Losing motivation to finish tracks

Anything about MUSIC but doesn't fit into the forums above.
RELATED
PRODUCTS

Post

Hi,

I've been working on 4 tracks lately and they are all pretty much finished some just need finishing touches before mixing and mastering. I was planning to make it into a Demo EP as I've never posted anything before. (Been producing for nearly 5 years).

The thing is I just really can't be f***ed to finish them. It's like I lost motivation for the whole project. I was pretty eager at first and was knuckled down on it for a couple of weeks but now the finishing line is in sight I just cant be bothered to get there.

Does this happen to anyone else? Should I take a week break?

Post

Pick a date a few weeks in the future and invite everyone you know to a release party for your new EP.

Nothing like a deadline (and making a commitment to other people) to make you wrap something up!

Post

Fapping usually helps, so.... ;)

Post

What helps me are 2 things. I will do something totally different. Clean the house or something :D ..and while doing that I listen to other Music, stuff that I like and that normally give me inspiration.

..and yes, it happens to me all the time.
Win 10 -64bit, CPU i7-7700K, 32Gb, Focusrite 2i2, FL-studio 20, Studio One 4, Reason 10

Post

I know the feeling. I used to suffer this too. I've been producing now about 10 years. Its not the motivation. Its the feeling what you feel about your track. Deep inside you are not happy how the track sounds. You may think that it is okay, but nothing special. Thats why you keep making excuses so you dont have to finish it. At least this is what I feel and I've learned over these years. I kind of force myself to finish these okay tracks and then I release them as a free tracks. If track is good, I put more effort on it and will release it. I manage to do this, because I stopped care how the track sounds and what people think about my music. And surprise, with these free tracks, my followers have increased a lot. People love everything free. Try to turn this problem to positive and just keep going. If the tracks is good, really good, you dont keep looking your "motivation" ;)

Post

Winstontaneous wrote:Pick a date a few weeks in the future and invite everyone you know to a release party for your new EP.

Nothing like a deadline (and making a commitment to other people) to make you wrap something up!
That's a good idea, I definitely need to set myself deadlines. The other tracks I made where a breeze and I worked on them simultaneously (some where projects picked up from months ago). Its when I started the 4th track for my EP that everything went to shit and I lost motivation and it is because I spent too long in it.

Next time I will set myself a deadline. Probably work on 4 tracks at same time and aim to finish them within 2 months. Thanks for your advice.

Regnas wrote:Fapping usually helps, so.... ;)
Nothing like a good old fap!
ATN69 wrote:What helps me are 2 things. I will do something totally different. Clean the house or something :D ..and while doing that I listen to other Music, stuff that I like and that normally give me inspiration.

..and yes, it happens to me all the time.
I'm actually watching Game of Thrones alongside making music. Wait until brain/ear fatigue and then I disconnect!

I also clean my flat quite often for a break. There is never any washing up to do anymore! Clean surroundings = clean spirit.

Post

keel wrote:I know the feeling. I used to suffer this too. I've been producing now about 10 years. Its not the motivation. Its the feeling what you feel about your track. Deep inside you are not happy how the track sounds. You may think that it is okay, but nothing special. Thats why you keep making excuses so you dont have to finish it. At least this is what I feel and I've learned over these years. I kind of force myself to finish these okay tracks and then I release them as a free tracks. If track is good, I put more effort on it and will release it. I manage to do this, because I stopped care how the track sounds and what people think about my music. And surprise, with these free tracks, my followers have increased a lot. People love everything free. Try to turn this problem to positive and just keep going. If the tracks is good, really good, you dont keep looking your "motivation" ;)
You've really hit the nail on the head here. This 4th track I'm currently trying to finish up on is a new style to me.

I've done well and the track has potential but as it stands its just an okay track... I wanted it to be the best out of them all.

It is pretty much finished but I feel like an element is missing and I can't get down whats in my head....

It is frustrating me to the point where I can't move on and finish my EP and it's pissing me of and I cant be assed to do anything!

Post

sometimes it is just hard to get going, force yourself to start working on them again and you may get motivated again.
my music: http://www.alexcooperusa.com
"It's hard to be humble, when you're as great as I am." Muhammad Ali

Post

ATS wrote:sometimes it is just hard to get going, force yourself to start working on them again and you may get motivated again.
I'll give it a go

Post

Maybe something that has not been considered............

recently doing beta testing for reason 9, I opened A SHIT LOAD of projects. Point being, many of them are more "finished" than I previously thought.

Not sure if that is on-topic, but wanted to mention it just in case maybe you are beating yourself up too much (despite being an average musician, I'm overly anal and too "perfectionist" often)

Post

incubus wrote:Maybe something that has not been considered............

recently doing beta testing for reason 9, I opened A SHIT LOAD of projects. Point being, many of them are more "finished" than I previously thought.

Not sure if that is on-topic, but wanted to mention it just in case maybe you are beating yourself up too much (despite being an average musician, I'm overly anal and too "perfectionist" often)
The track I'm stuck on I just put in some Am chords and it filled it up also a bit of vocal where it was empty... I'm now going to write it of as finished as it is the most productive thing I can do.

Listened to my other 3 tracks and took notes of what needs to be done. One is perfect how it is. The other two lack decent drum samples (replacing), percussive elements need to be added and vocals need to be recorded properly.

I am 100% once that his done then I can mix them and master them!

It's such a short task.... just need that kick up the ass to do it. I will try get it done today. I might go to a studio at Uni just for the change of environment (and the gear will help too).

I know what you mean about the perfectionist thing. It's a critical way to be and it has its pros and cons but over the years it definitely works in favor.

Post

Triple Dot wrote:Hi,

I've been working on 4 tracks lately and they are all pretty much finished some just need finishing touches before mixing and mastering. I was planning to make it into a Demo EP as I've never posted anything before. (Been producing for nearly 5 years).

The thing is I just really can't be f***ed to finish them. It's like I lost motivation for the whole project. I was pretty eager at first and was knuckled down on it for a couple of weeks but now the finishing line is in sight I just cant be bothered to get there.

Does this happen to anyone else? Should I take a week break?
Happens to me every time. I just have to force myself to open a project and make those finishing touches. Making that 4-16 bar loop is fast and fun, making an arrangement is bit slower and not as fun but it can be an "ok" experience. Making those little variations is the same as previous but even slower. Adding finishing touches like risers, crashes, sweeps, fx... Pure hell and I want to hit myself at the nuts when I even think of that.

Regnas wrote:Fapping usually helps, so.... ;)

Usually I relief my frustration with :pray: The Fap :pray: , but too often it takes the time from I should be doing. And I really hate myself if I have 1,5 hours to make music and I spend the first hour.. Well.. Not making music :hihi:

Post

Triple Dot wrote:I'm actually watching Game of Thrones alongside making music. Wait until brain/ear fatigue and then I disconnect!

I also clean my flat quite often for a break. There is never any washing up to do anymore! Clean surroundings = clean spirit.
People are really different in that regard.

Yes, cleaning is great. And dish washing. And getting outside of your studio after weeks inside. :lol:

Going outside, especially, I think, is great for inspiration and motivation.

But idle tasks aren't for everyone. For an example, I have a friend, who is an artist and just can't simply understand what good going outside could possibly do to one's artistic mind. He stays inside and does his thing 24/7, still he remains productive.
I couldn't do that.

On the other hand, I find that listening to worse or more unoriginal music than yours can help motivation.

I couldn't watch GOT between writing/recording session, because
1) Ramon Djawadi's work is really amazing.
2) The music might inspire, or rather, creep into your work and you're called out for being unoriginal.

Post

that's fantastic news, it means you're like every artist :tu: Sometimes we put too much pressure on ourselves, take it easy on yourself and enjoy what you are doing. Pieces will fall together, and dont be afraid to ask for help. Not being good at one thing as no impact on your talents for another. For instance my weaknesses mixing but that has nothing to do with my guitar playing. Dont set your expectations too high, shooting for 100% perfection is setting yourself up to fail. Shoot for 85% and give yourself a break, when we hear a flaw that's all we hear, others never even notice it (unless we're fool enough to point it out). But again, just have fun with it, that's what you'll remember when you're listening to it years later :)
The highest form of knowledge is empathy, for it requires us to suspend our egos and live in another's world. It requires profound, purpose‐larger‐than‐the‐self kind of understanding.

Post

Aryaroman wrote:
Triple Dot wrote:I'm actually watching Game of Thrones alongside making music. Wait until brain/ear fatigue and then I disconnect!

I also clean my flat quite often for a break. There is never any washing up to do anymore! Clean surroundings = clean spirit.
People are really different in that regard.

Yes, cleaning is great. And dish washing. And getting outside of your studio after weeks inside. :lol:

Going outside, especially, I think, is great for inspiration and motivation.

But idle tasks aren't for everyone. For an example, I have a friend, who is an artist and just can't simply understand what good going outside could possibly do to one's artistic mind. He stays inside and does his thing 24/7, still he remains productive.
I couldn't do that.

On the other hand, I find that listening to worse or more unoriginal music than yours can help motivation.

I couldn't watch GOT between writing/recording session, because
1) Ramon Djawadi's work is really amazing.
2) The music might inspire, or rather, creep into your work and you're called out for being unoriginal.
Each to their own I guess. I wonder if him taking a break would do him some good or make him worse.

Listening to worse music is actually pretty good. Was at a party last night and a tune was playing and I was thinking "theres so many elements missing from this song but whats he's made with what he's used is fantastic and for that reason it works well" really made me think about simplicity.

I suppose it doesn't matter what level of production someone is at. Some people are excellent at the creativity side. I have a friend that i have met at my student halls this year and after 3 months of producing his track structure was astonishing to the point where I had to learn from that side of his brain.

Hink wrote:that's fantastic news, it means you're like every artist :tu: Sometimes we put too much pressure on ourselves, take it easy on yourself and enjoy what you are doing. Pieces will fall together, and dont be afraid to ask for help. Not being good at one thing as no impact on your talents for another. For instance my weaknesses mixing but that has nothing to do with my guitar playing. Dont set your expectations too high, shooting for 100% perfection is setting yourself up to fail. Shoot for 85% and give yourself a break, when we hear a flaw that's all we hear, others never even notice it (unless we're fool enough to point it out). But again, just have fun with it, that's what you'll remember when you're listening to it years later :)
:)

I have been putting too much pressure on my self and in fact the best track I have was the one I had the most fun with. Once, I've got these tracks on the mixdown I will probably post them on this forum before mastering for feedback. This forum is really great! I've signed up for about 7 and this one is the most constructive!

You'll get there with mixing in time! The fact that you can actually recognize it as a flaw already means that your are starting to better yourself!

I've always wanted to pick up an instrument most likely a bass guitar! Have you been playing for long and how much time did it take for you to become comfortable?

Post Reply

Return to “Everything Else (Music related)”