At some point JBJ you have to let go of the pressure.

It's kind of a fucked up catch 22. You want to be making quality music, but it's your relentless drive that is also your hinderance. I've experienced a lot of the same frustrations. Within 4 months of buying Logic and making a serious committment to production, I had created a track that ended up being signed. It's no crown jewel of a track, but it's solid tune and it received positive feedback from some respectable and fairly well known names. After that track was signed, I expected my production output and quality to just go up linearly from that point. That was a year and a half ago.

Instead, the opposite happened. Expectations turned into pressure, and pressure turned into stagnation. In retrospect, I see that I was able to create that track becuase I had absolutely zero expectations at that time of creating anything that would be signed. After all, I was only 3-4 months into the game. As such, there was no pressure involved in writing it, and I was able to simply finish it and be content with it. I was quite suprised when it got picked up.

Looking back at the last year and a half of my attempted productions, I can not only see a steady improvement in the overall quality and competence of my compositions, but I can pick out a few stalled out projects that were actually pretty damn good. I was unable to see this at the time, however, because I was too busy comparing my tunes to those of my musical heroes. If you're climbing a mountain and you're solely fixated on the top, then you're unable to actually see just how far you've really come.

That soundcloud track I posted on the Ishboard was the first thing I've actually been able to flesh out into a full length, start to finish musical expression in a long, long time. It was composed entirely from scratch in the span of 3.5 hours. I had been working on a groove for the past 2 weeks that had completely stalled out, and out of frustration I decided that I was just going to open a new project file and try something else. Within about 60 seconds of noodling I had come up with that bass pattern, and the rest I just completely cranked out without any real expectations. It was only when I was finished that I was able to listen to it and realize that I had actually created something that was (relatively) good. It wouldn't have happened had I not just let my creativity flow without hinderance (This is the track, if anyone's curious).

Remove your expectations and pressures. This includes the pressure of trying to write something that you or anyone else could spin. Just make music. You're not going to reach the quality level of your musical heroes if you don't allow yourself the time and space to develop as an artist.

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NEW MIX [Feb/March 2008]

Last edited by nrjizer on Sep-17-2009 at 17:28

quote:

Originally posted by Richard Butler Problem for me is I seem to work so slow - or is that normal? I mean just hour after hour night after night tweaking the bass, the kikc sound, the lead etc etc, on and on.

It takes me around a week to two weeks to finish the original idea for each track and then 1-2 months to actually finalize everything. I quite enjoy the process actually. It allows me to focus on quality because it's already taking so long to finish so why put out an underdeveloped or unworthy product!?

I think some people just work slower than others. I don't think it's a bad thing though. Me personally I'm just a perfectionist and enjoy going through all the small stuff until it sounds exactly as I want it.

quote:

Originally posted by MrJiveBoJingles Just trashed every last one of my project files, synth banks, samples, and finished tracks, even the stuff on my backup external HD. I doubt I will uninstall the software, as it would be a hassle to reinstall if I want to make music again and my computer has lots of space anyway. It feels good. I no longer have all those unfinished projects dating back years staring me in the face every time I open my production folders. In fact, I no longer have any production folders at all, because I just deleted them. I still have my programs if I want to mess around with sounds, but I doubt I will bother saving anything for quite some time.

Hope you get the itch back soon

quote:

Originally posted by owien i'm on a break from making tunes right now wilst looking after the folks house for a week or two and so enjoy just litening to music instead. if you listen to music you will almost want to make it. knowing you have the means cant help but keep you interested. ideas will float around like a bee in a jar to the point when you have no choise but make it come alive.

This is the first thing you've said in these forums that I can say I unconditionally agree with

At least stick to making imPOScar patches. you kick major ass on that! you may have found your niche.

quote:

Originally posted by cryophonik I wonder if that's not one of the biggest obstacles to creativity for a lot of people right there. So many producers nowadays have fallen into this trap of seeing music production as something that is technical and done at a computer by "visualizing" music, rather than taking the time to learn or improve their musical skills. While it's true that some people can produce a top ten hit with little or no ability to play an instrument, I firmly believe that it stifles your creativity for the vast majority of people. Maybe try loading up a piano patch, turning off your monitor, and focus on just playing and listening.

I hate the fact that when I listen to (or produce) music these days I hear it in technical terms. I miss the days when I heard it 100% musically. It's still enjoyable but i'd say about 60% less enjoyable than it was in the past.

Anybody know how to separate the two or is it just the way it is for some people?

quote:

Originally posted by mfitterer1 I hate the fact that when I listen to (or produce) music these days I hear it in technical terms. I miss the days when I heard it 100% musically. It's still enjoyable but i'd say about 60% less enjoyable than it was in the past. Anybody know how to separate the two or is it just the way it is for some people?

I can't tolerate music that I don't particularly care for as well as I once could, but I actually enjoy the stuff that does speak to me more than I once did. I feel more of a connection with it, as though I can appreciate it more.

___________________
NEW MIX [Feb/March 2008]

I did for a month or so a little while back but that was more an existential crisis than anything. I was going to sell off everything and buy a djembe and a native american flute and go travel across the country and live in a commune or something.

Then I got booked to play this 3 day Earthdance party in Iowa so instead I've been preparing for that.

quote:

A few months ago I tried to imagine what I would feel if my computer simply disappeared, or if I just tossed it in the garbage bin one day. One of the feelings I imagined was a profound sense of relief and freedom, a burden lifting off of me.

I went through this too.

quote:

Originally posted by nrjizer At some point JBJ you have to let go of the pressure. It's kind of a fucked up catch 22. You want to be making quality music, but it's your relentless drive that is also your hinderance. I've experienced a lot of the same frustrations. Within 4 months of buying Logic and making a serious committment to production, I had created a track that ended up being signed. It's no crown jewel of a track, but it's solid tune and it received positive feedback from some respectable and fairly well known names. After that track was signed, I expected my production output and quality to just go up linearly from that point. That was a year and a half ago. Instead, the opposite happened. Expectations turned into pressure, and pressure turned into stagnation. In retrospect, I see that I was able to create that track becuase I had absolutely zero expectations at that time of creating anything that would be signed. After all, I was only 3-4 months into the game. As such, there was no pressure involved in writing it, and I was able to simply finish it and be content with it. I was quite suprised when it got picked up. Looking back at the last year and a half of my attempted productions, I can not only see a steady improvement in the overall quality and competence of my compositions, but I can pick out a few stalled out projects that were actually pretty damn good. I was unable to see this at the time, however, because I was too busy comparing my tunes to those of my musical heroes. If you're climbing a mountain and you're solely fixated on the top, then you're unable to actually see just how far you've really come. That soundcloud track I posted on the Ishboard was the first thing I've actually been able to flesh out into a full length, start to finish musical expression in a long, long time. It was composed entirely from scratch in the span of 3.5 hours. I had been working on a groove for the past 2 weeks that had completely stalled out, and out of frustration I decided that I was just going to open a new project file and try something else. Within about 60 seconds of noodling I had come up with that bass pattern, and the rest I just completely cranked out without any real expectations. It was only when I was finished that I was able to listen to it and realize that I had actually created something that was (relatively) good. It wouldn't have happened had I not just let my creativity flow without hinderance (This is the track, if anyone's curious). Remove your expectations and pressures. This includes the pressure of trying to write something that you or anyone else could spin. Just make music. You're not going to reach the quality level of your musical heroes if you don't allow yourself the time and space to develop as an artist.

Excellent post - the parts I bolded particularly stuck a chord (pun intended) with me.

___________________
cryophonik.com | facebook | soundcloud

Sonar Platinum | Ableton Live 9 | Logic Pro X | Access Virus TI2 Keyboard | Kurzweil PC3X | Nord Lead 4R | NI Maschine

quote:

Originally posted by cryophonik Excellent post - the parts I bolded particularly stuck a chord (pun intended) with me.

+1... that really struck me as well.

quote:

Originally posted by cryophonik I wonder if that's not one of the biggest obstacles to creativity for a lot of people right there. So many producers nowadays have fallen into this trap of seeing music production as something that is technical and done at a computer by "visualizing" music, rather than taking the time to learn or improve their musical skills. While it's true that some people can produce a top ten hit with little or no ability to play an instrument, I firmly believe that it stifles your creativity for the vast majority of people. Maybe try loading up a piano patch, turning off your monitor, and focus on just playing and listening.

Oh no i agree with you in that respect - i just meant that we all have the potential to make some really good tunes or maybe im deluding myself lol, i guess the possibility is always there.
I mean, all those big tunes around at the moment, they all started from nothing in a sequencer somewhere right?

Opening Live...yeah thats when my mind goes pretty blank unfortunately.
Times I think of ideas for tunes are when im in work, on the treadmill maybe lol, listening to some stuff on my ipod at night - wishing i had my computer right there to capture it but thats not gonna happen

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