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Max Martin: Why a Pop-Hit Songwriter and Producer Created a Musical

March 31, 2023

Even if you don’t know who Max Martin is, you’ve definitely heard his songs. Hit-pop songs are kind of his thing after all. Martin first stepped into the music world in 1985 as a frontman for....

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MANILA GREY: Vancouver's Rising R&B Duo

March 18, 2023

The Filipino-Canadian duo from Vancouver has been releasing new tracks left and right, and they are known for their most streamed songs on Spotify, “Timezones,” and “Silver Skies.” Previously .......

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How did Miley Cyrus’ Heartbreak Song “Flowers” Break the Spotify Record?

March 17, 2023

The singer, songwriter, and actress Miley Cyrus has recently released a record-breaking song called “Flowers” in January 2023. This song recites her 10-year long relationship with her ex-husband....

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Men I Trust: Canada’s DIY Indie Band That Could Be Your New Favourite

March 4, 2023

Men I Trust is a Canadian indie pop band known for their dreamy and mellow sound. Their music is laid back, incorporating elements of funk, disco, and R&B to create a smooth and groovy vibe that is

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Basics For Building an At-Home Recording Studio

March 3, 2023

Artists like Kaytranada have proved that you don’t need access to a professional recording studio to create well-produced music. As technology and social media have advanced, it is now easier than eve

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Facing the Music: Legal Challenges With AI and Copyright Laws

February 25, 2023

People draw inspiration from others when forming their ideas, it’s a fact of life. Sampling in music is no exception - and artists do it for a variety of reasons. Traditionally, copyright laws and

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Tobias Jesso Jr.: GRAMMY-Winning Canadian Sells His Song Rights

February 23, 2023

Tobias Jesso Jr. You may know his name from his 2015 solo album Goon. Or maybe from his work on various popular songs, such as “When We Were Young” by Adele and “Alive” by Sia. Or even from his rece

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How Popular TV Shows and Movies Resurrect Classic Songs

February 23, 2023

HBO’s The Last of Us is arguably the hottest show out right now, receiving near universal acclaim from viewers and critics alike. This holds especially true for episode three: “Long, Long Time”.

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Ginalina: Bringing Her Taiwan Roots Into Her Latest Album

February 21, 2023

Folk singer. Songwriter. Canadian. Polyglot. All of these titles belong to Gina Lam, also known by her stage name Ginalina. In November 2022, she released her latest album titled Going Back: Remembe

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Rihanna’s Super Bowl Performance

February 21, 2023

Rihanna is an illustrious artist. She is among the best selling female artists of all time, and was one of the greatest hitmakers of the 2000s and 2010s. She has since grown to become the richest...

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How do Streaming Platforms Pay Artists - Is It Fair?

February 20, 2023

Streaming is now the driving force of the music industry, making up 84% of the industry revenue in the U.S. While streaming is much more convenient for listeners, many artists argue that it is near im

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Why Jay-Z Was Named The #1 Rapper Of All Time

February 23, 2023

Who is the greatest rapper of all time? Is it even possible to crown just one person? Well, Billboard and Vibe did exactly that. And, according to them, that person is Jay-Z. In honor of Hip-Hop’s

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Writer's Block is Real, Even for J.Cole: Here are 8 Tips to Overcome

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NME

Rapper J. Cole has recently announced that he had been struggling with writer's block, but found a way to break free from it by using a type beat from Youtube music producer BVTMAN's YouTube channel.  As a result, the song ‘Procrastination’ was made and released exclusively on BVTMAN’s Youtube channel.

A type beat is an instrumental track that has a specific sound or style associated with a particular artist.  Usually the type beats are tagged with a famous artists name ie. Drake Type Beat, Kendrick Lamar Type Beat, or J.Cole Type Beat etc.  

Producers often make type beats, because it allows listeners to imagine what it would sound like if the artist they are referencing rapped or sang on that track.  It is very rare that the actual artist they are referencing would search for their own type beat and use it.  But this is exactly what happened when J.Cole was searching for inspiration and out of curiosity typed ‘J.Cole Type Beats’ on Youtube.  The first beat that came up was BVTMAN’s, and J.Cole focussed in and wrote a song.

Linchpinmusic

J.Cole was so thankful for this, he allowed BVTMAN to post the completed song entitled ‘Procrastination’ on his Youtube channel, and wrote a  heartfelt message on his Instagram:

"This song should live on your channel and serve as a thank you to you and every producer out there cooking up and sharing their work with the world," the message from Cole reads. "It’s a million artists out there right now just like me, hungry and searching every day for something to spark a word, a melody, a hook, a verse, a punchline, a way to vent, or a way to cut through...On a day when I couldn’t find much motivation, I was looking for anything to inspire me. Out of curiosity, I typed in J. Cole type beat into YouTube. Yours was the first I saw. I pressed play, focused, and wrote this."

Link: J. Cole type beat

8 Tips to Help Overcome Writer's Block

Writing Music can be a challenging task, and writer's block can make it even more difficult. Writer's block is a common experience for many writers, and it can be caused by a variety of factors such as lack of inspiration, fear of failure, or even physical and emotional exhaustion. However, there are several strategies that you can use to overcome writer's block and get back to writing.

  1. Take a break: Sometimes, the best way to overcome writer's block is to simply step away from your writing for a little while. Go for a walk, read a book, or do something else that you enjoy. This can help to refresh your mind and recharge your batteries, making it easier to return to your writing with renewed energy and inspiration.
  2. Change your environment: Sometimes, a change of scenery can help to break the monotony and stimulate your creativity. Try working in a different room or location, or even a coffee shop or library. The change of environment can help to stimulate your senses and get your creative juices flowing.
  3. Free-write: Free-writing is a technique where you write whatever comes to mind, without worrying about grammar, spelling, or structure. This can help to get your thoughts flowing and release any pent-up ideas or emotions that may be contributing to your writer's block.
  4. Try brainstorming: Sometimes, writer's block is caused by a lack of ideas. Try brainstorming as a way to generate new ideas for your writing. Write down any thoughts, ideas, or phrases that come to mind, no matter how seemingly insignificant. This can help to spark new ideas and jump-start your writing.
  5. Read: reading can help to expand your vocabulary and expose you to different writing styles. It can also help to stimulate your imagination and give you new ideas for your own writing.
  6. Get feedback: Sometimes, writer's block is caused by a lack of confidence in your writing. Getting feedback from others can help to boost your confidence and give you a fresh perspective on your work.
  7. Set yourself a goal: Having a goal to reach or a deadline to meet can help to motivate you and keep you on track. Set yourself a goal or a deadline to meet, and make a plan to achieve it.
  8. Reward yourself: Finally, remember to reward yourself for your progress. Give yourself a treat or a reward for meeting your goals or for making progress on your writing. This can help to keep you motivated and make the process of overcoming writer's block more enjoyable.