Ableton Forum

Samples! The last projects I started I was checking southamerican groove samples. First I find two or three that sound good together. Then I translate the audio material to midi, so I know what notes are playing. Then I can add or remove more notes so it makes more sense. I get better melodies and more variation in tempo than when I try to do it by myself.

What I also like is playing with the features of live, eventually I end up with an idea. Right now I´m separating frequencies of a track with the kill switch in EQ 3 and givig each frequency a different delay. I´m doing it with the send busses. Weird stuff but kinda coherent sound comes out of the speakers. I love discovering those things by myself.

I have my most creative moments when I'm feeling real connected with emotions of some sort....strong love, pain, regret, etc.

Sometimes listening to a completely different genre/kind of music helps. Hearing music that is created less on structure/more on texture. (Captain Beefheart - Trout Mask Replica for example)

I find the best ideas "out of the blue" while sitting for extended lengths in a very hot, dry sauna.

hours of geriatric porn

Alcohol and a shower. At the same time.

Some quality time with the lord.

go outside and get as far away from modern things as possible. see the beauty of nature and try to forget that you have a life outside of where you are at that exact moment. i just took a week and a half and drove to the oregon coast and now i feel like i could write about ten albums worth of music

Pitch Black wrote:deadlines

+1

and a day or two without access to a computer can do wonders.

also an instrument that you don't really know .

Inspiration might come from other people's music or art as well.

becoming mentally ill. i believe there is endless creativity in doing so.

psychedelics.

and visiting places you've not been to. doesn't have to be somewhere completely else. a friend and I often just got into the car and drove somewhere, without worrying how to find home and such. it was fabulous.

or going somewhere by train and constantly looking out of the window rocks. especially when you're stoned. so much stuff to see.

Vacations with out luggage.

Why don't you ponder why you sat down in that environment to begin with.