ive lost all my creativity.
ako
https://soundcloud.com/a-ko 3,413 Posts
when i started making beats more seriously on my dr. sample back in 2001 or so, it was ridiculous how i could just churn shit out and be totally satisfied, even now some of the stuff sounds pretty creative...now its 2006, two records out, 84978989% more records in my collection than before, the ability to go all out on cooledit, and its like...i dont even know where to begin.additionally, i just wanna...do something new with this shit, but i dont know how. because...i want it to be kinda..you know, somethin new, but at the same time it has to be something i really like.is it possible to just stop even being creative? or am i just in a rut?
Comments
You should clean your room.
im not even kidding, usually when my room is clean im more excited to work on music.
i think you might have solved my problem. like...actually.
thanks
(i'm serious)
Yeah, I wasn't joking either, I can't get shit done when my house or music room is a mess. I just can't think clearly.
Apocrapha has it that before he was able to write word one on a story, Hemingway had to clean the fridge.
Also, time off helps you get a new look/sound/perspective.
Writers are those who have the hardest time writing.
Personally, I'm most creative when I'm sleep deprived or dozing off. Not sure why, I think for some reason I'm just more open to inspiration and less likely to be too self-critical.
Funny, I was just thinking of starting a post asking what people do to get their creative juices flowing.
and if things are clean but there's still no creativity, it is a great time to listen.
Personally, I don't think that this is a problem of creativity, this is more of a motivation problem maybe... what do you think?
yeah, the thing i look forward to most is putting on a solid LP, then cleaning.
then putting on a solid LP after cleaning.
i'd say its a combination. if youre not creative but youre motivated, what do you do?
this is true with me too
additionally, sometimes if im out working or doing some task, i'll get really excited about going home and working on beats...then when i'm finally done, i usually just get home, watch a dvd or go to bed or something.
true, but dont find yourself cleaning and rearranging your room every five minutes. Justifing to yourself "oh I'll start on a beat, after this in place, and then this, and..." so on and so on.
Yes, I would suggest cleaning your damn room. But also, take a break from music. There is no shame in getting 'burnt out' from music. But, if you absolutely cannot stop listening, then explore a new genre (ie bluegrass or classical) and not as some hip ironic thing to do, but to expose yourself to different musical structures.
this is an everyday thing living with my friend who is obsessed with folk / jug band shit...he plays his music loud, then i play my music loud...every day im exposed to somethin new. im influenced by just about everything i hear.
its just when i sit down and try to start working im like
"shit, what now."
Wasn't really about any problem at all, I was just wondering what people used as creativity aids. Sleep deprivation works for me, while others smoke trees, listen to the radio, clean up, etc..
Since I have always been the "go about your day and let the song come to you" type, I am always impressed with people who are just like "OK, it's 7pm! Time to write!" and churn out the business.
haha, honestly i think this is starting to have a NEGATIVE effect on myself...
No, I meant that you're creative, that's a fact, you see?
You can not lose your creativity, maybe you're disconnected from the... radio, charts... whatever you want but this has nothing to do with the creativity.
When I'm in a situation like this I try to (re-)connect with the street.
I go to a concert, an exhibition, I go to the cinema... with the girl, the friends, I spend all my time out, out of the Baptcave??
Then everything becomes clear.
I think you need to make a break.
Well, I was half-joking about that. To be more specific, i've written songs on saturday mornings while drifting back and forth between sleeping and consciousness in bed, and while dozing on the train to work after staying up late the previous night. That half-asleep trance-like state is what I'm talking about, not going days without sleeping.
Having said that, I have also written songs while actually sleeping, in my dreams.
Never wide awake though...
This has happened to me also. What I decided to do was stop being a beat maker. That way, when I did make a beat, it was a million times more productive. Check it out...
Beat Maker for 8 years producing 3 beats every 6 months - not productive at all
Guy who isn't a beat maker making 3 beats every 6 months - pretty productive for a guy who isn't a beat maker.
Seems to be doing the trick for me lately. Now I don't have to care when I'm not being productive or making shit I'm happy with, but when i DO make something, i'm still able to be happy and enjoy it like I would've before.
Imagine how it feels to have made 5, 6, 7 hundred beats and NEVER had a record out. Imagine still wanting to do anything beat related at 26 years old. It's kind of a struggle.
Another thing I find motivates me is working with somebody completely different than anybody I've worked with in the past. I've had the chance to work with some gangster rappers from atlanta recently and it got me a little bit hyped up again.
I gotta have sleep or I'm useless. In general I try to spend a couple hours a day in my studio and if something comes of it great. A lot of times I might not make a beat but it will lead to me making a slap down the line.
That's a good point that you can't lose your creativity. Perhaps a better word is "uninspired". Sometimes inspiration is all you need, then you use your creativity to turn that inspriation into a finished product.
it's getting to be that time of the semester too...