Songwriters… want to play a game?
It started as a great song idea, but it’s not working out. I’m feeling frustrated as the emotional rush is evaporating and I’ve got nothing but crumpled up papers on my desk.
I thought songwriting was supposed to be fun!
Don’t fight with your songwriting, turn your songwriting into playtime…
Whether you’re feeling stuck in a songwriting rut, fighting with a song, or need a break, use these games to release your inner songwriter…
Why Play Songwriting Games?
Here’s how to find the fun again with songwriting games. Release your expectations and rediscover a playful attitude of exploration. Ever watch a child engrossed in play? They can amuse themselves for hours because they aren’t worried about what they’re doing or what they’ll create… they just play!
Songwriters often block themselves with unrealistic expectations:
- This song isn’t going to be as good as I thought it would sound
- This song won’t be a hit
- I thought I could write this song faster
- The initial songwriting inspiration is evaporating and I don’t know how to do it
One of the reasons you aren’t writing often enough is you aren’t feeling good about it… songwriting doesn’t feel fun! Why would you do something that isn’t giving you joy? That’s the real reason you’re avoiding songwriting… it doesn’t matter how you try to motivate or bribe yourself… it doesn’t matter how many times you put it on your todo list, or schedule songwriting time.
If it feels good, you’ll write songs regardless of how “busy” you are!
Find the fun and rediscover the joy of songwriting by finding a playful attitude of exploration, instead of making the mistake of turning it into a job on your to-do list.
Write a Bad Song: Songwriting Game
One of my favourite songwriting games is writing a bad song. Instead of spending a long time trying to write a great song, or even a good song… try to write a terrible song. Write a song as fast as possible, with a cringy chorus and a horrible verse.
It’s liberating to let go of your songwriting standards to find out how quickly you can create something. Enjoy the songwriting process without judging what you’re writing!
I wrote this song in 7.5 minutes…
Writing an Entire Song is a Big Ask…
It’s not always easy to let go and just write a song, even if you’re writing a crappy song!
Here are links to more songwriting games to help you get your songwriting together…
More Songwriting Games
For more songwriting games, try these links categorized by topic…
