Inspiration can happen anyplace at anytime.  You could be driving down the road in your car, taking a shower, reading a book, or watching a beautiful sunset.  Someone might say something to you that stirs you to write a song.  Musical ideas even present themselves in dreams, begging to be captured upon awakening. Other times, inspiration strikes when you are practicing your instrument and a new riff or chord progression is discovered.  Whether you are at home with your musical equipment, or far away without a guitar or recording studio to be found, it is important to find a way to save your ideas so that you will not forget them later.

I am fascinated by the process of creativity.  As a songwriter and guitarist, I am acutely aware of how much I rely on different methods to retain ideas so that I can turn them into songs.  Sometimes a creative spark will be so powerful that I can't forget it.  Most times, though, if I don't document the idea in some manner, I will not remember it later.

Which comes first?  The music or the lyrics?

There is no rigid pattern I follow for creating music.  Creativity and inspiration, by nature, demand a freedom to express themselves in countless ways through the artist as a conduit.  Sometimes the ideas flow without premeditation, while other times the musician makes a conscious effort to create.  My songs may evolve in an overt musical manner, where an actual sound, chord, or riff triggers the initial inspiration for the expression.  In other instances, a non-musical entity such as a word, phrase, or personal experience is the motivating factor for the eventual song.  I am influenced very much by visual experiences, tastes, smells, and other sensory things.  All of these factors can influence the music and the lyrics.  Inspiration is limitless and can be found in everything in the physical world and the imagination.  Some of my compositions originate with the music, others with the lyrics.  In either case, I need ways to file away my inspirations until I can turn them into songs.
 

Here are some methods I recommend for saving ideas:

Notebooks-  It's hard to beat  good ol' primitive notebooks for documenting your thoughts.  They are cheap, portable, and found everywhere.  Buy one and reserve it for song ideas.  You can simply jot in key words or phrases that could be used in the title or main body of a composition at a later date.  I usually write complete song lyrics with their chord progressions in a notebook before transferring them to a word processor.  Another good idea is to designate a notebook for a personal journal.  Keeping an account of your daily thoughts and activities can provide fertile inspiration for songs. You could keep a journal by your bedside in order to track any creative thoughts presented in your dreams. Take a notebook with you when you leave home so that you have a place to write unexpected ideas that will inevitably pop up from time to time.  If this is not convenient, then purchase a small notepad to keep in your car or briefcase.

Audio Recorders-  What better way is there to get ideas down than to tape them and have an audio source to refer back to?  Whether it is a small dictation machine or a larger cassette recorder, taping your inspirations is very effective, especially if you don't know how to transcribe or read music.  We are living in the digital age now, so many affordable digital devices are on the market that can be used for archiving purposes.  I have a small Sony digital recorder (see below) that is very easy to use for dictation.  You can also use a portable DAT or MiniDisc unit to achieve similar results.  Keep in mind that I'm not necessarily speaking of a multitrack studio recorder, though that is the ultimate way to produce your songs.  Rather, I'm thinking of small handheld devices that are easily transported anywhere.  Many writers carry a machine with them that can be operated by one hand in case inspiration occurs while they are driving.  The goals should be convenience and easy accessibility.

Computer Archiving-  A computer with a good word processing program is a tremendous way to archive material.  I like to keep a computer database of my compositions, thereby allowing safe storage and instant printing capabilities.  I create lyric documents, as well as records of key phrases and words that I would like to use in a song.  Laptop models are fairly portable and convenient, while desktop models are good for working at home.  Handheld computing devices, such as the Palm and Pocket PC formats, allow for connectivity with your main computer.  I use a Handspring Visor to chart ideas when I'm away from home, then I sync the information up to my main computer system when I return.

Another method I've figured out involves WAV files on computers.  Most laptop systems have built-in microphones, and desktop systems can accommodate external mics.  I often use the computer's WAV recorder to capture and organize ideas.

Palmtop Studios-  I think this area is the wave of the future.  I've always wanted someone to build a high-quality digital studio that could fit in the palm of your hand; not necessarily to replace home and professional studios, but instead to offer a solution for musicians wanting an extremely portable way to record ideas in places such as a hotel room or even a live performance.  There have been some small digital composing sequencers on the market in recent years, but I have not been aware of any other devices like the new Zoom PS-02 portable palmtop multitrack recording machine.  It has a built-in microphone, drum machine, and guitar effects.  Data is stored on external media cards for maximum flexibility.  I sure would love to see someone produce a palm-size four-track MiniDisc recorder.  I would buy one immediately!
 
 

Great songs have been written on restaurant napkins.  It's not how fancy or expensive the method of archiving is, but rather how convenient, simple, and accessible it is.  However you decide to capture ideas, make sure that it works easily and effective for you.

NOTE:  For further information about managing and unlocking the process of creativity, check out a great book called The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron.

Jason