Under the covers, eyes closed; this is my studio. Maybe it’s a product of my ADHD or self-diagnosed insomnia, but whenever I snuggle under my comforter, my mind can’t help but create my newest musical masterpiece. Maybe I’m reaching a bit here, but the darkness and silence of a cold winter night seems like an invitation to fill the emptiness with “sick beats” or chilly synth melodies. The middle of the night can also be a great time to think up new lyrics. Lying in bed wrestling with the anxieties and questions of my life is not only a great way to be really dramatic about myself, it also acts as the perfect muse! Putting my current mood into words really puts things into perspective, and occasionally my melodramatic bullshit turns into something special.
I always keep a pen and notebook next to my bed for the occasional spark of inspiration while symphonizing away in my head. Most of it is nonsensical trash thought to sound good while half asleep at two in the morning, but now and again I find myself creating a masterpiece or two in the wee hours of the night.
Charles Gare
I don’t know what other people do when they’re bored in class, but that’s when I write some of my best music. When my teacher really isn’t doing such a great job at captivating me, my mind wanders. There’s a notebook in front of me, the setting is quiet, and there’s no one to interrupt me: perfect. The rhymes start coming, words flow together, and suddenly there’s a new verse or two. Rarely does a whole song get written in one sitting, but the groundwork is there. A couple of classes later, covered in scribbles, rewrites and changes, I have the finished lyrics sitting comfortably between pages of notes and a melody worked out in my head. Once I sit down with the guitar, it’s kind of free reign depending on how close I want to stick to my original idea. I play around with the capo and the chords. A short while later, it is finished. Though my method may not be orthodox, it gets the job done.
Becky Burlak