Internal playback

[Exian]

When I try to recreate an image, it's pretty straight forward. The accuracy of the image seems to depend on what it is I'm thinking about: Is it a familiar thing, like a family member's face? Was there a notable source of light?

But with sound it's more of a feeling. The accuracy seems to depend on the complexity of the sound and familiarity. For instance; writing something like a solo or a melody is pretty straight forward- think of it, then play it on whatever instrument, or hum it out. Done. There's no need for a big sound vocabulary. Just a little imagination. But writing a chord progression is a little more difficult and fun. I usually need to be sitting with the guitar to do it. I'll often get to a point in a progression where I know exactly the sound and feeling of the next chord, but I don't know the name or how to get my hands to do it, yet. I also know that it's probably a chord I already know. I'm overcome with the feeling you get when a word is at the tip of your tongue; you know you know the word, you just have to find it. Sometimes I'll find a chord that half-way satisfies what's in my head, and I'm on the right track, but not quite there. But it's all based on a feeling. Like a feeling of release or tension, I guess would be the simplest way to explain the feeling.