Glad to join this great community.

[StarcAt]

Actually i've been working on ableton since v 6 and really love it, but never had mine. Used to work in my friends studio when it was free.Suddenly, i moved to a different country now so, i bought my copy something like month ago. My price was like 470$ for sute8+sute9+max4live which i think not bad deal. Also i pre-odered push from Guitar Center for $500 with a discount coupon. I've been dreaming about this kind of pad controller instead of keys for a long time. Btw, i would definitely keep my maschine for finger drumming.I'm sure that drumming on small pads would be fucked up if you're not Jeremy Ellis.

And sorry for another stupid thread Just want to say hi)

[StarcAt]

To make this thread not so stupid, i want to ask you guys a question. I've been messing around with different kind of music for almost decade now, but for last 4 years it's kind of really stuck. I think i've produced something like 3 songs for that period. Basically, i can recognize 2 problems. First and the main one is that i never glad with my stuff, i mean i'm always thinking that it's completely crap, really tired of that feeling. Another problem is that i love just so wide variety of music that it's really hard for me to keep working on something close enough to song before.It's always absolutely different. May be some of you used to have something similar. Any advice on how to overcome that shit would be really appreciated. Thanks.

[MarksBasementRecords.com]

First off, welcome to the Ableton forums-

As far as enjoying your own music / thinking it's crap- consider this

Artists are artists because they have a vision or sound in their head that no one else has heard fabricated in the "real world". It's hard sometimes to recreate what your brain hears to a tee, which frustrates most of us and gives us fuel to keep trying time and time again.

The endless pursuit for the perfect sound is much like the endless pursuit of happiness in life- if you're ever content with your work 100%, you might as well call it a day. Your job as an artist is done- personally the thought of being done is a nightmare- so I will always learn from past tracks and keep experimenting for the future.

Which answers your second question- loving the fast or slow rhythm of some music- and the scales and sounds of another is what gives birth to a new sound and style decade after decade- so it's part of that everlasting goal for the perfect sound

Woah - sorry for the philosophy haha

Cheers,
Mark

[Quez]

Me too, not been making new songs for a while, although i just released an album (been working/learning more on the mix for the past year(s) , the songs by themselves were done years ago)

So i made the move to Live, and also re-learning to read music with my childhood' times piano-books, things like that.
I plan to capture audio and integrate that into new songs. And make stuff which is more happy & soothing, with my gf.
Well anyway that was my story for what it's worth..!

[Angstrom]

I've been messing around with different kind of music for almost decade now, but for last 4 years it's kind of really stuck. I think i've produced something like 3 songs for that period. Basically, i can recognize 2 problems. First and the main one is that i never glad with my stuff, i mean i'm always thinking that it's completely crap, really tired of that feeling. Another problem is that i love just so wide variety of music that it's really hard for me to keep working on something close enough to song before.It's always absolutely different. May be some of you used to have something similar. Any advice on how to overcome that shit would be really appreciated. Thanks.

A common problem, and there is actually a potentially simple solution: Work with other people, form a "band" at least for the purposes of a stated project. You will find that your "crap" gets released, or performed, regardless of your wishes. Partly due to time pressures, and partly because other people will pick up what you drop and take it one step further. So, pick a project, link up with a couple of people and complete the project.

Second solution: Music tends to fit a space, whether that's social or physical, or a mixture of both. If you are not in a scene, or based in a certain space, your music will reflect that. Trust me - it's hard to find time to write Ambient Skiffle and Dub Polka if you have a weekly live PA residency in a friends bar which demands "Funky House". So get yourself embedded.

[simmerdown]

howdy

[DanMan]

Welcome .

On the second post .... we can be way to hard on our selves. I have felt the same way. Years later I go back and listen to old stuff and realize that I had made some pretty cool stuff. When were working on something we hear it over and over again. This constant repetition tends to dull our appreciation of what got us excited to work on it in the 1st place.

Sometime the only thing to do is commit to the finish. This can be hard sometimes. I find that I have much more joy over stuff I've finished than stuff I've let go. The last part of the finishing was not always that enjoyable but after the reward is there ... and the learning.

Hang in there your not alone. This may seem kinda corny but its very true. "Success is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration".

EDIT: Thought of something else (a current issue for me). Comparing our stuff to whats currently popular can be good for learning new techniques and ideas. But it can be bad as were all different and what our creativity can offer can be squelched and discouraged by the comparison.

[jestermgee]

"Success is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration".

If you are going to quote stats and figures we need to see graphs and charts to confirm these findings. My perspiration rate seems a lot less than 90% and it is 39 deg C here today. Perhaps i'm too successful?

[DanMan]

"Success is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration".

If you are going to quote stats and figures we need to see graphs and charts to confirm these findings. My perspiration rate seems a lot less than 90% and it is 39 deg C here today. Perhaps i'm too successful?

I dont think its a "rate" I think its a time thing .

[Upright]

When it comes to creating music you're happy with you have to have some sort of compass before you can appreciate where you're going and by compass I mean that you need to have someone, another artist(s) that you like, that you can use as a "template" for your music. At first you'll want to try to "carbon copy" elements of these artist(s)....during this phase you'll undoubtedly create your own personal style and framework while keeping the "template" as a point of reference....after some time, and a little grabbing bits and pieces from different artists that inspire you, you'll notice that you're beginning to sound more and more like the music you like. Continuing this practice, over time you'll begin to drift further and further from the "templates" and your own solid style will have emerged. But you've got to have an ancor IMO....without some sort of critria or "bar" you'll never be able to say that you've achieved the sound your looking to achieve and thus you'll never be happy with the music you're making. That's my 2 cents.

[ian_halsall]

"Success is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration".

If you are going to quote stats and figures we need to see graphs and charts to confirm these findings. My perspiration rate seems a lot less than 90% and it is 39 deg C here today. Perhaps i'm too successful?

I dont think its a "rate" I think its a time thing .

and the other 10% or so is genius.

[ian_halsall]

To make this thread not so stupid, i want to ask you guys a question. I've been messing around with different kind of music for almost decade now, but for last 4 years it's kind of really stuck. I think i've produced something like 3 songs for that period. Basically, i can recognize 2 problems. First and the main one is that i never glad with my stuff, i mean i'm always thinking that it's completely crap, really tired of that feeling. Another problem is that i love just so wide variety of music that it's really hard for me to keep working on something close enough to song before.It's always absolutely different. May be some of you used to have something similar. Any advice on how to overcome that shit would be really appreciated. Thanks.

Also think about how many times you listen to your own tracks when you are making them.

The same 32 bars maybe 500 times???

You know when like someone else's tracks but after a while you "go off it" - it happens to your own too.

Ideally you get so proficient at your craft that you make something you like and are disciplined enough to rattle through it quickly enough not to "go off it".

Then you can be more objective.

I usually get something I like and then I spend so long messing around with it I have no idea whether it's good or not any more.

Maybe at this point just throw it out there and let some other people have a listen - the power of collaboration???

[StarcAt]

Thanks for your responses guys. Actually, i do understand thats all this problems are more like mental blocks. You have to pay intension on ways you think about it. Anyway, i started to explore new approach to my music making style where i use sounds that i recorded. No synthesis at all, i mean i can use samplers like wavetable synth or for granular stuff and so. Right now i'm trying to make a choice between Izotope Irirs and Spectral Layers to pick up. Really look forward on spectral editing for sound design. Just tried trial versions of both and i'm really impressed with the results. Also, i believe that this approach would help me to separate things like sound design and composing which should solve a problem when you listening your stuff billion of times while working on it))