamount to a blank canvas or helps block out other distractions?

Hi Bud - I agree. I recently updated my song register with roughly when each song, whether completed or in part, was first written. This covers the period from when I was 16 through to now - I am 63. There was an explosion in my songwriting when two things occurred 1. I was collecting the chordsheets of famous songs 2. I purchased BIAB. I remember telling myself that I had song ideas trapped in my brain but couldn't find a way to bring them to life (to their fullness) until I had BIAB.

Dunno why but my mind finds music in white noise and similar sound spectrums. Somewhat controllable but it can be slightly annoying if for example I want to listen to music at low volumes on a road trip but the thrum of the tires is playing a different tune. Having mild tinnitus creates its own challenges...

I'll add my 2 cents....

All of the above.

Although, the results from #17 are dubious at best when examined in the clear light of the next day.

I'd add one to the list: 18: sitting down with intent and no preconceived notion and simply writing to see what you can do. AKA:scheduled writing. I tend to use this method of writing more often.

Ah yes - forgot that one! I haven't done this so much, but probably more when it comes to writing lyrics - which is my weak link. I have tried 'stream of consciousness' type writing, and while 90% of this comes out 'meh', I am surprised by the odd magical line that pops out.