I like to listen to my beat alot during production and mixdowns. Somewhere in between the process the beat looses magic for me and I know longer have interest in completing it. I assume its just because I hear it 1000 times. I'm probably gonna start trying to cut back on the number of listens. Anyone else have this problem? How do you deal with it?
Anyone else do this? Loosing interest in your song after hearing it so many times.
- Thread starter Va_eL
- Start date
DigitalKillaz
New member
If you mean that you lose interest after long periods of work, you need to bear in mind that your ears will get tired and start to let you down if you over work them... mine actually start to hurt. So yes you need to take breaks I think.
Generally speaking though... when you are composing it should 'good' everytime you listen no matter how many times you hear it... in this context, when I say 'good' I mean 'right'
you might not always be the mood for that particular song so you might not 'feel' it as much, but it should still sound 'good'/'right' if it doesn't there is probably something wrong with it.
Putting something away for a while really helps I find. I often get to a point where I don't see (hear) how to progress something then i put it away for a while and when I come back to it I find what needs doing jumps right out at me. Or sometimes I come back to something and just decide to forget it.
sometimes it can be worth pushing through with something you are not keen on just to learn from it.
It took me a long time to get to the stage where I could actually finish something and these days I complete less and less... prefering to work for longer on the better material.
I work best in the morning... get up, have some breakfast then straight to whatever i'm working on without listening to any other music... then I will be very productive for a certain amount of time but after a while I will feel myself start to lose it. I've learnt to just put it down at that point and then, depending on my plans/committments for the day, either go and do something else completely or take a break and come back to it...
Generally speaking though... when you are composing it should 'good' everytime you listen no matter how many times you hear it... in this context, when I say 'good' I mean 'right'
you might not always be the mood for that particular song so you might not 'feel' it as much, but it should still sound 'good'/'right' if it doesn't there is probably something wrong with it.
Putting something away for a while really helps I find. I often get to a point where I don't see (hear) how to progress something then i put it away for a while and when I come back to it I find what needs doing jumps right out at me. Or sometimes I come back to something and just decide to forget it.
sometimes it can be worth pushing through with something you are not keen on just to learn from it.
It took me a long time to get to the stage where I could actually finish something and these days I complete less and less... prefering to work for longer on the better material.
I work best in the morning... get up, have some breakfast then straight to whatever i'm working on without listening to any other music... then I will be very productive for a certain amount of time but after a while I will feel myself start to lose it. I've learnt to just put it down at that point and then, depending on my plans/committments for the day, either go and do something else completely or take a break and come back to it...
ventimiglia
New member
bandcoach
Zukatoku - Mod Scientist
There are several theories as to why this happens, the most common one being that we simply lose interest in anything we have been exposed to for long periods - we become acclimatised to it and can generally ignore it.
Avoiding this in the creative sphere is down to several different techniques:
Avoiding this in the creative sphere is down to several different techniques:
- Have several projects on the go, and switch between them on a regular basis
- Have set working times and once the alloted time is up move on to doing something else unrelated
- Acquire the skills to do this quickly - learn how to streamline your process
- Put the project on the back-burner once it starts to become stale for you - leave it to simmer (so to speak) for a day or so and then re-attack it with fresh ears and hands
ThaRealKapone
...Only Kapone
I do the same thing. What was hot yesterday will never be as good as your 'best' track that you still have ahead of you. But thats the thing, heat is heat is heat, so you might not feel a track now but if it's REALLY hot, at some point you'll come back to it and it'll have you noddin! Paraphrasing what DigitalKillaz said earlier, there is a difference between 'hot' and 'right'. BUT if somethings 'right' AND 'hot', 9x10 the reason why you ain't feelin it is because you played it out, spend some time away from the track and you'll B coo!
J
JeanLukPigheart
Guest
Bandcoach mentions it: learn how to "get it there" faster.
Second, yes, do some basic level balancing or eq-ing/putting some effects on the tracks, but try to look at projects as PROJECTS.
- concept (writing/composition)
- design (recording/arranging)
- manufacturing (mixing)
All of these stages require a slightly different mindset and a slightly different workflow and that's what you should keep in mind, because it will actually work to your advantage: not only can you compare the process (how far you are along/what you need to do to a track to get it finished) to the process during other projects, you also learn to "streamline", improve while going through the steps.
- concept (writing/composition)
If you can take a guitar/keyboard/a mic and some claps/snips and create the basis for your project in 10-15mins, then that's great. Maybe you will need an hour or two for the hook? ok, done
- design (recording/arranging)
The main ideas are there; lets bring them into a form. Lets listen to all the patterns/phrases, lets re-record stuff that isn't tight enough, hmmmm, I don't like how this piano sounds I guess I'll use a Rhodes instead.......oh, I have to mute the bassdrum before that break.......hmmm, what about doubles and harmonies every 2 bars to give the main melody line an "accent". hmmm, yes the hook is strong and I even like the second verse, but before the two last hooks, I need a bridge and then a break! done. Can be 30mins (I'm serious), can be 5-6 hours. Work towards 1 1/2-2 hours for a whole recording and arrangement session.
- manufacturing (mixing)
So I have the "material", the "look" of the project, but now that I listen to it, the bassdrum is much too short and somehow this synth line doesn't work.........oh, it's too loud........but when it's more in the back, it works much better with a nice delay with some feedback..........why are my doubles left and right so strong, but my main take in the middle so weak? Ah, ok, I guess I will strongy HighPass(Filter) the doubles and put some light chorus on them.....oh, that sounds nice. Hmmmm, damn, every second kick, the bassline collides with the kick........k, guess I will just go to every second bassline and use an EQ to turn down the low frequencies on the bassline........wait a second, maybe using the bassdrum to "duck" the bassline will work? oh, cool, it does (2-3-4 hours, depending on the "concept", but moreso the "DESIGN")
Try to think like an architect.
Second, yes, do some basic level balancing or eq-ing/putting some effects on the tracks, but try to look at projects as PROJECTS.
- concept (writing/composition)
- design (recording/arranging)
- manufacturing (mixing)
All of these stages require a slightly different mindset and a slightly different workflow and that's what you should keep in mind, because it will actually work to your advantage: not only can you compare the process (how far you are along/what you need to do to a track to get it finished) to the process during other projects, you also learn to "streamline", improve while going through the steps.
- concept (writing/composition)
If you can take a guitar/keyboard/a mic and some claps/snips and create the basis for your project in 10-15mins, then that's great. Maybe you will need an hour or two for the hook? ok, done
- design (recording/arranging)
The main ideas are there; lets bring them into a form. Lets listen to all the patterns/phrases, lets re-record stuff that isn't tight enough, hmmmm, I don't like how this piano sounds I guess I'll use a Rhodes instead.......oh, I have to mute the bassdrum before that break.......hmmm, what about doubles and harmonies every 2 bars to give the main melody line an "accent". hmmm, yes the hook is strong and I even like the second verse, but before the two last hooks, I need a bridge and then a break! done. Can be 30mins (I'm serious), can be 5-6 hours. Work towards 1 1/2-2 hours for a whole recording and arrangement session.
- manufacturing (mixing)
So I have the "material", the "look" of the project, but now that I listen to it, the bassdrum is much too short and somehow this synth line doesn't work.........oh, it's too loud........but when it's more in the back, it works much better with a nice delay with some feedback..........why are my doubles left and right so strong, but my main take in the middle so weak? Ah, ok, I guess I will strongy HighPass(Filter) the doubles and put some light chorus on them.....oh, that sounds nice. Hmmmm, damn, every second kick, the bassline collides with the kick........k, guess I will just go to every second bassline and use an EQ to turn down the low frequencies on the bassline........wait a second, maybe using the bassdrum to "duck" the bassline will work? oh, cool, it does (2-3-4 hours, depending on the "concept", but moreso the "DESIGN")
Try to think like an architect.
e-mixmaster
New member
Yes this happens a lot.. is like when you eat to much of something you really dig. You just got sick of it!
When that happens try to jam to it, and come up with new visions and ideas.. or just a new perspective...
When that happens try to jam to it, and come up with new visions and ideas.. or just a new perspective...
Princ3matt
New member
Or you can also collab with people if you want. Something may not sound right at that moment with you but somebody else could think its fire and then they add whatever they think is gonna make it hotter and then you might hear it and be like "Yo thats dope lets make it even better". So while you taking a break have somebody else step in and let them add to it and if you don't like it just be like "yo im not feeling that" or if its dope to you then keep it and you might come up with even more reasons to love the beat.
MrWonderful
New member
That used to happen to me about a year ago actually. Nowadays I get shit done, composed, arranged, mixed and set.