I already wrote a post about gapingvoid. I just love the cartoons and I also love the “How to be creative” book that Hugh McLeod wrote made freely available to download here in pdf format. Now he has released a “dead tree” and kindle format book named Ignore Everybody and 39 other keys to creativity. I’d have prefered that he had also a pdf version too since he has always been an internet artist and I don’t like buying non novel books in paper format anymore since I know that they’ll end up using space and collecting dust in a shelf. However, I made an exception this time since I’m a big fan of him.

The book gives us the insight of how the cretive process starts and how the motivation to do it has to come from ourselves and that nobody knows how good an idea is if it’s really new and maybe even people who are close to us will resist it since it might change the balance in our relationships but that should not stop us. I think this can be useful not only for the more classic creative people “musicians, painters, cartoonists, etc.” but for everyone. How to pursue your goals and achieve your targets in life. The book is obviously full of his lovely cartoons drawn at the back of cards. Absolutely recommended.

I studied several years of classical guitar training and although I always managed to read the pieces I needed I was never satisfied with my reading speed. Too slow, especially when there were position changes involved. Therefore have started using this book, which offers lessons for every fretboard position in progressive difficulty level. I’ve jumped directly to the 5th position since the other ones are easier but I have to admit that after doing the whole thing for the second time my guitar reading is definitely improving. My goal is to be able to read comfortably so that I don’t have to stop every note or chord even if very slowly. My target is that in order to learn new songs it’s important to be able to read at a reasonable speed otherwise learning new stuff becomes a very painful process and we get disencouraged.

I was thinking about how to write lyrics, how to be creative and bumped into this post from gapingvoid, which I love. Highly inspirational. BTW, I also happen to love the cartoons.

Just as Noel Gallagher told Guitar in May 1996 “The music side of it is easy – it’s the lyrics I can’t stand writing”. I have to agree to that and generally in my own experience I’ve never felt comfortable doing it. So I recently decided to put an end to that. I had two choices, either I stop writing lyrics completely (ie find someone else to do that for me or stick to instrumental songs) or I learn to do it. I opted for the latter and after a bit of investigation and a visit to a Denmark St music shop I bought books on lyrics writing and a rhyme dictionary. I’ll probably post a review if I think they are worth reading.

I believe that generally music creation consists of breaking a few rules to make yourself sound different and stand out while still sounding somehow familiar. In order to achieve that first you have make an effort and learn the current rules, that’s why I think a good book on lyrics writing can be of help.

If you don’t want to invest on a rhyme dictionary straightaway you can use the many that you’ll find on the internet. Some of them are more useful than others.

Here’s some general advice to lyrics writing:

• Note down interesting rhymes on the songs you usually listen to, that might give you ideas. Particularly if, like me, you’re trying to write lyrics in a language which is not your mother tongue
• Write down anything that comes to your head. It could be a line, a topic to write about, a rhyme, a potential title, anything
• Don’t throw anything away, even if you think it’s rubbish

I’d like to read your comments and tips on the subject

Someone should definitely send a copy of the book to the managers of those record labels who still try (unsuccessfully) to stick to the pre internet era rules.

There is money in music and there always will be. What has happened is that it has moved. An industry based on a CD-selling business model no longer works and a more diversified one where downloads, merchandising and mainly gigs as the main sources of income has arisen.

In my opinion, recorded music nowadays is just a marketing tool not the product to earn money from so trying to follow the old business model is pointless. In adapting ourselves to this new situation the book by Andrew Dubber will be definitely worth the read.