5 Ways Kansas City Musicians Can Overcome Creative Block
March 19, 2021
Creatives in any field can probably tell you that there are times when creativity flows—and times when it doesn’t. What can you do about a block that seems to be lasting longer than normal? What about those times you dread the thought of trying to create anything? When frustration overpowers your normal love of creating new music?
Here are five ways you can tackle an extended creative block.
#1—Have Some Fun With Music
When you take things too seriously, you can overwhelm yourself with the pressure of it. This can be a real turnoff to creativity flowing as it should. So instead of setting yourself up for a day of “work,” creating music, take some time to have some fun with it instead. Try doing things you wouldn’t normally do. Get your “beginner’s mind” back when it comes to music. Making music feel like a novelty again can be the best thing to get the creative juices flowing again.
#2—Give Yourself Permission to Take a Break
When you are frustrated with yourself because you are struggling to be productive, taking a break might seem counter-intuitive. But there is nothing like completely stepping away to gain some perspective. Get out of town for a few days. Or even just take a long walk. Sometimes that is all that is needed to get your subconscious mind working again, so your creative juice tank gets filled back up.
#3—Put It Away for a While
If there is one specific song or project you have been working on unsuccessfully, shelve it for a while. And put it somewhere so that it’s not staring you in the face. It can be painful to put away a project, but it can free up your mind to work on new, better ideas. If the shelved project is worthy of another look, you can do it when your mind is in a better—or at least different—place. Or you can just leave it shelved indefinitely.
#4—Raise the Stakes
There is nothing like public pressure to keep you motivated. Tell friends or your Facebook followers that you will have a new release ready by a specific date. Chances are, you will be more apt to follow through if you know there is public embarrassment waiting for you if you don’t.
#5—Collaborate With Someone
If your inspiration has dried up, bringing someone else in to collaborate can be just the ticket. Think of some of the best—and often unlikely—collaborations of the past that were wildly successful. Run DMC and Aerosmith. Dr. Dre and Eminem. Get the picture?
Kansas City Music Rehearsal Space
Soundstructure Studios has been around since 1993 at its Denver location. With our new Kansas City music rehearsal space, we invite Kansas City musicians to practice their craft in one of our sound isolation rooms. There are plenty of benefits to having your band rehearse in a designated studio—and we invite you to come and find out for yourself. Don’t wait; contact us today!
Go Back Here are five ways you can tackle an extended creative block.
#1—Have Some Fun With Music
When you take things too seriously, you can overwhelm yourself with the pressure of it. This can be a real turnoff to creativity flowing as it should. So instead of setting yourself up for a day of “work,” creating music, take some time to have some fun with it instead. Try doing things you wouldn’t normally do. Get your “beginner’s mind” back when it comes to music. Making music feel like a novelty again can be the best thing to get the creative juices flowing again.
#2—Give Yourself Permission to Take a Break
When you are frustrated with yourself because you are struggling to be productive, taking a break might seem counter-intuitive. But there is nothing like completely stepping away to gain some perspective. Get out of town for a few days. Or even just take a long walk. Sometimes that is all that is needed to get your subconscious mind working again, so your creative juice tank gets filled back up.
#3—Put It Away for a While
If there is one specific song or project you have been working on unsuccessfully, shelve it for a while. And put it somewhere so that it’s not staring you in the face. It can be painful to put away a project, but it can free up your mind to work on new, better ideas. If the shelved project is worthy of another look, you can do it when your mind is in a better—or at least different—place. Or you can just leave it shelved indefinitely.
#4—Raise the Stakes
There is nothing like public pressure to keep you motivated. Tell friends or your Facebook followers that you will have a new release ready by a specific date. Chances are, you will be more apt to follow through if you know there is public embarrassment waiting for you if you don’t.
#5—Collaborate With Someone
If your inspiration has dried up, bringing someone else in to collaborate can be just the ticket. Think of some of the best—and often unlikely—collaborations of the past that were wildly successful. Run DMC and Aerosmith. Dr. Dre and Eminem. Get the picture?
Kansas City Music Rehearsal Space
Soundstructure Studios has been around since 1993 at its Denver location. With our new Kansas City music rehearsal space, we invite Kansas City musicians to practice their craft in one of our sound isolation rooms. There are plenty of benefits to having your band rehearse in a designated studio—and we invite you to come and find out for yourself. Don’t wait; contact us today!