Okay, this is just getting ridiculous!

Asharin · March 05, 2008, 10:57:07

I haven't had any inspiration nor managed to complete a single track since July last year or so.

WHEN WILL IT END?

I've managed like 30 seconds of music every time I try and never bother finishing it.
Mind you, that's probably a good thing, as my 'music' sucked anyway :/

BooT-SectoR-ViruZ · March 05, 2008, 11:01:09

-get new plugins/hardware and start experimenting
-make some experiments with music-styles you didn't try before
-maybe try remixing someone else's stuff

at least that's what i'd do....

Asharin · March 05, 2008, 11:02:33

hardware, can't do, I'm broke right now

Plugins, been there done that, still not helping, just sheer lack of imagination I guess.
Work has been kicking my ass lately and I'm always tired so maybe that's why eh?

Saga Musix · March 05, 2008, 11:03:42

I know that problem. Things that I do:
- Enter a compo. Preferrably one with a fixed sample pack and with a tight deadline (One Hour Compos are perfect for that). I tend to like the results of my OHCs and I often release them.
- I don't force myself to do something new, e.g. I won't hunt ideas. I'll just collect ideas in my mind, playing on my synth and if there's something going around in my head for a long time, i give it a shot and write it down in the tracker. if i don't force this process, ideas flow more easily.

KrazyKatz · March 05, 2008, 11:34:38

Good advice by Jojo.

Stress can really damage the imagination ( usually brought on by work or women ).

I think now is a good opportunity to get involved in other aspects of music. I mean since nothing is coming out anyway, why not start messing around with mixing and mic technique? Crank out those ancient pieces you made as a beginner and re-master them in a funky way. Doesn't even have to sound good... Just enjoy yourself!

Asharin · March 05, 2008, 13:14:04

Quote from: "KrazyKatz"Good advice by Jojo.

Stress can really damage the imagination ( usually brought on by work or women ).

I think now is a good opportunity to get involved in other aspects of music. I mean since nothing is coming out anyway, why not start messing around with mixing and mic technique? Crank out those ancient pieces you made as a beginner and re-master them in a funky way. Doesn't even have to sound good... Just enjoy yourself!

funny you should mention that, I did do a remaster of 'Let My Demons Out' the other week, came out slightly better than the original, especially as I redid the drum parts totally. Still though, it's nothing new

LPChip · March 05, 2008, 15:11:40

Explore new music, not made by you.

Often you have not so many ideas because you listen to the same stuff all the time, and it doesn't bring you anything new. Don't just make music in a new style, listen to music from new people in new styles too. I'm sure it'll help you.

Sam_Zen · March 06, 2008, 02:52:19

Sometimes there's no egg to deliver, so one has to accept that.
No real effect of forcing anything, because out of nothing, nothing stands.

So in the meantime, do useful things, like upgrading a track. (so I don't agree about Asharin's 'it's nothing new')
~ Like, as LPChip states, listen to tracks, once downloaded and played, again, or DL another, still unknown, track of that site.
~ Like switching your imagination from the musical perspective to a pure technical one :
Convert the 7 characters of your nick to 7 different sound-samples. And do something with that.

Such a period gives room for learning and experiments to enhance the knowledge for a next step of production.

bvanoudtshoorn · March 06, 2008, 11:34:35

Personally, I find that when I have this problem, it's best to just leave it all alone for a while. Don't open your tracker for a week. Don't listen to your own music for a week. In fact, don't listen to much music at all for a week. Give your brain a chance to breathe and relax.

Also, try going on holiday... WITHOUT A COMPUTER! :shock: That also does wonders.

BooT-SectoR-ViruZ · March 06, 2008, 11:53:44

Quote from: "bvanoudtshoorn"
Also, try going on holiday... WITHOUT A COMPUTER! :shock: That also does wonders.

i'd bring a laptop just in case... i often have good ideas when i'm far away from my pc
and unfortunately tend to forget them until i'm home again :wink:

bvanoudtshoorn · March 06, 2008, 11:58:42

Quote from: "BSV"i'd bring a laptop just in case... i often have good ideas when i'm far away from my pc
and unfortunately tend to forget them until i'm home again Wink

Hehe. That happened to me once. I couldn't bear to lose the idea, so I grabbed my phone, turned on the voice recorder, and put it on top of the piano.

Then, a week or so later, I could play back the (atrocious quality) recording and write the track. (It was "You've given me", if you're interested.)

Harbinger · March 07, 2008, 05:44:06

No,no,no, you have the wrong idea about this. I've had some of my ideas not only from forced tinkering, but from snippets i threw together and went back to months and even years later. Sometimes it is not about the inspiration, it's just about using your knowledge in theory and throwing the paint on the wall. Let it form itself within your ears. You can start with a drum beat that you know goes somewhere, a bass line that lends itself to a song, or a chord progression that sets up an inspired "what-if". I have many snippets of music stored away that i know can do something when the time is right or the spirit moves me.

Usually i find the reason an artist's inspiration dries up is that nothing new has changed his attitude or perspective. It's the same ol' same ol' routine, or relationships (or lack thereof) that aren't changing, things like that. You'll prob'ly find that if you go do something -- ANYTHING -- different, it'll shake out the cobwebs. Take a class in pottery, go to a place you would not normally go, abstain from sex or drinking for even 3 days, just shake up the routine and the perspective in which you've been trudging. That usually helps.

Inspiration needs newness and movement...

Sam_Zen · March 07, 2008, 06:33:33

I strongly agree about breaking the routines and the perspective. Places you wouldn't normally go.
Listen to ticking your spoon on different edges of your tea-cup. Reverse a common effect in a compo.
Experiencing and analyzing 'unusual' things can inspire again.

Waxhead · March 10, 2008, 18:43:03

Quote from: "Asharin"I haven't had any inspiration nor managed to complete a single track since July last year or so.

WHEN WILL IT END?

I've managed like 30 seconds of music every time I try and never bother finishing it.
Mind you, that's probably a good thing, as my 'music' sucked anyway :/

Been there done/doing that

- My best advice is to listen to some other music than your favorite (opera for example) and even try to "copy" a song after listening to it only once. sometimes you can get some real interesting things out of that and you can save the bits and pieces and throw something together later

PPH · March 10, 2008, 23:31:25

Quote from: "Asharin"I haven't had any inspiration nor managed to complete a single track since July last year or so.

WHEN WILL IT END?

I've managed like 30 seconds of music every time I try and never bother finishing it.
Mind you, that's probably a good thing, as my 'music' sucked anyway :/

I'm in a similar position. My job and other recently discovered hobbies, such as writing, are to blame (but the job especially; composing requires lots of concentration; I don't like to compose for just an hour a day).

I was able to compose two tracks only in the last year. Both were soundtracks: one for a contest, another for a friend. So, here's my advice: try making music for a specific purpose, such as a soundtrack. Might work.