50 CREATIVE PROMPTSPrompts & challenges to spark
ideas and get you out of creative ruts.
HOW TO USE THIS
In the Creative Strategies book, I introduced the idea of using musical “prompts” or challenges to start tracks. In that section, I shared 10 prompts.
This PDF contains those 10 prompts, plus 40 extra prompts.
There’s one prompt on each page. I’ve designed it this way because it’s not sup-posed to be read from start to finish, but rather be used as a reference. If you’re stuck, scroll through a few pages or type in a number up to from 3–52 to land on a random page. Once you’ve read the prompt, put it into action. If you don’t like the prompt, scroll through the pages until you find one you like.
All prompts are simple and slightly vague. This is on purpose. It’s up to you to figure out how to follow the prompts.
Following these prompts won’t be a walk in the park, but your brain will be exer-cised, and your production skills will be strengthened!
CREATE A SONG WITHOUT USING ANY MIDI
WRITE THE SONG YOU WISH TO BE PLAYED AT YOUR
FUNERAL, WEDDING, OR OTHER SPECIAL OCCASION
MAKE SOMETHING THAT WOULD WORK WELL AS BACKGROUND
MUSIC AT AN OUTDOOR EVENT (E.G., BARBECUE)
WRITE A SONG THAT DOESN’T CONTAIN A BASSLINE (IT CAN BE DONE - LISTEN TO WHEN DOVES
CRY BY PRINCE)
WRITE A SONG ABOUT A CURRENT EVENT THAT UPSETS
YOU.
WRITE THE SONG YOU WISH YOU HEARD DURING THE HAPPIEST
MOMENT OF YOUR LIFE.
PRODUCE A TRACK USING ONLY ONE SYNTH (EVEN FOR THE
DRUMS) AND NO AUDIO.
MAKE SOMETHING TWICE AS LONG AS USUAL.
MAKE SOMETHING THAT WOULD FIT IN A MODERNIZED VERSION
OF YOUR FAVORITE CLASSIC FILM.
MAKE SOMETHING THAT REFLECTS YOUR COUNTRY’S
VALUES.
USE A SYNTH OR PLUGIN THAT YOU RARELY USE.
USE A SYNTH IN A WAY IT’S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE USED.
MAKE SOMETHING SOUND BAD, THEN MAKE IT SOUND GOOD AGAIN WITHOUT UNDOING
ANYTHING.
MAKE SOMETHING WHEN YOU’RE SLEEP DEPRIVED.
MERGE TWO CHORD PROGRESSIONS FROM YOUR
FAVORITE TWO SONGS TOGETHER, SOMEHOW.
TURN A VOCAL CHOP/SAMPLE INTO A MELODY AND BUILD A
SONG AROUND IT.
LAYER A VOCAL CHOP WITH A SYNTH.
INCORPORATE ONE REAL WORLD SOUND INTO YOUR SONG (AN
ANIMAL NOISE, FOR INSTANCE).
MAKE A DRUMS-FOCUSED SONG WITH LITTLE MELODIC OR
HARMONIC CONTENT.
MAKE A SONG WITHOUT ANY SAMPLES. SYNTHESIZE
EVERYTHING.
CREATE A SONG IN YOUR PREFERRED GENRE BUT 20BPM
SLOWER THAN USUAL.
MAKE THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE OF ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE SONGS. (IF YOUR
FAVORITE SONG IS UPLIFTING AND FAST, MAKE SOMETHING
DARK AND SLOW)
CREATE A FULL ARRANGEMENT USING ONE SYNTH ON ONE MIDI
TRACK (+ BASIC DRUMS). LEVERAGE AUTOMATION TO
MAKE IT INTERESTING.
MAKE A SONG USING ONLY ONE KICK DRUM SAMPLE. SAMPLE +
PROCESS IT TO CREATE DIFFERENT INSTRUMENTS.
RECORD YOURSELF TAPPING A RHYTHM ON YOUR DESK. USE IT AS THE FOUNDATION FOR YOUR
SONG.
BUILD THE ATMOSPHERE AND SURROUNDING ELEMENTS FOR
YOUR TRACK BEFORE THE FOUNDATION.
MERGE TWO GENRES TOGETHER. JAZZ + DUBSTEP FOR EXAMPLE.
START WITH THE BREAKDOWN. BUILD SLOWLY.
MAKE SOMETHING YOU’D BE EMBARRASSED TO SHARE.
MAKE SOMETHING YOU’D BE EXCITED TO SHARE.
MAKE A SONG WITH TWO SECTIONS THAT HAVE
SIGNIFICANT CONTRAST (E.G., SMOOTH MELODIC PHRASE NEXT TO A RHYTHMIC, HEAVY PHRASE).
START WITH THE OUTRO AND WORK YOUR WAY BACKWARDS.
MAKE A SONG IN A GENRE YOU HATE AND TRY TO MAKE IT
BEARABLE.
MAKE SOMETHING THAT’S GLITCHY AND SMOOTH AT THE
SAME TIME.
CREATE SOMETHING WITH A COMPLEX BASSLINE AND SIMPLE
MELODY.
CREATE SOMETHING WITH A SIMPLE BASSLINE AND COMPLEX
MELODY.
MAKE SOMETHING THAT YOU EXPECT PEOPLE TO LISTEN TO A
DECADE FROM NOW.
REMIX ONE OF YOUR OLD SONGS.
MAKE SOMETHING COMPLEX AND TECHNICAL. THINK
CRAFTSMANSHIP. SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON IT.
MAKE SOMETHING SLIGHTLY ABRASIVE.
CREATE SOMETHING THAT YOU THINK ELDERLY PEOPLE WOULD
APPRECIATE.
CREATE A SONG USING SAMPLES YOU DON’T LIKE. PROCESS THEM SO THAT YOU DO END UP LIKING
THEM.USE POLYRHYTHMS.
MAKE SOMETHING WITH A MINIMAL DROP AND COMPLEX
INTRO OR BREAKDOWN.
CREATE A SONG ON PAPER USING YOUR IMAGINATION, THEN RECREATE IT IN YOUR DAW.
MAKE SOMETHING USING ONLY SINE WAVES. FOCUS ON THE
SONGWRITING.
AUTOMATE AT LEAST TWO PARAMETERS ON EVERY TRACK.
MAKE SOMETHING USING 100 TRACKS. FIND WAYS TO FILL THE
TRACK IN WITHOUT IT SOUNDING CLUTTERED.
CREATE SOMETHING ROMANTIC TO SHARE WITH YOUR
SIGNIFICANT OTHER (OR IF YOU DON’T HAVE ONE, YOUR
SIGNIFICANT OTHER TO BE).
MAKE SOMETHING THAT FORCES YOU TO BOB YOUR HEAD.
MAKE SOMETHING IN A DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT (E.G.
COFFEE SHOP)