Struggles with direction and inspiration

Discussions related to music in general.

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Eagle Minded
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All of what has been mentioned above I very much relate to and empathize with. I spent about 7 years working on and touring with a live band and didn't realize until it was over how burnt out and how much I had lost the plot that began the whole endeavor, which is not to say that it wasn't worth it at the time, just that it can be a sort of habitual trap. In the past year, literally since the pandemic started I've been focusing only on making electronic music, it's not my typical comfort zone, and I constantly bang up against the existential issues of whether what I'm making is authentic, if it is consistent, if it is "worth it" etc.

I've found that I have on and off days about the whole project, but in general, I'm in my best spirit when I can assume the "I don't really give a shit what people will think about this, as long as I can enjoy it" mind frame, and am actually enjoying making it. I think it's very easy to get distracted by the concept of what something should be versus the motions of just making something for the sake of creating, it's easy to get lost in the sauce but I think a healthy reminder to be set is as follows- the stuff you make is just what it is, no matter how anyone else thinks of it, you made it, and you are left to decide what you think it really is.

Sorry if that all sounds absolutely corny as fuck

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Eagle Minded
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NTFMTS wrote:I've found that I have on and off days about the whole project, but in general, I'm in my best spirit when I can assume the "I don't really give a shit what people will think about this, as long as I can enjoy it" mind frame, and am actually enjoying making it. I think it's very easy to get distracted by the concept of what something should be versus the motions of just making something for the sake of creating, it's easy to get lost in the sauce but I think a healthy reminder to be set is as follows- the stuff you make is just what it is, no matter how anyone else thinks of it, you made it, and you are left to decide what you think it really is.

Sorry if that all sounds absolutely corny as fuck

It doesn't, it is a very good point. Criticism can also potentially ruin good works. Happened to me that someone hears my WIPs and I ask for a opinion, critic makes a good point but after that I tend to not finish the project. No Idea why but I realized I have to work on something until I think it is OK and then let someone hear it, then the track stays in that state as finished no matter what the criticism is.

Also it doesn't help if your critic is a perfectionist. The best criticism I've ever heard was: "It is good but it is not Kerri Chandler." Talking about setting high standards lol

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Eagle Minded
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Lol yeah holy shit that's a high bar- I have a similar issue with criticism, my problem is that I sometimes take criticism a little personally first which gets in the way of being objective about it, and sometimes yeah that will stop me from working on a track. Also I find that taking a step back, maybe for a day, a few days or a week can really refresh perspective on a song or section or etc.

I find that often the most spontaneous moments end up being some of the best, not sure why. But it's easy to forget to be spontaneous too

Boqurant
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I would love to hear more of you guys music offerings, what Ive heard so far has been pretty impressive, problem I have is I don't have Spotify and to listen to peoples Bandcamps only works as an app on my android (apps seem to want to change my google settings so tend to download app binge listen then delete app untill next binge) so unless its on YT or Archive.org I have to give it a miss.
I miss the days of "can you do me a cassette mate?" " yeah sure, D60 ok?" "yeah!!!:)"...either handwritten jcard or a cut out part of a flyer becoming the instant artwork lol.

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