Trying too hard?

Blastfome · Post by **Blastfome** » Thu May 26, 2011 12:04 am

Hey everyone. I was just sitting at my desk, staring at my computer screen with my DAW open the other day and I just could NOT come up with any ideas to finish/move forward on a track i'm currently working on. But then not too long ago I sit down with no intentions of making anything, just messing around, and I come up with a great idea that I wanna work with and push forward. So my question to you is, do you find when you try too hard that it's more difficult to come up with ideas because ur somewhat forcing them? And what about when you just sit down with no expectations. Is that when all your juices are flowin the most?! I hate how this happens mainly because I like to plan when i'm goin to work in the "lab". If I have a day off work or something I may decide to work on music for hours, but that would mean I'm forcing it :/

What do you think?

eldoogle · Post by **eldoogle** » Thu May 26, 2011 12:49 am

Yes, it's usually when I have 30 mins before I need to leave the house that I come up with a fantastic idea. When I try hard, nada.

Gurnumsbug · Post by **Gurnumsbug** » Thu May 26, 2011 12:54 am

makemerich · Post by **makemerich** » Fri May 27, 2011 11:17 am

yes. if only life were that easy.
just to be relaxed all the time, never stress.
i dont really know other than a fortune or a lifetime supply of xanax.

jaimelee · Post by **jaimelee** » Fri May 27, 2011 11:54 am

Start making projects just for really screwed up sounds you can make, riffs etc.

Get back to them later and see if there is opportunity!

Electric_Head · Post by **Electric_Head** » Fri May 27, 2011 12:04 pm

You need to surround yourself with inspiration.
Learn to play a percussive instrument, djembe, tablas, or just the desk.
Once you have a starting point at your finger tips, it becomes easier to create straight off the bat.
Get a good sample library to give you a starting point if you battle to get started.

steeze · Post by **steeze** » Fri May 27, 2011 1:34 pm

When I'm feeling particularly uninspired I find it's good to just sit and do something that doesn't require too much creativeness, try and make some nice sounding drums, synth or bass patches etc. This way you'll soon build up a library of sounds that are pretty much ready to go when the inspiration does eventually hit. In doing this you might also trigger some ideas for a track anyway

-[2]DAY_- · Post by **-[2]DAY_-** » Fri May 27, 2011 3:29 pm

i just discovered xanax the other day. Was given to me. I feel so fuckin fuzzy, i don't really like it. But i tell u what, i had NO anxiety.

Augment · Post by **Augment** » Fri May 27, 2011 4:03 pm

I rarely make anything but patches/drumloops when I try forcing myself to write music, but when I'm just chillin', writing drums or something, I usually get an idea, and build upon it until I can't sit longer.

hutyluty · Post by **hutyluty** » Fri May 27, 2011 11:03 pm

justtt sit down and meditate

think abotu the tai chi/ feng shui and everything that flows out of your beautiful body will be spectacular

street_legal · Post by **street_legal** » Fri May 27, 2011 11:07 pm

I find it best to let it flow naturally, but some of the best sounding stuff I have comes from forcing myself to keep trying. But to be honest, I love spending hours sat at my computer making beats so there's not really much forcing going on

gh02 · Post by **gh02** » Fri May 27, 2011 11:27 pm

jaimelee wrote:Start making projects just for really screwed up sounds you can make, riffs etc.

Get back to them later and see if there is opportunity!

I do this when i'm pissed/stoned... but if they still sound good when straight = win
never listen to anything with a hangover tho

Sine69 · Post by **Sine69** » Fri May 27, 2011 11:28 pm

I always come up with things at around 11 on school nights. On weekends though, I can't make a cool sound to save my life.

Subsidize Dubstep · Post by **Subsidize Dubstep** » Sat May 28, 2011 9:24 am

For me, whenever I'm listening the heavy, robotic, filthy shit, that's when I'm inspired the most. But back to the original post.
Somedays/nights (like right now at 3:20 in the morning) I get really stuck because I'm forcing myself to be a better producer. To me, when people listen to my songs, they think "Oh, that sound? I can make that in five minutes." Instead of "HOLY FUCK!!! HOW DID HE CREATE THAT SOUND!"
But Ive had some not so bad tunes come out of my head in like 3-5 hours.

Filthzilla · Post by **Filthzilla** » Sat May 28, 2011 9:53 am

Yeah for me the creativity comes last thing at night or when I'm at college... so inconvenient!

bRRRz · Post by **bRRRz** » Sat May 28, 2011 11:30 am

Don't force yourself!
When you can't think of a way to proceed with your tune then just fiddle around with synths, process vocals, just single bits and pieces.
Maybe inspiration hits you and you can continue, if not, that's not the end of the world mate. Just wait till inspiration hits you.

misk · Post by **misk** » Sat May 28, 2011 3:14 pm

i think giving yourself deadlines helps a LOT. and having a label or two that you need to answer to when they send you emails with lines like "about those new tracks..." helps a LOT too!

Blastfome · Post by **Blastfome** » Sat May 28, 2011 6:11 pm

Yea, I've noticed inspiration can come at the worst of times. Like when I work an 8 hour shift I will get tons of ideas. The problem isn't remembering those ideas, it's actually being able to recreate those sounds that you have floating around in ur head all day!

Blastfome · Post by **Blastfome** » Sat May 28, 2011 6:13 pm

Also, I wonder how signed artists act under this kind of pressure? Especially the more well known artists. They must feel the pressure of making tunes for not only fans, but the labels themselves. How do they get past that writers block, do they just push through it?!

That'd be kind of scary actually. lol

jaimelee · Post by **jaimelee** » Sat May 28, 2011 6:19 pm

Must be immense for them but they probably got tons of projects lying around unfinished.
I haven't got a deadline yet!

Bless my lazy ass haha.

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