Have you ever found yourself stuck in a creative rut, unable to bring your ideas to life? Well, I do and it’s a feeling I know all too well. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been grappling with a few song ideas, each mapped out in Logic Pro with a foundation of drums, bass, and rhythm guitar. Yet, it feels like I’m spinning plates and struggling to make tangible progress, especially when it comes to vocals.
My creative process typically involves noodling on a guitar for a bit, hearing some progression or hook that stands out and then recording that straight into Logic Pro (or as a voice memo if there’s no time). Later I’ll spend far too much time layering a piano accompaniment, improvised lead guitar and synths over the basic structure. I’ll record multiple takes and tracks, experimenting with different progressions and arrangements. However, when it comes to vocals, I hit a massive brick wall. As someone who is not a natural singer and is limited to the baritone range, I tend to be much more critical of my vocal performances than my guitar playing.
It’s frustrating. I’ll record a vocal take, listen back to it, and immediately feel disappointed as I realise that what I can imagine is not what I can actually produce. Cue much frustration and I often throw in the towel and end the session altogether. But I know that giving up won’t bring me any closer to what I want to create. It’s something I didn’t appreciate or understand for over 20 years.
So, what keeps me going? It’s the knowledge that growth and progress often lie on the other side of discomfort. It’s about knowing that for every challenge faced, there is an opportunity to learn, adapt and improve. I need to keep pushing forward, even when it feels like I’m not making progress. So, this is a reminder to myself: “don’t give up”.