Ableton Forum

My situation:

White 150x70cm desk.
White wall directly in front.
Flatscreen.
Mouse/Keyboard.


And I got no real creativity....I think.

I think my lack of creativity is due to the fact that I haven't got enough coloring or something and I also blame it to the absence of enough hardware midicontrollers. Of which I have only one but not used much.

What do you guys use to spark creativity? I think the feeling and direct control of your program by using a midi controller can improve alot but I'm not sure. Am considering buying a PadKontrol or the M-audio version of it. But still....not sure...

1) Stimulating conversation. (occaisonally found on this forum, BTW).

2) Good reading.

3) Listenning to great music.

4) Being in nature. Mountain biking.

It's got zero to do with your midi controller, mate.

Breaking up

Try turning down the lighting, maybe some christmas lights near your setup.

Candles.

(I know it's sounds very romantic but.... give it a shot)

All of the above stuff is good too ^^^^

Try not to force yourself to write/produce every spare moment, be rested and in a decent frame of mind.

chrysalis33rpm is right it's not the midi controller but if you are frustrated by the interface that you are using then it might be worth trying another approach. See if you can borrow one from a friend.

IMO, it ain't about buying more gear/software, or waiting for the Next Great MIDI Controller that's gonna change everything for you. That's just a feeble excuse. However, a simple MIDI controller can improve your productivity, but not necessarily your creativity.

In no order of priority:

Laugh

Plants (legal ones...), posters, lighting etc in the studio

Nutrition

Self-respect (fitness, no smoking, etc)

Mountain biking (or your choice of outdoors/exercise)

Sex (preferably with someone else)

Going for it when you ARE inspired, and not feeling pressurized when you're not

Listening to the style of music that really inspires you (my theory is that this is what you were listening to when you first got laid...)

Not being influenced by what everyone else is doing (lemming/sheep syndrome)

Take chances

Dare to be different

Do what's in your heart, not what anyone else expects

Don't try to impress anyone else. Do it for YOU.

Carve your own path!

A lava lamp, a photograph from the best holiday you ever had and a dictionary.

Flick through the dictionary to find a random word and try to write something that describes that word, look at the photograph to stir memories and then write some music to encapsulate that or watch the lava lamp and try and write music to describe the way the oil ebbs and flows...

new situations

deadlines

Make music

my self-indulgence, and my vanity

Good points maybe I should print out the topic and sticky it on the wall

Another one of my problems is that I think I make good techno techy house music but I want to produce electrohouse but everytime I make electrohouse I have a beat and a bass sound and then I don't know where to go anymore and I start a new project.

I mainly agree with Chrysalis.

Also for me, natural phenomenons like water swirls, bird swarms, kinds of higher natural intelligence are very inspiring.
Reading about them, experience them first hand makes me everytime very creative soundwise.
Not that i want to directly translate them into music, but i think it has def. an influence on my music.

Also:

I noticed a gain of physical comfort as i put more plants in my "studio". Plants and decent lightning are absolutely great for creativity, imo !

Paintings and interesting quotes on the wall.

flip flops and yoyo's. As well as walking around thinking and looking out the windows here and there

Nicotine gum.