It can be difficult to create interesting musical tracks if you aren’t feeling it. Use this guide to get in touch with your muse and find some inspiration.
Creating music can be a lot of fun, but it takes work to get good. For some people, having a range of genres to draw from can be helpful for production. Inspiration doesn’t come from nowhere, after all. Here are four musical styles you can use for inspiration to create your next track.
Jazz
Jazz became popular in the 1920s, becoming a recognizable form of music over the next few decades. The genre, which evolves from ragtime blues, uses a forward momentum known as swing to push the voicing patterns through a call-and-response process.
Jazz is an excellent source of inspiration for your music. However, its refined form makes it a bit more challenging to pick up than other genres.
Hip-Hop
Hip-hop music is a much newer form of expression that has its roots in African American culture. Stemming from economically depressed communities in New York City, the genre often discusses issues such as drug addiction, crime, and poverty.
If you like hard beats and heavy themes, you can probably draw some inspiration from hip-hop. Knowing a few tips for recording hip-hop vocals in the studio can ensure you get the best sound.
Folk
Folk music is an amalgamation of styles from various cultural and ethnic groups. European settlers, Native Americans, and enslaved Africans had many different musical tastes and preferences that mixed to form the genre.
Most types of folk music use simple melodies and storytelling to create a repetitive but catchy style, making them excellent inspiration for your choruses.
Blues
The history of blues gets pretty muddy, often filled with folklore about crossroads and devils. However, blues music is foundational to most modern types of rock and pop, so it’s good to have a solid understanding of its characteristics.
Blues music generally expresses more emotive ideas. Many people associate its tight bends, sharp tones, and syncopated rhythms with melancholy and sadness. This makes it a good fit for more emotional productions.
Find the Musical Style That Speaks to You
With so many different genres to draw from, it can be difficult to know where to start. However, finding something that speaks to you and fits with the tone you’re going for is essential.
Learning a few musical styles you can use for inspiration will allow you to flex your creativity and write something truly unique.
