Writer's Block >.<

[TheNobleNemesis]

Hello, fellow composers, I have been afflicted with the worst musical ailment known to man; the writer's block. Symptoms include making the same melodies over and over, and an inability to produce a creative spark... Help please?

[H20nly]

[Bagatell]

Are you sure it's writers block? I haven't produced anything in weeks. Everytime I pick up my guitar I feel like Nero. I think I have zeitgeistitis.

[Mirthan]

Don't think about it. Maybe you're putting pressure on yourself. If you're just plain uninspired,do something else. Take a walk while listening to music on shuffle.
Also,something that usually helps me is doing something different. Some technique you never though about doing may very well boost your creativity.

[Tone Deft]

Are you sure it's writers block? I haven't produced anything in weeks. Everytime I pick up my guitar I feel like Nero. I think I have zeitgeistitis.

same here. been going through this book


writing out each song by hand as I learn them.

and following this guy's youtube lessons:

http://www.youtube.com/user/martyzsongs/videos
I'm learning songs I never thought to play, like Don't Stop Believing (capo on 4. verse - C G Am F C G Em F. chorus. FFFF CCCC.)

this has been a really fun one man jam tool:


I play random chords into it then poke away until the melodies come out.

if you don't play, then learn to play a song on your piano keyboard, there are loads of youtubes on that. from time to time I try to peck out Lennon's 'Imagine.' easy tune.

if you just use a mouse, pick a song you like and work to re-create it.

if not that, just make a song. on a piece of paper write out a REALLY generic song structure. populate the song in Live (maybe without listening too it along the way? DANGER!?) just write a song. it's been said you have to pop out a lot of turds before you lay that golden turd.

some people have challenged themselves to a time limit. make a song in 2 minutes or 30 minutes, whatever.

go through the Tips n Tricks sticky (top of that forum) and actually DO tips that you don't yet know. same with the manual.

Tom COSM has some really great sets he's made on his site, some free, some not but all that I've tried got me sucked into Live for hours.
http://www.cosm.co.nz/

dump a bunch of songs into a set and just f--k around DJing them on the fly.



or maybe you just suck. go buy a new video game.

oops, big pics but I'm feeling lazy.

[Tarekith]

Here's some ideas I do:

http://tarekith.com/assets/pdfs/ChasingInspiration.pdf

[dewaldo]

Wonderful article Tarekith, thanks

[david.barker]

Yep it happens to everyone at some point

Me,I recently had a break from music for a few months,(partly due to my non music work)

But what I do,is get one of those white boards,and write down ideas on that.Maybe have a wander through some loops,for inspiration.

listen to your favourite bands maybe,share ideas with mates,bounce ideas off each other

Make use of sharing bits of your ideas, with your mates,via say dropbox for ideas,(surprising what can be achieved this way)

Take frequent breaks,and don't force yourself

[shlomo]

try oblique strategies...
if you have max for live i'll send you a patch that i did...

[Cool Character]

Just make something you think is gonna suck, and try and ignore your critical faculties for a little bit.

Figure even if it's bad, it's still something, and that there's the potential that maybe it'll be good. Just tell your inner critic to shut the fuck up for a while, is all.

[yur2die4]

http://audio.tutsplus.com/tutorials/com ... osing-now/ I was Just reading this a moment ago.

[Mirthan]

http://audio.tutsplus.com/tutorials/com ... osing-now/ I was Just reading this a moment ago.

Great read,very interesting. Thanks for sharing!

[beats me]

It’s ironic that many of us home producers want to be original even compared to ourselves while many of the pros making money hand over fist have no issues with doing essentially the same thing over and over.

[Tarekith]

You're confusing art and commerce

[beats me]

You're confusing art and commerce

But how many cookie cutter producers do think there are rocking a crowd on stage while thinking “I hate myself. I should go get a job typing in code for The Man.”