Writing music is for anyone. In fact, writing music is healing. And technology makes writing music easier than ever. Software, combined with digital instruments make expressing your ideas possible today over a multitude of computing devices, like laptop and tablet computers.
So who should write music? Simply put, you should write music if you have the inner desire to write music. Even if you only write one song, or half of a song, I say, go for it. Maybe you’ll end up writing ten songs, or even several albums. I do not however recommend writing music with the idea that you are doing it to make a living. There is a big trend, and a lot of hype as of the writing of this article that writing music is something that equates to making a living, or that making a living writing music is even possible. Don’t do it for that. Don’t fall for that. This kind of writing is inauthentic and skewed, and on top of that it is rarely achieved. Nor will it offer you a healthy lifestyle. I am telling you this from my own experience.
The process of writing music is where your focus should be placed. If you want to write music, do it because you want it — because you are called to it. If you have followed your creative drive in other sectors of your life then you may already be familiar with the reward that comes with respecting the Universe’s desires within you. And they are plentiful. There is no greater joy than being free of the thinking mind, and the emotional field, focused in a deep state of flow, and channeling something new into existence directly from The Source. This kind of energetic exchange may provide you with self-healing, and if you choose to share your work with someone else, it may also provide them with healing too.
If you have the desire to write music, I want you to start immediately. I started, and I still write, and it has all been worth it. I have gone through many ups and downs as an artist, mostly because I had been trying to make a living from writing music. But, when I write without ideology, and without preconception, I heal. I do share my music, but not all of it. Some of it I listen to myself. Other songs I share only with close family. A few records get published and shared with whoever they reach in the world. I am not telling you to avoid making a career out of your music. But I am suggesting that you should treat writing music as you do cooking breakfast. They are both normal phenomenon that should be experienced and respected, in the moment, and in a state of flow. Yes, I am suggesting you enter a state of flow while you cook breakfast too. If you can already do it, great, let this be a reminder for you. If not, maybe start with writing music. Eventually, you will realize that what really matters is your state of consciousness, rather than the specific activity you are performing. This way you can be creative in your studio, and in your kitchen too.
Writing music does not require you to perform live, especially in the electronic music genres. Writing music in itself is a creative act that can be simply done, recorded, and enjoyed further. Not to mention DJ sets these days are really just a series of songs being played back through very large (and harmfully loud) speaker systems. Speaking of recordings, let’s touch briefly on the listener experience and how it has changed. Over the years I, and surely many others, have lost touch with simple enjoyment, exclusive of industry extravagance. The wonder and innocence of the electronic music genres have become bullied into an ever-growing market of brighter lights and bigger stages. Dance music can no longer be thought of without association to drugs, alcohol, rave apparel and fist pumping. Social media is commoditizing it even further. However, in reality, this music is just another form of expression that can and should be enjoyed independently and individually, quietly and without the need for decoration. While the music industry continues to degrade itself further through modern commercialization, I suggest that now you return to enjoying music simply, to nurture your body, mind, and soul.
To summarize: the only real prerequisite to writing music is the simple desire to write it. Writing music is akin to exercising, cooking breakfast, or going for a walk. It is natural. If you have the desire to do it, you should be able to do it. Writing music can be as simple as taking your phone and recording a rhythm you tap out on your desk with your hands. Or, maybe you have an analog synthesizer and you can record a sixteen-bar melody through your computer. The desire to write, to express yourself, exists because there is innate need to experience the process. This results in your personal evolution.