Struggles with direction and inspiration

[bungler666]

Anyone else here struggling with finding a direction in your music? I tend to give up midway in a lot of songs and many times I find it difficult to tell if what I'm making is any good at all.
And then there's a constant lingering thought that everything I do is ripped off from someone else and it's not often I feel like something is "my pure expression".
Direction wise, I can imagine creating a ton of different music but when I actually lay down these ideas on tape it just sounds lazy and boring to me, like why would anyone listen to this? Would even I listen to this?

Any of you experience this?

[mechanismj]

Totally been there. I think these are classic struggles for anyone who enjoys creative endeavors.

I have noticed that any time I come up against these feelings, the way out tends to be the same: Make art that amuses / satisfies you and just throw it out there. Good and bad are painfully subjective and it doesn't mean anything in the end.

If it helps, I have enjoyed what I have heard of yours!

[Moz]

When I began making music I wanted it to be heard by as much people as possible. After about 10 years of doing it and reaching some form of small success along the way I realized that was not the point. The only important thing is that I like it because mostly only I end up listening to it, plus some friends when we throw on a party or something. I like listening to my stuff and that's what makes me finish songs and make them as good as possible while trying to avoid perfectionism because I failed at that path too by never finishing anything, I am just not that kind of person when it comes to creative stuff.

I learned to enjoy the process which includes a couple of things: not cry over "wasted time" because it is not (this is something connected to not reaching some form of success or approval), not caring about who will like it because it doesn't matter, it has to be fun (tried some things like producing stuff for other musicians and commercials but I couldn't imagine doing it for work/money purpose, too stressful and exhausting).

It all depends what your goals are. When these goals are set adjust your creative process according to it. If you want other people to like it, include some elements that you know make people go off. If you are making music for your own health try to go with the flow and follow your intuition. Maybe you are being too hard on yourself. Remember, you are your own worst critic. When you are making a track, work on it a bit longer. Weeks, months, sometimes years can pass, and if after some time it still sparks something when you hear it then it is something special. If it makes you happy then it will make somebody else too. Yes we are all individuals but we are not all that different after all.

One more thing. More music you make, higher the chance is you come up with a good one in there. Many known producers said this, only one out of 20 tracks is being actually released in public. Everyone makes throwaways. Those unfinished tracks? Take the drums out of one and make something other with it- I have projects and projects with stuff like only drums or a good hook with shit drums etc. Makes you start off quick. It can all come in handy one day.

oh quick edit, you joined here on my b-day + my best friend lives in your city

[TheStatPow]

Like mech said. good/bad doesn't matter. the shittiest stuff I've put out had 10x better reception than the stuff I'm proud of ...

Moz also said it well: Go the statistical way. Dump out tracks like a factory ... eventually one of them has to be accidentally good

[Moz]

Moz also said it well: Go the statistical way. Dump out tracks like a factory ... eventually one of them has to be accidentally good

Exactly. There is a joke that all great minds were talking shit all the time, then once in 200 times they said something profound and that stayed.

[bungler666]

That is true of course. I guess creative expression is something that always wanders and changes form, whether you like it or not.
Go with the flow, or die!
Thanks Moz for taking the time to write such a lengthy reply and Mech for liking my soundcloud shitpost stuff

[mechanismj]

Like mech said. good/bad doesn't matter. the shittiest stuff I've put out had 10x better reception than the stuff I'm proud of ...

Same here! Always leaves me flabbergasted!

[Moz]

Like mech said. good/bad doesn't matter. the shittiest stuff I've put out had 10x better reception than the stuff I'm proud of ...

Same here! Always leaves me flabbergasted!

I bet these also include some sort of vocals. In my case these were the ones that got most plays. Sometimes you work on the track, so much layers, details, work that you are proud of and it doesn't appeal people. Then you have these that were made in 30 minutes almost as a joke which end up being more listened to...

Bungler, do you play any instruments? If you don't I highly suggest you pick something up, like a guitar. Even if you don't finish any songs with it you will be satisfied because you can see that you are getting better week by week and that can make you feel more accomplished.

[mechanismj]

Like mech said. good/bad doesn't matter. the shittiest stuff I've put out had 10x better reception than the stuff I'm proud of ...

Same here! Always leaves me flabbergasted!

I bet these also include some sort of vocals. In my case these were the ones that got most plays. Sometimes you work on the track, so much layers, details, work that you are proud of and it doesn't appeal people. Then you have these that were made in 30 minutes almost as a joke which end up being more listened to...

Bungler, do you play any instruments? If you don't I highly suggest you pick something up, like a guitar. Even if you don't finish any songs with it you will be satisfied because you can see that you are getting better week by week and that can make you feel more accomplished.

Sometimes, yes. I guess it makes sense in a way.

[Elwyn_Hayseed]

Trying to make tunes I find is virually impossible.
Spent weeks watching tutorial/hint/tips videos to help give or offer perspective to what before (exclusively as a listener) I took for granted. I respect anyone who can make well polished inspiring music because Im learning just how much detail is actually required to pull it off.
I find it generally frustrating, staring at a computer screen for hours. Nice when you get something right or you get a breakthrough on some allusive technical procedure but I prefer listening to other peoples music the most strangely never lacking ideas or inspiration, always humming something or making muted beatboxed rhythms with my one side of my jaw....problem is it sounds better in my head than poorly reinterpreted using my skill base.
My only party trick is I can scratch mix vinyl, but music theory just baffles me.
Just make it fun, enjoy what you do and remember to record all your jamming/presets/templates so you can repeat those happy mistakes lol

[Elwyn_Hayseed]

On a lighthearted note,
Reading YT comments can give alot if inspiration if only by feeling others frustrations through your own learning curves:

Consider this advice being given:

"I just take someone elses song and make just 3 changes into unrecognizable territory and bam my bandcamp just swells up..."

"What you need to do is put the Sausage fattener after your Camel Crusher on the mix bus for instant good mastering"

Or this belter...

"Which wall coverings will help my songs sound better?"

Remember: You were the fastest sperm in your dads balls! That makes you both a winner and Number 1.

[funnnnpng]

Normally I would say inspiration just comes from the heart because I'm too lazy to say anything meaningful, and because whenever I make music it just sort of comes out, like some sort of meditative process. But I know that's not for everyone.

Basically, my process is from listening to a whole bunch of music for so long, I can easily hear what I do and do not like in a song. How I made a lot of my early music was simply just trying to recreate the sounds that I liked from songs I heard. By taking lots of different techniques from lots of different artists (from the manic sample processing of J Dilla, to the warped nostalgic hugs of Boards of Canada), I eventually created my own "sound". This sound was characterized by loud, distorted and broken synth tones being pummeled by sharp and thick hip hop breakbeats. It's a style I actually have only selectively explored in my public work, but it's still a unique sound.

Just regurgitate a bunch of stuff that you like from different artists and form it into something new. That marble made to sculpt David of Michelangelo came from somewhere, right?

[Elwyn_Hayseed]

https://youtu.be/KiLgttjyrMw

Yer feather wid be pra-owd

[Green Pylon]

don't stop jamming guys, save loads of sampling and then jam again until you die. From time to time just organize your stuff and refine some demos...

and ofc don't play music if you're angry, anxious or upset. Maybe a little melancholic if you want that's ok, but the idea is to have fun while playing.

see ya

[mechanismj]

don't stop jamming guys, save loads of sampling and then jam again until you die. From time to time just organize your stuff and refine some demos...

and ofc don't play music if you're angry, anxious or upset. Maybe a little melancholic if you want that's ok, but the idea is to have fun while playing.

see ya

I give this comment three thumbs up!

[TheStatPow]

I'd also like to add: don't compare your music to other better music. it's like porn as in porn sets "unachievable" standards.

When you compare your music to other music you're a fan of it has the same effect. You start fearing you might just not perform well or you might just not enjoy what you're making because of all that freaky stuff you can go listen on the internet is way better.

[eric_schafer]

• If you're jazzed about what you're working on, you're doing it right!
• If you find the last 15 minutes has really been 3 hours, you're doing it right! Find those flow states.
• Every time you are devoting time to making music, you're getting better. Even if you recorded nothing you've been improving critical listening and receptivity, both crucial skills for musicians.
• I agree with Moz: be attached to the process, not the outcome.
• I learn best by playing along with music I like, YMMV.
• You have a pure creator, a pragmatic realist, and a critical censor inside you. Learn to use each of those voices, but only at the appropriate times.
• If you start feeling like Sisyphus, take a break.
• If you come back after the break and it still feels like a struggle, abandon that approach and look in a different direction.

Keep making music!

https://parlous.bandcamp.com

[Moz]

• If you're jazzed about what you're working on, you're doing it right!
• If you find the last 15 minutes has really been 3 hours, you're doing it right! Find those flow states.
• Every time you are devoting time to making music, you're getting better. Even if you recorded nothing you've been improving critical listening and receptivity, both crucial skills for musicians.
• I agree with Moz: be attached to the process, not the outcome.
• I learn best by playing along with music I like, YMMV.
• You have a pure creator, a pragmatic realist, and a critical censor inside you. Learn to use each of those voices, but only at the appropriate times.
• If you start feeling like Sisyphus, take a break.
• If you come back after the break and it still feels like a struggle, abandon that approach and look in a different direction.

Keep making music!

https://parlous.bandcamp.com

All good points! My problem lately is that I get in these flow states almost whenever I start to work on something which is great because I mostly come up with something worthy. However I am not a person that can "live" multiple things at once so other areas in life are lacking, like sleep (sometimes on work days I have to force myself to sleep a couple of hours) or mundane tasks like shopping, hanging out with people etc. I just can't live in the balance, it's got to be one thing or the other...

[eric_schafer]

I just can't live in the balance, it's got to be one thing or the other...

The pure creator and the critical censor both can't stand the pragmatic adult

[Moz]

I just can't live in the balance, it's got to be one thing or the other...

The pure creator and the critical censor both can't stand the pragmatic adult

Indeed.