by Stephen Cuomo

Created on: July 04, 2009   Last Updated: July 05, 2009

So, you're stuck; it happens to the best of us. There is still hope though, and no one said writing music was easy anyways. Giving up and finding a new hobby has never made anyone a better musician, but hard work and perseverance usually does. When writer's block strikes a few things help me get out of that rut are:

1. I try to write in a different genre. I make house music, if a good melody doesn't come to me right away, I make a back beat for a hip hop song. Often, a melody I could use for my house music comes faster than anything I can use in hip hop.

2. I mess around on a different instrument. Piano and guitar have two very different layouts. Sometimes switching back and forth gives me great ideas to use in my music. Experimenting with different sounds is another great way to keep your train of thought chugging along.

3. I take a 30 minute to 3 day break and come back to it. Sometimes, you just have to be in a certain mindset or mood to let the creativity flow. Further frustrating yourself is just going to make you want to smash your instrument. Just go for a walk or something. I know how frustrating it can be when your melody just doesn't come out the way it sounded in your head.

4. Try things you may have never done before. Use harmonies, try a different scale, dig around in your basement and find your grandfathers accordion!

5. Recycle what you already have! If you have something really catchy already, why not use it again, write around it! With one simple 8 bar melody, I have created 5 songs, all with a different feel to them (given I called them all the same thing).

6. Listen to a genre you don't usually listen to, sometimes even Creed can be inspirational. Listen to how other artists structure their songs and harmonize! What scale are they using in that solo? Maybe you can try it.

7. Collaborate with another musician, bringing something new to the mix never hurt. Anything tastes good on pizza, and the same rule applies to music. Like I said before, blurring genre boundaries is a good thing. Find inspiration everywhere you can.

8. If it's lyrics you're having trouble with, read the news paper! Write a song about something going on it the world you feel strongly about. If your words from the heart, then someone else will be able to identify with them, and thats what makes a song so powerful.

Perseverance is the key to getting past writer;s block. Keep in mind that inspiration is all around you, and never over work yourself! Take a break, you certainly deserve it.

"There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats." - Albert Schweitzer

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