# Haven't Been able to write anything for half a year now!



## Igneous01

As the title states, Im stuck. I haven't been able to write anything for the past 6 months. I was lucky before with atleast small fragments of themes, but now I cannot even write a simple waltz or melody. Everything about composing music has become so dull. 

All I see when I write are the details from theory - chord relationships, modulations, counterpoint, etc. I feel as the more I examine and study works, I lose sight of the bigger picture. Its as if I am trying to write an equation by combining bits and pieces of other equations. 

This is probably a perception problem, but I dont know how to unsee what I have seen. I have no problem writing the fine details of music, but I cant for the life of me join gimmicky segments into a whole piece with a purpose. Its all become so heartless now. I feel as if there is nothing to express or say, which sucks. I dont want to quit composing, but I cannot seem to get enjoyment out of it. As much as I want to blame it on theory for showing me this, that would be foolish as other people have benefited from it.

Is there something I can do to see the light again?


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## Entropically

Hi Igneous01,

As far as I can tell, theory is a map for the musical world. Maybe you should focus on hitting land and exploring on a more direct level. I think this is what Mozart meant when he said he was most creative after a great night out, not thinking about the technical details of music, or how Beethoven admired nature on walks through the forest to find inspiration. Maybe try making up little melodic pieces as you do other things and see other people.

I don't think we need to write really revolutionary stuff, just more stuff from the perceptive heart!
Best of luck


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Good advice


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## PetrB

First I offer my sincere commiseration: clearly, you are in that stage where many a student, immersed in theory, becomes so habitually 'on the case,' and wants to be sure their grammar is correct and to dot all the I's and cross all T's, that spontaneity gets seemingly entirely buried.

I'd suggest keeping it more than simple, and make a goal of a very short something, almost like an academic exercise. "Going simple" can temporarily relieve you of those present 'issues' of working this or that theoretical principle, and -- it is to be hoped -- engage you more fully on the 'fun' and / or more spontaneous plane.

Even if not generally of an 'academic frame of mind,' in the middle of theory training, one becomes heavily inclined to 'be academic.' The only way out, temporarily or to find that 'other place' again, is to plunge in, once again get to that more 'naive' place where you really don't -- like Rhett Butler in _Gone with the wind_ -- 'give a damn' 

You might find, if you get back to that, a different aspect of theory -- most useful to think theoretically only when you are stuck, or want to check the piece after the fact of its being almost completely done. That, to me anyway, has been the only real purpose of doing the entire academic study of it, and the only real worthwhile use of 'theory.' What else, I ask rhetorically, is it for / what else is it any good for?

One can become very enamored of the tool only if it helps you get the result you want. On its own, the tool is not anything to 'fall in love with'; it is just a tool 

Best of luck with it.


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