The Motivation/Creativity/Inspiration/Writers Block Thread™

[Artie_Fufkin]

I disagree with the "bad" music thing. What someone would think of as "uninspired" music could be someone else's cup of tea and someone could be inspired and still make unappealing music.

A lot of the time, I'll be inspired to make something with a certain feel or mood, but I just can't get it like it is in my head. It seems like when I'm intent on making something a certain way, it often escapes me. Other times, I'm just bored and want to play around and I'll stumble on something I like and jam on it.

[Huts]

I usually never have any ideas before I sit down to start. Flicking through samples or making loops is when ideas start coming together. I usually just get an urge to want to make something, anything, and go from there

[Jizz]

yeah I was waiting for someone to point out how music taste is subjective, it is quite an extreme question from me now that I think about it lol

I guess its just not a very realistic thing to do, to wait till you feel inspired

[ehbes]

Ill usually be just listening to music with no intention of producing and then I hear something I want to sample and go from there

[Matadorian]

whn m inspired i tend to lose it aftr muckin around wit the sound dsign but thn smth else pops up n i go fr the direction of watvr sound came out of me depnding on the mood m in.

inspiration comes wth th sound for me.

[Huts]

wut

[Matadorian]

juss sayn i make a sound n go around wit it, even tho i got beats playn in my hed i cnt fully translate m yet

[+3]

Limiting myself to only having a session when I am already inspired, I doubt I'd ever get anything done.

This.

[Tordal]

Ill usually be just listening to music with no intention of producing and then I hear something I want to sample and go from there

this

[JBE]

I've actually been in a bit of a predicament lately when it came to inspiration. The last couple months I've felt no inspiration or motivation to do anything. So then I started trying to force things rather than wait for inspiration and I was feeling there was a huge lack of satisfaction with the outcome.

Personally I go for inspiration but I feel without satisfaction in the result, it really makes it difficult to be inspired again later on. Eventually that lack of satisfaction or gratification in the product starts to hinder the ability to be inspired by other things. Which sort of creates a downward spiral.

[xhayatox]

I've been producing on and off for about 3 years or so.

Over the last few months, I've had absolutely no motivation at all to make music. Mainly because, I've been listening to my latest projects, and I'm incredibly unhappy with the way my music sounds.

After three years, I thought I'd be able to at least finish a track or at least know what genre I'm trying to make. But the material I make is so generic, it's nothing special at all. I really envy those producers who make great music.

I just wish I had their creative ingenuity. This is one of the reasons why I've quit producing in the past. Because I just am not really happy with the way my music sounds. I'm not getting the sound I want. I'm not sure how to even get the sound I want. I don't have any direction when I sit down and work on a track. Everything I make sounds terrible. I wish I was as good as Zedd, for example.. He just makes incredible music..

I have Zedd's album playing on repeat right now and I'm sitting here trying to figure out how to achieve a similar sound to his, but I just don't know. Artists like Zedd, must have had special training or some kind of help because.. I just don't see how it's possible to become so good on your own. I just feel like, even if I sat and worked on music 12 hours a day, every day of the week, I still wouldn't be anywhere as good as artists like him. I just don't know whether or not I'm cut out for this. I use the best VSTS, I use good plugins, I know how to mix properly, I use good sample packs, and still, my tracks don't come out the way I want them too. It's really at this point, making me question why I waste my time.. I'm just not happy. I just feel so discouraged with my music. So much time I have invested into this hobby, and I feel like I've made such little progress with all the years I've spent. Anybody know how to overcome these feelings of inadequacy? I mean.. I enjoy making music. I just don't enjoy making music that sucks.. If that makes sense. I would appreciate some constructive input. Thank you.

[OfficialDAPT]

It's not wasting time if you're happy while you do it. Answer this question for me though: Do you have fun during the actual process of writing music or is it just satisfying for you to make a good track?

[xhayatox]

It's not wasting time if you're happy while you do it. Answer this question for me though: Do you have fun during the actual process of writing music or is it just satisfying for you to make a good track?

thanks for your post. I guess, the actual process is fun and rewarding, but I get a lot more pleasure out of making music when it comes out good. When I make something that comes out good, It's even more rewarding for me.

[lloydy]

Anybody know how to overcome these feelings of inadequacy?

1.Perseverance
2.Try to sound like yourself first rather than chasing someone else's sound.
3.Look back at when you first stated,if you have made progress then why knock yourself.Your never gonna get any worse as long as you practice,read,practice,read and eeeeeeerrrrr practice and read.


Don't get yourself down mate with have all been there and am still there to a certain degree.

[fragments]

I teach creative writing and essay writing. In the three typical courses I teach there is a point in the semester where I give a "I can teach you all the skills you need, you can practice as much or as little as you like, but there is no accounting for talent" speech.

I think a lot of people, in the States anyway, are brought up in a culture where they are taught everyone is a special fucking snowflake. Truth is, most people don't have that X factor that makes the greats great. That isn't a reason to quit if you are getting something out of a creative pursuit like music. Just a fact to realize.

I've been doing this a bit longer 5-6 years and have quite for longish periods before, but always get drawn back to giving it another go. And a lot of that stuff you list have nothing to do with the quality of your tracks, VSTs and what not. I'm sure you're favorite artists could do what they do with all freeware (or damn close).

Despite what some people say, good mastering engineer can really put the polish on an awesome mix.

Anyway, the point of all this is actually: don't give up if you enjoy it.

[OfficialDAPT]

It's not wasting time if you're happy while you do it. Answer this question for me though: Do you have fun during the actual process of writing music or is it just satisfying for you to make a good track?

thanks for your post. I guess, the actual process is fun and rewarding, but I get a lot more pleasure out of making music when it comes out good. When I make something that comes out good, It's even more rewarding for me.

I know what you mean it's the same for me too. In my experience, the more pressure you put on yourself to make good music, the more inadequate you feel. I decided to go to college and make music on the side instead of trying to build my productions skills as a full-time job and now I'm having more fun making music than ever.

Are you putting pressure on yourself to be good?

[xhayatox]

It's not wasting time if you're happy while you do it. Answer this question for me though: Do you have fun during the actual process of writing music or is it just satisfying for you to make a good track?

thanks for your post. I guess, the actual process is fun and rewarding, but I get a lot more pleasure out of making music when it comes out good. When I make something that comes out good, It's even more rewarding for me.

I know what you mean it's the same for me too. In my experience, the more pressure you put on yourself to make good music, the more inadequate you feel. I decided to go to college and make music on the side instead of trying to build my productions skills as a full-time job and now I'm having more fun making music than ever.

Are you putting pressure on yourself to be good?

Glad to hear you can relate. I think that I may be putting some pressure on myself. The thing is, I just have a huge desire to be a good producer. I just want to be good at making music. I'm not good at anything else in my life. I've never been good at anything else. Most of the friends I have, they are all good at certain things. Some are really good at painting, some are great at designing, some are great at playing instruments, etc. They all stand out with what they do. They all have something they are skilled at. I don't sadly.

I just want music to be that part of me that I can show off to people. I just want to be able to make a good track one day, and show it to someone and say, "Hey, I made this.", and get a positive response. That's the best feeling in the world I would say. Doing something with your own power and ability, and doing it well, and being proud of your work and having that sense of fulfillment. That's all I want. I don't care for the money. Or for anything. Just to be good at what I do. That's all.

[OfficialDAPT]

It's not wasting time if you're happy while you do it. Answer this question for me though: Do you have fun during the actual process of writing music or is it just satisfying for you to make a good track?

thanks for your post. I guess, the actual process is fun and rewarding, but I get a lot more pleasure out of making music when it comes out good. When I make something that comes out good, It's even more rewarding for me.

I know what you mean it's the same for me too. In my experience, the more pressure you put on yourself to make good music, the more inadequate you feel. I decided to go to college and make music on the side instead of trying to build my productions skills as a full-time job and now I'm having more fun making music than ever.

Are you putting pressure on yourself to be good?

Glad to hear you can relate. I thin that I may be putting some pressure on myself. The thing is, I just have a huge desire to be a good producer. I just want to be good at making music. I'm not good at anything else in my life. I've never been good at anything else. Most of the friends I have, they are all good at certain things. Some are really good at painting, some are great at designing, some are great at playing instruments, etc. They all stand out with what they do. They all have something they are skilled at. I don't sadly.

I just want music to be that part of me that I can show off to people. I just want to be able to make a good track one day, and show it to someone and say, "Hey, I made this.", and get a positive response. That's the best feeling in the world I would say. Doing something with your own power and ability, and doing it well, and being proud of your work and having that sense of fulfillment. That's all I want. I don't care for the money. Or for anything. Just to be good at what I do. That's all.

I know exactly what you mean and it sounds to me like the pressure you are putting on yourself is, "I have to excel at music production otherwise I'll never get anywhere in life."

It sounds to me like you're fairly young and you have a whole lot of time to fashion a skill or find a passion that you are good at.

Keep your head up yo, it happens to the best too.

“I am not discouraged because every wrong attempt discarded is a step forward.”

~Thomas Edison~

[lloydy]

People that get exceptional at what they do either have one of two things.They practice and strive to achieve at it or have very good teachers.I'm completely self taught through using the net,watching tutorials,reading and just generally practicing a lot.I wouldn't say my style is perfect and nor would i say i'm anywhere near the ability i want to be at but i like listening to the stuff i make regardless of wether people like it or not.
Firstly you have the rite attitude and i think you'll be looking back at this in the future thinking to yourself what the fuck was i worrying about.Maybe post some examples of your stuff for us to hear and maybe we can give you a little guidance,i'm always up for helping people.If you ever have any questions about anything technique wise that i know i will be more than willing to give you some advice.

[Praya]

I went through a period similar to that a couple of years ago, and i realised i was focusing all my attention on trying to sound 'professional' i.e getting really good mixdowns, and not enough time making music just for the vibes. So when i'd listen back to my tracks and they'd inevitably not sound as good as the pros, there wasn't even the strength of a good tune to fall back on to give me encouragement. So I decided i would just make track after track and only bother mixing the ones that i still liked months later.
I still do this now. The result? I have about 20 tracks that i really like out of a few hundred and i vibe off them that much that i can't even be arsed mixing em down.
Not sayin this is the best advice, but it might certainly help you to start liking the music you make, just don't be a lazy tnuc like me when the time comes to tidy em up.

Also if you can't find your own sound, try describing your ideal track in words first, i.e the kick from such and such a track, the bassline from that track, the pads from another track and try makin that, you'll probably find there are elements or moods common to alot the your favourite records.

Stick with it, you don't quit your hobbies.