Places You Can Find Inspiration When You Start Writing Your Own Music

Some of the best artists have compelling and fantastical stories behind their songs, but it’s equally important to know the psychological tips and tricks behind the lyrical inspiration. You don’t have to have lived an incredible life to write evocative and moving music. One of the best ways to prime your brain for lyrical genius is to write music in a place that inspires you. Here are four fantastic ideas for places to go when you want to write magnificent musical melodies.

Sentimental Places From Your Past

Everyone has places that will take them back in time. Maybe you’ll step into your old family home and remember the smell of baking cookies and the feeling of being a young child. It’s crucial to find these places of great sentimental value to inspire powerful emotion in your song. It doesn’t have to be a location from your childhood. Try spots that meant a lot to you from high school or college. Maybe you can visit places that meant a lot to a specific relationship, like where you went on your first date.

If you can’t get to those places physically — perhaps your childhood home has new owners or your old dorms have been torn down — find other ways to revisit those memories. Photographs can be a great reminder of the past. If you don’t have photos of the place, talk to friends or family who also spent time in those places and share stories of your memories. These memories might include how the place looked, milestones you met there, or conversations you had there.

Historical Music Sites

Every great artist has someone that has encouraged them. Pick a historical music site that is important to someone you admire and visit. One great example is Detroit, Michigan, which is the birthplace of Motown music. Motown Records was one of the few African-American-owned businesses that started in 1959. Motown music soulfully combined rhythms and blues. It’s a place of incredible musical significance.

If you can’t visit sites in person, research the people who made music there. You can listen to music from Motown music producers to get more of a feel for the place. As you become familiar with the music, incorporate aspects of it into your own music.

Destinations You’ve Always Wanted to See

It’s time for a trip. While the other two suggestions have focused on using the past as inspiration, you can also use the future as inspiration. The best musicians sing of their hopes and dreams for the future. There is no place better to brainstorm these types of songs than by traveling somewhere on your bucket list. Maybe it is a small area in your local town you’ve never visited before. Perhaps it is a country halfway around the world. Wherever it is, travel and let the musical inspiration begin.

Musical Museums

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Motown Museum, and the Patsy Cline Museum are all examples of incredible musical museums you can visit for inspiration. There are hundreds of musical museums all across the world. Try visiting ones that are drastically different from your typical genre as well as museums that honor your favorite musicians. Visit these buildings during slower times, visit all the exhibits, then find a quiet place to work on your own music.

Writing music can intimidate and is often quite challenging. It is tricky to compose powerful chords and string together compelling choruses. But when you are struggling, it is vital not to lose sight of what inspires you. If you try these four suggestions, you can return to your page with new inspiration.