being a musician means practicing and songwriting all the time?

So the last two weeks I’ve been making it a point to practice my set list of new songs at least once a week. This is after not touching the guitar or practicing since last August. This week I’m aiming to practice every other day and hopefully keep it up for the rest of the spring. A lot of people wonder if musicians are always playing the guitar and writing. It’s different for each musician I believe. For me, I’m not a prolific writer and I don’t try to write every day, if at all. Maybe I should, and I’ve tried. But I’ve learned that if I force myself to song-write it’s not as inspired or honest and I usually don’t yield anything I’m excited about. For me, song-writing is a cyclical thing. It’s like a well that fills up with water and when the water gets near the top, I draw from it, or rather, songs spill out of their own accord. Then the well gets kind of empty/low and over the months, it fills up again as life experiences happen. The last song I wrote was “Don’t Know Why” last August. It was inspired by a news item of a young model who had jumped to her death from a NYC skyscraper. You can hear it on the “HAVE YOUR SAY” page. Looks like Siren is winning that particular song shoot-out.

As I’ve been drawn to practicing the songs these past two weeks I can sort of sense that the well is getting close to the ‘full line’ and new songs may be pouring out soon. And when that happens, I just need to write, I want to write. So I do. I say a prayer and write and these songs come out. It’s kind of exciting when it happens and so hopefully I’ll be in song-writing mode soon. I’ve learned to just trust that songs come when it’s time. Sounds wierd huh? No other way to explain it. Divine inspiration and an open, patient heart.

As for album updates, Mr. Producer has prior recording commitments this month and next so we’re trying to block out some recording days later in March. Patience, patience is the key. Oh, and I have a date with a slice of pizza, vinegar and hot sauce sometime next week.