Let�s recap my top ten tips for getting started.

1. Relax - It is a well researched phenomenon that creative ideas come more easily
when you are relaxed. Ever wonder why Newton was lying under an apple tree when he
conceived of the theory of gravity? Archimedes was where? That�s right, in the
bath. These stories may be apocryphal but there is an element of truth beneath
them.

2. Voice Recorders - Ideas can come anywhere at anytime so when you are in
�creative mode�, never leave home without a Dictaphone or voice recorder. Make sure
the voice memo app is easy to find on your phone. When that little idea comes to
you half way round the shopping mall you don�t want to forget it.

3. Just Do It - No matter how bad and derivative your idea, just get something
down. Literally anything! Once the process is underway, half the battle is won.

4. Random Generators - Using dice to produce random notes or chord sequences can be
a great way to get out of a rut and get writing.

5. Machine Gunning - Come up with as many rubbish ideas as you can in five minutes.
Anything at all no matter how bad. Once again it breaks the ice and often when you
are thinking less you produce more.

6. Theft - Start with somebody else�s idea or an element of somebody else�s idea -
a chord progression, drum break, anything. Something you can spark off and then
make the whole thing your own.

7. Change Instrument - If you are able to play more than one instrument, change to
another. Ideas that don�t flow on the piano can suddenly materialise on the guitar
or flute.

8. Key - Lots of people always write in the same key. Well make an effort and start
somewhere new. Stuck in D? Then start in Ab and see where it takes you.

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THINGS YOU CAN TRY RIGHT NOW

So step by step:
1. Prepare your hot beverage of choice

2. Try to find a quiet space for just you and your favourite instrument.

3. Keep an audio recorder handy and ready to go.

4. Choose which of the Big Three you are going to start with.

Start improvising different chord progressions, short melodies or rhythmic ideas

until something sounds promising.

Record it immediately. If nothing comes, review my top ten tips for getting going.

5. Repeat until fed up.

6. Try switching to another of the Big Three. If you�ve been playing with chords,
try swapping to melody first. Again record everything that you come up with whether
you really like it or not.

7. After an hour, stop and do something else.

Some people would run the recorder throughout, but I find that a bit intimidating
and impossible to find what I need later (I�d still recommend it though!). The
benefit of doing this is I�m less apprehensive about playing around with the
initial idea once I�m recording.

Most people having come up with the seed of an idea would try to play around with
it, a bit like mini development. Of course in practice the spark and development
stages of the process often run into each other. Indeed while the spirit is with
them, they may want to work the idea up into a fully blown piece of music. I get
this. Sometimes when you have just had the idea and you are in the zone, pressing
on at full speed is a great idea. You could come back to it later and have lost
momentum.

If you are writing pop songs, dance or urban music, you only really need a good
idea.
Film writers though will want to know how malleable the idea is, how easily they
can push or pull it into a different shape. Can a heroic idea also sound sad or
funny? If I play half the idea is it still recognisable? What if I speed it up or
slow it down?

Next day - Review your ideas and see which one�s you still like.

So what are you waiting for? Go and have some ideas!

9. Friends - Try writing in pairs. Lots of people really enjoy this. Bouncing ideas
off each other can be enormously rewarding.

10. Early Risers - If you have drawn a blank, don�t stress, put it to one side and
start again the next morning. I find I have my best ideas in the first few hours of
the day, when my brain has dumped everything from the previous day.