I can't make music when I want...

[alexvont12]

Everytime I feel like making music, I can make some good beats and all that, but I can never get a nice flow going on a song if you know what I mean... Whenever I''m procrastinating (like now ) I get really inspired and can get really far with a song without stopping. Does this happen to anyone else? Any other tips for motivation and inspiration? I want to actually make a song when I have the time, not when I have to write an essay that's due tomorrow.

[Sine69]

I'm the exact same way During the weekends when I have all the free time in the world, I don't feel inspired at all.
12:30 on a school night? Everything inspires me.

I find the best way to deal with it is to not procrastinate. I do all my homework and stuff right when I get home, so then it's not nearly as bad when I stay up until 2 working on a tune (Until the next morning when I'm up at 6. But hey, at least my homework got finished)

[Electric_Head]

How long have the 2 of you been producing for?
Take a second to bring everything into perspective.

I`ve been producing for 12 years or so.

Work at it, it gets easier and then more difficult and then easier and then more difficult.
Until you pretty much want to stop and then find amazing inspiration and BAM.

[brettheaslewood]

take 2 weeks off from not making music.

gather ideas in your head, forget about them, replace them with new ideas.
repeat that process 5 times a day, for two weeks.

guaranteed you'll make a satisfying tune.

[JFK]

take 2 weeks off from not making music.

gather ideas in your head, forget about them, replace them with new ideas.
repeat that process 5 times a day, for two weeks.

guaranteed you'll make a satisfying tune.

Great advice.

[lodestone]

If you can't seem to get tracks going try working on just synth patches, building drumsets, & setting up a mixer template so you're ready to rock when you are feeling it.



Or if you only have only so much time and can't get anything out set up time constraints. Say, 20 minutes to come up with as many drum loops as possible. Another 20 for synth patches/pad selection, 20 for arrangement, ect. Don't worry if they aren't amazing, just try to knock out a few with some variations. When you hit your time limit STOP, it'll force you to concentrate on something new and you'll be amazed how many ideas you can get down. Basically run through a rough draft, you can take your time & fill in the details once you get something solid. And if the loops/melodies don't fit maybe they will in another track.

[brettheaslewood]

also - play midi piano drowned in reverb, with a nice beat at 110 bpm.

[stompzi]

Perhaps you have to force it man. Lay out some kind of template of a track and give yourself a structure and limitations (at least when you're feeling like this) and just force yourself to go at it.

I know I do. If i just made synth patches and breaks when I was feeling uninspired it'd be all I did, it seems like it has to be dragged kicked and screaming out of me

[Dystinkt]

I find i make the best tunes when Im not even trying. Today at college I was fucking around on Ableton and Massive with no serious intent, then BANG i made a huge nasty bassline and riff to go with it. Then I had to go to the fucking freshers fair, bastards.

[Manic Harmonic]

Like lodestone said, If you're not inspired or you don't feel like making music, then don't. But that doesn't mean you can't mess around in your DAW. Make synth patches, layer drums, watch tutorials, and scour the internet for free plugins. Go to your local bookstore and read the music production magazines. All of those things are pretty much guaranteed to inspire you, and if they don't well, then at least you have a bigger tool kit to work with.

[Thebassfirm]

I always try to improve my producing skills, you know make some drum loops try all kinds of compressors on everything, play around with fx n stuff. Quite usefull imo.