How Songwriters Can Avoid Or Correct Burnout Drought!: Songwriter Advisor

You've probably fallen into one of the biggest songwriters' enemies on the planet---BURNOUT DROUGHT! Please Bookmark This Site

Songwriter on vacation When songwriters reach this dry, thirsty, stale point in their careers they sometimes panic. The truth is, almost all songwriters infected with the dreaded "burnout drought" can easily break the spell by taking the big break or vacation they deserve.

However, a get away is only half the battle, because most songwriters take their work with them while they're at home taking a break or even on vacation. THIS IS A HUGE MISTAKE!

Songwriting mom playing with daughter This should be the time to let go of everything music-related and concentrate solely on quality time with friends and/or family. I know-it's easier said than done. Many of us songwriters have songs dancing around in our heads 24/7. But I'm here to tell you that you must train your brain to resist all the stored data!

For you hard-headed songwriters who know exactly what I'm talking about, empty your CABEZA right now or you may find yourself regressing even further.

All of us, and I mean all of us, need a break or vacation eventually for optimum performance because our brains and central nervous systems eventually become fatigued. People, quit fighting nature with your closed fists! Accept the fact that you need rest. Remember this throughout your songwriting career.

Here's a solid step-by-step plan to help you get on the right leisurely path to songwriting freshness:

1. Put all your songwriting projects away whether they're on computer or on paper, and let your collaborators and/or your music publishing company know you will be taking a break for a while. One week is usually enough and people have to know you're gone so you can totally disconnect. If you don't announce your departure you'll more than likely receive a call late one afternoon while you're having a great moment with your loved ones, and the caller will ask something like, "Dude, are you serious, I didn't know you were gone!," effectively ruining your day and bringing you back to square one.

2. Plan either an actual vacation or make a list of people, places, and things you'd like to see. The point here is to start getting excited thinking about what you will do for the next few days, and this will naturally begin the process of forgetting about your songwriting work.

3. Don't take your brand new Taylor guitar with you to impress your family by the bar in Jamaica. There will be no fingerpicking or chord strums for you, Mister, Miss, or Madam! And while we're at it, you talented keyboard players need to use your hands for something else, like when you're shouting "Throw yo' hands up in the air, and party like you just don't care! Disconnect yourself from all of your musical instruments.

4. Now while you're on vacation or just relaxing at or close to home, if you listen to music, try to listen to an unfamiliar genre so you don't have to sit down and try to analyze the songwriting. This would probably be a good time to listen to Latin salsa music-it works wonders for the soul! And the rhythms are so complex it'll take you far more than 7 days to figure them out, so don't even try!

Just sit back, relax, and enjoy. Now would probably be a good time to drink a stiff one with an umbrella if you're legal, but do it responsibly. Don't spill it! Real songwriters don't spill.

5. Get into the mind set of treasuring every moment your spending with your loved ones. Notice the beautiful or not-so-beautiful scenery, smell the clean or polluted air, and really get in touch with your six senses. Ready? Breathe in, breathe out. At this point you shouldn't even have one of your words or musical notes in your head.

6. Last but not least, DO NOT TALK TO ANYONE ABOUT SONGWRITING! NOT EVEN YOURSELF.

Here's to your relaxation...........................................................