Give yourself restrictions while writing

If you’re stuck in writing and feel like all of your ideas are the same, then this technique can be useful.

Give yourself restrictions while writing.

Try to write a melody using only quarter notes.

Maybe use only 8th notes.

Or only chord tones.

Give yourself some simple restriction and try to be creative within those guidelines. Use only 16th notes. Emphasize the 3rd of every chord.

Emphasize the 6th scale degree a lot.

Try to think of some type of restriction and write a melody or a song using that restriction.

One fun one that I haven’t ever tried, but my composer friends have, is to write a piece of music based on an interval. Base all of your ideas off of that interval. Make your melody, harmonies, and rhythms based off of that interval.

Another fun one is to use a new of unfamiliar scale. My most recent single, Bd + Sn, was created this way. I wanted to write a dance song with a specific sample and using the octatonic scale. And that’s the song that I created.

Give it a try if you’re stuck.

ISJ