Yo bro.............everybody goes thru what you're going thru at some point in their musical life.
Here's my advice. Take a break from music. Time away from the computer, keyboards, monitors, and whatnot will allow you to spend time doing other things that also matter in your life. Then, when the musical urge returns, you'll be all set.
T me, music is a channel of expression, and you can't keep expressing it all the time. It needs a break. It's ok to take breaks because your art will always be there when you come back to it.
The thing is, while you spend time away from the instruments, and start thinking about other things, those things will inspire you to express yourself again and BOOOOOOOOOOOOM....back to making music that you like again.
I went through the same thing a few months ago........took a break.........found new inspiration........and started making some tracks again and I "feel" good.
Rog
i'm uninspired...a long dull whiny post.
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Pitch Black
- Posts: 6710
- Joined: Sat Dec 21, 2002 2:18 am
- Location: New Zealand
- Contact:
I got this **very silly** mental exercise I do sometimes.
say "it will be good" starting off as a whisper. repeat, each time just A FRACTION louder with a little more gusto. imagine you are trying to quantify the SLIGHTEST increments of volume.
If I keep going long enough, putting a little more into each repetition, I eventually end up at the raving, gibbering maniac stage, sounding like a complete twit - a lot of fun if nothing else - trying to top the previous iteration for conviction. Afterwards I feel very silly - but shifted.
its a good workout for the lungs and makes u smile.
paddy
say "it will be good" starting off as a whisper. repeat, each time just A FRACTION louder with a little more gusto. imagine you are trying to quantify the SLIGHTEST increments of volume.
If I keep going long enough, putting a little more into each repetition, I eventually end up at the raving, gibbering maniac stage, sounding like a complete twit - a lot of fun if nothing else - trying to top the previous iteration for conviction. Afterwards I feel very silly - but shifted.
its a good workout for the lungs and makes u smile.
paddy-
Guest
dirtystudios,
I understand very well how you fell. It's been kinda the same for me for a longer while now, in the electronic music area.
First you must understand that phases like the one you're experiencing are normal. Everyone has them: You just don't know what to do anymore, inspiration is gone, and it can be very frightening. But rest assured, everyone has got these, from novice right up to Aphex.
The recipe that works for me against this phenomenon: Work with other people! Jam with musicians, or invite them over to your studio. This will, I guarantee it, make your creativity flow again.
One example: I've had a phase like yours for quite a while now, but luckily I play guitar too, and this instrument is perfect for band work, so I go to sessions, look for new projects to do, and I recommend you do the same with your computer.
Taking a break/holiday isn't a bad idea either. Different places can inspire you endlessly.
Anyway, don't know if this helps - but one thing is certain: This phase will come to an end eventually.
I understand very well how you fell. It's been kinda the same for me for a longer while now, in the electronic music area.
First you must understand that phases like the one you're experiencing are normal. Everyone has them: You just don't know what to do anymore, inspiration is gone, and it can be very frightening. But rest assured, everyone has got these, from novice right up to Aphex.
The recipe that works for me against this phenomenon: Work with other people! Jam with musicians, or invite them over to your studio. This will, I guarantee it, make your creativity flow again.
One example: I've had a phase like yours for quite a while now, but luckily I play guitar too, and this instrument is perfect for band work, so I go to sessions, look for new projects to do, and I recommend you do the same with your computer.
Taking a break/holiday isn't a bad idea either. Different places can inspire you endlessly.
Anyway, don't know if this helps - but one thing is certain: This phase will come to an end eventually.
This post carries a lot of suggestions : http://www.ableton.com/forum/viewtopic. ... ht=radical
http://www.mbazzy.tk -
Mbazzy's "The dysfunctional playground, a scrapbook a bout the shape of useless things" now OUT on Retinascan - http://www.retinascan.de
Mbazzy's "The dysfunctional playground, a scrapbook a bout the shape of useless things" now OUT on Retinascan - http://www.retinascan.de
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spiderprod
- Posts: 1120
- Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2004 10:11 pm
i just couldn't resist
i used to have the same problem,one day my boss came to me before a session & asked me how i was,i told him not that good nothing good wants to come out.
he told me that for this kind of problem i just needed a good wank and a big glass of water,i did it & it worked.now everytime something goes wrong with my music i have a wank & a big glass of water.
try it,it's free & it works
he told me that for this kind of problem i just needed a good wank and a big glass of water,i did it & it worked.now everytime something goes wrong with my music i have a wank & a big glass of water.
try it,it's free & it works
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forge-
Glad to hear someone elses been there lately too
the thing that pulled me out of it was the chemical brothers most recent track 'get yourself high' - you can watch the video online and it's an old kung fu movie where they've changed the mouths to fit the lyrics and it is SOOO funny!
It inspired me to dig out their CDs and reminded me that exit planet dust got me into producing electronic music with a drum machine and crappy old yamaha tw16w sampler in the mid 90s
I was amazed to have that hugely inspired feeling again as I'd forgotten what it was like
I realised what it was about them that was different was their influences.
Indie guitar music, 60s psychedelia, Beatles, early Hip hop etc, all the stuff I used to listen to in my guitar bands as a guitarist and not sticking to the latest sub-sub-sub-sub genre of whatever blah blah
I think what can happen with PC based music is we get too much in our heads and can forget about the heart and soul which you get with 'real' instruments (beacuse it's immediate - no booting up, choosing sounds etc etc)
Excercise is a big factor too!!!
But be careful about the Pot idea - I've just gone the other way - many many years of 'needing' it for my music thinking it got the creative juices flowing, but I've just recently kicked it and realised it was having the opposite effect and preventing me from getting anything done. The thing is to be inspired by life, and if you're not inspired, maybe your life isn't filled with enough inspiring things, or at least variety!!
the thing that pulled me out of it was the chemical brothers most recent track 'get yourself high' - you can watch the video online and it's an old kung fu movie where they've changed the mouths to fit the lyrics and it is SOOO funny!
It inspired me to dig out their CDs and reminded me that exit planet dust got me into producing electronic music with a drum machine and crappy old yamaha tw16w sampler in the mid 90s
I was amazed to have that hugely inspired feeling again as I'd forgotten what it was like
I realised what it was about them that was different was their influences.
Indie guitar music, 60s psychedelia, Beatles, early Hip hop etc, all the stuff I used to listen to in my guitar bands as a guitarist and not sticking to the latest sub-sub-sub-sub genre of whatever blah blah
I think what can happen with PC based music is we get too much in our heads and can forget about the heart and soul which you get with 'real' instruments (beacuse it's immediate - no booting up, choosing sounds etc etc)
Excercise is a big factor too!!!
But be careful about the Pot idea - I've just gone the other way - many many years of 'needing' it for my music thinking it got the creative juices flowing, but I've just recently kicked it and realised it was having the opposite effect and preventing me from getting anything done. The thing is to be inspired by life, and if you're not inspired, maybe your life isn't filled with enough inspiring things, or at least variety!!
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Guest
Re: i just couldn't resist
spiderprod wrote:i used to have the same problem,one day my boss came to me before a session & asked me how i was,i told him not that good nothing good wants to come out.
he told me that for this kind of problem i just needed a good wank and a big glass of water,i did it & it worked.now everytime something goes wrong with my music i have a wank & a big glass of water.
try it,it's free & it works
that reminds me when my dad told me if i'm trying to sneeze look at the light - now that works too!!!!
..
it's not about equipment... that's just a tool. pratice you instrument and become a better player might help. when I stopped using MIDI and synths some years ago, I only wanted to play live (I am mainly a guitarplayer) without a complicated setup. did that for years and loved it. now I having fun with all this digi stuff like Live, Reaktor, Reason, Tassman etc.
practice your instrument is my advice.
practice your instrument is my advice.
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Guest
practice, and especially play with others if at all possible--connecting with other musicians through playing is not only fun, but can really help to open you up to parts and ideas you would have never come up wiht on your own. by putting yourself in a situation where you have to interact with others, you automatically have to create in a new way than just playing alone.
Ryan
Ryan
Heh...
Well if you feel like eyeore... maybe you need to read 'The Tao of Pooh'... or possibly the 'Te of Piglet'... honestly I'd suggest both.
If you can get yourself into a state of doing and not being so analytical maybe you could let the music occur naturally. You might just need to challenge yourself, question why you feel your work is sub par... what types of music do you hear that you feel is amazing.
Personally I make my music for myself. But I am also familiar enough with my tools that when asked I can use my tools to make things with or for my friends.
Try the less is more approach.
How about working with what you feel is complete crap samples and trying to make it into something passable. It is easy enough to find fault in turning gold into crap, but it does take a special touch to turn crap into bronze
My last advice would be... you could always try to find somebody to start a collab with, sometimes bouncing ideas off of others works very well.
If you can get yourself into a state of doing and not being so analytical maybe you could let the music occur naturally. You might just need to challenge yourself, question why you feel your work is sub par... what types of music do you hear that you feel is amazing.
Personally I make my music for myself. But I am also familiar enough with my tools that when asked I can use my tools to make things with or for my friends.
Try the less is more approach.
How about working with what you feel is complete crap samples and trying to make it into something passable. It is easy enough to find fault in turning gold into crap, but it does take a special touch to turn crap into bronze
My last advice would be... you could always try to find somebody to start a collab with, sometimes bouncing ideas off of others works very well.
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Guest
Wow, some amazing feedback here! You've really struck a nerve, seems we all experience this, part of music is suffering at times it would seem.
My 2 cents, and this is what I tell myself lest it come off as preachy:
1. Go back five years - what gear were you using? Has new gear made your music "better" or more satisfying? If yes, then it serves its purpose and its something else, if no, where did it go wrong? When did music as end result become overcome by the promise of potential?
2. Throw out all your samples. they are worthless. Maybe keep a few. maybe not.
3. Stop getting new software/gear.
4. Stop writing for awhile and just listen to music, preferably the stuff that got you fired up when you were 16, and preferably on cassette. Remember the sound of a new tape, so clear and alive?
5. Spend some time getting reaquainted with the instrument that led you to music in the first place.
My 2 cents, and this is what I tell myself lest it come off as preachy:
1. Go back five years - what gear were you using? Has new gear made your music "better" or more satisfying? If yes, then it serves its purpose and its something else, if no, where did it go wrong? When did music as end result become overcome by the promise of potential?
2. Throw out all your samples. they are worthless. Maybe keep a few. maybe not.
3. Stop getting new software/gear.
4. Stop writing for awhile and just listen to music, preferably the stuff that got you fired up when you were 16, and preferably on cassette. Remember the sound of a new tape, so clear and alive?
5. Spend some time getting reaquainted with the instrument that led you to music in the first place.
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dirtystudios
- Posts: 1196
- Joined: Wed Jul 10, 2002 1:28 am
seriously. this is great stuff. if anyone else out there feels like i do, i recommend posting long whiny rants about how miserable you are...i feel better already.Anonymous wrote:Wow, some amazing feedback here! You've really struck a nerve, seems we all experience this, part of music is suffering at times it would seem.
the tao of pooh is fantastic. i gave it to my girlfriend just last week, 'cause she was in a funk over work. funny how i could dish out objective advice to someone who was having a very similar problem, yet remained stumped when it came to myself.
this stuff is great, and i'm happy to report that i sat down and came up with a very strong beat last night. maybe just posting and getting it out was the key. or maybe you guys just rock.
k