Think about how a song is structured, how it flows and whether all the shifts and sections are really necessary or just plain indulgent. Listen to stuff you like and de-construct it and analyse it, then put it back together within the confinds of what you do know. In other words, learn from what works and when you understand why it works, experiment on your own pieces.

 

Wacky time signatures are all well and good, but if they don't fit with what you are trying to do then there is no point. Phil Collins was a past master of taking some of Mike Rutherford's wierd time-sigs and bringing them back to something realistic - you don't need 13/16 time when 6/8 would do just as well,

Yep, and half the prog musicians too.

depends what style you are playing (this plan worked well for hawkwind)

 

As a drummer (who fakes the other instruments)  I find inspiration for a new piece  in various ways.  Sometimes I write the piece with a specific time signature(s) in mind, such as starting in 5 and playing with a drum feel.  Sometimes I can hear a bass line and I'll mumble it as I play, sometimes I lay down a rythm and play bass after the fact.  If something crawls out that is musical I usually re cut the drums to fit.  A chicken and egg thing.  A few itterations of that and you may have the core idea on it's way.

 

To me good music has tension and resolve (like a good movie), this can be done with chords/voicings and/or with rythms as well (this is where a keen ear and study of music pays off.... analize your favorite music for these often hidden tricks). 

 

Rythmic tension may be an odd meter and resolve may be even, ...you could write a verse in 5 and the chourus in 4 or 6 as an example or a 7 that moves to an 8.  Keep it simple, these changes should have musical meaning within the piece.

 

Seldom do I invision an entire piece/song, often it's a slow evolution and usually (if you record often) you may have that missing piece/hook in another half baked project on your hardrive just waiting to be mined (record everything/record often).  This type of Frankenstein music creation is not uncommon especially in prog where pieces are longer and more complex in general.

 

I also like to take a part and play it to death, stretch it out and let it find itself, you may end up twisting it inside out and finding a better way to play it.  It's good to have a live mic incase you hear a melody in your head you can mumble it.  Allow the music to come out on it's own.  Again, this is where recording everything helps.  You can go back (a few days later with clear ears) and analize what you captured, disect what worked from the crap.

 

And it's probably best to work with someone else along the way (even Pat metheny needs Lyle Mayes).

 

did I bore you to tears yet?

 

 

 

don't do that. thats how really crappy stupid music is made. i suggest becoming a music major and then dropping out and moving back in with your parents.

 

 

I often do this myself, and it works greatly.

 

I like the idea of playing around with your drums (you don't necessarily have to get high, mkay) and if anything interesting pops up, like a cool beat or something, just take note of it and see if you can use it in your band.

 

I disagree with those who say you should listen to prog all the time. Don't restrict your inspiration to one type of music. Take in as much inspiration as you can from as many genres as possible. Even commercial music may have many fascinating and inspiring facets to it.

 

I hope this makes sense.