**Guest post written by Hovey Otis.

"Now that bars, venues and festivals are opening up, we as musicians are hungry to hit the stage. But, lots of musicians (myself included) had a rocky 2020. Here are a few tips to reignite your creative flow, collaborate, start recording, and get back into the music world!

Create freely:

Quarantine can quickly block a person’s creative process. Whether it’s being away from a songwriting partner or not being able to rehearse with the band. Losing those connections hinders confidence and creates anxiety. But one of the great joys of making music is to let your inhibitions leave the room and express vulnerabilities. It’s going to need practice - but getting that spark out of music is well worth it. Take a deep breath (or two) and have fun!

+7 Tips to Help You Finish Your Tracks

Create often:

Being proactively creative can be stressful - sometimes damn near impossible given the circumstance. But it’s the sheer practice you get from spending time with your instruments or DAW. This allows one to finally start checking those boxes on your musical to-do. So, get cozy with you DAW or whatever floats your musical boat, and start plugging away. This way, if you have a musical lightbulb or idea, you will be able to sketch quickly while the idea is fresh. That fluidity with the creative process is something that takes practice until it’s perfect. And who’s to say it’s ever really perfect...

Peer reviews:

Raise your hand if you’ve been stuck in loop-purgatory. This is the musical equivalent of a head-on collision. Talk about creative fatigue... So don’t be afraid to crack open the ol’ Rolodex of trusted musical peers for critical feedback. Having a fresh and trusted set of ears is like putting new strings on a guitar; it just sounds better and easier to play. But, make sure your musical confidant is listening with intent and proper speakers. Nothing worse than getting a first impression through the built-in iPhone speaker.

+The Benefits of Collaborating with Fellow Artists

Time management:

If you're a casual musician and play for fun, this might not concern you much. If you’re a musician who is looking to build an audience and bring in the bucks, it’s important to be able to wear two different hats. The first hat is the musician hat. This means it’s important to practice, play gigs and stay creative. The second hat is the business hat. That means you need to be proactive. There is so much behind-the-scenes work that gets done in order to properly promote a new artist or band. So next time you’re scheduling band practice, think about adding some time dedicated to researching topics of interest and curiosities.

And don’t be so damn hard on yourself:

Music should be fun! Whether you’re writing lyrics, arranging a song, or even mixing this is an art form and a way to express yourself - not stress yourself!

Thanks for reading and I hope it has helped anyone and everyone!"

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