Ableton Forum

maybe put it all down for a while, forget about it.


there's tons of stuff you can try: sound creation, loop creation, song creation, DJing, production. maybe DJ some songs, or remix a song by importing it and adding layers, move to a different layer of what you can do with Live

when all else fails,
shave your balls.

snowtires wrote:

Johnisfaster wrote:

snowtires wrote:i'm right there with you. i was in a serious band for six out of the last seven years. after getting out of it (i was the main and only songwriter), i feel totally drained and it's hard to actually bring a song to completion. the band broke up a year and a half ago and i still haven't been able to finish a song. i've started about fifteen and got the skeleton done for about four, but no lyrics, no mixing, nothing. anyone have any suggestions for curing writer's block that doesn't involve remaking a song you like (already tried) or taking a break (i took a six month break altogether from music when the band broke up)?

sorry but I still think this is the best idea. just get loose with it and have some fun and let it be whatever it is. realise that it's no big deal.
http://www.ableton.com/forum/viewtopic. ... 119594b1f8

i also write in a journal, with the same sort of stuff, just whatever is on my mind. i know it's not a big deal, which is why it's so frustrating, because i've gotten to the point where i feel like my brain doesn't give a shit anymore. i just need my brain to realize that the only thing i'm good at is music haha

see thats the thing, you think you know that it doesn't matter when in reality you probably sit down each time and continuously think "it doesn't sound right yet"

that thread I linked you is focusing on not focusing. let it be bad, fuck it, just plop ANYTHING out for the sake of plopping something out and then show it to all of us just for the sake of doing something.

relax, it's not that serious

it'll come, for some sooner than later

don't go into "sessions" expecting anything

spend a month just tracking down samples

another month making drums

it's not like you're on a deadline - you have the rest of your life to make music. chill out

and yes, listen to music and enjoy it -

Hi. Tough spot to be in. Been there a few times, not only with music, but with being creative in other areas. A couple of things to start with. Firstly, and this might sound (at first) a bit cruel, but the best piece of advice I have been given when I find myself pressing but getting no decent (in my mind) results is...'Lower your expectations'... at least for a while. Too often we play the comparison game and it will just bring you down. It can be a hard skill to develop, but teaching yourself to not take yourself so serious at times can be very liberating. There are a few books around that can offer tips on managing the internal critic. One that helped for me was 'The Artists Way' by Julia Cameron. It was a good diversion for three months and got me being creative in the time and place that I needed. It might not be your cup of tea, but sometines we have to 'step out' for a while and be a bit uncomfortable before we can get back on track.

Some of the other posts have suggested working on something thats not your usual musical experience or taste. The reason for doing this is that you can often find yourself generating fresh ideas. For me, I write childrens songs. Don't be too quick to dismiss the idea if you are tempted to. This is a genre of music where you can get away with alot of stuff that is perfectly acceptable for the intended audience, but not for serious adults. DON'T start by sitting at your computor. It is easier if you can play a few chords on the guitar or play a bit of piano, but neither of these are absolutly necessary. Pick a simple every day topic like.... tying shoe laces, or brushing teeth, or playing in the snow or walking the dog. Try and write 4-8 lines of simple lyrics. Break this down even, if you have to, to 1 or 2 lines per day. In a silly way, But a very legitimate way you will find your creative juices will start to flow (at least for me). Once I get this process underway I usually find some sort of musical thing arrives in my head and hands while I interact with the words I have written. I don't have to finish the words to work on the music, it often happens at the same time (music and lyrics that is). It does not matter if you can't sing either.

The beauty of this type of change up in creating music is that it forces you to see things like a kid for a while. Really simple things can take on an unexpected life of their own that can give some creative satisfaction. Now I suspect that on forums like this, no one is going to start a thread calling for all DJ's to post their latest children's song. But thats the beauty of it, it puts you in a different space for a while, challenges your sense of good and bad, makes you look at life around you with different eyes, and ultimately shows you that you are capable of more than you think.

I very rarely share my kids songs, but for me, (and maybe for you), its the thing that nudges me just enough out of the rut that I can find myself being creative again. It generates all sorts of leads that are fun to follow.

I'm not sure that it is a good idea to take time off. Although there are times when you have to do this, there is however wisdom in the saying 'a change is as good as a holiday.' I hope you can find something from the posts on this thread that will help. And if nothing arrives, KEEP ASKING, sooner or later someone will share the gem that you need.

BTW shaving your balls just leaves you itchy for a week

Johnisfaster wrote:

snowtires wrote:

Johnisfaster wrote: sorry but I still think this is the best idea. just get loose with it and have some fun and let it be whatever it is. realise that it's no big deal.
http://www.ableton.com/forum/viewtopic. ... 119594b1f8

i also write in a journal, with the same sort of stuff, just whatever is on my mind. i know it's not a big deal, which is why it's so frustrating, because i've gotten to the point where i feel like my brain doesn't give a shit anymore. i just need my brain to realize that the only thing i'm good at is music haha

see thats the thing, you think you know that it doesn't matter when in reality you probably sit down each time and continuously think "it doesn't sound right yet"

that thread I linked you is focusing on not focusing. let it be bad, fuck it, just plop ANYTHING out for the sake of plopping something out and then show it to all of us just for the sake of doing something.

the last time i tried to show people something on here, no one responded to it

fuck it, kill yourself.

Silverlulu...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000UK ... T4Z35727RC

http://www.amazon.com/John-McLaughlin-G ... 801&sr=8-2

Seriously. Give them a try. It's very much about the rhythm of things, regarding one's purpose and its ultimate expression. You are right where you're supposed to be and it's perfectly okay, trust in that.

Moody wrote:

thatguy wrote:learn an acoustic instrument, or just bang on things, make music in it's most primal form, then worry about translating it to a computer setting

Fucking Awesome!

+1 here. If ableton (or the computer for that matter) isn't working. Stop try something different. Particularly an instrument.

I used to to go out for a jog or cycle and after about 10 minutes my mind stops focusing on the mundane crap that runs round your head and your body gets into a rhythm then start to us the most powerful instrument you have yourself to start writing. Allow yourself to flow.

Or take off to the country and listen to nature and yourself. Write words or draw what you encounter (what ever works, I can't draw for peanuts and words don't always express the longing of the heart but try)

I've said this before in other posts but set yourself a project (pretend it's for school/college) a simple brief like: write a 2 mute track in the key of C with only 1 drum loop, 1 percussion sample and 1 plugin with in 1 week and share the results with us or other artistic minded folk in your network (if you dare).

Hi silverlulu,

from my point of view your experiences are pretty normal, when you make music fun and frustration are extremly close together and what you discribe happens every week with me too. The thing is...you just don't have to give up. I once watched a documentary about Abba on TV and there was the keyboardsplayer (Björn?) sitting in front of a Synclavier, pointed at the monitor and said..."Sometimes you just have to wait until the tiger jumps out". So just stay with Live and try and try and try...and when your ready try again...

All the best, Esky

as jazzmen say - imitate and sometime you will create...)

computers are uninspiring, go on a long walk up a hill, record some sounds, think of some ideas, dont just sit and noodle away, you need a goal to work towards. such as 1) i'm going to make a song out of toilet sounds 2) i'm going to write a song for my love 3) i want to dance around to this piece.

if your writing music to make you happy then just write what you want to hear and everything becomes simple. If your writing to get rich and be a millionare then thats not so simple. Music is self expression, if your not happy with your music then maybe your not happy with yourself. i used to think my music was pants, but now i adore every note i place in a song, i dont think i have improved, i'm just happier now

Yeah, taking a break (and not a 1 hour break) is best.

Also, don't be so critical about what you're making. Focus on completing songs whether they are shit or not. You will develop skills in the process(obvs) and reach a point where you know your favorite synths, plug-ins, settings, etc. and things will flow easier.

SAVE your work all the time. Save templates. If you have a control surface, load some samples, effects, beats, whatever and just fucking around with it...try to make interesting sounds with the samples and whatnot youve chosen. You'll probably discover something that you haven't thought of before.

Why not do a remix of someone elses stuff, that way you dont get self critical because the base material is not yours. Ive done a few at Realworld Remixed and just totally disassembled the souce wavs to make something new. Quite theraputic really and it still remains the fault of the original material if it turns out crap

A

Emissary wrote: dont just sit and noodle away, you need a goal to work towards. such as 1) i'm going to make a song out of toilet sounds 2) i'm going to write a song for my love 3) i want to dance around to this piece.

^ good advice. I have awful difficulty getting songs started, but I have had the most success when I grabbed a notepad and wrote down quite a few goals such as '5/4 song', '80s power ballad' or 'only black notes'. An important thing to note which can be difficult to actually plan for is you might not use any of these ideas. You could write down 20 ideas and then go off and do something completely different. But out of 20 you probably had at least 2 or 3 favourites and even if you don't do those this session they will stick in your mind and I bet will crop up down the road.

You should be getting a pretty good idea by now that you're at least not alone. That may not be much comfort (if any) right now, but this fact means that there are resources out there to help you like the ones mentioned above, and there are people out there who will be glad to see you create and who will egg you on!

I'd add to the resources mentioned above an excellent book I first picked up in the States called the Frustrated Songwriter's Handbook. With such a cheesy title I nearly passed on it. I'm glad I didn't, as I've never read a better description of this condition as the author lays out in the first few pages. Within the book is a method for composition which focuses around having FUN (remember that?) through a composition game.

You don't even need to buy the book to get the benefit of the game or to have it all explained to you - check out the Immersion Composition Society wiki or even better go to the forum. The author, Nicholas, is always on the forum and is incredibly helpful, kind and encouraging. You will also find people there who are in the same boat as you (including myself) so if you need to rant you will at least know that those reading have been/are going through it (not that you won't get that here!). A supportive environment is encouraged and I've never seen more useful feedback for my 'tunes/idea fragments', no matter how undeniably shite they were.

I would second a vote for the Artist's Way too, but it's a case of do as I say not as I do... I never finished the book as I imposed too many restrictions on myself around it, but what I have learned has stuck and just doing one or two the exercises can be a revelation.

If you are seriously contemplating suicide then the responses you get here will be of limited use. There are proper support structures in place if things are that bad - I can't point you to any specific ones in your area, but I'm sure they're easy to find with a little Googling. Opening up to someone and telling them (not on a forum) what is going on with you could make all the difference.

And remember: It's only music. It's an abstract art form for experience enhancement/stimulation - if that's not working for you right now then that's not really your fault, is it? You're only human.

Or in the words of Dr. Evil:

There really is nothing like a shorn scrotum. It's breathtaking, I suggest you try it.