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#Post#: 21--------------------------------------------------
Six Ways To Motivate Yourself To Practice
By: bonesjonesmusic Date: July 3, 2012, 7:14 am
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The article below in italics is from a Songwriting Newsletter
that I receive. The techniques mentioned can also be applied to
Practicing Your Instrument!
Here is a brief description of Six Ways To Motivate Yourself To
Practice:
1. Set up a special place to practice. 2. Set a special time to
practice. 3. Keep a list of unfinished songs/topics to work on.
4. Practice with a friend. 5. Give yourself an assignment. 6.
Give yourself just 5 minutes.
Here is the original article from the BMI Newsletter
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"Six Ways Songwriters Can Motivate Themselves To Write" By Cliff
Goldmacher
1. Set up a place at home to write. As simple as it sounds,
having a place to go where you can focus and be creative can be
motivating. Even if it’s just a small desk and chair in a corner
of your living room, the fact that you’ve dedicated it to your
art will serve as that little push you might need to write. Keep
your writing tools — rhyming dictionary, guitar, laptop, etc. —
out and easily accessible. It’s amazing what a difference
putting your guitar on a stand versus keeping it in a case can
make. Make things as easy as you can for yourself and you’ll be
much more likely to dig in.
2. Set up a time of day to write. Routine can be a good thing
even for something as artistic and creative as songwriting. If,
for example, you know that every day at 7 p.m. you’re going to
write for half an hour, then you’re more likely to do it. They
say it takes a few weeks of consciously making yourself do
something before it becomes a habit. Setting up a daily time to
write will go a long way towards the healthy habit of
songwriting.
3. Keep a file of unfinished songs. One of the hardest things
about writing is starting with a blank page. By keeping an
organized file of your unfinished lyrics and rough recordings,
you won’t have to climb the mountain from the bottom every time
you sit down. While sometimes it feels good to start with a
fresh idea, don’t forget to check your unfinished ideas from
time to time. It’s remarkable how a few days or weeks can add
the perspective you need to see a partially finished song in a
new light and finish it.
4. Find a co-writer. Nothing motivates more than accountability.
If someone is counting on you to show up and work, you’re more
likely to do it. Not only that but halving the burden can make
writing a much more approachable pursuit. This is one of the
many benefits of co-writing. Other advantages include having
someone whose songwriting gifts complement your own in such a
way that you both get a better song than you would have
separately. If you haven’t co-written yet, this is as good a
time as any to give it a try. Even if it’s not a perfect
experience, we all benefit from observing firsthand someone
else’s writing process.
5. Give yourself an assignment. Sometimes the idea that you can
write about anything offers too much freedom. Often, it’s easier
to write if you have some guidelines. If, for example, you tell
yourself you’re going to write a song with one chord you’ve
never used or a song about a topic you’ve never covered, you’ll
find it’s easier to get to work. Anything you can do to give
shape and structure to what you’re attempting to write will make
the task that much simpler.
6. Tell yourself you’ll only write for five minutes. This is one
of my all time favorites. On days where you’re really struggling
to make yourself write, tell yourself you’ll sit down for five
minutes. That way, if nothing is happening after five minutes,
at least you’ve tried. It’s astonishing how often those days are
the days where the breakthroughs happen. Taking the pressure off
of yourself may be all that you need to get on a roll. That
being said, if it’s just not coming, stop. There’s no point in
making yourself miserable. There’s always tomorrow.
Being a songwriter is a gift but, as with most gifts, some
assembly (otherwise known as work) is required. My hope is by
suggesting a few ways to lessen the burden of getting started,
you’ll be able to write more consistently and enjoy the
accompanying results.
Cliff Goldmacher is a songwriter, producer, session musician,
engineer, author and owner of recording studios in Nashville, TN
and Sonoma, CA. Cliff’s site, Educated Songwriter, is full of
resources for the aspiring songwriter, including a brand new HD
video series.
Cliff’s company, Nashville Studio Live, provides songwriters
outside of Nashville with virtual access to Nashville’s best
session musicians and singers for their songwriting demos.
You can download a free sample of Cliff’s eBook, “The
Songwriter’s Guide To Recording Professional Demos”.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/EducatedSongwriter
Twitter: @edusongwriter
Link to the original article:
HTML http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/557893?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=July+2012+eBulletin&utm_content=July+2012+eBulletin+CID_0754e6fadf292674b0041b2dcce3d229&utm_source=Email+marketing+software&utm_term=Six+Ways+Songwriters+Can+Motivate+Themselves+To+Write
HTML http://www.bonesjonesmusic.com
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