Original Message                 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 21/25                 Date: 17-Mar-00  @  02:41 AM   -   RE: Dealing with writer's block

errata

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On that note:

I often start out with a few ideas...get them looping and like where it's going...toss in a few more things and then find the the extras work better without the originals. Just tonight I ended up with a totally different backing breakbeat than the one I started out with...

They really do write themselves...

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Message 22/25                 Date: 17-Mar-00  @  03:10 AM   -   RE: Dealing with writer's block

CATASTROPHIC

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go to the record shop and listen to as many tunes as you can dont listen to all the records that are the same style listen to as many differnt styles as posible and pick there production to bits take notes if you have to that helps me then ask your self what you like best ie: that bass line was good then re write it in you own style ...im ther same as 99devils 80% of the stuff i do is shit but i dont delete it i keep it for a rainy day ..and speak to other producers dont be afriad to ask how that do stuff ......
-----you learn from teaching-----

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Message 23/25                 Date: 17-Mar-00  @  05:36 AM   -   RE: Dealing with writer's block

Jasper

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Rak3889, your right that you should lay down a track for the experience it gives you even if the original idea is lacking.

You'll find that making an arrangement makes you work in a different way than just looping a midi pattern, might give you some ideas.. In fact I'll stick my neck out and say that you WILL get some other ideas.

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Message 24/25                 Date: 19-Mar-00  @  06:11 AM   -   Don't throw stuff away

Andreas

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I have been reading all the post about dealing with writers block and they are all good tips, but I have another tip. Get somebody to work with you on a track, they don't have to know anything about music really. I have had friends sitting by saying stuff like "make it faster", can you add some of that "ticki ty tack" stuff... and so on. And of course they will say things like "yeah, man that is so cool". They will spur you on if you are lucky, some people don't so try different people.

And of course, never throw anything away. I always save things even if I think they are complete shit at the time. I even save unquantised jams and just wierd loops. When you listen to them a year later the can give you ideas, maybe you won't continue on the saved bits, but they will sometimes inspire, and midifiles are so small anyway.

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Message 25/25                 Date: 19-Mar-00  @  07:18 AM   -   RE: Dealing with writer's block

Jasper

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I just gave this guy I'm going to be working with a load of my old dat's (he asked for them), he was listening to bit's that I was thinking 'oh crap I never wanted anyone to hear this' and ripping them out going 'we'll use this'.

I mean to him it's fresh stuff, to me it's old and tired but I just know he'll use the bit's he's got in new different ways I would never have thought of.

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