We are in the middle of the songwriting month and I’d like to share with you something that happened yesterday so you can understand better the phrase”Inspiration comes by working”. My wife Nikoletta was making a video for school purpose and she asked me if I can compose a piece of music for this video So far ,so good?
I didn’t tell you when she wanted me to have the music composed and recorded. Yesterday! Yes.I’m not lying! She had this brilliant idea to compose a piece of music yesterday and wanted to deliver it yesterday! How does that sound? She had to upload this video yesterday evening. For me though it was a very busy day with many things to do.To be honest she told me that round noon but I didn’t do anything hoping that she will forget about it.My wife never forgets! About at 20:30 I had just come back home and suddenly asks me “Is the music piece ready?” I answered with confidence “No” hoping that she will let it go and say to do it some other time.Her reply was very simple: “What are you waiting for then? I told you that I need this piece today!”
As you see , I had no other choice. I had to compose something and fast. So I sat down to my keyboards and before I realize it, I wrote a beautiful melody.Then I opened a new project in Cubase and I started recording my new composition! In less an hour the piece of music was delivered to Nikoletta’s mail. I don’t know if it is a good piece of music but the issue here is that I had a deadline and I made it! If I had the time to think about it, I am sure that I would say “It’s impossible”
I wanted to share this with you because I have talked with many of my students and friends and we always end up with an excuse just Not to do things we want. The most common excuse is “ I don’t have the time to do it” the second most common excuse is “I am not In the mood for writing” or even better “ I have no inspiration”. You can’t just sit back waiting for the inspiration to strike you or to find the time to write or record that song! The more you work , you get more inspired and you get better! There are no obstacles for the things we want to do! A few years ago I watched an interview of a very successful songwriter here in Greece. He was asked how can he write so many songs and all of them are big hits? His answer was simple but very true. “ If you were locked in a room for 24 hours with a guitar and you had a deadline to write a big hit song within 24 hours and there was also a gun pointing to your head, would you do it or not?”
You have to force yourself to create! Don’t say “I can’t” or “ I don’t have the time” . Everything can happen from the moment we decide to do it. Don’t wait for the inspiration to write that “great” song. Don’t wait for the things to get better so you can have more time for you and your music. Make time for your music! You can do it. Success is the summary of your efforts ,not your thoughts!
Go and write some songs! Leave your comments below!