How to write the best songs of your life

so true! thanks and have a fantastic time. rested, inspired, jazzed and renewed!
Sonya Heller

Thank you Chris, great sound advice! Absolutely true that charging batteries and disconnecting from the daily pace bring new energy in. I remember clearly how inspiration struck me feeling blessed in 2019 while going for a bike ride in Toronto:) That was the moment when the song started ringing in my head. It must have been the feeling of freedom, the warm breeze on my face and the beautiful lanscape! "Change is in the air" was under my skin in minutes. Travelling, enjoying simple things, living to the full and listening to your heart can really make the difference for a great song which is just about to come to life. Wish you a fab time in Costa Rica: bring us a lot of good vibes and mind-blowing ideas:)
Alhená

Loved this… my hikes in nature, or nature in general are where I always find my creative muse. Thanks for sharing Chris!

Many thanks for your support Chris.
I’ve never been to Costa Rica so far, and I guess it will be my next trip to catch new ideas and refresh the mind.
Have a good time, and thanks once again.

The results of practicing taiji is where I find my inspiration to contemplate, in silence and song, life, love, time and death. Of course, some beer helps – as the eight immortals of the wine glass almost said. Funny though that writing the best songs of your life does not necessarily mean they are great songs; they’re only the best ones of your life up to that point. And that’s why I’ve decided to keep living and practicing.

Thanks for sharing Chris ! I find a combination of carving out the “ cracks in my day “ rather than waiting for long swaths of time help me to keep the flow of ideas and lyrics coming through .
Being in or by the ocean, or in the woods; traveling by train plane or car tends to spark inspiration more frequently for me. Practicing mindfulness/ guided meditations have helped me get out of a rut and writing .
Remembering that taking time to write and play guitar is not selfish or frivolous time spent . Re-reading the my notes from the course I took with Julia Cameron of “the artist’s way “ or revisiting her books always help when I’m struggling with staying in the creative flow & last but not least prayer meditation.
Have a wonderful time in Costa Rica!
I hope you make it to the West Coast catch some waves for me! My husband and I used to do a lot of surfing down there . 🏄 🏄‍♂️ 🌊

Thanks, Chris. I need time for peace, quiet and reflection. It is often hard to come by unless, like you, I make my way to the wilds of nature. It has an indescribable power to sort and stack ideas, along with clearing out the gunk from the hectic world in my heart and soul. It is refreshing and cleansing, and it does a great deal to inspire my creativity. I also like writing in the dead of night when there is no one else around and the house is quiet. I thrive on these moments.

Costa Rica – I sure want to go there! This is so so soothing and calming – the sound of water flowing in a river, wow! I love any kind of water and love the mountains, the combination of both that I found in Hawaii. Traveling by any means, but especially airplanes, give me ideas. Weirdly, even the sound of an air-cooler or exhaust fan, or a beautiful sight of birds or the oddly painted sky or it could be pretty much anything. Sitting down and doing nothing (translation: meditating) helps too. Breaking the normal chain of events in daily life in some way, shape, or form is the key for me. Doing something different, not boring, or simply talking to people (just small talks) can be very effective. Thanks for the video, Chris!

I am good here in country music city where I write songs and sing them too.
The one Nashville Kid thanks.

Thank you Chris! Love the eddy and flow metaphor. Very musical. Thank you for your inspiration. Good nutrition for the muse.
My first date with my husband was kayaking on the Potomac River. I had never been kayaking before. Just remembering the joy of that first day is a song waiting to be written!

Hi, Chris! How I envy your trip to Costa Rica! My big dream is to go to Australia ! All of my regeneration comes from the outdoors. I grew up on 30 acres. I’ve had horses, goats, chickens, sheep and cattle. Now I go kayaking, go to the coast, and sit with my feet in the river. I put myself square in the middle of possibility last week – should find out in the next couple of days if I got my motorhome! See you in LA?

Great clip Chris! Enjoy Costa Rica 🙂 So finding one’s muse, is that your point here?

It’s the emotional connection that I have with my music. When I am able to move not only myself but other people with my music it’s a wonderful feeling. I love helping people so my drive comes from wanting to make an impact in people’s lives not just earn a living. I do music with my son as well and he’s an artist. When I am producing his songs we have so much fun with the outtakes it gets comical and it’s this feeling that I get like we were meant to do this.
I don’t get any family support for my music and I really want to show them I can be successful as a musician. My dad was raised very poor in Mexico City and he tells me constantly music is a Hobby. I want to break free from these chains that have held me back for years. Even growing up as a child I was playing more than 10 instruments and wanted to go to school for music but my dad being strongly against It I just picked Finance. It’s tough when you spend your life pleasing other people. But now My Time Has Come, and I’m ready to unleash on the world.

Funny enough, I mostly get inspired by listening to music. 😀 Not that I think "oh, I could copy that", no: I get new original ideas by listening to known and unknown music. I don’t know why, but it triggers my creative mind. Of course I also get ideas when watching movies or listening to conversations, but music is by far my number one inspirational well.

Why do we do what we do as musicians?

The answer to this question has changed over all the periods in my life so now that I’m getting closer to the end than closer to the start of this life it becomes more final and desperate.   Music has given me so much of the meaning of my life and so much joy as well as frustration that the answer now is…..What do I leave behind and how long after I’m gone will I still be remembered.  
When my mother died about 15 years ago I was the only one that got her remaining possessions and it was mailed to me in a box.   It had two violins and some sheet music she had written.  I wept at the fact that this was all that’s left for us to remember her by.  
I’m determined to continue till I have something on the internet that will outlive me by at least a generation.  It would be nice to have people talking about me like we now talk about Motzart but I’d just be happy to see my name in the credits at the end of a movie.
Music has made me money and also made me poor over this lifetime so don’t use it as a measure of your worth or success.  We all are unique and precious and yet just a humble little passing spec on a little tiny blue planet at the edge of a hugh galaxy in the middle of a vast ocean of life.  Keep that in mind as you look at the stars in the sky next time.

My muse visits when I have a peaceful heart and quiet head. I get this through morning meditation, sensory writing and creating a space around me that is ordered (regardless of ‘clutter’) with inviting, warm energy – something which I am grateful to have managed to achieve in my own studio / office.

Hi Chris, tanks for sharing and reaching out.
Inspiration comes from life (Exemplified by your video)
My curious mind getting information about topics I care deeply about, connecting dots muddling though the understanding and learning.

Then appfinies happens and it is alwayslike a sunamy of information of which I get to capture clips of video of what I hear in my head – the interpretation becomes my songs. Read Boss Springsting ulegy of Roy Orbinson – the description of Big O sing writing, I understood something . Got the attention of Junior winning Drummer Francois Jean – who took me under his wing – backing in live shows, same a National Treasure Bob Benson only recognized Flamingo Player in Canada by Paco. so I have been fortune enough to even meet Nov 2009 at opening of Schulick School of Music at McGill University Mr. Phil Ramon who took an hour of his time shared his experience along side Daniel J. Leviton form VP of Columbia Records "complimented my song Lovers Serenade and sign my lyrics – copy is "on my Band Camp Page" yet to take the idea – to quality recording has been my Achilles heel.
So – that is the bridge I am currently crossing -over 90 songs written only 24 finished and 11 recorded ghost – now its the polish ad mastering and my fussy ears LOL –

thank you for asking – appreciate any advise on getting to that next step.

Kind regards
Daniel T. Brown
Band name: Rebel’s Soul

I find being in nature helps and being open to it helps… Hiking, walking, swimming, etc. Healthy activities that get me out of my head and help to reduce the ego chatter that goes on even while I sleep.

Thanks Chris, for reaching out to us and sharing about what looks like an amazing experience. Good insights. nature inspires me too. Happy white watering.

Buddy Comfort

My creative inspiration has always been a mystery to me. I’ve never been able to summon the muse or write a song just because I felt like it. In fact, after a personal tragedy around 2007, the muse disappeared for the next 15 years as I was rendered mute musically. Up until then, songs were more of a happening, a birth, a delivery that came from someplace else. But when they stopped coming completely, I turned to painting during this time, knowing I was not nearly as good a painter as I was a songwriter. But that’s the way it was until about three years ago, when thru a turn of odd events the songs began coming again, and much faster than they ever had before. In fact, my whole writing process had to change to accommodate it.

I love this course for many reasons, but in terms of songwriting, I loved the songwriting boot camp, and also the AOTSP song challenge, where I wrote not from inspiration but for an assignment. Surprisingly, I was able to find a bedrock of truth within me to build the song upon, and I’ll probably continue to work on it as I really like it! So maybe the muse CAN be summoned. We’ll see! (Thanks so much for the challenge. It was an eye opener for sure.)

I love it when you step out of your picture postcard and draw us in Chris! One of the things that inspires me is water. The wild gushing river where my mum lives. Waves crashing on the shingle, water as far as the eye can see that horizon is so medicinal to me. Even the tinkle of water of a humble garden water feature just washes my soul! And the blessing of that hot shower!

Thank you for the question, I like when people say that. In the middle of the Boot Camp, I flew to Hawaii and did the last two days there. that was a very good experience, especially because the mentors involved were superlative. A beautiful bonus in this great course, for sure, and thanks, Chris! I find for myself that the more I play, the more I write. Being and staying in the groove means I’m not playing to keep my chops up or to remember all the songs the years have produced but also breaking new ground, reaching for something, opening up a channel and keeping it open. When I cultivate that state of mind, songs are always more likely to happen.

Thanks Chris, for the lovely video. You look wonderfully recharged and recovered (because I seem to recall your were not at all well the week before). Most things in life recharge my batteries (possibly with the exception of Tax and emails)……and indeed can be a source of inspiration. The best days tend to start with a short meditation and voicing my gratitude. Cooking for friends and family and eating and laughing together. Walking (often in silence to let thoughts soar). I do love travelling by train, watching the changing terrain; living a life in motion. Helping friends and family with their creative pursuits.Painting annd charcoal sketching especially with my son or daughter. Playing chess. Reading. Activities that heighten the senses. Walking in woods or beneath the stars. More specifically sitting down with my acoustic guitar and humming, singing- and getting into a flow state……and remembering to press record on my voice notes. Taking time away from Logic/Ableton and all those Plug-ins ……most of which I probably don’t need, and most of which I only half know how to use.

I am ‘so’ enjoying the course -and your inspirational yet gentle teaching manner. THank you.

most inspiring to me as an artist is witnessing the creativity of others. at a gallery or museum (so grateful for the Menil Collection in Houston because there’s a constant flow of brilliance within its walls and it’s free to the public. Musically, it’s experiencing the joy and adventure of unbridled music-making. I’m especially drawn to fully improvised music- last night i had the pleasure and privilege of seeing Cooper Moore perform on piano (2 days ago i saw him perform and tell the stories of about half a dozen homemade instruments). (in our FB group I posted a short video of Cooper Moore playing last night). It’s getting into a flow state but within the company and encouragement and ideas of a group of like-minded musicians. It is joyous work and i’m grateful that i can lose myself in it. Nothing else really exists once you’ve connected with the musicians you’re playing with. Beyond music and art, i’m inspired by nature, in its awesome grandeur and in its tiniest of details, the sights, the sounds, the smells, the textures. Maybe i’m lucky i can find inspiration in tiny things and tiny moments, but i’m also extremely vulnerable to little moments that crush my heart. I’ve been struggling with depression for 30 years. The last 6 months have been relatively healthy and "happy" but this past week managed to crack open the dam. It’s a cumulative effect for sure, and i’m under a fair amount of stress these days trying to help out my parents, both of whom are dealing with some serious health challenges, but the Bootcamp proved to be more impactful than i’d expected. The first 3 days were beautiful and exhausting. The "business" of day 4 took a little air out. The final day was a mess of cognitive dissonance. The hard sell, after several days of emotional cheerleading, regardless of how genuine the encouragement had been. I slipped beneath the surface and began sinking, began drifting. Sunday evening I experienced a beautiful concert. Afterwards i looked for some friends but they had already gone. I saw another friend that I connect with pretty well, but within moments some strangers entered the picture and I shut down. I left as quick as I could. I had about an hour’s drive to get home. The suicidal ideation started, back again after what had felt like a good long stretch. I managed to settle down before i went to bed several hours later. The meds seem good for that. They can’t stop me from reaching a bad place, but they seem to intercede in the downward spiral and release me out of it.

I don’t know if i can survive this songwriter thing, because there’s only so much rejection i can take. I will write songs anyway, I will play music anyway, even if it’s in obscurity. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned that I’ve been an inspiration for a number of young musicians in the city, and that makes me feel good. That’s something that I can be proud of. But the dark side feels that I’m being replaced, that I’m no longer needed. It’s a daily struggle and sometimes it gets overwhelming. And sometimes it’s very difficult to extract myself from that darkness.

I try to walk every day, get some sun, make a trek around an abandoned golf course, see a few animals if i’m lucky. But it’s not a cure-all. A year ago I would be in tears for most of the walk, trying to come to terms with the end of what had been a beautiful relationship. What saved me then was a chance invitation to be part of an improvisational group "installation" within the many walls of what had once been an army barracks. It was in Marfa, Texas, way out west, a completely different landscape, a massively different space, and I got to meet with a bunch of wonderful artists and improvisors from around the US and Mexico. It kind of saved my life. I don’t think that’s hyperbole, I’d been struggling pretty hard. The experience definitely help me reset my brain, reminded me that life was something much bigger than the hole i’d been floundering in.

Creativity is kind of my natural state but depression can really shut that down. Maybe I won’t touch a guitar for a year, or write anything at all, just lay on the couch and watch informative videos on things I’m supposed to be interested in. I sorta feel like i’m dealing with an endless well of creativity, but that same well can be a darkness from which it’s difficult to escape.

No need to worry about me, I feel ok today, and better having written this "confession." Maybe (i hope) it’s of help to someone else around here. Take care!