When Inspiration Doesn't Strike (#firstworldproblems)

[Uncle E]

I need to work out some coping mechanisms, and music is one of them but I feel like I have to be in a more or less okay place emotionally before I can even start that.

Exactly the opposite. Use this energy to feed your creativity. And btw, this doesn't mean you need to make angst-filled teenage freak outs, you can channel the energy into hope and positivity. "Imagine" was written during some of the worst times of the Vietnam War.

[foosnark]

Exactly the opposite. Use this energy to feed your creativity.

Sorry, but this is about as helpful as saying "have you tried not being depressed?"

Yes, and I've also tried flying by simply lifting both feet off the ground at the same time.

...

I know I'm going to get through, and it's not like I didn't make a ton of music from 2016-2020. But I have never believed that suffering enhances art, it just makes it harder to get started. The way this term opened with an immediate blitzkrieg of hateful bullshit took me off guard -- I was expecting the orange buffoon to be too busy congratulating himself and playing golf and tweeting to actually do anything.

[Uncle E]

But I have never believed that suffering enhances art

Plath, van Gogh, Munch, Dickens, Woolf, Tchaikovsky, Kahlo, etc.

[foosnark]

Plath, van Gogh, Munch, Dickens, Woolf, Tchaikovsky, Kahlo, etc.

Regardless of the romantic stories about artists, I expect their best work happened on their best days, not their worst ones.

[Uncle E]

Perhaps. Just trying to help. FWIW, things are looking up here in California. The downpour over the weekend pretty much put an end to fire season.

[foosnark]

I'm glad those fires are done. That seemed pretty nasty. Closest I've been to wildfires was the Chimney Tops 2 fire in 2016 while on vacation in Gatlinburg (we bailed out a few hours before mandatory evacuations).

Today was better overall despite my gloomy posts. Had a decent day at work, on the way home I told myself, instead of sinking into a videogame I'd fire up the modular. I wound up recording something that might be pretty decent (I'll judge it later).

[Uncle E]

Great! I’m glad for you! Keep it up!

[jancivil]

All any of us can do is, if we have enough promise that it shows, to make the most of it when we can manage to.
to the idea 'telling stories in music', we're able to or we aren't. If a stumbling block is you find what you're doing 'doesn't go anywhere', as opposed to having a melodic line that takes someone on a trip, this may be just about chops. I was lucky in one way, I was doing that on an instrument in real time very early. I couldn't really do anything else, though. idiot savant a bit

That said, my answer to the specific actual question, 'you have a piece that you know is good, but just doesn't grab you', is the work itself grabs me and insists on it, but I may find, like yesterday that what I did was compelling in the doing but may just be garbage. Comparatively rare for me, I have reasons to be in love with my ideas. I don't need to start with 'a good idea', though. That's just some words. The moment is everything, I don't think there's a lot can be planned for. "A plan is a list of things that don't happen.", a line in a movie I remembered. inspiration is a product of a work ethic anyway

[BONES]

Those executive orders are exactly what killed my inspiration last week. Instead of making music, I spent my time doomscrolling, making sure my brother isn't going to kill himself, wondering what the hell is happening with my passport application, throwing money at various mental health hotlines and trans rights orgs, trying to take naps because of depression, etc. I need to work out some coping mechanisms, and music is one of them but I feel like I have to be in a more or less okay place emotionally before I can even start that. I couldn't even go for a walk because the trails are still icy and it's been freezing.

Why aren't you using this shit as inspiration? Get angry, let it out through your music. That's what music is for! And just be grateful you don't live here, passports just went up to more than $400! Last time I renewed mine it was $80. I won't be renewing it again.

Regardless of the romantic stories about artists, I expect their best work happened on their best days, not their worst ones.

That's not been my personal experience at all. My most productive period was when I was going through all kinds of shit. When I'm happy, I'm not creative because I don't need to be.

[foosnark]

Thankfully, I'm not you.

[Uncle E]

Somehow my least productive time was when I was in my 40s and my most productive time is now in my 50s.

[jancivil]

I saw a David Lynch-oriented video where he addresses suffering. It starts out with a clip of him in a car saying, on camera "I'm so depressed. I have no idea what I'm doing, not got a clue." Then he goes into depression and being in too much pain to create at all. "When you can't get out of bed in the morning..." I had a tough time getting out of bed today. I finally decided to be maximally pissed off rather than continue to internalize. My life was shot to shit (literal shit) due to other people and first of all due to an inherited disease that the medical profession kept kicking down the road in favor of treating assholes that refused to protect themselves against SARS Coronavirus 19 and overran hospitals. I made some of my best tracks in situations beyond bad. Psychiatric shelter, hospital etc. Most of it wasn't angry music at all either.

[jancivil]

but others may well have their best moments agree with their life situation, people are individuals

[ghostwhistler]

Clearly an issue far more serious than the rise of a horrific billioniare led science denying hateful oligarchy.

Those executive orders are exactly what killed my inspiration last week. Instead of making music, I spent my time doomscrolling, making sure my brother isn't going to kill himself, wondering what the hell is happening with my passport application, throwing money at various mental health hotlines and trans rights orgs, trying to take naps because of depression, etc. I need to work out some coping mechanisms, and music is one of them but I feel like I have to be in a more or less okay place emotionally before I can even start that. I couldn't even go for a walk because the trails are still icy and it's been freezing.

Good luck!

[VOODOO U]

Yes, and I've also tried flying by simply lifting both feet off the ground at the same time.

Yeah that pretty much sums it up. I'm almost envious of people who can create when dealing with deep depression, heartache, loss of a loved one, worry/fear/anxiety.
It's impossible for me. No amount of alcohol can work.
And it makes me feel that those who say they can "rise above it" with positive thoughts, or whatever bullshit...well....in my very honest opinion, they haven't really gone that deep even though they may have experienced circumstances that could conjure severe negative emotions.