lost your inspiration?

[psishock]

I wonder how other people rejuvenate their creative inspiration?
Let me share some of my own methods:

1. Watch movies (anything from documentary to sci-fi, comedy, anime, fantasy etc. that keeps you pinned down. Movies are usually very visual and they can awake a lot of emotions.)

2. Draw (drawing is fun and it fills me with lifepower, not as much as music tho' =)

3. Socialise (talking with friends and other people is nice because you will get many different point of views from most of the things and that will most certainly lead you to new ideas)

4. Sleep/rest/eat as much as you need (if you're not relaxed enough or feel bad, you won't be able to think clearly or will be bored and that will lead most likely to a lack of inspiration)

5. Join competitions (deadline, other competitors, rules, you can't get lazy in this case, not to mention that you will gain most likely a lot of experience)

6. Listen to different genres (it's true, if you get bored with your current one, time to listen to something new, that will bring back your interest. You can always go back to your favored one when you feel like to.)

I'm looking forward to hear many good personal methods. :cheers:

(lol LP, some of these new smileys are really funny  :show_aars2:  :asshole: )

[LPChip]

Most of these actually say the same: Do something else than make music, and its true.

Another factor that can prevent you from making music, is when you have your head full of stuff. Can be stuff you want or has to do or other stuff that makes you think about something alot. If you can't give it a place and your head gets crowded by it, you won't be able to make music. Relaxing and freeing your mind is what you need to do. A free mind can easilly trigger an inspiration spark.

[älskling]

I don't know what to do, I love music and get great ideas for songs at the wrong times (like when driving or at work). Then as soon as I get to the computer (because I can't play any instruments) my mind is at a blank. At best I come up with something really short and incomplete, not even deserving to be called an idea of a song. Then I tweak that embryo of an idea improving every part of it to perfection until I've ruined it completely.

So the answer to "How do I rejuvenate my vreativity" is "I don't, really...".

[psishock]

I tweak that embryo of an idea improving every part of it to perfection until I've ruined it completely.

Aha! You are half way done, i've used to come to this part often (everything sounds like a disaster, you want to throw the whole project into the trashcan). Now you need to work on it even more and you will notice at some point that eventually things will get better and better. Looks like it's a natural process... i guess.

[Waxhead]

1. Find some module and delete all patterns and try to create something new with the samples.

2. Walk around somewhere , imagine that you are in a movie and put some music to the scene

3. Read cartoons and set music to the scene

4. Watch some old 1970 porn movies. Fun if you like me like funk music you can find a lot of sick stuff for inspiration

5. Listen to the sound machines makes. Sometimes you can add beats and suddenly you got some cool stuff going

6. Do drugs... I never done any but I assume they might have an interesting effect

[residentgrey]

Get a tape recorder or use the voice function on your cell to record your ideas.

One way is to just fiddle with something, make a random beat and play with it, even if it sux. It keeps your juices flowing and gives your brain a new curve or two to think about. Another thing give yourself a strange limit to what you make and write it down in a big spot.

I have a game you may be able to play, depending on language. For say an hour or even a day, you have to talk, write, maybe even think, without using a letter of your respective alphabet(s). You can be normal and do a consonant or you can be sexy and try a vowel {or insert commonly used/essential letter/grouping}!

[psishock]

Waxhead
1. eh... samples?
4. oh, i'm kinda' more into modern porn with not so old and hairy mans/womens. ^^ I never thought this activity as a musical inspiration source (rather somewhat relaxing), but hey, i'll try anything that sounds interesting.
6. hmmm, energy drinks and alcohol is the farthest i'm going with mind and body function altering drugs, and i haven't got a plan to change that. =)

I have a game you may be able to play, depending on language. For say an hour or even a day, you have to talk, write, maybe even think, without using a letter of your respective alphabet(s). You can be normal and do a consonant or you can be sexy and try a vowel {or insert commonly used/essential letter/grouping}!

This sounds interesting, if the alphabets are picked carefully the concentration should overtake almost entirely the mind. If the process is over, the brain will surely be happy to think about anything else, even inspirational stuff, and will pray not to play such games anymore.

[Sam_Zen]

I don't trust inspiration in the first place.
I don't think there's any scientific evidence that ideas coming up in a relaxed state, are any better than in stressfull circumstances.

Sound is one way of expression, so, as stated upwards, sometimes graphics are more suitable, or it could be textual.
If you're not brain-dead, ideas are coming up all the time. Then it's the choice : which medium, if I want to put effort in it ?

As far as 6. is concerned, then I should change to not using it.
I'm smoking hashish for almost 40 years now on a daily basis. All my work has been made 'under the influence'.

[psishock]

As far as 6. is concerned, then I should change to not using it

You should? What makes you think that? If you're happy with the results and like to do it, then it's all ok, i very much think that. It was your choice to start with it in the first place and also will be your choice to try being creative without it, even for some short, testing time, or the rest of your life.

[Sam_Zen]

I just was joking by reversing the point.

[psishock]

oh, lol it was a very realistic joke, you've got me!
I swear that i could imagine you as an older person, smoking almost every day, just like thinking about mysterious phenomenons and producing unusual music with your favorite tracker.

[uncloned]

being of eastern european stock (Lithuanian and Polish) vodka is inspiration

as long as I don't record it  

[Nahkranoth]

As for me, bad things need to happen to make you write something real good. But so far so good thus my productivity is almost zero :lol:
(Bad things should not include HDD crash BTW)
The only thing that actually forces me to sit in front of MPT is Barryvan compo LOL. Still I'm extremely lazy.

[EDIT]

vodka is an inspiration

Yeah, sometimes when I barely can focus my eyes because of it I can write a piece of junk, that can be used later.

[bvanoudtshoorn]

Get a tape recorder or use the voice function on your cell to record your ideas.

I do this all the time. And hey - I even based my honours project around this idea! What I often do is go and footle around on the piano, and record what I do -- that way, I can come back to the ideas with fresh ears later.

I don't think there's any scientific evidence that ideas coming up in a relaxed state, are any better than in stressfull circumstances.

Well, I will admit that a lot of my best stuff is written when I'm really stressed. My most recent tracks were written when I had a giant deadline (my thesis) due, and should have been working on it. All the same, I do find that the music I write is heavily influenced by my stress level -- when I'm stressed, I tend towards either ambient or electronic, whereas when I'm more relaxed, I tend towards classical or pop. Make of  that what you will.

The only thing that actually forces me to sit in front of MPT is Barryvan compo LOL.

That's what I like to hear! Hmm... I should make that the tagline for the compo. "The Barryvan Compo -- Forcing you to write music".



As to drugs etc... Well, I'm not much of a one for drinking. I'll drink, but I won't get drunk. And I don't do drugs at all. The only 'drug' I take is caffeine -- incidentally, the best coffee in the southern hemisphere is roasted in Western Australia, and is called 'Five Senses'. You have not tasted real coffee until you have had Five Senses coffee made by a top barista.

...

Excuse me while I wipe the drool from my keyboard.

[Nahkranoth]

The most wonderful melodies are those that I hear in my dreams sometimes. When I'm waking up I can still remember them, but they tend to be forgotten very quickly if something distracts me (shit, I've forgot all of them )