The Motivation/Creativity/Inspiration/Writers Block Thread™

[counterparty]

Definitely a smart idea to stop smoking weed -- I tried making music on the stuff a few times and basically what happens is that it sounds beautiful in your head when you are making it, but the next time you go to listen it is utter **** . The best producers will tell you the same, sober is better.

I disagree with that. Not saying you have to get stoned to the gills in order to produce, but a bowl or two can definitely let your mind ease and let the creativity flow. Tobacco is good too, imo. Writers are notorious for smoking in order to relieve themselves from writer's block. But all in all its whatever you prefer

well, you're true to your name

[fragments]

Learning some theory is a good place to start. You may also have to consider that if you haven't learned anything in 3-4 years that maybe making electronic music isn't for you--whether that is an inability to dedicate yourself or you just aren't musically creative, some people just aren't.

[__________]

[Exhilant]

After reading the 'candy while producing thread', i thought i'd try it out. after opening a box of Runts, I felt much more creative and before I knew it, I had laid down the basis for 2 tunes. you heard it hear first.

[Ledger]

It's not necessarily a motivation problem, more of a... Block? Certain things, such as simply watching a live performance of someone I am influenced by on Youtube causes me to want to make music... Of that genre. And the problem with this is, I could be working on a DnB track, and out of nowhere in the middle of making it, I'd feel like making a house track, and lose all interest in the DnB track, and in the process of making the house track, I'd want to make a dubstep track, and lose interest in the house track, and so on. It's ongoing and it keeps me from getting far in a track. I've probably started 20 tracks in the last 2 months, only to trash all of them. I'm currently working on a remix, but I have no idea what I want to do with it. Any advice would be great.

[johnnythird]

Hey Buddy!

Just stay positive and keep writing/practicing
one thing I've learnt is to not force anything and get into a flow when you write and you'll write much better stuff.

Thats what I have found anyway

[fragments]

Adirol?

You need to be able to finish things. That was a big step for me and I've gotten out of the habit recently, but it's worth it. I think it's OK to stop working on one project if you get inspired, but you gotta balance things man.

What I did was decide I was going to do a 3 song EP and made a deadline. Having three songs allowed me to switch things up when I got frustrated. After I completed that and got the a similar vibe across the three mixes I got a huge confidence boost. While you are working save up some money to get it mastered, find someone good that is willing to work closely with you and comment on your work. I didn't do this last part, but am saving up the money now. I've heard it's worth the money for what you can learn if they person will work closely with you.

[Ledger]

Adirol?

You need to be able to finish things. That was a big step for me and I've gotten out of the habit recently, but it's worth it. I think it's OK to stop working on one project if you get inspired, but you gotta balance things man.

What I did was decide I was going to do a 3 song EP and made a deadline. Having three songs allowed me to switch things up when I got frustrated. After I completed that and got the a similar vibe across the three mixes I got a huge confidence boost. While you are working save up some money to get it mastered, find someone good that is willing to work closely with you and comment on your work. I didn't do this last part, but am saving up the money now. I've heard it's worth the money for what you can learn if they person will work closely with you.

I'd do that, but where I live, there's one studio that is professional grade (as far as I know), and I'm fairly certain it went out of business since they just had a liquidation sale just a few months ago.

[fragments]

Yea man, I mean...you might need to work with some one through email/phone. Might still be worth it. Contact people, be upfront about your situation and what you are looking for guidance wise, negotiate a price. All the people I'm considering I'd have to buy a 1,200 plane ticket visit personally.

[Ledger]

Yea man, I mean...you might need to work with some one through email/phone. Might still be worth it. Contact people, be upfront about your situation and what you are looking for guidance wise, negotiate a price. All the people I'm considering I'd have to buy a 1,200 plane ticket visit personally.

Ah... I see. Well, even though I'm tech savvy out the ass, I'm better at learning in person, at least if it were about something I truly want to master at.

[fragments]

Yea man, I mean...you might need to work with some one through email/phone. Might still be worth it. Contact people, be upfront about your situation and what you are looking for guidance wise, negotiate a price. All the people I'm considering I'd have to buy a 1,200 plane ticket visit personally.

Ah... I see. Well, even though I'm tech savvy out the ass, I'm better at learning in person, at least if it were about something I truly want to master at.

I've no clue where you live, but it might be worth a trip and a seedy motel stay somewhere over a couple days to get this. In fact, I may do some more looking my area and check out options. Thanks for reminding me that this might be a great idea.

[Ledger]

Yea man, I mean...you might need to work with some one through email/phone. Might still be worth it. Contact people, be upfront about your situation and what you are looking for guidance wise, negotiate a price. All the people I'm considering I'd have to buy a 1,200 plane ticket visit personally.

Ah... I see. Well, even though I'm tech savvy out the ass, I'm better at learning in person, at least if it were about something I truly want to master at.

I've no clue where you live, but it might be worth a trip and a seedy motel stay somewhere over a couple days to get this. In fact, I may do some more looking my area and check out options. Thanks for reminding me that this might be a great idea.

We're roughly 7-10 hours away from eachother depending on where in NE Ohio you live. I live in western KY. But I try to make as much time as I can to work on music, so friends get mad when I say I want to stay home to work on music, but I could care less. I wonder if Caleb Shomo would be willing to master a track or two.

[Crimsonghost]

Dont trash your tracks. More than likely you come back to them in a few days/weeks/months and get inspired to finish them or find some really cool sound or progression in there. Thats what i usually do when I'm in a rut. Just start digging through your old tracks till something good pops up.

[Ledger]

Dont trash your tracks. More than likely you come back to them in a few days/weeks/months and get inspired to finish them or find some really cool sound or progression in there. Thats what i usually do when I'm in a rut. Just start digging through your old tracks till something good pops up.

Well, I've gotten into the habit of resampling nearly everything except for drums and hi-octave mono synths, so I have most of everything bounced down to audio anyways, so I still have audio clips of sounds from months ago.

[Dahneboy]

For those who take music serious , i know this might be alot to read but i promise after reading this things will clear up for those who have troubble. by posting this i hope to bring some talented people some light and be able to help them up feel free to post any courage to those having a hard time .

creativity / imagination is more important than knowledge

Most of us on this forum has a dream to become famous and known one of these days. The thing is why, when your making music you should have alot of fun instead of ranting about not being able to acomplish a sound you want, SOUNDS are like passwords, combination of waves = wave your tring to achieve, you will have to magically know each turn of knobs, and waves in order to get the sound you crave , there will be a point where your synth creation will sound really close to the sound you want but will never sound like you want it to sound .DONT WASTE YOUR TIME TRYING TO LIVE SOME ONE ELSES LIFE. people on this forum really really over complicate alot of stuff and making it harder than it is while some just simply try to help. Dont worry about making other peoples sounds but make sounds that people would want to make. Look, if you feel you can do it do it. your the only person holding back on your dreams. do what makes YOU happy not others. music is a form of art in wich you have all the space to express yourself, dont get it mixed up with technical issues. theres a reason only some make it. NEVER LET ANY ONE TELL YOU YOU CANT DO IT JUST BECAUSE THEY COULDNT DOESNT MEAN YOU CANT. we are infinite and we can acomplish anything, nothing is impossible really, chase what makes you happy again, and again until you become happy. try harder than you can ever imagine and you will be successful , promised. exhaust yourself, stay up and keep success in sight. dont worry about little things.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. drean bigger than ever before. be creative and use your daw as your drawing canvas, be patient and dont get mad, understand you cant make the sounds you want, go with the flow and take your time. you have years and years to become better, you will never learn anything if your in a rush.
Draw alot, express your creativity in many ways, paint, write, draw.
DO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY.

[charles1]

one word: adderall. you will thank me.

[twilitez]

No one will thank you for generic shit pharmaceuticals.

[charles1]

y

[outdropt]

I wrote the bulk of this up in another thread.

I feel the best work I do is when I start a new project, then get into this zone where I have one idea after another and soon the track snowballs into something fantastic; Then all I do is tidy up work the next few days/weeks and start adding some more intricate effects, melodies, atmospheres, ect.

The best songs I think I have now; had the bulk of there work done in the first session.

Sometimes ill have ideas flowing for a good two hours but then ill have to stop for a minute and it makes it hard to get back in rhythm. Sometimes i feel like I loose the groove, in this case the worst thing to do is turn on the TV (although I do fall for the trap on occasion)

If i listen to the tune over again maybe once or twice ill come up with ideas, if i don't get back in i usually call it a night.

[charles1]

in this case the worst thing to do is turn on the TV (although I do fall for the trap on occasion)

I totally agree. Don't distract yourself this way. If you need a distraction, do something mindless and mechanical. A video game is better. You can keep listening and you can keep thinking while you're playing a mindless video game. But if you watch tv, you obviously can't be listening to your song and you will be thinking about the show.

My suggestion - get rid of your tv/cable (or just never buy it). i don't watch cable. the only time i watch tv shows is through my laptop. But if i'm using ableton, then i cant be watching tv on my laptop! that way, i'll never fall into the trap of trying to do both at once