Have you ever found yourself in front of your production setup, ready to lay down a fresh track, only to find yourself drawing a blank? It happens to the best of us – even seasoned musicians and producers have their moments of silence, waiting for the muse to strike. But don’t fret. We at pointblank Music School are here to help you unlock your creative flow and harness the power of innovative songwriting and music production.
Here are seven innovative techniques that can jumpstart your creativity and give you new track ideas. Let’s dive in:
- Limit Your Tools
Sometimes, constraints can be the biggest catalysts for creativity. Challenge yourself by making an entire track with just one plugin. By limiting your tools, you’re forced to explore new ways of using what’s at hand, leading to unexplored soundscapes and surprising musical phrases.
- Favourite Song’s Chord Progression
There’s a reason why some chord progressions feel so satisfying to our ears – they’re tried and tested by our favourite artists. Try using the chord progression from a song you love and see how you can make it your own. To switch things up, you can explore using different chord inversions or changing the key to adjust to your, or your singer’s vocal range.
- Sound Design Sessions
Set aside dedicated sessions for sound design. Experiment with synthesis, sample manipulation, and effects processing. Record everything and save your own unique samples or effect chains. When you’re in need of inspiration, browsing through these sounds can spark a new idea. You can check out this video for some extra inspiration on this topic.
- Genre Swap
Try to recreate a track from your favourite genre using elements and styles from a completely different genre. This cross-pollination of styles can lead to fascinating outcomes and fresh perspectives on both genres.
At pointblank Music School, we celebrate creativity and innovation in all forms. Our diverse array of courses, like our Music Production and Vocal Performance degree, which caters to budding musicians, songwriters, producers, and DJs, offering them an ideal platform to explore, experiment, and excel. Modules like ‘Songwriting & Lyrics’ challenge you to stretch your creative muscles, tap into your inner wordsmith, and find your unique voice in the world of music.
You have the freedom to study online or in-person, whichever suits your lifestyle and learning preference. You can study online or in person, at our campuses in London or LA.
5. Change Your Environment
Your environment has a profound influence on your creative output. If you’re used to producing in the studio, try taking your setup outdoors or to a new location. The change in atmosphere and the new sights and sounds can significantly impact your creativity.
- Collaborate
Work with other musicians or producers. Their unique insights and approaches to music can inspire you, and the act of collaboration itself can lead to fresh ideas.
- Non-Musical Inspiration
Try drawing inspiration from non-musical sources, like a piece of art, a movie, or even a conversation. You never know where the next great song idea might come from.
Creating music is an exploratory process, and each new track is a journey. These seven techniques are not definitive rules, but rather starting points from which you can branch out and find what works best for you.
But remember, nothing beats structured learning and guided practice when it comes to honing your skills as a musician, songwriter, producer or DJ. At pointblank Music School, we provide an engaging, hands-on environment where you can learn from industry experts, collaborate with like-minded peers, and truly nurture your creative talent. Enrol now to kickstart your journey towards musical mastery.
Register to Access Free Courses, Plugins, Projects, Samples & More
When you register with pointblank, you access an array of free sounds, plugins, online course samples and much more! Simply register below and visit our Free Stuff page to get your hands on a range of exclusive music-making tools and tutorials provided by the team. Fill your boots!