As you all know, I have been in Pennsylvania for a week now! (Perhaps I will post a trip update in the next day or two.) It has been wonderful to get away for awhile. This week, I watched an interview with Ingrid Michaelson at the ASCAP expo.
If I were to pull out one thing that she said that meant the most to me, it would be this:
"Your instincts are always right. Whatever you think you can do, whatever you want to do...you can do." I think it is really powerful. You hear all the time that "you can do whatever you put your mind to," but it is the first part of this quote that really caught my attention. "Your instincts are always right." For me, the instrumentation of a song is always the part that I struggle with more. I can sing melodies and lyrics all day long, but creating interesting guitar parts is another story. I think there is a lot of freedom in allowing your instincts to lead you in a song. I have a tendency to edit as I go along. I do this with EVERYTHING. (I'm actually doing it right now.) In songwriting, however, I think it gets in the way a bit. Instead of allowing myself the freedom to do/play/sing the first thing that comes to mind, I filter it first and then do/play/sing the watered down product. The watered down product may end up being many times better than the original thought, but how many creative ideas are being lost with this method? I guess I am just following a pattern though. Most of our energy is lost as heat, most of our brain power goes unused, most of our time is spent waiting for the next moment. I have been conditioned to filter. How freeing is it to know that you don't have to do it that way? How freeing is it to know that (in the case of music) you can trust your instincts without anything holding you back?
If I were to pull out one thing that she said that meant the most to me, it would be this:
"Your instincts are always right. Whatever you think you can do, whatever you want to do...you can do." I think it is really powerful. You hear all the time that "you can do whatever you put your mind to," but it is the first part of this quote that really caught my attention. "Your instincts are always right." For me, the instrumentation of a song is always the part that I struggle with more. I can sing melodies and lyrics all day long, but creating interesting guitar parts is another story. I think there is a lot of freedom in allowing your instincts to lead you in a song. I have a tendency to edit as I go along. I do this with EVERYTHING. (I'm actually doing it right now.) In songwriting, however, I think it gets in the way a bit. Instead of allowing myself the freedom to do/play/sing the first thing that comes to mind, I filter it first and then do/play/sing the watered down product. The watered down product may end up being many times better than the original thought, but how many creative ideas are being lost with this method? I guess I am just following a pattern though. Most of our energy is lost as heat, most of our brain power goes unused, most of our time is spent waiting for the next moment. I have been conditioned to filter. How freeing is it to know that you don't have to do it that way? How freeing is it to know that (in the case of music) you can trust your instincts without anything holding you back?
UPDATE ON THE 52 PROJECT :
"Watching the Sky Change Blues" (Guitar)
"Roots" (Guitar)
"As the Night Falls" (Guitar)
COVER "Speak Slow" - Tegan and Sara
"Fill You In" (Ukulele)
June marks half a year into this project. Can you believe it? It has been rough at points trying to find the time, motivation, or inspiration to write each week, but I think my writing has really been stretched in these last six months. One of the most important things I have learned from The 52 Project so far is that I cannot let myself get lazy with my writing. (Especially after this project is over.) Songwriting is a skill that I need to be working with every week (if not every day).
"Watching the Sky Change Blues" (Guitar)
"Roots" (Guitar)
"As the Night Falls" (Guitar)
COVER "Speak Slow" - Tegan and Sara
"Fill You In" (Ukulele)
June marks half a year into this project. Can you believe it? It has been rough at points trying to find the time, motivation, or inspiration to write each week, but I think my writing has really been stretched in these last six months. One of the most important things I have learned from The 52 Project so far is that I cannot let myself get lazy with my writing. (Especially after this project is over.) Songwriting is a skill that I need to be working with every week (if not every day).