WRITERS BLOCK - Producers equivalent

rogue element

New member
I have been producing for about 2 years and recently things started going well - I have had 3 releases this year and have just been asked to do a remix for BK. However at the moment when I try and write anything I get about as far as the groove and a few samples and I find myself unable to get into my ideas, particularly when it comes to writing bass and top lines. It seems to happen more frequently as I improve. Does anyone else experience this and does anyone have any tips for overcoming it?
 
yeah this seems to come on when you start foccusing to much on making the track as opposed to hust sitting back and letting the beats flow. when this happens to me I just practice my scales or study technical shyt cause its a bytch to get outta. for me Im at my peak when Im not thinking about making music and im on the keys or my guitar and just let my fingers move. kinda hard to explain but as a fellow artist you proly know what im talking about.....
 
Well I know it wouldn't help you much, but I can say that I have a kind of "producer's block" too... since I have my Memorymoog I'm so much experimenting with the synth that I have no time (or rather: no inspiration) for new tracks. I'm playing something, I think it's great, then I find a newer great sound, so my first line is for the recycle bin, etc.

Also I've been making especially hard trance and progressive up 'till now, but I'm seriously thinking about some experimenting with elektro (the vintage synths I own are great for that retro-sound style of music). Is anybody here having experience with switching from trance into elektro ?

And rogue element, don't worry: as time goes by, you'll find back your inspiration... just a question of time... meanwhile go reading a book or so...
 
JpL has it right.... When youre trying to make something you're not often very creative. Especially when you're trying to do something like a dance track that comes in a specific (x) nimutes at (y) bpm format.

Change your production method radically. That's always worked for me in the past. I'm getting interesting results now because I've shifted my focus from doing tracks to doing live electronic productions.

I don't want to talk too much about my new methods, because you tend to loose too much steam when you talk about it in detail. But believe me a radical shift in perspective is necesary every now and again. You must be making something dynamic that you would want to hear.

I'm just coming out of a 3 month dry spell now. but I actually don't see it as a dry spell anymore (having been there MANY times before). I learnt a lot more about music and built a whole bunch of new tools that I'm starting to apply now. Even though I never finshed actual tracks, It's set me up for something new and interesting, so follow JpL's advice and just spend the time working on the technical side of music production, or learning to play an instrument, or improving just a small portion of your production at a time (like writing melodies, or just working on bass sounds, or only working with tribal percussion, etc.)

You also have to understand that you're always going to experience dips in the physical product that you're producing. I know you get moments where you feel bulletproof and you feel like you're never going to come down from a creative high, but it cannot last forever. Coming down from that is natural. Wrestling with yourself to find a new inspiring spark is part of the creative process, because we're trying to make something beyond simple background noise and if you don't find it difficult at times you're not pushing your creativity hard enough, and not striving for something better.

Difficult times are sacred in all art, it enhances the extacy of completing something you know is good. ;)
 
Reading a book is also excellent advice.

The first track I did that I knew was good was inspired by Jeff Noon's: Vurt. Also highly recommend is 'Needle in the Groove' (Also by Jeff Noon). Awesome abstract psychedelic writing, very obviously inspired by the night life in the U.K

I've also been inspired by classics like 'the Electric Cool-Aid Acid Test' by Tom Wolfe, and virtually any classic Sci-Fi book that was turned into a B-Grade movie in the 60's ;)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
word books are the shyt. ive always thought a book is so much better then TV because with the book you have to create the picture in your head and sparks a certain mental picture looking at a tv screen never will. personally Im into philosophy
from taiosm to rosicrucian to nietzche, that shyt give me alotta inspiration, but sometimes sci fi or horror shyt cool....
 
good for you bro...so what got your creative juices flowin again?

:cheers:
 
ive found that the wickedest thing about writing is the fact that a tiny alteration to the mix can suddenly change everything. Basically the track is a house-ish thing with a rasping, d&b style bassline and i just had to do a bit of tweaking between the kick and the bass to make sure the kick was cutting through and it started sounding cool, so you start getting more ideas etc... however i am writing from home so until i get into the studio i cant tell for sure if ithe low end sounds right yet, i live in a flat so a bass bin is not an option! unless im not scared of eviction
 
i think whe someone has writters block its just them growing more in what there doing. it pushes u to become even better than u where, just my thoughs.
 
rogue element said:
I have been producing for about 2 years and recently things started going well - I have had 3 releases this year and have just been asked to do a remix for BK. However at the moment when I try and write anything I get about as far as the groove and a few samples and I find myself unable to get into my ideas, particularly when it comes to writing bass and top lines. It seems to happen more frequently as I improve. Does anyone else experience this and does anyone have any tips for overcoming it?
Thats a really intereting point u bring up...i actually have gone through that kind of slump and its really easy to getr very depressed because of it especially if this job is not just your job, but also your life....all i can say is that u just really need that massive spark of inspiration then that should see u thru it...hope u do get thru it:cheers:
 
cheers for the support. to be honest i can still come out with stuff but because im still at that halfway point between it being a job and a hobby i make a bit of cash from i have to have a day job as well, so you dont get the time and exposure that full on pros do to develop your ideas. however you feel you should be at the same standard so i reckon you are a lot more discerning with what you actually go with. it just means that it takes me a lot longer to finish tunes. oh well its gotta be done though.. and it makes it all the better when things start happening.......
 
Sounds gross but I keep a huge stack of my gear manuals on a rack next to the toilet. I always walk out again learning something new. :D
 
Back
Top