Original Message 1/25                 Date: 16-Mar-00  @  10:35 AM   -   Dealing with writer's block

rak3889

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Ok so I've got some time set aside to work on tunes. I've got my gear set-up the way i like it. Now lets lay down a nice simple bass line or drum pattern to get things started. As I start to program a certain feeling begins to overwhelm me: "Nothing is coming. This is all crap!"

How do you guys deal with this? Since I'm relatively a newbie it's frustrating. Half the time I can't come up with something I feel "worthy" of even saving, and the other half of the time I come back like a day later, listen to it and go "Shit! this is crap!" It's the most frustrating thing. Am I being too critical? Should I just lay down a track i'm not overly happy with just to get the experience? help me out here plz.
Thanks,
Rob
(I keep my drum machine, IN A VAN DOWN BY THE RIVER!)

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Message 2/25                 Date: 16-Mar-00  @  10:45 AM   -   RE: Dealing with writer's block

uvc

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The most obvious thing is if your feeling like that take a break etc, do something totally different. I write my music bit by bit, so if all i come with for tune is a bass line and nothing else, well thats cool because overtime i'll finish the tune takes about 12-15 month time period. There is nothing wrong with being critical with your music, again just let it grow - give it time. Eventually you will find that right 'zone' to write music.

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Message 3/25                 Date: 16-Mar-00  @  10:49 AM   -   RE: Dealing with writer's block

rak3889

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But I even have trouble at times just writing a simple bass line. I don't know if i'm too critical of what I'm playing. It's weird, if i have a friend over and they play something for some reason it sounds like 100X better than what I have. Again, I don't know if that's just me being critical. Even when I do like something I write I sometimes delete it like a week later when I come back and am like "Ugh, this sux".

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Message 4/25                 Date: 16-Mar-00  @  11:02 AM   -   RE: Dealing with writer's block

R-Tek

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agree with UVC. Also, make sure your studio is setup so that your comfortable with everything.
I Msuffer from writers block all the time, ideas just don`t flow when u try and force yerself 2 have an idea, whereas great ideas always pop into my head while I`m at work or on the train.. My way round this was 2 buy a cheap dictaphone 4 like 30 squids and hum any idea I get into it......only problem is, I`ve got too many ideas now (with more coming all the time) and not enuff time 2 translate them into music. Still, its a nice situation 2 b in - u go into the studio knowing exactly what yer gonna do and u don`t get all frustrated.

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Message 5/25                 Date: 16-Mar-00  @  11:43 AM   -   RE: Dealing with writer's block

Caruso

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Music is like food. My mannicotis were too cooked and the sauce missed some basil, but still everybody asked for a second serving. go figure...

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Message 6/25                 Date: 16-Mar-00  @  12:35 PM   -   RE: Dealing with writer's block

mikec

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Sometimes I have a deadline which means that I'm simply not allowed the time take a break and wait for something good to come out of me.

Admittedly, sometimes I sit there for hours deleting everything I do, but in the end I get so pissed off with it or have so little time left that I just put down the next thing that comes into my head, and don't touch it at all. I just keep on adding stuff in the usual way and eventually it all turns out okay.

Recently, I had to do a platform game type thing. Everything I did was complete arse. I was trying to do nice tunes with real instrumentation (which I've done before), but it all came out like General MIDI rubbish. So I deleted everything and used 100% synth sounds (apart from the snare drum and hihats). Everything worked out fine (apart from the mix which was a complete nightmare because the lead sound was really quiet but peaking like a madman).

So there's another tip - change your instrumentation. If you are always using a 303 sound then try an acoustic bass sound or something.

MikeC

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Message 7/25                 Date: 16-Mar-00  @  12:41 PM   -   RE: Dealing with writer's block

marcphillipps

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One thing I'd recommend is never deleting anything, I've had bits and pieces sitting around for ages that I hated but stick them in the right context and it all seems to work. Another thing that'll get in your way is dedicated writing time, this just puts the pressure on you to produce, let it flow and it'll come :o) . . . Marc.

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Message 8/25                 Date: 16-Mar-00  @  01:22 PM   -   RE: Dealing with writer's block

99devils

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I tend to just shit things out. If nothing's coming, save whatever you have and go on to the next thing. Every day or so, come back to it and try to get a little more out of it. Sometimes all it takes is a tweak here, or a different sound, or maybe a different tempo or beat and then the ideas start flowing so fast you can't keep up.

BTW - I have about a 60-80% throwaway rate... So if you've written 10 things and you think 8 of them suck, then you're not doing any worse than me, or a lot of other people either!

I personally save all those things that suck (on casette, seqences, whatever). Sometimes you can listen to them a month later and think, hmmm that lead would make a great bridge in this other tune I'm working on...

Just don't give up. If nothing is really coming, then take a break.

-Craig

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Message 9/25                 Date: 16-Mar-00  @  01:59 PM   -   RE: Dealing with writer's block

rak3889

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Hmm,
Craig the throwaway rate seems about where i'm at. hearing that makes me feel a tad better. thanks for all the advice from everyone so far.
rob

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Message 10/25                 Date: 16-Mar-00  @  04:04 PM   -   RE: Dealing with writer's block

Luci077

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yes, Craig, you're right on. I'm in the process of finishing up a track I had "thrown away" a few months ago out of disgust for how it was turning out...dead, lifeless, forced...I listened to a shoddy tape recording of the thrown out version recently, and it got me all excited all over again. I'm taking the bits and pieces of audio of the original and reconstructing it the way it needs to sound...totally different, and not a direction I would have attempted when I first started on the idea! Will be posting soon.

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