Original Message                 Date: 16-Jul-05  @  04:28 PM   -   Getting the energy...

Steve Roughley

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Hey all.

I've just been thinking about how I haven't completed a track in over a year and over the last few months have probably spent a total of 6 hours actually trying to write music. I'm still really interested in producing but my job has taken over my life and I just do not have the energy anymore to even look at a piece of electrical equipment when I get home.

Now, I know that some of you guys must have a similar situation with work and so I'm wondering what tricks, if any, you've found to get yourselves into the studio.

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Message 11/20                 Date: 16-Jul-05  @  09:05 PM   -   RE: Getting the energy...

mcc>

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some good points here. what rags said about all these seemingly small little ideas which amount to nothing at first. a little hat phrase perhaps. a kick. some snatch of hooky-melody. start putting them together and they can snowball. you know the routine. you've done some fine stuff in the past.

as for your career and what outlets for creativity it allows you.
no...i don't doubt it all.
talking to people...interacting creatively...politics....sales> they are all potential art-forms.
music is certainly one which we immediately think of at times but when i watch an ice-skater or some of these new fire-twirlers and breathers at these outdoor parties i absolutely know what an art that is. you can find art in the way a girl walks for that matter. making music that sounds like a girl's walk.... well lordy.
i totally believe software design is an art-form and not just a science......it's one of the reasons
why i ALWAYS BUY my own software and not just for the license.
there's art in meditation and the manner in which 2 people might relate in an exchange of the flesh.
there's art in bullshit too. our daily banter.....be it here or wherever.

yeah....it's all there....creativity./.....ins>piration....LOVe....paSS~ion.

they can come and go in cycles.
trying to keep them part of your daily life is always a challenge
just as rememberance can be key.

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Message 12/20                 Date: 16-Jul-05  @  09:07 PM   -   RE: Getting the energy...

beds

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hey steve, don't take my flippancy too seriously, i'm totally in agreement with you about programming being as creative as anything, there's beauty and patterns in maths and algorithms (and human interaction) through and through.

i think maybe you're right about your job somewhat satisfying your creative 'urge' (can't think of a better word there must be one). telling you though, putting a limit on something you know you enjoy will soon have you wanting more and more. clay's right, that 15 minutes will soon be 15 hours if you let it.

and you're good enough to make a living out of music i reckon.

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Message 13/20                 Date: 16-Jul-05  @  09:13 PM   -   RE: Getting the energy...

mcc>

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another thing i'd recommend and do quite often myself....and one which counters a statement made by ape ages ago (which i lacked the desire or energy to argue at the time)....but i feel is good when one feels blocked or maybe even lazy...is to revisit some old ideas which you might've dropped some time ago.
i absolutely disagree that just because one isn't able to bring and idea to completion in one sitting or specific period of time.....that it's probably an idea that wasn't worth preservering with.
sometimes those old midi-or audio-files can reveal potential when you reopen them with an all-new set of sounds or a refreshed attitude about how to proceed.

12. cleaning and rearranging the studio sometimes.

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Message 14/20                 Date: 17-Jul-05  @  06:53 AM   -   RE: Getting the energy...

Rags

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Probably they are (I haven't heard that stuff yet), but don't let that overwhelm you. I mean sometimes I am also envious to other people's stuff but then that is automatically followed by the reaction of "fuck that, I can do better", which can be quite a source of enegry and inspiration.

Another old cliche, but maybe all you need is new ways of working and some new sounds, and new tools to mangle sounds with (and the internet is full of free and interesting stuff to give you that "cutting edge" in the soud department).

If you have tried all the above... sometimes trying too hard can be an obstacle as well. I know how it feels after a working day to get home and know that "hey, this is that only one hour today in which you could turn on the comp. and do some creative stuff but..." so it could be stressful and might not help at all to have a dedicated time period (every day). What I did was:

a. I restructured my free time so now I have time for important things (family, friends, music).That involved sacrificing watching TV and 3D graphics, which was my other occupation back in the days when I had plenty of time.

b. sometimes I use some relaxation techniques when I get home, it takes only 10-15 minutes, but it is really refreshing (and relieves me of stress)

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Message 15/20                 Date: 17-Jul-05  @  07:04 AM   -   RE: Getting the energy...

mcc>

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i think one of the most damaging things one can do as an artist, or even as a human being,
is to compare one's self with others.
do what you do and do it well.
be who you are and be it better than anyone else....
while appreciating others for who and what they are.
then simply let it flow out of you.

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Message 16/20                 Date: 18-Jul-05  @  05:04 AM   -   RE: Getting the energy...

Sage Bomb

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13. (not really an option) a workstation where you can either sit or stand at a moment's whim and/or notice. sitting down low all day and night making music as if you were driving a car or go-cart or you were at a dinner table is definitely not going to produce much inspiration within the physical body.
then again...there's not one much one can do if we're lacking in passion.
after all...you can't give what you don't got.
you might as well just eat supper and practice those perfect stretches of long tender silence.
it's possible that one finds inspiration there.
i know many that do.

14. always a brief (or prolonged) separation from that which you find truly uninspiring....aye!

15. leftfield: swords



get that energy.

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Message 17/20                 Date: 19-Jul-05  @  02:00 PM   -   RE: Getting the energy...

craig

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When you find the answer, let me know.. I'm just totally burned out and have been since the collapse of my last project.

I've been spending my time playing with my dog and racing go-karts.

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Message 18/20                 Date: 19-Jul-05  @  06:43 PM   -   RE: Getting the energy...

mcc>

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well yeassir....that just simply goes in accord with taking a break from that which you find uninspiring or draining......
when things fall apart diminish or take away from one's enjoyment of things......it's time to let it go.

i'm not sure about the go-cart thing (there's a lot of toxins in those emissions) but the dogs...yes....they're absolute masters.
there's no downplaying what one can learn from them.....especially those relaxation-techniques
(not to say they're without their toxic-emissions also).

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Message 19/20                 Date: 19-Jul-05  @  07:50 PM   -   RE: Getting the energy...

craig

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believe it or not, racing is relaxing. While I'm out there there's nothing else in the world I'm thinking about.

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Message 20/20                 Date: 19-Jul-05  @  09:14 PM   -   RE: Getting the energy...

mcc>

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oh...i'm sure of it. that's what scares me.
but i'd trade that wide-open road and savvy~engine over smelling my dog condumb's relaxing
HIS own inner toxins....anyday.

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