I took a year off from writing music to learn some music theory. I'm at the point where I think I can write again, but I'm feeling rather anxious. I put a lot of time and effort into this and I really don't want to fail. I'm a bit of a perfectionist and I hate feeling like I can't do what I set out to do. How do I get over this?

You can't. It's part of your character.

You could try and see it not as something to succeed or fail in, but do it for the joy and the fulfillment it gives you. I think that's when you are really successful, even if everybody else thinks your music sucks.

HAHAHAHAHa right on.

I would add to that that when you say "can't" it means that you can not do it. as in you are capable of not doing it. BUT you are also perfectly capable of just doing it. so if you ever hear the little man in your head saying "i can't" tell him right back (in a bigger meaner voice of course) "but I can as well"
Last edited by shankfiddle on Mon Mar 26, 2012 7:09 pm; edited 1 time in total

May I share some of my personal experience in this matter? I am a perfectionist too. I stayed stuck due to it for a long, long time. When I wanted to create music again, I put myself in a position where I had a tight deadline. I was to provide some music for someone else and I had 5 days to create about 5 minutes worth of music.

I made a deal with myself. I promised to hand over the music in five days time and it would be complete. The quality was secondary in importance. Primary was to provide something in five days PERIOD. No excuses.

So I did. Of course the quality was a disappointment to me, but I made the deal with myself that it was a stepping stone to higher and higher quality over time. I commenced to think of quality as a long process of incremental and slow series of creating COMPLETE projects (it's very important that I focus on something that is complete because abandonment was my M.O.).

So perhaps you can time box your first foray back into music. Give yourself a deadline (real is better than atificial). Make completion and adherence to deadline primary and quality secondary. Give your composition permission to be less than great (even bad if necessary!). Perhaps you can think of this as an investment in quality. Quality will come, but only if you create "inferior" quality things for a long period of time. For me, the pressure of having to create something great was no longer a block, but I still had my eye on great quality, but that it was a longer journey.

This is what worked for me. I hope you find what you need to find.

Team up with someone quick and dirty.

I took part in FAWM for the first time this year and came to the same conclusion as you.

I also realised that if I don't set out with a plan (score, chart etc) I end up going in circles.

giving oneself the permission to fail is very liberating

some writers work on the basis of: first thought; keep writing

which relates to the idea that something on the page can be edited, but not much can be done with nothing at all

You've got to stop thinking about it and let it flow out of you. Get inspried but don't push it cause i'm sure you know if you start pushing at any old idea it wont be any good.

Check this handy link out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3IFkhRTYsI&feature=related

Try limiting yourself to certain sounds because sometimes with plugins, vsts, synths etc there can be just too many choices!

I remember when I first got a modern DAW on a computer. all the possibilites in front of me and a complex program I had to learn...

because I was used to 'nailing' things, a first-take sort of approach to sessions, and years in free improviation, ie., the goal was to create a viable composition in real time, I created a kind of block for myself. I got the idea I must become a capable keyboardist, for one thing (never happened, I never found the time to, or the strength to)...

I learned to make a great mess was not a bad thing, but liberating.

also consider the old adage, 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration...

My first suggestion is to get over yourself. You aren't perfect. No one is. Your music will never be perfect, but that doesn't mean it won't be great. It can't be great if it stays in your head.

My second suggestion is to read The Inner Game of Music by Barry Green. He addresses this issue very well, and it is well worth the read.

Then go write music. When you least expect it, something great will come out of you that you never expected.

I'm a bit like the OP.....I'll start making music and it's all cool, but after awhile I'll be listening to it, and I'll start hating it...sometimes to the point where I don't even wanna finish the track anymore....

This is good advice though, I think I'll start setting timeslots for myself

Losing inspiration is a big thing for a Musician, so getting back into the habit of writing is a critical point on the way to personal satisfaction in the music field.

read this article, it helped some musicians, and I hope it will help you too, after all, this is a World Of Inspiration.

Great article! It's a little rough on english, but it gets the point across.
My advice:
Think back to when you first picked up your first musical instrument. When you completely sucked at music.
Did you sucking at it get in the way of you pursuing music? Of course not. Think back to the emotions you felt when you dreamed of having a full song written, a whole album produced, or shredding a guitar solo in front of thousands of people. Whatever you dreamy back then, dream it now and build off those positive emotions!

Great article! It's a little rough on english, but it gets the point across.
My advice:
Think back to when you first picked up your first musical instrument. When you completely sucked at music.
Did you sucking at it get in the way of you pursuing music? Of course not. Think back to the emotions you felt when you dreamed of having a full song written, a whole album produced, or shredding a guitar solo in front of thousands of people. Whatever you dreamy back then, dream it now and build off those positive emotions!