New Music Coming Soon!

It's been a while since I've released any new music, but I'm happy to announce that I just submitted a song to my distributor and it should be available in less than a month! I'm planning on releasing a few more songs over the next couple months, so stay tuned!

Take a look at the album art for my new song "Electro Light". I'll post a preview very soon! In the mean time, be sure to check out the Captain Sea Breeze EP if you haven't already....click here to listen/download music for free on my website.

Don't Lose Your Tunes

One of the biggest frustrations for a composer is having an amazing melody in your head, and then forgetting it by the time you get to a place where you can turn it into a song. I have experienced this on many occasions, but thankfully there are a few easy ways to combat this problem.

First of all, having a music notation app on your phone is a great idea. There are plenty of different apps you can find that allow you to put notes on a staff or make a quick recording. That way, if you think of a melody you can quick put it in the app for later. If you have an iPhone you might want to download GarageBand. It’s really simple to record ideas with GarageBand and come back for them later.

Another simple way to remember your tunes while you’re on the go is to record them with your phone. Most phones today have voice recording abilities, so if inspiration strikes, pull out your phone and record yourself humming or singing the idea. This method is one I have used often.

Lastly, there’s always the option of carrying around a small notepad or piece of paper. That way you can jot down ideas easily whenever they come to you. 

These are just a few of the tricks I use to avoid losing great melodies. If you have other methods that you use, please add them in the comments below!

How to Get Over Writer's Block

As a songwriter, you will have ups and downs with your creativity. Sometimes new ideas keep popping into your head so fast you can't even record them all. Other times, you try to come up with tunes but you just get stuck. It's a frustration all composers deal with at some point. In this article I hope to give you a few ideas for how you can overcome this "musical writer's block".

1. Take a Break

This is probably one of the first steps you should consider. Unless you have a deadline coming up, just take a break from the music. It could be a few hours, or maybe even a few days. Just set the music aside and give your brain some time to reset. 

Maybe it's just one particular song you're stuck on. In that case, work on some other music and come back to it another time. Sometimes the other songs you're working on will help open up your creativity a little bit.

2. Get Inspired

Sometimes composers just need to get some new inspiration. This can be achieved in many different ways. Try watching an emotional movie. That usually gives me the inspiration I need to write a song. Another thing you can do is listen to the music of other musicians. Of course you don't want to get inspired to the point that you end up copying their music, but often times listening to other artist's music can open your mind to new ideas and styles. You want to hear more than just your own music or else you won't broaden your musical horizons. 

There are many other things you can try as well, like going for a walk, visiting a beautiful place, or reading a good book. Figure out what works best for you, because we all get inspiration from different places.