writer's block

**djshiva** · 16-09-2005, 07:45 PM

ok...so i moved recently from my nice comfy studio to a place i share with a roommate.

i dunno if it is moving or what, but i literally cannot sit down and finish ANYTHING tune-wise. there is plenty going on to inspire me, but it's just not hitting on the right level or something.

i am sure i am not the only one who has been through this, but i wondered what you do when you hit the creative brick wall?

any ideas, suggestions, or just personal experiences/frustrations with writer's block?

**BRADLEE** · 16-09-2005, 08:35 PM

Girl I know the feeling, it happens to us all. When the second kid first came I could not do anything, but I'm trying to get back on track myself.

The only thing I could do to remedy my situation was to buy some Absynth and get obliterated. :lol:

Then I was able to get some stuff done....Although don't let my alcoholism influence you

**djshiva** · 16-09-2005, 08:38 PM

what is really frustrating is that i have had a remix to work on for months and i can't manage to come up with ANYTHING i like. i get started, and then i get distracted and i come back and don't think the effort is up to snuff. usually the best stuff is the stuff that just comes out in a few days and i am done. and this long ass process of starting and stopping is driving me nuts.

this remix is for a release and i am under pressure (which usually does the trick) and frankly, i would rather read a book than look at a puter screen and make tunes right now.

**stjohn** · 16-09-2005, 08:40 PM

maybe bring someone else in to help you with the loose ends....

or

picture the tune as a scenario, eg 'angry clowns fighting each other in a forest'...

that can add a weird direction for a tune sometimes.

or

merge 2+ tunes that are going nowhere.... make them 1 tune that change totally

some ideas for ye ;)

**djshiva** · 16-09-2005, 08:50 PM

yeah, i took some old tunes and tried to work in the elements of the remix, but i hadn't thought of merging two tunes. interesting idea.

part of it is that i sit down in front of the puter and instantly think of other things i would rather be doing. to be honest, production is NOT my favorite process. sometimes i enjoy it, but most of the time i find it tedious. i love it when things come together and i get great results, but it is rather boring for me.

mostly i have just wanted to read books lately. :) which wouldn't be an issue if i didn't have a deadline looming...

**stjohn** · 16-09-2005, 08:58 PM

Originally Posted by djshiva

which wouldn't be an issue if i didn't have a deadline looming...

deadlines cannot be good for that spark of inspiration, but count yourself lucky that you are in demand!!

**BRADLEE** · 16-09-2005, 09:02 PM

Well with the deadline that is more tricky because there is a bit more pressure to fulfill your duties. However you can use that to your advantage as well. Personally I work a little better under pressure. Plus if you're doing it all with Live, then it should be pretty easy I would think. Mainly I get the fruity block myself because it can be so linear at times producing on it. But with live the creativity should release more.

I say put down them books and get into your mode however you have too. Even if you have to take your laptop somewhere else to do the work, find a nice place where you're comfortable.

Sunday I went hiking on a pretty easy climb with my laptop in a backpack. Then I sat at the top of this hill and got to work. Was pretty cool actually....

Hmm, I don't have too many really good suggestions I guess. But just trying to be as helpful as I can.

B

**djshiva** · 16-09-2005, 09:06 PM

i wish i had a laptop, but my studio is home based. i just talked to a good friend and he is gonna put in some bits. let's see if a little collab will help.

i haven't been using live much cuz i am still having some weird problems with it, so i have a good start in reason. my friend uses reason also, so i am gonna send him the file and see if he has any ideas.

and stjohn: yeah i am stoked that someone wants my remix. i just wish i could get outta this slump...

**BRADLEE** · 16-09-2005, 09:13 PM

Sorry to hear you're still having issues with Live. That is very odd. Did you ever talk with their tech people? I know you're legal on it, so they should be willing to try and help out. At leats I would hope so.

**tocsin** · 16-09-2005, 09:54 PM

Originally Posted by djshiva

ok...so i moved recently from my nice comfy studio to a place i share with a roommate.

i dunno if it is moving or what, but i literally cannot sit down and finish ANYTHING tune-wise. there is plenty going on to inspire me, but it's just not hitting on the right level or something.

i am sure i am not the only one who has been through this, but i wondered what you do when you hit the creative brick wall?

any ideas, suggestions, or just personal experiences/frustrations with writer's block?

Few things I do:

1.) Take a break.
2.) Work on completely different sounds/styles and just **** around. It's fun, you'll stumble on somehting, and a track will praactically write itself sometimes giving you a hint that it's somehting you might want to make more.
3.) Change your routine. If you find yourself usually working on tracks at a general time, try it during another. Different sounds/inspiration seems to happen for me when I've first woken up, when I've gotten home from work, or if I wake up at an odd wee hour and can't fall back asleep. Honestly, I think this has been more successful for breaking out of blocks than anything for me recently.

**Mindful** · 16-09-2005, 10:28 PM

For me the best insperation is sitting in front of my pc(the envioroment im gonna be writing in) and listening to some great techno or whatever and getting in the frame of mind I need.

After an hour I find myself full of ideas.

Ive found myself with a bit of a block over the past few days at a piont where im realy needing too find that vibe and just couldnt.
I found myself binning around 5 or 6 attempts last night but thankfully today somthing I started was pushing my buttons so I had more or less forced it.
I felt like shit for the past few days untill I got somthing I was happy with.

**djshiva** · 17-09-2005, 02:14 AM

one of my favorite things to do is work on hip hop beats. 9 times out of 10, those beats end up being techno tracks. strange but true...

**dbit** · 17-09-2005, 05:58 AM

I've been going through this too lately, though it lifted a little today for the first time in about a month.

I talked with a friend about it and he suggested a couple things. One, put it down. If you're not feeling it don't try to force it. This can produce boring music and can further the lack of inspiration.

I shifted my attention to visual design and some other avenues and found I immediately felt more creative juices start to flow.

We also talked about the fact that a lack of new energy, namely a routine, can kill your creativity. I usually keep drama out, but now everything is TOO sterile. Time to stir things up and seek change.

I found this advice extremely helpful and I'm already getting back on the horse tracking it. Still seeking out new avenues to change though. Get some fresh air rolling through your life.

I saw this thread and thought I could lend a few words.

d

**audioinjection** · 17-09-2005, 07:03 PM

this happens to me all to often

i usually find just sitting down and messing around with sounds even though i have no ideas, and just putting something together until it sounds good....then i would take a break and go back, just think of the song and what u can do with it, or watch a movie, listen to some other music, have a beer, etc..

**RDR** · 18-09-2005, 03:22 PM

Originally Posted by stjohn

'angry clowns fighting each other in a forest'...

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Or furious mime acts performing teeth laden felatio!

**RDR** · 18-09-2005, 03:24 PM

Originally Posted by audioinjection

this happens to me all to often

i usually find just sitting down and messing around with sounds even though i have no ideas, and just putting something together until it sounds good....then i would take a break and go back, just think of the song and what u can do with it, or watch a movie, listen to some other music, have a beer, etc..

Have MANy beers, forget about it, have a smoke, throw a "Whitey" then sit down for the next two hours and write some shit you dont remember doing.....!

:lol: :lol: :lol:
I also find that sitting down at the 'right' time of the day is good, my most productive hours are in the morning...

**djshiva** · 18-09-2005, 07:12 PM

the most frustrating thing is that i moved recently from a nice studio to a roommate situation, which definitely affects my writing. i love to write between the hours of 12 am to 6 am. no one calls, nothing on tv to distract me. but i can't do that now because more than likely i will be awakened by my roommate's inability to be quiet as she gets ready for work, or by my ghetto ass neighbors who love to bump bad hip hop at 9 am.

so my preferred hours must be spent sleeping, or i will be wrecked come work time.

i really want to get my own place again, but money prohibits it. sux0r.

**stjohn** · 18-09-2005, 08:28 PM

Originally Posted by dodgyedgy

Or furious mime acts performing teeth laden felatio!

that has been a recurring nightmare of mine since i was 11 :cry:

nightmare/fantasy......same thing!

**Komplex** · 19-09-2005, 02:09 AM

Originally Posted by audioinjection

this happens to me all to often

I usually find just sitting down and messing around with sounds even though i have no ideas, and just putting something together until it sounds good....then i would take a break and go back, just think of the song and what u can do with it

Something along these lines that you can do (and unfortunately its easier with hardware) is to just get some sounds going and sequence those sounds alone. Tweak the crap out of them, morph them, get bored, get another sound/melody going or maybe just some synthesized drums, patch your gear in different ways etc, just experiment and have fun (the ideas will flow and bounce off each other).

While you're playing around you should be recording it so you can use it later by chopping out the good bits. Keep to the same tempo and label it properly when saving (and include the tempo in the filename)

At the end of your session you should have a whole bunch of ideas already recorded and ready for working into tracks (or adding to tracks that needed that something extra)

**The Teknoist.** · 19-09-2005, 12:34 PM

What everyone has said has worked at different times but also what is a definate inspirebox for me is watching good films. Totaly sets me off.

Mainly though, just try and relax about everything and not put that pressure on yourself.

If only i could take my own advice! haha

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