If you’ve ever stared blankly at your instrument, feeling like your musical well has run dry, you’re not alone. Creative blocks happen to every musician at some point. You sit down with the intention of writing your magnum opus, and instead, you get… nothing. Not even a serviceable riff or a melody that sounds like a distant cousin to “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” It’s frustrating, but it’s part of the process.
The good news? Inspiration doesn’t have to come solely from music. Sometimes, stepping away from your instrument and immersing yourself in other forms of art can reignite your creativity. Daniel Siegel Loanso examines how exploring meditation, visual art, and film can help you push through those dreaded creative blocks and return to making music.
The Art of Letting Go
When you’re stuck, it’s easy to overthink everything and overanalyze every note or chord progression until you’ve convinced yourself you’re creatively bankrupt. This is where meditation can save the day. The goal of meditation isn’t to force inspiration but to clear your mind of clutter, the mental noise blocking your flow.
Siegel Loanso suggests starting small — five or ten minutes daily — of sitting silently and focusing on breathing. It’s like hitting the reset button on your brain. Meditation helps you release frustration and self-doubt, which often stand between you and your next musical idea. In that quiet, you might find that a melody or rhythm emerges naturally without you even trying.
If silence feels too daunting, try guided meditations focused on creativity. They can help direct your mind toward openness and new possibilities, and the next time you pick up your instrument, you might notice that creative block starts to melt away.
Finding Harmony in Visuals
If music feels like a dead end, Siegel Loanso advises turning to a different medium, like fine art. There’s something about standing in front of a painting or sculpture that can inspire a shift in mindset. Whether it’s the day-glo Pop Art of Andy Warhol or Pollock’s violent brushstrokes, visual art has a way of making us see the world (and our music) differently.
One trick is to choose a piece of art that speaks to you and try to “translate” it into music. What does that painting sound like? Is it loud and bold, or quiet and reflective? Experiment with using color, shape, and movement as inspiration for rhythm, harmony, and melody. Synesthesia, anyone?
Or take a trip to a museum for a fresh dose of inspiration. Even if you don’t compose anything directly related to the work you see, engaging with something outside your usual creative realm can jostle you out of your funk. Plus, it’s nice to remember that fellow artists experience similar creative struggles in their own mediums — and they still manage to create masterpieces.
The Soundtrack of Your Mind
Movies are effectively emotional rollercoasters on-screen, and their soundtracks are the musical tracks that guide the ride. If you’re feeling stuck musically, watching a film can be an excellent way to reawaken your creative instincts. And not just the actual film scores — though Danny Elfman or Bernard Hermann might spark something. In all its forms, cinema can awaken emotions, memories, and ideas that turn into music.
Choose a film that resonates with you on an emotional level. Pay attention to how the music builds and releases tension if it’s a big, epic movie. If it’s a quiet indie film, notice how the lack of music can be as powerful as its presence. What moods do the visuals evoke? What kind of soundtrack would you create for the film? Sometimes, approaching music as a way to tell a story (even a movie that already exists) opens up new creative avenues.
Movies also offer the advantage of pulling you out of your head. Watching a well-crafted story unfold can get you out of the narrow, often frustrating world of your current musical block. By the time the credits roll, you might feel ready to create something again — whether it’s a new song or an idea to develop further.
The Power of Stepping Away
Creative blocks often come from forcing yourself to create in the same environment with the same tools. It’s like trying to write the same song repeatedly, hoping one day it’ll be different. But the key to staying inspired often lies in stepping outside of music altogether — meditation to soothe the mind, fine art to ignite new ideas, and cinema to spark your emotional connection to storytelling.
Next time you feel stuck, Daniel Siegel Loanso suggests closing your eyes and meditating, sauntering through an art gallery, or losing yourself in a great film. The inspiration you’re looking for might be lurking in the silence, a brushstroke, or the perfect movie scene — and when it hits, you’ll be back in tune with your music before you know it.