When starting out from a blank slate, there’s an infinity of avenues for you to explore.
Whether you pick up an instrument, lay down some drum loops, or turn your mic on and record scratch vocals, you’re bound to create and reiterate on your process. Sometimes, just laying down inspiration and coming back to it allows you to take on the project with fresh ears, allowing you to reimagine what you’ve created.
On my song “Consequence,” the guitars that are part of the main loop were initially recorded as a separate song that I had fallen out of love with. The original recording was a folky, semi-acoustic guitar loop that I had written a few weeks prior. When reopening the project, I took the guitar loop and pitched and chopped it until it was no longer reminiscent of its former self; I’d created something completely new from the previous recording, running it through different gear and re-recording it in various states. From there, I wrote a drum line and added a smooth 808 that naturally complemented the choppiness of the guitars.
Allowing yourself to use previous recordings as a pseudo crate-digging exercise can give you a massive amount of inspiration, especially when the goal is to completely reimagine something you’ve created previously. On that note, let’s dive into this week’s Songwriting Club prompt: create a track that remixes or reimagines a recording you’ve either made yourself or found elsewhere.
Although it’s not a requirement, if you used a sound you found on Splice Sounds, let us know! If you want to use Splice Sounds in your song but don’t have an account, get your first month free with the code songwriting.
If you’re feeling proud of your tune or you’re looking for some feedback, upload it to the Splice community, SoundCloud, YouTube, Bandcamp, etc., and toss the link in the comments below. Before you share, just make sure you’re following these guidelines:
- Make sure your track aligns with the prompt – it should be something that you’ve specifically written in response to this blog post.
- No promotional posts – no links to contests, social media pages, etc.
- Comment on at least one other person’s song before you go – even if it seems small to you, your praise or critique can make a transformative impact on someone else’s craft.
- Give a quick summary of your goals for your song – asking for feedback on specific aspects (ex. the lyrics, chord progression, etc.) is also recommended!
Check back in for your next prompt on August 21st. We’re looking forward to hearing what you create!
August 10, 2020
