When Inspiration Doesn't Strike (#firstworldproblems)

[Uncle E]

No amount of alcohol can work.

Then cut it out completely.

[VOODOO U]

No amount of alcohol can work.

Then cut it out completely.

My friend, watch yourself. There's a good saying from a particular African tribe - they say careful when giving advice because karma works quick in that field. All it takes is for you to dissappoint someone in a particular frequency where you get what's coming. They have procedures to protect themselves from that kind of return.

The wise ones shut up and listen. The best advice I can give is don't give advice.

[Uncle E]

Sure, you’re right. Personally, I’m a lot happier now that I’ve stopped drinking but that’s just me.

[VOODOO U]

Sure, you’re right. Personally, I’m a lot happier now that I’ve stopped drinking but that’s just me.

Are you? Enough where it needs to be rubbed in? Shame on you if you've been there and dare point a finger giving advice.

[vurt]

The wise ones shut up and listen.

not you though.

[mjolnir]

to respond to the original post:

1) shelve the tune/song for as long as possible and listen to it later, yet sparingly.
2) consider that maybe it needs more layers and more instrumentation
3) consider that maybe you did the drums at the wrong tempo (like I often did; my drums were too slow and cluttered)
4) keep listening to as much good music from others as is possible
5) take a lot of breaks while composing even if it means that your rate becomes really slow

those are my honest suggestions coming from a guy who is seriously creatively blocked most of the time lately. (but i still create in slow bursts)

[jancivil]

maybe consider it needs quite less. you can't really disguise a lack of a good basis musically, chances are you'll just make a bigger mess (speaking from experience).

[donkey tugger]

maybe consider it needs quite less. you can't really disguise a lack of a good basis musically, chances are you'll just make a bigger mess (speaking from experience).

Indeed so (and from experience here too, and took me a looong time to get there..)!

A lot of the time you just need to concentrate and emphasise the bits that really work and cut out stuff that isn't adding anything, be it parts, sections, layering etc.

[mjolnir]

maybe consider it needs quite less. you can't really disguise a lack of a good basis musically, chances are you'll just make a bigger mess (speaking from experience).

good call.

[Shabdahbriah]

The wise ones shut up and listen.

not you though.

Noonie-noonie-noo {cough} well you sure ran full speed right into that one {cough}

[foosnark]

Most of the time I don't have any trouble finding inspiration. I sit down with my synths, start making some sounds/jamming, and once I start hearing something I like, refine that and build around it. If it goes off the rails, or I don't like what I've recorded, or I'm just messing around and don't even start recording, that's fine -- it's fun and it's practice. But the more I've done this the more often I walk away with a decent recording.

When I'm feeling too low, the first obstacle is just starting. If I force that, the bigger obstacle is finding that spark of excitement in what I'm hearing to make me want to pick it up and run with it. So sound will happen for a while but music won't.

Thankfully those times are pretty rare and don't last long for me. This has just been a rough one. I'm finding ways to deal with it though.

[jancivil]

I've been avoiding the cliché '1% inspiration/99% perspiration', but I found early enoough in my journey that inspiration comes when you're working all the time. From/in the process (I did say 'product of a work ethic' already.). I've been very sick for over a year and haven't done anything that's a keeper since end of last summer, I'm not inspired because I'm not in there working every day. (I got excited for a minute with some very unpredictable sounds from two very convoluted instruments, but it didn't amount to anything. I did one thing that could be part of something but felt I was repeating myself, I couldn't find the context, the intro or consequent or whatever; because of atrophy.)
To me there is nothing clearer about all this.

[Uncle E]

I've been avoiding the cliché '1% inspiration/99% perspiration', but I found early enoough in my journey that inspiration comes when you're working all the time.

Agreed. The top film composers complete an average of 3 minutes of music per day.

[bobbackwards]

maybe consider it needs quite less. you can't really disguise a lack of a good basis musically, chances are you'll just make a bigger mess (speaking from experience).

This is incredibly good advice...I wish I could follow it

[Uncle E]

This is incredibly good advice...I wish I could follow it

These are all just ideas for sparking creativity. If it doesn't work for you, don't fret, just try something else. We all have different processes.