Feeling lost with your own music

Getting depressed and frustrated will block your inspiration even more.

Like the other guys said: walk away from it for a while. You'll get that inspiration back.

To me, it's all about trying to view the MPC as something entirely different than what it really is. Just get creative and do things differently.

From what you're saying, it's like you're eating the same food every day, find a way to think differently.

For me, I was at this stage essentially when I was only relying on myself to do everything. It wasn't a mistake, but well, it wasn't exactly the best way to go about doing everything anyways. Learn to see things in a different light, everything can't be the same every time....

When I get burnt out, I just start experimenting with different styles. For instance, instead of always making beats within a 84bpm to 95bpm, I will make a beat at 65bpm or whatever. Try something way out of your comfort zone and see how it turns out.
Or, if you usually don't use particular instruments for instance 'synths'. Then make a beat with synth's...Or, if all you make is hip hop beats, say f.ck it and try to make a techno beat for once.

Or, try to make the wackest beat you can and show all your friends and play it off like it's the dopest beat ever and see what they say!

I dont got these creative blocks, sometimes I dont touch equipment for long periods of time as there is no inspiration/need to make beats, that's ok. Because you have the equipment dont mean you have to use it everyday. I can go on for months without turning anything on then I'll get back to it and I'm on it everyday for period of time. I stressed over this at first, then I learned to cope with it by turning attention to other interests whatever it may be

Things I do to feel inspired.

Beat session
Record digging
Re-arrange the lab, make it more comfortable and appealing. You know how clubs are designed to make people feel it's party time. Do that to your lab room, but make it beats time instead.
Shop around for new gear.
Watch youtube beat making videos.
Do nothing.

konc3pt wrote:Watch youtube beat making videos.

I agree with you there, stumbled across this video on youtube taken from DJ Q-Bert's Scratchlopedia Breaktannica dvd.



It inspired me to spend this afternoon pushing myself to the limits and try to better my turntable drumming techniques.

personally this happens all the time, i have been either playing in bands or producing for over 10 years, you get your spells but just keep making. if something comes out poor or mediocre then keep it but move on. when your feeling dry have a revisit to older stuff you may have learnt things since then which add the finish, you may still think they are dung. too many people think things are easy (not a personal dig at anyone) but life (here we go sounding all philosophical) its suppose to be hard and have down right dark times (even if its a feeling of loss in your self belief) just don't worry about it. smoke a joint, watch some family guy or south park - whatever and get back on it. if your feeling negative about things then surely nothing will sound good, and you will always feel failed.

Konc3pt has spoke some decent truth there, so have all the replies to be honest. his just sits well with me.

and what the fudge - that scratchlopedia video is tight! holy moly

now get that MPC out and make some mother **** beats ya'll

I felt like that a while back when this cult tried to seduce me into their church. They told me that the wine is really Kool-Aid, and they had these little glasses, so feeling thirsty I said what the hey and took a drink. Then they put on this subliminal movie of vultures in the desert eating away dead corpses. I just got up and left and they tried to stop me so I said "my mother paged me, its an emergency!" And they just looked at each other as I walked out that abandoned theater. I was in the middle of Manhattan, but that Kool Aid was making me frighten and disoriented that I didn't know where to go, and I was very scared to ask anyone directions and that was real weird because I know New York like the back of my hand and I'm always up for a convo with strangers. But this day I knew I been drugged and just wanted to go home. I ran a few blocks until I recognized a black sheet of metal with the letters N and R, "Brooklyn" I said in my head and I ran down the steps. I hopped over the turnstile and took the train home.

So you see, you just need a little sign in life to take you back to the music.

the op is taking shit to serious like its a gamble to quote baatin RIP


but keep it simple and read a book called mastery if u want some insight as to plateau's and the requirement to keep practicing even when you appear to be making no progress at all.

but side from that concentrate on other things dont put ur whole life into beat u'll find as other shit in life gets aligned when u come back to beats ull be fresh and the beats will flow.


also choose some differernt sounding drums and program some different type patterns like if u do some backpack shit try some different styles that will produce growth in ur sound

DJElemes wrote:and what the fudge - that scratchlopedia video is tight! holy moly

If scratching is your thing I'll recommend checking the dvd out. Some truly cool stuff on there

when i'm in a recording lull i like to go back to recordings from a couple years back and just touch up the mixes. it's good practice and it's interesting to hear how i mixed things back then compared to now (usually very poorly.)

just reading that even the great FlyLo has long stretches of writers block, but he says he just keeps making beats and comes back to them.

just to prove he actual is human and not from outer space like his beats!

so yea man as i said before, everyone gets it, just don't give up!

just to prove he actual is human and not from outer space like his beats!

Word

Sit back with some good music, always gets me inspired.

You can like said already go back to old projects. I like to dust of samples ive already used and make better beats with em. Also shows that you've progressed.

But to underline what people already said - dont stress it. Enjoy life and you'll be good.

Hell, this weekend I pulled the plug in my whole studio. I'm closing hopefully on this new crib very soon and I probably won't set up shop again for at least a month or so. This should give me more than enough time to clear my head and get back to business.

I need to de-stress man...

when I get stuck, I go out and buy a new piece of equipment... puts me in the studio. one other thing, use the left part of your brain... no joke, sounds crazy but do math equations, read, have stimulating logical thoughts/conversation. Most creative people (musicians) have a stronger right sided brain and sometimes overstimulating it through long sessions just makes it tired and worn out. Sounds crazy but if im the studio for longer then 3 hours I always take a break and do some math, sounds crazy... but it helps.

Im not just spilling out some bullshmidt neither, im taking psych in college.