So ok. I'm a female Christian producer..and Im in the process of building my home studio and I have a new music software program, Presonus 3 Artist which I'm in love with it. I can do so much in it but I'd like to upgrade to the Professional one soon. Now I haven't had my laptop or software or anything in about 10 months or so. But I have stored up ideas. I'd what's the problem though cuz now when I'm in my home studio..I'm having trouble with making the beat. Idk y!! I'm thinking cuz it's a new program and I'm still in the process of getting use to it.. maybe or idk. .has anyone ever had producers-block..I guess you wanna call it that.
Performance problems/artist block
- Thread starter Blokheadz
- Start date
Milo Burke
New member
Oh, I know exactly how you feel. When I sit down at a piano, all the melodies flee. When I pick up a guitar, all my chord ideas vanish. I never have fewer lyric ideas than when looking at a blank document.
I'm no expert. And everybody's different. But these seem to help me:
Does that match your experience?
What kind of music do you make? What are your goals in music?
I'm no expert. And everybody's different. But these seem to help me:
- Sample presets in a new virtual instrument: finding which ones I like often leads to a song
- Listen to other artists: I hear something I like, then I get inspired to recreate that idea in a different instrument or genre
- Stop cramming my brain with entertainment; turn off all music, TV shows, audiobooks, and podcasts: this gives space for ideas to come to me while I'm driving or cleaning or showering, etc.
- Listen to other artists: I hear something I like, then I get inspired to recreate that idea in a different instrument or genre
- Stop cramming my brain with entertainment; turn off all music, TV shows, audiobooks, and podcasts: this gives space for ideas to come to me while I'm driving or cleaning or showering, etc.
Does that match your experience?
What kind of music do you make? What are your goals in music?
"Does it match my experience?" Well ...not exactly. Let me give u a scenario. I go home to my studio...I'm still exploring Presonus so keep that in mind. I haven't even scratched the surface with the things I could do yet. So I sit down and I plug in my mic..idk whether I wanna start sound designing or not so I play around with some instruments, which lead to a melody.drums..but everything seems off ..the sequencing I mean. The metronome is usually the start for me to get a beat going. .which it should be me not that it should be me. Uuggh. Idk. I have so many ideas..at work.. when I get home its like...uuhhhh what? And I write my ideas down!!! I think It could be me trying to do so much at once with this software and I'm in the way of my creativity too. I don't watch tv, podcast, but there's Youtube. Lol. Music from other artists give me ideas. Cuz I'll sample almost any sound. Just give me a cup and a pencil and I could create a drumkit. I like to create Christian Music..mostly Christian Rap, and whatever else comes to mind.
Milo Burke
New member
So you've got good musical ideas. That's great!
A few thoughts:
- If you don't understand your software, it's going to smother your creativity. What do you still not know how to do? I recommend learning those things, even if you don't have a song you need them for at the moment. Whether it's through exploring or watching tutorial videos or both, get to know your software so it doesn't slow you down.
- I was listing ideas above on how to get the creativity to flow. Because unless you're careful, it will flow when you don't need it and stop when you do. Maybe you don't listen to podcasts, but YouTube can be a distraction. It sounds like the ideas flow when you're bored? Intentionally create that boredom, then see what happens. For me, that's boredom while driving without something to listen to. I start tapping and humming, and before I know it, I have half of a song figured out. What creates that boredom for you? Try to put yourself in that position more often. I often am not in front of my computer when it happens, so I record those moments on my phone to listen to later.
- I read a book recently on what keeps artists from creating art. It all comes down to Resistance. You can fill your head with anything to keep you from doing what you know you should be doing, from entertainment to friends to needless tasks to activities you don't even like. Anything! The author wrote that real authors know it's not writing that is the hard part of creating a novel: it's sitting down to write that's the truly hard part. Successful creators know how to identify that peculiar flavor of procrastination, and beat it again and again. If you're going to be successful, learn how to identify the shapes and forms Resistance comes in. It doesn't get easier to fight, but you can grow accustomed to the difficult task of fighting it every day.
A few thoughts:
- If you don't understand your software, it's going to smother your creativity. What do you still not know how to do? I recommend learning those things, even if you don't have a song you need them for at the moment. Whether it's through exploring or watching tutorial videos or both, get to know your software so it doesn't slow you down.
- I was listing ideas above on how to get the creativity to flow. Because unless you're careful, it will flow when you don't need it and stop when you do. Maybe you don't listen to podcasts, but YouTube can be a distraction. It sounds like the ideas flow when you're bored? Intentionally create that boredom, then see what happens. For me, that's boredom while driving without something to listen to. I start tapping and humming, and before I know it, I have half of a song figured out. What creates that boredom for you? Try to put yourself in that position more often. I often am not in front of my computer when it happens, so I record those moments on my phone to listen to later.
- I read a book recently on what keeps artists from creating art. It all comes down to Resistance. You can fill your head with anything to keep you from doing what you know you should be doing, from entertainment to friends to needless tasks to activities you don't even like. Anything! The author wrote that real authors know it's not writing that is the hard part of creating a novel: it's sitting down to write that's the truly hard part. Successful creators know how to identify that peculiar flavor of procrastination, and beat it again and again. If you're going to be successful, learn how to identify the shapes and forms Resistance comes in. It doesn't get easier to fight, but you can grow accustomed to the difficult task of fighting it every day.
DjPolair
New member
I think your creativity flows best and you are most inspired when positive energy flows so I think you really need to focus on the positive impact the music you're creating will have.
pratice optimism and be goal driven in your life and that will carry over into your spirit and you'll be able to tap deeper into that creative force.
pratice optimism and be goal driven in your life and that will carry over into your spirit and you'll be able to tap deeper into that creative force.
Milo, you should be my musical counselor.. and friend cuz you're right on!
. Hehe. Yes i have a truck load of ideas. They come about when im at work. I think of beats when im accidentally banging on the office cabinet... or listening to my printer.. while its printing and making noises but i dont hear noise i hear a different sound i could use for a kit in my head. It awesome. But it drives me crazy that at home i forget the drum pattern. The software Presonus 3... i still do not know or not yet understanding or not yet got my metronome specifically set to my liking, im still learning how to line up everything when im sequencing a track so im not off beat, Still learning Effects, setting up vocal presets, mixer functions, learning how to add that stutter effect, learning how to use their Samplone preset or importing a sample into it and chopping it up that way, Using their preset Impact( drum machine like its a MPC), Layering and syncing drum sounds together to make a unique one... etc.. the list goes on. See i came from using FL Studio.. and became bored with that DAW...so Presonus i could do anything.. i mean i have a song and title but the music for it i do not have. I have the music note that it is in (F minor) but cannot seem to finish it. Presonus .. i could sing it in through a microphone and it will tune each note where im at and i could play it. I cannot do that FL studio. BUt i love this new program.. and yes it can kinda smother your creativity.. but i think the problem here is me trying to learn everything and do everything at once and i want to speed up the learning process but i forget when i learned FL studio..and just new.. it took me 8 months or more to learn everything...
Presonus it aint gonna take me that long though but i need to make a beat. I have too many ideas.. But i will try those methods.. i never thought of that before.
. Hehe. Yes i have a truck load of ideas. They come about when im at work. I think of beats when im accidentally banging on the office cabinet... or listening to my printer.. while its printing and making noises but i dont hear noise i hear a different sound i could use for a kit in my head. It awesome. But it drives me crazy that at home i forget the drum pattern. The software Presonus 3... i still do not know or not yet understanding or not yet got my metronome specifically set to my liking, im still learning how to line up everything when im sequencing a track so im not off beat, Still learning Effects, setting up vocal presets, mixer functions, learning how to add that stutter effect, learning how to use their Samplone preset or importing a sample into it and chopping it up that way, Using their preset Impact( drum machine like its a MPC), Layering and syncing drum sounds together to make a unique one... etc.. the list goes on. See i came from using FL Studio.. and became bored with that DAW...so Presonus i could do anything.. i mean i have a song and title but the music for it i do not have. I have the music note that it is in (F minor) but cannot seem to finish it. Presonus .. i could sing it in through a microphone and it will tune each note where im at and i could play it. I cannot do that FL studio. BUt i love this new program.. and yes it can kinda smother your creativity.. but i think the problem here is me trying to learn everything and do everything at once and i want to speed up the learning process but i forget when i learned FL studio..and just new.. it took me 8 months or more to learn everything... Presonus it aint gonna take me that long though but i need to make a beat. I have too many ideas.. But i will try those methods.. i never thought of that before.Hi, DJ Polar... i sort of agree with you.... for me its boredom because at the time i had no ' creative outlet' and now that i have an outlet.. its like having a bucket full of of water and you have many venues to pour it out at but you have no where to start..ya know. Soo i have soo many ideas.. an overflow. and yes i think there are other things on the brain as well... like work and finding a new job at the moment.. but the positive weighs out that.. so ...im just tryna find that balance and area.. where im like.. take a deep breath and just let it all go.. and go crazy.. that and i have to learn my new music program... i think im rushing that process cuz im impatient.. lol.
Milo Burke
New member
Music counselor or friend, I'm happy to help. I didn't come to this site to find answers to questions I have, but because I want to connect with people doing the same work I do, with the same goals I have. I came here to meet people.
Send me messages. Or we can email or Skype.
Send me messages. Or we can email or Skype.
Heyy
Either way homie...I greatly appreciate you taking the time to listen and understand. This really helps. I'm taking days to study Presonus and if ideas come thru then I'll write or record down on paper or my phone. Thanks again.??
Either way homie...I greatly appreciate you taking the time to listen and understand. This really helps. I'm taking days to study Presonus and if ideas come thru then I'll write or record down on paper or my phone. Thanks again.??
Pumpthrust
New member
My advice: Find one thing you love about music, then learn to do that one thing really really well.
Bruce Lee said, "I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times."
Too many directions turn into distractions. I never understood the idea of learning a bunch of stuff at once...all you end up doing is learning how to be half-ass at alot of things. The name of the game is FOCUS, a jack of all trades is a master of none.
Bruce Lee said, "I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times."
Too many directions turn into distractions. I never understood the idea of learning a bunch of stuff at once...all you end up doing is learning how to be half-ass at alot of things. The name of the game is FOCUS, a jack of all trades is a master of none.
Milo Burke
New member
I think the name of the game should be something more impressive. Like Murcielago.
Pumpthrust
New member
VVVVvvvrrrroooooommm!