CREATIVE JUICES (NO AYO!)
RAJ
tenacious local 7,783 Posts
Hey all. I've noticed in my older age that I'm not as prolific as I used to be. With the hectic family life and day job getting crazier I feel way too overwhelmed to make a DJ mix, or write a record review, compose music, or even design graphics.Any ideas on how to get more brain power and get my creative engergy back .. or is this the curse of family life? please don't respond with: you need to drop a tab or smoke a 40 or get laid.
Comments
I know you didn't want to hear this one, but sometimes drinking really does help me. Sometimes just getting out of the house helps. hearing new music always helps, if you can find something interesting. sometimes watching a movie. going out to a club and hearing music really loud and dancing around and shit.....
but that's what you got to do.. keep on juggling.
my 2 cents is that the only way to accomplish stuff is to stick with it... day in day out.. log the hours.. even if its just listening to things you did, checking levels or something.. you need to spend that time in the studio everyday... otherwise one day off turns into the weekend turns into a week has gone by and before you know it shit has dust on it.
when i was younger i was really into drawing.. massively so... thought i was going to do comics / illustration ... at the same time this creative pursuit caused me MASSIVE stress.. i was never satisfied with my stuff.. and i found the whole process of staring at the blank page for hours just mindbogglingly depressing...
at the same time any amount of time logged in the studio doing music just got me jazzed up beyond belief... and with graphic design again i always got a thrill out of how cool it was to do a peace, get paid and see it in the real world.
eventually i had to come to that cross roads and make the call... i stopped art / drawing and focused my energies on design and music and i havent looked back.
been much happier for it.
sometimes you just need to make that call and stick with what feels right at that time.. if doin stuff with the fam is where its at right now then that's a good place to be.
I've been feeling the same way for a minute now...
SERENITY NOW)#(*$)#(*$
Seems like you do not want the one answer that will solve all of your problems, Raj Mahal.
i just got offered a nice cozy designer position that would completely straighten out my monetary worries. I mean it's less than six digits, but not that much, nahmean. thing is, it will RULE my life if i take it, and that's just not what i'm here to do right now. It reminded me how much time i have to be creative nowadays, and i need to take better advantage of it. i know you'd tell me i'm crazy, but i love where i am right now. i just need to kill these credit cards. I'm still thinking it over though... yuppie vs. artist, that's the question.
Zigzag... yes I do compose music. I have been playing guitar for 15 years and am learning to play drums as well... but my creativity slump has caused me a lot of self-doubt and non-motivation compared to when I was 19 when I would write 3 songs / day and let shit flow.
As for Yuppie vs. Artistic lifestyle... I used to want to live an artistic lifestyle and I tried it and I could not stand being broke. Having money in the pocket is a double-edged sword, though. You can afford all the stuff you wanted when you were broke and in high school but you have very little time to indulge. I spend 10 minutes in front of the drums at 8 AM before work because I have 0 time. I can't imagine what life will be like with 2 of these kids.
DAMN.. I got called out.. Im sorry dude, I've been hella frantic lately. But Im focusing harder each day, Im making baby steps..
Raj, I feel ya man.
With kid, a demanding job, school, etc....I dont feel as creative as I used to be. There was a study I read that said basically "Married people with children are less creative, but happier"
so its a trade off i guess.
could somebody tell me how to shut up this dude in the back? He is always bugging me on some "yo nobody listens to that shit anymore" or "you are gonna end up in the gutter if you keep making tracks that girls dont want to dance to" --- i am trying to finish a godamn beat godammit
i think sometimes you should listen to that voice
that's some valid criticism man.
Even though I'm self-employed and I make my money with what I love (=music) I'm feeling you 100%. Running your own business means 70% paper work, organising stuff and so on and when the creative part kicks in I often just feel tired. Getting older and having a family has make me way more relaxed and confident but the daily routine doesn't let my creative juice flow.
Best thing to do is to break out of the routine from time to time. Hanging out with friends, going to clubs and don't spend every evening on the couch (or working ..). Travelling and dj-ing also helps. But when the gig sucks you always ask yourself "what am I doing HERE?".
But having more responsibilties and not as much time to just hang out and "being crative" has also made much more focused. I get much more done in less time than when I was like 25.
What I'm missing big time is not having time to really be in the field digging. That is still obne of the best things to refresh your battery, stay hungry and passionate about the record game.
change the pace a little - get inspired - try going to see some artwork in a gallery. That sometimes inspires me for 2 or 3 days straight. or check out some live music a little outside your comfort zone.
and planning/organization...I struggle with this, but it definitely helps to map out your time - even a few days ahead. forces you to use your time wisely, not squander it on "random bullshit" like chilling in front of the tv for an hour too long, etc. set up one night during the week as a designated 'creative work' night - give yourself a full 2 hours to try some shit out.
also, I am a big fan of Omegabrite supplements - good for "mental clarity" and extra
I think Dubious's advice is spot on. It needs to be treated like working out is treated. You need to be doing it many times a week/any chance you get to do it. Make up some projects and set goals and deadlines. This might be the only way things will get done when having other priorities. It's good to always feed the brain with inspiration as well. You have to be excited about what's going on around you/in the creative world. There is no time for being jaded.
Maybe you just gotta be happy with where you're at/and look at any creative persuits as a bonus to your life, rather than having it something that defines your life.
I used to spend every waking moment when I wasn't at work or school or whatever doing tracks. I was in the studio more than I was out of it... and everything else suffered. I was not a happy dude. Sometimes I wondered, do I need to be unhappy to be properly inspired? So I can channel all that shit into the music? Well, whatever, at the end of the day the ends were not justified by the means. My relationships suffered, I never got to see my friends, never saw a movie, ate in a nice restaurant, etc. All music all the time. I now have virtually no time to create, unless I cut one of the following out: job, friends, lady. And I'll be quite honest, I had a day off yesterday and rather than hitting the SP I hit the beach with my chica and it was the most relaxed I've been in a while. My musical production is ZERO but I'm happier than I've been in many years. For once I feel like I don't HAVE to go into the lab when I get home and it feels like there's a huge monkey off my back. I'll take that over making a new beat any day.
make beats at work, young boss.
Well first off, I hate making tracks on a laptop. I like outboard gear... but second of all, I actually work at work... ie, today alone I have sorted receipts, worked on the sales database, I have met with payroll processors and am comparing their programs... along with sales (no, no standoffishrecordstoreclerk in NYC) and buys.
For a lot of people their job is a place to waste time at. For me, it is the only place where I shouldn't waste time.
Hey Raj,
I feel you, but life is all about BALANCE. You must make the time to do the creative things you enjoy. Even as an overwhelmed grad student, I found time to make beats, play hoop, travel, and do all other things I enjoyed. Doing this made me more productive then due to maintaining a balanced life, and still works today in my career. I have no time either, but I literally make myself make beats. For one, I enjoy it. Two, it is a great way to roll away the stresses of my work (the tenure-track is no joke for those that know about prof. life). Your lack of creative outlet is causing you displeasure, so find away to incorporate it in your life. Perhaps, involve your children if they are old enough. Also, negotiate this with you wife where she will take care of the kids to provide you "creative time". Then, pay her back by doing the same while she pursue her interests. In the end, you'll find time and both you and your spouse (and kids) will be better off. I hope this helps.
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
Spoken like a true master. Listen to the man....Godfather!