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Fire Up the Sampler Tonight???

Big_StacksBig_Stacks "I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts
edited June 2005 in Strut Central
Hey Guys,

I know there are a number of working stiff producers like me that work regular day jobs, and make beats in their spare time. Is it just me, or is it hard to fire up the sampler in the evening after a long workday and/or work week? My mind's sayin' yes, but my body is tellin' me no. Shiiiit, making beats does take time and effort, which is probably why I envy producers that only make beats as their careers. Does anybody else on her wage this internal struggle? Holla!!!

Peace,

Big Stacks from Kakalak

  Comments

  • tallbobsmoketallbobsmoke 715 Posts
    I'm not going to pretend I'm a producer or anything, but I like to try to be creative with all sorts of things. Sampler, drums, keys, bla bla bla. I'll have ideas and inspiration, but it's hard to get motivated after I've been working all day long. Unless, I suppose I'm totally inspired by something...

    Luckily, I'm a teacher and I have summers off. So after next week, I'm going to have plenty of free time to fool around with my toys.
  • GuzzoGuzzo 8,611 Posts
    My mind's sayin' yes, but my body is tellin' me no.

    "step into makin them beats tonight baby"
  • bonzaisk8bonzaisk8 946 Posts
    man, i hear that 100%

    sometimes it's like pulling teeth to get started on music after work.

    nothing a little kaya can't fix.


  • Big_StacksBig_Stacks "I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts
    My mind's sayin' yes, but my body is tellin' me no.

    "step into makin them beats tonight baby"

    Background: "I don't see nothing wrong, with a little A-S-R."
    Stacks: "Oh, oh, oh, oh...a little bit of A-S-R. I don't seeeeeeeeeee....."

    Peace,

    Big Stacks from Kakalak
  • residentgiantresidentgiant 619 Posts
    Yes, totally. I come home and crank the AC and just lounge the fuck out. But I start to feel guilty if I'm not creating, and just consuming... I'll start playing around with an idea.. and then get distracted, save it, tell myself I'll work on it tomorrow. And before I know it its been a whole week since I even opened Protools.
    Ganja helps me feel the music, no doubt, but I swear it lowers my IQ by about 20 points and then I'm sitting there all confused and unfocused trying to figure out what the hell I was doing in the first place.
  • TheGoochTheGooch 541 Posts
    I can hear you from here on that one. Working in IT (computer stuff) as well as doing support in the Financial field I never have set hours. some days work as many as 12-14 hour shifts. Its almost impossible. The want is there but the motivation to actually do it is another. been making music from 4 years now and ive been through it all. I owned mpc2000, mpc 60, and asr10. I tell you after years of zip drives, file converters, floppy disks, cables I can say that if you are a home producer is to simplify your life. For instance for me I sold off everything I have and have been stricly Reason 2.5 for close to a year now. No more loading disks, disks not reading, slicing , editing. Yes the feel is gone but I tell you the time I save I can honestly say that I make a beat a day (doesnt mean theyre good though) but I definatley understand. The best thing I can say is simplify your shit. Spend one week just finding samples and saving them to your sampler and the next week making beats. so on and so fizzle.
  • Big_StacksBig_Stacks "I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts
    Hey Resident Giant,

    I totally feel you about saving beats for later. But, I find that when I force myself to make a beat, it's usually shit. When I record such stuff, I end up not liking it later. I'll let the main sequence play 1,000 times trying see if I feel it, and how I can develop it further. I guess my sampling radar is not as crisp when I'm unmotivated, so I loop up some wack shit that I eventually erase anyway.

    Peace,

    Big Stacks from Kakalak
  • TheGoochTheGooch 541 Posts
    Yes, totally. I come home and crank the AC and just lounge the fuck out. But I start to feel guilty if I'm not creating, and just consuming... I'll start playing around with an idea.. and then get distracted, save it, tell myself I'll work on it tomorrow. And before I know it its been a whole week since I even opened Protools.
    Ganja helps me feel the music, no doubt, but I swear it lowers my IQ by about 20 points and then I'm sitting there all confused and unfocused trying to figure out what the hell I was doing in the first place.



    true I felt like weed was just another part of my MPC that I fired up everytime I made music. Havent smoked now for close to 3 months and Im making more music than I previously was. The first few weeks is a bit aggitating but after that you wont even need it.
  • BeatChemistBeatChemist 1,465 Posts
    Yes, totally. I come home and crank the AC and just lounge the fuck out. But I start to feel guilty if I'm not creating, and just consuming... I'll start playing around with an idea.. and then get distracted, save it, tell myself I'll work on it tomorrow. And before I know it its been a whole week since I even opened Protools.
    Ganja helps me feel the music, no doubt, but I swear it lowers my IQ by about 20 points and then I'm sitting there all confused and unfocused trying to figure out what the hell I was doing in the first place.



    true I felt like weed was just another part of my MPC that I fired up everytime I made music. Havent smoked now for close to 3 months and Im making more music than I previously was. The first few weeks is a bit aggitating but after that you wont even need it.

    I took about a week off smoking a while back. Couldn't get into things for a few days... didn't even pick up records or anything. But then once you get used to it you're so much more productive. And my cuts seemed to be cleaner... if a little bit less "inspired"...

  • BsidesBsides 4,244 Posts
    Yes, totally. I come home and crank the AC and just lounge the fuck out. But I start to feel guilty if I'm not creating, and just consuming... I'll start playing around with an idea.. and then get distracted, save it, tell myself I'll work on it tomorrow. And before I know it its been a whole week since I even opened Protools.
    Ganja helps me feel the music, no doubt, but I swear it lowers my IQ by about 20 points and then I'm sitting there all confused and unfocused trying to figure out what the hell I was doing in the first place.



    true I felt like weed was just another part of my MPC that I fired up everytime I made music. Havent smoked now for close to 3 months and Im making more music than I previously was. The first few weeks is a bit aggitating but after that you wont even need it.

    I took about a week off smoking a while back. Couldn't get into things for a few days... didn't even pick up records or anything. But then once you get used to it you're so much more productive. And my cuts seemed to be cleaner... if a little bit less "inspired"...


    Im a pretty heavy weed smoker. But alot of times Ill wait till after Ive got something pretty near done to smoke. I think its most useful when you need a fresh ear. Its only after I smoke, that I can say whether or not im really feeling it.

  • Sun_FortuneSun_Fortune 1,374 Posts
    Yes, totally. I come home and crank the AC and just lounge the fuck out. But I start to feel guilty if I'm not creating, and just consuming... I'll start playing around with an idea.. and then get distracted, save it, tell myself I'll work on it tomorrow. And before I know it its been a whole week since I even opened Protools.
    Ganja helps me feel the music, no doubt, but I swear it lowers my IQ by about 20 points and then I'm sitting there all confused and unfocused trying to figure out what the hell I was doing in the first place.



    true I felt like weed was just another part of my MPC that I fired up everytime I made music. Havent smoked now for close to 3 months and Im making more music than I previously was. The first few weeks is a bit aggitating but after that you wont even need it.

    I took about a week off smoking a while back. Couldn't get into things for a few days... didn't even pick up records or anything. But then once you get used to it you're so much more productive. And my cuts seemed to be cleaner... if a little bit less "inspired"...


    Im a pretty heavy weed smoker. But alot of times Ill wait till after Ive got something pretty near done to smoke. I think its most useful when you need a fresh ear. Its only after I smoke, that I can say whether or not im really feeling it.


    I got a similar modus. I may get the beginning of a piece while "high" but when I actually start putting in the nuts and bolts, I like to stay sober. Well I dont like to, but it works the best. Ive had long six month and year stretches without any ganja and i can really say there is no difference in quality between the stuff I made on than off. I do know it was more enjoyable to make some beats with the weed smoke.

    The best way i've found to get started is to read some cool ass science or philosphy, metaphysical shit -- it gets your mind going, its like stretching. The times that im making the best music are the times when I've got a lot of interesting shit that I'm reading and trying to lace it all together. Read the new book by Penrose "The Road to Reality," by the way...
  • Phill_MostPhill_Most 4,594 Posts
    Man, all my best ideas come early in the AM. Having to get in to the day job Monday thru Friday 9 to 5 totally f**ks up the creative flow. Coming home and forcing yourself to make music when you should be chillin' on the sofa with a cold one and the remote is just not the way to get the best out of your creativity, mane! I swear, I don't know how Jake One does it.
  • bonzaisk8bonzaisk8 946 Posts


    The best way i've found to get started is to read some cool ass science or philosphy, metaphysical shit -- it gets your mind going, its like stretching. The times that im making the best music are the times when I've got a lot of interesting shit that I'm reading and trying to lace it all together. Read the new book by Penrose "The Road to Reality," by the way...


    nice. i like that approach man.

    for me, all i gotta do is bust out some midget porn and i'm good to go.

    na, for real though. my method for becoming inspired is to pick up an instrument and mess around with it for however long. that usually gets the juices flowing.
  • BeatChemistBeatChemist 1,465 Posts
    The best way i've found to get started is to read some cool ass science or philosphy, metaphysical shit -- it gets your mind going, its like stretching. The times that im making the best music are the times when I've got a lot of interesting shit that I'm reading and trying to lace it all together. Read the new book by Penrose "The Road to Reality," by the way...

    I got into listening to books on tape while just chilling out on the couch with my eyes closed. Shit like The History of the Universe, or some philosphy lectures on tape. You can find some interesting ones on soulseek.
  • Big_StacksBig_Stacks "I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts


    na, for real though. my method for becoming inspired is to pick up an instrument and mess around with it for however long. that usually gets the juices flowing.



    Hey,



    I feel ya, bruh!!! I usually come up with the hottest shit just fuckin' with a sample up on the board. A lot of time, I'll come up with a dope sample phrase by accident, playin' it on the keys, and then roll with it. A lot of great scientific discoveries occurred by accident too (e.g., polio vaccine). Tinker until something dope comes.



    Peace,



    Big Stacks from Kakalak
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