OH yeah you should pratice your stage moves like this.
how to improve your productivity...
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frequency_algorithm frequency_algorithm https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=126760
- Banned
- 566 posts since 2 Nov, 2006
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- KVRAF
- 1601 posts since 24 Jun, 2004 from Australia
Hear hear. The seeking of "perfection" was (and is?) my problem and I've come to a standstill for years now. I think my problem now more than anything is being afraid of going back, not knowing what to do because it's been so long...
That paper idea is interesting. I will have to do that, I think the change of brain function that it seems to me it involves could help me.
That paper idea is interesting. I will have to do that, I think the change of brain function that it seems to me it involves could help me.
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- KVRer
- 3 posts since 10 Apr, 2007
Excellent advice in this thread, thanks for sharing everyone.
Here's something that I've found can work for me:
If you ever get a horrible writer's block (like I have right now), take a break from trying to compose your own stuff. Instead, pick one song you really like, by an artist you admire. Now, take the song as if you'd just written it, that means music & lyrics. Forget all about the original arrangement and make it your own! Record a cover with a totally new and original arrangement. The basic material is already there - the tune and the lyrics.
This is just my two cents, I've found this to really help with alleviating the frustration that comes from a writer's block, it makes me focus on other things and, more importantly, it makes me finish a song instead of just sitting there, frustrated and wasting hours upon hours.
Here's something that I've found can work for me:
If you ever get a horrible writer's block (like I have right now), take a break from trying to compose your own stuff. Instead, pick one song you really like, by an artist you admire. Now, take the song as if you'd just written it, that means music & lyrics. Forget all about the original arrangement and make it your own! Record a cover with a totally new and original arrangement. The basic material is already there - the tune and the lyrics.
This is just my two cents, I've found this to really help with alleviating the frustration that comes from a writer's block, it makes me focus on other things and, more importantly, it makes me finish a song instead of just sitting there, frustrated and wasting hours upon hours.
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- KVRist
- 88 posts since 19 Feb, 2004
My last finished song was a remix for the A&B satellite competition back in...hmmm...2002-2003 I think it was.
So yupp, the writersblock is a daily little annoyance. I've always felt that 80% is completed no matter how many new instrument or synths you lay out. Something is just missing.
My theory is that vocals is the main ingredient that is gone, but since I can't sing nor know anyone that can, it kinda stops right there.
I will have to try out the papertechnique which I know existed, but never really got around to check out, since you seemed to have the same problem I have had for quite some time.
And I would also give a tip to people with writersblock, if you are thinking about buying the next expensive gadget for your studio to clear you from the writersblock, please don't! It doesn't work like that I've experienced (proud owner of a virus C and Genelec monitors
). They are fresh and exciting the first few weeks, but just wait! You'll fall right back in that pit you were before. Not saying that pro gear is wrong, but buying them to help out with your writersblock would do you...in short for more powerful words...dick.
Learning a new instrument might do the trick though, been thinking of picking up a guitar and forcing my buddy to teach me.
So yupp, the writersblock is a daily little annoyance. I've always felt that 80% is completed no matter how many new instrument or synths you lay out. Something is just missing.
My theory is that vocals is the main ingredient that is gone, but since I can't sing nor know anyone that can, it kinda stops right there.
I will have to try out the papertechnique which I know existed, but never really got around to check out, since you seemed to have the same problem I have had for quite some time.
And I would also give a tip to people with writersblock, if you are thinking about buying the next expensive gadget for your studio to clear you from the writersblock, please don't! It doesn't work like that I've experienced (proud owner of a virus C and Genelec monitors
). They are fresh and exciting the first few weeks, but just wait! You'll fall right back in that pit you were before. Not saying that pro gear is wrong, but buying them to help out with your writersblock would do you...in short for more powerful words...dick.Learning a new instrument might do the trick though, been thinking of picking up a guitar and forcing my buddy to teach me.
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- KVRian
- 1305 posts since 30 Jan, 2004
One thing that may sound interesting and simplistic is understanding that in context of the whole song, each knob/button/control in your host/synth/effects has its "best sounding position". In this context, there isn't really that much creativity - just turn the knob or move the slider until THAT knob or slider sounds best.
Sure you have to tweak a little and make minor adjustments as you go along, but it's surprising how little creative thought it takes to simply move the SINGLE control to it's optimum sounding position.
Concerning thoughts of "writing in circles" - you don't have to force your musical ideas to fit together when you are working on one song and another one seems to come out that doesn't fit.
That small piece that "doesn't fit" is something to use in different piece of music. Some artists and writers learn to just trust "what comes out" in whatever order it does, and if something doesn't fit they simply put that in the file for other work to do.
Don't try to force the music to happen. Just open the door and let come out whatever is there. There is an infinite supply of music that would come out if you just don't force it.
One off-beat way to think about it is to pretend that you're working at Disney World on your favorite ride where there are both hotties and uglies in a single file line. You have to let the uglies through to get to the hotties - they aren't allowed to skip.
So let the "uglies" through in your music. The trick is to just don't use those in what you offer to people as examples of your music.
Funny thing is, the more you allow both types to come through, the less uglies you have coming through over time.
Hope this helps,
- Paul
Sure you have to tweak a little and make minor adjustments as you go along, but it's surprising how little creative thought it takes to simply move the SINGLE control to it's optimum sounding position.
Concerning thoughts of "writing in circles" - you don't have to force your musical ideas to fit together when you are working on one song and another one seems to come out that doesn't fit.
That small piece that "doesn't fit" is something to use in different piece of music. Some artists and writers learn to just trust "what comes out" in whatever order it does, and if something doesn't fit they simply put that in the file for other work to do.
Don't try to force the music to happen. Just open the door and let come out whatever is there. There is an infinite supply of music that would come out if you just don't force it.
One off-beat way to think about it is to pretend that you're working at Disney World on your favorite ride where there are both hotties and uglies in a single file line. You have to let the uglies through to get to the hotties - they aren't allowed to skip.
So let the "uglies" through in your music. The trick is to just don't use those in what you offer to people as examples of your music.
Funny thing is, the more you allow both types to come through, the less uglies you have coming through over time.
Hope this helps,
- Paul
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- KVRAF
- 2973 posts since 18 Oct, 2004
something I find helpful, if you're getting bored with a song try working a different aspect of it. if you're bored with doing performance takes work on the production. if you're sick of fiddly mix details try adding layers or new sections.
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- KVRist
- 131 posts since 18 Aug, 2003 from Denver
Unlike other people here,
I TRULY believe one should work with audio files as much as possible, and with midi as sparingly as possible.
If you have a decent hard drive and can afford the .aifs sitting around, I would recommend converting EVERY sound into audio for a number of reasons.
1) Saves processing power. You can work with MANY more dry audio files than you can with wet midis churning out synths taxing valuable CPU. Often this clears the way for you to be more creative, and try more layers than you would with midi alone, helping the process.
2) You have more control with audio. You can COMPLETELY change the timing down to a minute level, so everything will be more accurate and sound MUCH better, making songs that you didn't think quite "gel," gel a lot more. Also, you can cut the audio up, splice it, time-stretch it, and best of all, you never, EVER have a reverb tail or delay that you don't want, so you can really start cleaning up the whole process.
3) Longevity. As your plugins change, or your presets change, or you swap computers, it can be very hard to recall old project files. If all you have are the midi project files and the final mp3, you are VERY unlikely to ever be able to work on that project in the distant future. If you change every layer / sound to audio, you can ALWAYS put them on any computer, and with programs like melodyne, stretch them, or reuse sounds exactly as you liked them any time.
For these reasons, I try to avoid midi as much as possible. Once I get a layer down, I bounce it and begin focusing on eq and timing. When you know a layer is right, just bounce the thing, quit assuming you'll need to change a synth parameter or something in midi later when in fact, odds are you won't. If it's right, it's right, so save you and your future self some trouble, and sound more pro in the process!
Hope this helps, the switch is weird at first, but trust me when I say that you won't look back. You might be surprised at how much it will change your creative process, and help you finish that song...
I TRULY believe one should work with audio files as much as possible, and with midi as sparingly as possible.
If you have a decent hard drive and can afford the .aifs sitting around, I would recommend converting EVERY sound into audio for a number of reasons.
1) Saves processing power. You can work with MANY more dry audio files than you can with wet midis churning out synths taxing valuable CPU. Often this clears the way for you to be more creative, and try more layers than you would with midi alone, helping the process.
2) You have more control with audio. You can COMPLETELY change the timing down to a minute level, so everything will be more accurate and sound MUCH better, making songs that you didn't think quite "gel," gel a lot more. Also, you can cut the audio up, splice it, time-stretch it, and best of all, you never, EVER have a reverb tail or delay that you don't want, so you can really start cleaning up the whole process.
3) Longevity. As your plugins change, or your presets change, or you swap computers, it can be very hard to recall old project files. If all you have are the midi project files and the final mp3, you are VERY unlikely to ever be able to work on that project in the distant future. If you change every layer / sound to audio, you can ALWAYS put them on any computer, and with programs like melodyne, stretch them, or reuse sounds exactly as you liked them any time.
For these reasons, I try to avoid midi as much as possible. Once I get a layer down, I bounce it and begin focusing on eq and timing. When you know a layer is right, just bounce the thing, quit assuming you'll need to change a synth parameter or something in midi later when in fact, odds are you won't. If it's right, it's right, so save you and your future self some trouble, and sound more pro in the process!
Hope this helps, the switch is weird at first, but trust me when I say that you won't look back. You might be surprised at how much it will change your creative process, and help you finish that song...
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- KVRist
- 218 posts since 25 Jan, 2007 from Wilmington, NC
Ya'll spend to much time thinking about. I just open up Project 5(use to be Reason), my templates up, with dimension pro and velocity. Start jamming with some instruments. Make basic pattern, arrange it, put some drums, export to mp3, and put it up on the web. 30 minutes to an hour, and i'm done. Thats going from nothing to on the web. Then just wait for something to buy. If it takes more than an hour, its not meant to be.
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- KVRian
- 1298 posts since 11 Jun, 2004 from dublin
Well, its not about the how quickly you can get things done....its about the quality...*original* music will take alot longer than an hour...sure great ideas come quickly (much less than an hour) but great ideas are less frequent if you have the same old approach to your song writing...its great to hear other people's methods....yes, this is a 'productivity' thread, but what good is productivity if your music sounds like you made it in an hour...dham wrote:Ya'll spend to much time thinking about. I just open up Project 5(use to be Reason), my templates up, with dimension pro and velocity. Start jamming with some instruments. Make basic pattern, arrange it, put some drums, export to mp3, and put it up on the web. 30 minutes to an hour, and i'm done. Thats going from nothing to on the web. Then just wait for something to buy. If it takes more than an hour, its not meant to be.
ITM: Inappropriate. Touching. Music.
electronic/hip hop
http://jazzyspoon.com/MELODAY.htm
http://www.myspace.com/mldy
electronic/hip hop
http://jazzyspoon.com/MELODAY.htm
http://www.myspace.com/mldy
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- KVRian
- 1298 posts since 11 Jun, 2004 from dublin
Okay, this one might seem a little out there....
While making music, i sometimes have other music playing very faintly in the background, just so I'm barely able to hear it....its really cool when the music in the background gives me ideas for the song i'm working on....they're definitely ideas (tempo, chord/key change, melodic variance etc) that i would have never thought of on my own!
While making music, i sometimes have other music playing very faintly in the background, just so I'm barely able to hear it....its really cool when the music in the background gives me ideas for the song i'm working on....they're definitely ideas (tempo, chord/key change, melodic variance etc) that i would have never thought of on my own!
ITM: Inappropriate. Touching. Music.
electronic/hip hop
http://jazzyspoon.com/MELODAY.htm
http://www.myspace.com/mldy
electronic/hip hop
http://jazzyspoon.com/MELODAY.htm
http://www.myspace.com/mldy
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- KVRian
- 1161 posts since 22 Feb, 2004 from Seattle, WA
I'm kind of doing something similar to this right now. I'm taking all of my tracks that originally had vocals on them and rerecording them as slower (60-70 bpm from 80-90 bpm), heavier shoegaze-type songs. Reinterpreting your own material in a completely different way can be great insight on how and why something was written in the first place.the cash wrote:Excellent advice in this thread, thanks for sharing everyone.
Here's something that I've found can work for me:
If you ever get a horrible writer's block (like I have right now), take a break from trying to compose your own stuff. Instead, pick one song you really like, by an artist you admire. Now, take the song as if you'd just written it, that means music & lyrics. Forget all about the original arrangement and make it your own! Record a cover with a totally new and original arrangement. The basic material is already there - the tune and the lyrics.
This is just my two cents, I've found this to really help with alleviating the frustration that comes from a writer's block, it makes me focus on other things and, more importantly, it makes me finish a song instead of just sitting there, frustrated and wasting hours upon hours.