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Behind Kaytranada’s Unique Sound

February 18, 2023

Kaytranada (Louis Celestin) is a Haitian-Canadian record producer and DJ. He is a highly acclaimed electronic artist, having earned two Grammys and countless other awards for his work. Kaytranada has

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The Creative Act: Rick Rubin’s Knowledge Turned Into A Book

February 17, 2023

What happens when a famous music producer takes an interest in self-help books? The Creative Act is your answer. But who is Rick Rubin? Without a doubt, Rubin has an impressive track record in the

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Behind the Music: The Audio Engineer

February 14, 2023

The music industry is a place full of musicians, producers, and creators who have the magical ability to make those perfect sounds we hear everyday through our digital devices. We want to listen close

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Koji Kondo: Nintendo’s Melody Maestro

February 14, 2023

What do popular video games franchises Super Mario, Legend of Zelda, and Star Fox all have in common? They were all produced and published by Nintendo, and the iconic music themes that you hear in...

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Taylor Swift on Industry Sexism and Music Rights

February 8, 2023

Being a successful woman in the music industry is no easy feat. Not only do they deal with the typical trials and tribulations of being a musician, but there are also gender-specific challenges.

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What’s the Ideal Length for a Single— Are Songs Getting Shorter?

February 8, 2023

“Is it just me, or are songs getting shorter these days?” This is a question I have often pondered, especially in the last few years. It appears that in the era of social media, attention spans are

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SG Lewis: Who Is He - and What’s Next For This Rising Star?

February 6, 2023

SG Lewis (Samuel George Lewis) is a rising star in the dance/electronic music realm. He is a DJ/producer turned singer-songwriter, and is known for his disco-inspired, transcendent sound. He routinely

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Lessons to Learn From the Launch Of Sam Smith’s “Unholy”

February 4, 2023

Sam Smith just released their new album “Gloria” on the 27th of January. As described by Pitchfork, “Gloria flips between hyperpop, country, dancehall, disco, 2-step, and intimate, Kehlani-esque R&B”.

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Are Virtual Idols the Future of Music?

February 5, 2023

Virtual reality and the metaverse have become popular topics in the music industry where more and more technology and music have been combined, creating something that could revolutionize the entire

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Grammy Awards Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical: The Category Songwriters Deserve

February 5, 2023

The 65th annual GRAMMY Awards are here, and there's a long-awaited addition to the awards. This year marks the introduction of a new category: the Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical Award. For all

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How Zach Bryan’s Authenticity Makes His Music So Appealing, Even to Non-Country Fans

January 31, 2023

Zach Bryan released his first album in 2019, and in the short time since he has become one of the biggest names in country. His biggest album, “American Heartbreak”, broke single-day album streaming

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Miley Cyrus is Going to Take Over Pop in 2023

January 31, 2023

Miley Cyrus was born into the music industry, and has spent her career channelling her Nashville and Hollywood roots into a diverse discography stacked with hits. Add to that countless covers that are

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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.