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Writers Block

Ok, I am sure all producers big and small have run into this at some point.

So I am curious what do you do to over come that annoying writers block..I want to hear everything, from technical/creative advice to weird and wacky things like....going for a walk, meditation ect..

Well, just let it go by. There is pretty much nothing you can do about it.
But while having a writersblock, you can download a midi file and start working a remix, just to experiment with your productions skills.

I just forget all about it for a while - I listen to a lot of different music but don't even think about producing. Eventually it'll come out naturally.

Forcing yourself to write/produce is the worst thing you could do - sure, you might be able to come up with something but it'll always end up sounding forced... and if it doesn't work out the block'll just get worse.

quote:

Originally posted by Mr.Mystery Forcing yourself to write/produce is the worst thing you could do - sure, you might be able to come up with something but it'll always end up sounding forced... and if it doesn't work out the block'll just get worse.

Word...

Start a track in a different style than you usually do.

I had writers block not long ago, then i changed the style of music and viola i wrote 3 new tracks in 3 days.

One way I sometimes get past this is setting myself a really simple goal. Not something big like "writing a new track," but something doable within an hour like "making a cool new sound" or "coming up with a nice-sounding chord progression." Even when you're not feeling up to writing a whole song, you can probably do something like that, save it, and get some sense of accomplishment rather than just not producing at all.

quote:

Originally posted by MrJiveBoJingles One way I sometimes get past this is setting myself a really simple goal. Not something big like "writing a new track," but something doable within an hour like "making a cool new sound" or "coming up with a nice-sounding chord progression." Even when you're not feeling up to writing a whole song, you can probably do something like that, save it, and get some sense of accomplishment rather than just not producing at all.

Thats a great tip!

just Chanel you're efforts into something else for a wile.
and listen to other music.

re-arrange your studio.

great tips!

I just let it go and play videogames to get my mind off of it. It will eventually come around again. I always fear that somehow I've forgotten how to produce and the more time that passes, the worse I will be once I return but that is just bullpiss. You'll be fine once you return.

Lotsa ways to deal with blockage. Some of the ways I deal with it have already been mentioned, but a few other ways to get yourself out of a rut and/or stay musically productive during a creative drought include:

-go back to old projects/ideas (I save every little snippet I ever come up with and, months or years later, some of them have led to my best tracks AND lifted me out of a rut)

-find someone to collaborate with - new perspectives often inspire new ideas in your own music

-develop your technical side while your artistic side is "down" - e.g., learn a new/old plugin or synth inside and out, spend some time getting to know some of your less-used plugins/equipment better, spend some time figuring out what some of the rarely used knobs on your favorite plugins do, etc.

-learn a new instrument

-program synth sounds

-read books about mixing, mastering, music theory, synth programming, etc.

-go back to the music fundamentals (practice scales, modes, chords, etc.) - not a lot of fun, but a necessity to maintain/develop your chops and what better time to do that than when nothing else is happening?


edit: Oh yeah, I almost forgot the most important one: buy new stuff.

Smoke a fat Blunt and play some chess online on ICC (internet chess club) and have a few beers! And if you have a girl friend, GET SOME BOOTY! Works for me!

quote:

Originally posted by atxbigballer1 Smoke a fat Blunt and play some chess online on ICC (internet chess club) and have a few beers! And if you a girl friend, GET SOME BOOTY! Works for me!

Winning post.

quote:

Originally posted by Mr.Mystery I just forget all about it for a while - I listen to a lot of different music but don't even think about producing. Eventually it'll come out naturally. Forcing yourself to write/produce is the worst thing you could do - sure, you might be able to come up with something but it'll always end up sounding forced... and if it doesn't work out the block'll just get worse.

I disagree. the couple of tracks I did force turned out to be my best selling tracks thus far.

quote:

Originally posted by atxbigballer1 And if you have a girl friend, GET SOME BOOTY! Works for me!

haha niiiiiice

quote:

Originally posted by Storyteller I disagree. the couple of tracks I did force turned out to be my best selling tracks thus far.

What do sales have to do with anything?

quote:

Originally posted by Mr.Mystery What do sales have to do with anything?

Heh, that kind of response does say a lot, doesn't it?

quote:

Originally posted by MrJiveBoJingles Heh, that kind of response does say a lot, doesn't it?

Yes it does.

what exactly does it say?

quote:

Originally posted by palm what exactly does it say?

I dunno, when you write a track aren't there more important things to you than how many copies it's going to sell?

Do you judge the worth of your tracks based on how much they sell?

quote:

Originally posted by palm what exactly does it say?

Less creative appealls to the masses.

I don't agree with this statement because i haven't heard this track though.

ahh ur saying daft punk aint creative. i agree.

quote:

Originally posted by MrJiveBoJingles Do you judge the worth of your tracks based on how much they sell?

if i did that i would probably commit suecide.

try free writing.

take some paper (NOT COMPUTER) and sit down.
just start writing whatever comes to mind. any words. doesn't need to make sense. (you might try using the opposite hand you usually write with)

write for about 15 mins to half an hour.

I'm not talking about creativity or lack of it really, more about motivation. Selling lots of copies is fine. I'm just wondering why people would use the number of sales as a way to judge the quality of their own work.

Isn't it more important than you've done something that gave you a feeling of accomplishment, regardless of how popular it ends up being?

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