Lucid song-writing experiment

**gameover** · 11-27-2005 07:32 AM

There has been much discussion about writing songs or composing music in a lucid dream. The question is not weather its possible. I think we can all agree that in a lucid dream, writing a song is possible like flying to the moon is possible. The better question, i think, is if it's a good way to write music or if our bodies are just so doped up on melatonin(and whatever else is goign through your body at night) that we think its a good song. Now, I know there is no way to measure how good a song is. That will have to based on personal perspective of the one writing the song. And if a recording can be made, it'd be a plus if everyone could listen.

I believe, from personal experience, that lucid dreaming is, an ideal way to write music. I was wondering if any other song-writer/lucid dreamers would use thier next lucid dream to compose something, and first thing when you wake up, write it down, and if possible, record it.

I have a way to record it on my computer, so that is what I will do. It is the first thing I will do next LD. I do work all week, so I might not get a chance to do it for a week.

**Barbizzle** · 11-27-2005 04:11 PM

I promise next time I am in a Lucid Dream I will try to compose something. i cannot wait

**justme** · 11-28-2005 02:29 AM

? i think u whould have just as much luck doing it in real life it seems its the non lucid dreams where u hear songs seems more weird or something lol

**gameover** · 11-28-2005 06:00 AM

I think Im most creative while dreaming. I can't just sit down any-time Im awake and write a good piece. but my hypothesis is that in a lucid dream...I can. Because in my dream Im not limited by anything. Thought becomes reality. And I dont see why non-lucid dreams would be any less wierd than lucid ones. My dreams are pretty strange...lucid and non-lucid alike.
And maybe you're right, and it's completely useless. Thats the purpose of this experiment.

**Oneiro** · 01-09-2008 07:34 PM

Originally Posted by gameover

..maybe you're right, and it's completely useless. Thats the purpose of this experiment.

Don't give up on it gameover. You just have to incubate the idea, and sooner or later it will manifest in an LD..

..but maybe your approach could be different:

You want to write a song in an LD, right? And you imagine that to be you sitting down somewhere in an LD with the instrument of your choice, composing.. right?

Well.. let me tell you a quick story..

I'm a guitarist who used to be in the music business, playing in bands and recording and writing. The Holy Grail for me was to write a hit single that would make me some money. I had been learning to LD for some years when I had the following LD:

I find myself in a desertscape, in a crowd of mannish blond women interspersed with two or three tall ancient egyptian living statues (for want of a better description). Something tells me to look at my hands, and my lucidity suddenly kicks in. The crowd is slowly moving in the same direction, and I decide to go with the flow and follow the crowd. I'm keeping my head well down because I feel very conspicuous, being the only male in the whole crowd. I realise that I have approached a stage, on which is placed a band of four of the mannish women, complete with instruments. Music starts to play, and it is the most strikingly-catchy pop song that I have ever heard.. pure gold. I listen for about 3 minutes or so, and something makes me say out loud "What is this?", and a disembodied voice replies: "This is your new hit single.." The import of what the voice has said hits me in the gut, and I wake up bolt upright in bed.

Now.. I'd love to say that I wrote down the song, recorded it, and had a big hit with it, but that just didn't happen. As often happens in my LDs, I could not remember one note of the song! But don't be dissuaded.. it is possible to remember such things with practice..

So.. maybe you should go looking for a "dream band" in LDing??

**justme** · 11-29-2005 12:43 AM

Originally posted by gameover
I think Im most creative while dreaming. I can't just sit down any-time Im awake and write a good piece. but my hypothesis is that in a lucid dream...I can. Because in my dream Im not limited by anything. Thought becomes reality. And I dont see why non-lucid dreams would be any less wierd than lucid ones. My dreams are pretty strange...lucid and non-lucid alike.
And maybe you're right, and it's completely useless. Thats the purpose of this experiment.

i dont think its completely useless just the basic of it is that a lucid dream is anything u imagane and u have to imagine music in the first place right? but sicine u can relax more in a dream maybe its more of like how open is ur mind in a lucid dream which then u can do lots more than music, and i think hearing an unknown song in a non lucid dream is kindof cool cause hell u dont even know ur composeing

**gameover** · 11-29-2005 01:10 AM

When Im in a dream, lucid or not, I am not in the same state of mind as awake. not even close. And besides that, when Im awake, it's much more difficult to take the music out of my head. But if I can actually HEAR the music. its so easy. Well, enough said. I should have results within the week. Assuming the best of success Ill have a recording ready. Even if the song is complete crap. For the sake of science Ill put whatever nonsense I come up with online.

**justme** · 11-30-2005 02:40 AM

Originally posted by gameover
And besides that, when Im awake, it's much more difficult to take the music out of my head. But if I can actually HEAR the music. its so easy.

oh well i usally play music by ear anyways but thats justme (get it? thats my name

) btw i dont know much about composing music so i probaly just missed the whole point of it, i dont really find I'm in a differnt state of mind but agian thats justme

or maybe i am or something i havent had a lucid dream in a while so maybe i forgot, anyways sorry if i offened u i'll put it on my to-do list of when in a lucid dream but I'm probally not gonna have one for a while

**gameover** · 11-30-2005 04:22 AM

I play music entirely by ear. So we are alike.

Well, I had an unsuccesfull attempt last night. I went to sleep a little too late, and I couldnt get back to sleep after waking. Its just hard for me on weekdays since I work at 6 am every morning. When I finally did fall back asleep I had a wierd dream that I visited the "lucidity institute" which was a lucid dreaming museum. It was a cool modern museum all about lucid dreaming.Then I finally realized I was dreaming but it was too late. I needed to go to work, and my alarm went off. Well, Ill get it this week. Weekend probably.

**loo** · 11-30-2005 09:22 PM

Writing music during lucid dreams is the entire reason I'm here. The first time I heard about lucid dreams was from a friend talking about people being able to write music during them. So, I'm extremely new .. about as new as it gets, but very interested in your results.

**Howie** · 12-01-2005 08:53 PM

Originally posted by loo
Writing music during lucid dreams is the entire reason I'm here. The first time I heard about lucid dreams was from a friend talking about people being able to write music during them. So, I'm extremely new .. about as new as it gets, but very interested in your results.

Good luck with that loo!

I have taken up the guitar in the past year. Although I have improved I am not well versed enough to translate from my dream to the instrument.
For example. I have had several dreams now of someone else playing the guitar in front of me. It is remarkable. The last, being jimmy Page, he sat in front of me and ripped out what seemed to be a ten minute long interlude. It was great.
upon awakening I realize...It is ultimately me making this composition not "Jimmy Page". But I can't go over to the guitar and play what I heard.

**gameover** · 12-04-2005 06:16 PM

I was attempting my WBTB that was sure to be a success,last night, and to my surprise I had a DILD before even waking up the first time. Unfortunately I wasn't prepared to do what I wanted to. Actually it didnt even occur to me what i wanted to do. Instead I walked around the dream world and passively made observations about the nature of it. it was very interesting. Then I did wake up and stayed up for 45 minutes and went back to sleep, hyped up, and ready to go lucid and write a song. Everything was perfect. I almost had a WILD as a matter of fact. My hypnagognic imagery was full on and I was getting so close to a dream. my thoughts were focused on my mission the whole time. Well, I didnt succeed at a WILD as I eventually lost focus, but still was set up for what should have definately been a good lucid dream. Unfortunately I was woken up by my brother, who is my roomate, right in the peak REM cycle. He needed my phone. So there goes my best day of the week for pulling it off. It's my fault though, since I didnt try it friday night. I didnt plan for it not working out. Well, Im impatient, so Im not just gonna wait til next weekend. Im gonna go to sleep as early as I can and try to pull it off in the week. Last night was not a total failure. I had a good DILD, which Im not particularly good at, and I now feel more aware of my dreams than I have been since coming back to DV.

**gameover** · 12-10-2005 05:48 PM

Ive been so busy this past week that I havent had a chance to try it, but Im not done with this experiement. I tried last night but for some reason didnt wake to my alarm. I did wake up after 6 and a half hours and decided itd be best not to stay up too late, since I over slept.. I didnt even get out of bed. I just went back to sleep. I had a bizzarre dream that eventually became lucid. It was a good length, but I didnt rememeber what I wanted to do(write a song), til the end. And when I realized it I did manage to get something out, but it wasnt the kind of music I write. It was hip-hop. I was freestyling. But to completely invalidate anything Im about to tell you, I cant remember any of it now. At the time I thought it was really good and I was paying attention to the words as it happened. I was impressed with it, especially because I can't rap, but still, this brings me right back where I started. The whole point is to be able to bring the music back with me. I failed. Im 0 for 3, but this was the closest so far. The reason it didnt work this time, Im pretty sure, was because I didnt stay up for awhile. I usually use that awake time to focus my thoughts on what im going to do. I get my self psyched. Last night, I was out of it. I just woke up, and went back to sleep. Telling myself to have a lucid dream, but not much mental preparation beyond that.

Im so close i can taste it. I will succeed.

**loo** · 12-19-2005 02:03 AM

Well I'm still following your progress. Good luck.

**gameover** · 12-19-2005 02:18 AM

Sorry, Im very busy this holiday season. I will finish the experiment, but its hard with so much on my mind right now.

**gameover** · 12-24-2005 02:39 PM

I finally did it!......well....sorta. I just had one of the most vivid, intense lucid dreams ever and remembered this experiment during it. I had the most perfect circumstances to have a lucid dream. I just caught a flight from portland oregon to chicago. I got about 5 hours sleep on the flight. Then the time from getting off the plane til getting to my moms house and going back to sleep was between 60- and 90 minutes. Perfect! So tired from travelling I fell asleep easily and even had the thought as I was going to sleep that I should have a lucid dream in this situation. Enter dream...

I was at a family party and my cousin was showing me how she types fast and trying to teach me.(I type fast, but in my dream she could type really fast with one hand...strange). Well then a little later I heard a splash and I looked and my cousin had jumped into a pool that I only just discovered was there. She then immediately got out. SO then I thought, "why not"" so I jumped in. Thats when it happened. the most amazing feeling ever. The water around my body was so comforting. I immideately became lucid. I lost all sense of up an down and just swam around happily in the water. Then I got out and started walking around and my lucidity level climbed and climbed to one of the top levels Ive ever experenced. I could just chill out in my dream all day. Then I remembered..."gotta write a song!" and let me tell you, I could not come up with anything I hadnt already written. I gave up within a minute thinking,"Im just not in the mood to write a song, and theres so much to do right now!" Ive had dreams that were different with writing music so Im not giving up. I will continue this experiment. I still think something will come of it. But I did think of someting else that was great while lucid. I called it "lucid mad-libs" I went up to a framed newspaper article, and being so lucid , I could read. Except the words didnt all quite go together. I just kept reading these hilarious sentences that would change every few seconds. They were like "Fred was walking -300- more came back for justice entirely disclosed. Maybe 769 Talk is working under improved theory ratification". Well, I got a huge kick out of it. I must have just sat there reading nonsense for a good 10 minutes, laughing "out loud" in lucid land. Hey that could be the name of song. "Laughing Out Loud in Lucid Land" Ok, Im in a wierd , overly positive mood right now. This was one of those special lucid dreams that makes it all worth while. I think I'll be carrying that "glow" for a little while now.

**gameover** · 01-28-2006 10:22 PM

My computers been broken for about a month now and I finally got the chord I need. I accidentally ordered one from hong kong, so 3 weeks later, Im here. Ive since had one more failed success with this experiment. I again tried writing music in a lucid dream and it was crap. I think I put too much pressure on myself at the time. Hasnt worked at all as I expected. If I have any different results Ill post. Has anyone else even attempted this?

**Howie** · 01-29-2006 12:18 AM

Originally posted by gameover
My computers been broken for about a month now and I finally got the chord I need. I accidentally ordered one from hong kong, so 3 weeks later, Im here. Ive since had one more failed success with this experiment. I again tried writing music in a lucid dream and it was crap. I think I put too much pressure on myself at the time. Hasnt worked at all as I expected. If I have any different results Ill post. Has anyone else even attempted this?

Yes. I have. But because I am not that familiar with the notes yet I could not render them on paper when I awoke.
I now have a mini recorder that I can sing or hum a beat into when I wake up and remember it!
My wife thinks I am a bit weird. But I think she was aware of that before we got married.

**michael connor** · 02-04-2006 07:27 AM

Last night I had one more lucid music dream. This time I decided to follow through and try to capture the music next time. It's always music that is totally original. By that I mean I've never heard it before. But it is always conveyed to me in the guise of some tangible artist. Last night it was REM. In the past it has been Tom Petty . Another time it was George Harrison. It is always music of the flavor of that particular artist yet it is music that is totally new and previously unheard. I have finally gotten a little tape recorder that I am going to go to sleep with at my side. I will program myself to transfer the music of my lucid dream onto tape. I am excited about the possibilities. I am an amatteur musician and I know how to play rhythm guitar and drums. Up to this point I've been totally lazy about this phenomena. Now I'm getting serious. Here's my intention: I'll hum the song into the tape recorder while I am still lucid. Will let you know how the experiment goes.
By the way, last night as I went to sleep I said to myself that I'm gonna have some lucid music tonight - and it happened that easy. Intention seems to be a huge part of it.
M.C.

**Howie** · 03-08-2006 04:38 PM

I woke up early last week with a song in my head. It was just as pronounced as it is when you get a song in your head during the day.
The instant I woke up. It was in my head.
I don't know how to convey how the lyrics actually go but the words themselves I thought were very cool.
At first I did not even realize the spin on words that my subconscious had put on it.
it went:

Let your life come to terms and you can't look back, let life come to terms and deal with that Oh ya... That is all. Short but.

As opposed to -> you have to come to terms with life.

Manifest destiny

**Ardent Lost** · 03-23-2006 12:08 PM

Cool topic! Being a musician myself this is something i can completely relate to and would love to achieve myself one day.

Anyway, i don't have any details on the conception state or anything, but i thought you guys might still be interested in a song by one of my favourite bands - Maudlin of the Well. The song doesn't have a proper title, but it's known as Interlude 4. Here's an excerpt from the booklet of the album it's on (Leaving Your Body Map)...

"I come up with a guitar tuning that touches me in a weird way, and tune the acoustic to it. I leave it by my bedside, and each night just before sleeping, i hit the strings so that it resonates as i fall asleep. Ultimately, the experiment works - Interlude 4 is entirely dreamt"

It's a beautiful song as well! If you're interested in hearing it PM me.

**aenima** · 04-06-2006 08:01 PM

Nirvana songs and lyrics that dont exist turn up a lot in my non lucid dreams. I had one about a week ago with a melodic version of scentless apprentice, but I can never remember music from dreams.

**gameover** · 05-02-2006 02:32 AM

Time to blow the dust off of this experiment and get it going again. I'm now realizing how caught up in things Ive been since I started the experiment. There's been so much on my mind the last several months, but lately I've been writing and recording a lot of music, so this might be the best time to try a lucid song writing session.

**Rainbow Werewolf** · 05-05-2006 09:03 PM

That is one of my goals. However, even if I hear and remember it, I won't be able to compose it in real life.

Also, I can hear nice music while I am falling asleep through HS, so don't always necessarily need to go fully LD.

Originally posted by gameover
There has been much discussion about writing songs or composing music in a lucid dream. The question is not weather its possible. I think we can all agree that in a lucid dream, writing a song is possible like flying to the moon is possible. The better question, i think, is if it's a good way to write music or if our bodies are just so doped up on melatonin(and whatever else is goign through your body at night) that we think its a good song. Now, I know there is no way to measure how good a song is. That will have to based on personal perspective of the one writing the song. And if a recording can be made, it'd be a plus if everyone could listen.

I believe, from personal experience, that lucid dreaming is, an ideal way to write music. I was wondering if any other song-writer/lucid dreamers would use thier next lucid dream to compose something, and first thing when you wake up, write it down, and if possible, record it.

I have a way to record it on my computer, so that is what I will do. It is the first thing I will do next LD. I do work all week, so I might not get a chance to do it for a week.

**marley5** · 08-13-2006 05:29 PM

I have an experience with music in LD. I was looping on NPC. That was exactly. In the next LD I will attempt to play the piano, something hard for example classical Fantasie Imprompt.