Every creative has run into a creative block at least once in their life. Creating demands passion and persistence, and no one can be at 100 percent creativity 100 percent of the time. Musicians, in particular, are vulnerable to creative blocks given the endless tweaks they are usually doing to their music. It can be easy to scrap entire projects, which can leave musicians feeling defeated.
Here are some tips for overcoming those creative blocks.
#1—Make Time for Fun
You can use your Kansas City music rehearsal space for honing your craft—but don’t be afraid to put some fun into the mix. Try out some new or crazy techniques to help your brain respond to some new stimuli—and possibly some fresh ideas. Having fun in the studio can bring back your “beginner’s mind,” which in
Zen Buddhism is the time when everything is new and exciting.
#2—Step Away From the Music for a While
It can be pretty demoralizing and exhausting when the creative juices are not flowing. It might seem counterintuitive to step away from the music, but simply going for a walk can often be the end of blocked creativity. Hitting the pavement or the trail can put you in a meditative, trance-like state, which can clear your mind. Getting out of the studio—even if it’s for a Netflix marathon—can help refill your inspiration tank.
#3—Forget About Your Current Project
If you have been working on a project for two long, you might be feeling a bit of burnout. It might be time to put the project in a drawer (to borrow a term from writers and novelists) for a while. Maybe you’ll finish the project down the road—or maybe you won’t. But if you take it out in a few months, you might have a brand new perspective. This works for the pros; it reportedly took Freddie Mercury a full seven years to finish “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
#4—Raise the Stakes
There’s nothing like public pressure to keep you motivated, so tell everyone in your life—both in person and online—that you’ll have a new song ready by a certain date. Give your goal just enough hype so you’ll feel embarrassed if you let everyone down by not delivering. It’s a simple psychological trick—but it can be an effective one.
#5—Collaborate With a Colleague
One of the best things about music is that it has such a collaborative nature. When your inspiration has been blocked, you can often unblock it by bringing in another musician. And if you go to their rehearsal space to collaborate, this provides you with a change of scenery that can also be effective in helping unblock the creative juices.
Find a Kansas City Music Rehearsal Space
If you are looking to up your game as a musician, you need a Kansas City music rehearsal studio. Look no further than Soundstructure to
rent a practice space. Join other Kansas City musicians at our sound-isolated rooms for practicing and perfecting your music. Give us a call to find out more!