Unfortunately after we’ve been writing for more than a few years, truly new ideas and tools come at us less frequently, and we’re called upon to rely solely on our creativity to produce results. A lipogram is a kind of constrained writing or word game consisting of writing paragraphs or longer works in which a particular letter or group of letters is avoided. Overdub this with more hand drumming, use different sized pens, or tea coasters, anything that’s easily at hand and doesn’t require you to spend a lot of time setting up to record. Maybe our brains just need time to recharge and recover from the prolonged periods of intense concentration that come with the artistic thought process. So don’t stress over the times when it’s not working for you, get on with other areas of your life and trust that the muse will return when the time is right. Identify the “box” you’re currently in, and ask yourself…. American Psychologist, 55(1), 79–88. Gear Acquisition Syndrome: Confessions Of A Compulsive Gear Head, Is Using Synth Presets Cheating? Most producers these days seem to work in a bubble, home alone and doing it all solo. The benefit of this is that it takes less effort for the brain to solve problems and make quick judgments about how to interpret a certain situation. What steps does your usual production process entail? Most people engaged in creative work know the crippling horror of a blank slate, be it an empty document in Word (as this article once started), a blank canvas or the empty arrangement view of Ableton Live. The emptiness in front of you holds the promise of infinite possibilities, and you are free to make whatever you want with it. Other times they force us to come up with new solutions to old problems, in unexpected ways. New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group. You end up feeling guilty that you haven’t used some of this stuff you’ve been saving, or you spend too much time trying to use all this stuff, instead of moving on and trying new ideas and new sounds. Sometimes, creativity just dries up. Try looping the results, throw random effects on, switch synth sounds from what you originally recorded. Retrieved from. Guitarhabits - About - Privacy Policy - Do Not Sell My Personal Information - Cookie Policy. Limiting yourself to only one tool/instrument FORCES you to be creative, you have no choice as you’re going to be working differently than you normally do trying to achieve the same results. Maybe our brains just need time to recharge and recover from the prolonged periods of intense concentration that come with the artistic thought process. In this editorial, I explore two ways of boosting creativity. Let other people provide the inspiration you need to get through a creative dry spell. Collaborating can be anything; asking someone to redo the mixdown on one of your songs, swapping remixes, or equally writing a brand new song together (in real life or online). ), There's no such thing as too many wires.⁠ Each card is another way of breaking out of the box and helping the mind  to find new neurons to connect with. 2004), Barry Schwartz comes to a similar conclusion that although many choices should increase the likelihood of making good choices, too many choices can also lead to fear of making the wrong choice and fear of missing out on alternative, possibly better outcomes. Continue doing this, limiting yourself to only 3 notes to keep it simple and to make you work fast. Sometimes the problem isn’t finding new ways of thinking – it’s choosing between the myriad of options available. One way of getting around this creative obstacle is to set specific boundaries, or limitations when we create. David Bowies’ approach to writing lyrics (which he shares with several other writers) can serve as another example and is sometimes called the cut-up technique. This is something I personally use a lot to try and work through rough creative times – here’s some ideas for approaching your gear differently: A lot of people will tell you to save everything you do. (2000). 5 Production Lessons From Toolroom Records’ D. Ramirez + Mark Knight, 6 Ways For Dance Music Producers To Humanize Their Tracks, Free Maschine 2.6 Update: Human After All. Schwartz, B. The Oblique Strategies constitute a set of over 100 cards, each of which is a suggestion of a course of action or thinking to assist in creative situations. We have a mind that is predisposed to quickly form habits and make neural connections (connections between brain cells). A simple way of dealing with this is to commit to audio. . We often don’t give ourselves enough time or opportunity to just play with our gear for fun. Statements like “Emphasize the flaws” or “Look at the order in which you do things” allows you to find new ways of thinking that at first aren’t apparent. Many times having too much gear can be as overwhelming as feeling like you don’t have enough. (n.d.). Editor’s Note: This originally took the form of a PDF entitled “Chasing Inspiration” – distributed by one of our awesome forum members, Tarekith. DJ Techtools - The largest community for DJ and producer techniques, tutorials, and tips. If you write banging techno most of the time, post a note at a local college seeing if any flute or violin players are interested in working together. Use the time to take care of the other things in your life that get in the way of your writing when you are having a good run of inspiration: I hope some of these ideas will help you in the future should you ever find yourself in a rut. It took me many years to come to terms with this myself, but I’m much less stressed when I have writer’s block now than when I used to. In the book Future Shock, author and associate editor of Fortune magazine Alvin Toffler described the concept of overchoice. (5), 369–370. Retrieved from https://www.enoshop.co.uk/product/oblique-strategies?filter=Oblique%20Strategies. If it’s not working, change the music. If you’re not working primarily with lyrics, you can still use a similar approach when making music: Take a four-bar loop of music (for instance a chord sequence, bassline), cut it into four separate parts and rearrange them randomly. Quickly record 3 notes with a synth or other instrument, repeat on a new track with a different instrument. It contains a set of over 100 cards with questions and statements that aid in finding new approaches to creative problems. (1), 79–88. Set yourself a goal or starting one song every day for a week. Creativity is not something that most people can turn on when they want, it comes in waves, sometimes it’s there, sometimes it’s not. However, it might cripple our creativity when we become habitual in the way we make music. I find that for whatever reason, after a long bout of writer’s block, I seem to come back stronger than ever. Certainly it’s the most stressful situation to be in, but that’s part of making a living from relying on a creative endeavor. The organization of behavior: a neuropsychological theory. But as the number of choices increases the sense of satisfaction rapidly decreases (Shah, Walford 2007). Pro (WAV) $49.99 MAKE AN OFFER • Distribution Limit 2,000 • 200,000 Audio Streams (Spotify, Apple Music, TIDAL, etc.) The writing technique Lipogram is yet another form of constrained strategy. Ricard is a Swedish music producer and licensed psychologist with a Masters Of Science in Psychology, awarded by University of Umeå, Sweden. Start fresh, take the time to build your sample library from scratch, work on building new synth or effects presets, reinvent your ‘sound’ and restock your library with fresh new sounds you haven’t been passing over again and again for the last few years. Freelancers Marketplace. Shah, A. M., & Wolford, G. (2007). Your email address will not be published. It’s a reminder that you’re not the only one going through it, and you might just get some ideas you wouldn’t have thought of on your own. Use the time when you’re in a rut to find the fun in the simple things again. In 2019 Swedish composer Jacob Mühlrad premiered his choral piece Time, a work with lyrics containing only one word. In this guide I’m going to explore some of the ways that I’ve found to help push through these trying times, and get you back to doing what you love. Hit up a jazz night, go to the symphony, check out a local world music jam session, watch street performers make do with much less than you have available. There’s also a less direct and less active form of collaborating I’d recommend, and that’s just going to see a musical performance in person. His blog, original music, DJ mixes, and audio production related tutorials are available for free at http://tarekith.com. And as with some of the tips mentioned earlier, even if you still feel stuck in a rut, a few days of doing this will surely help you learn your gear better. With the power of software synths and digital ways of making music, we have the power of total recall all the time. The organization of behavior: a neuropsychological theory. Luckily, you’re not alone, this is something that every artist (regardless of the medium they work with – DJs, this means you too!) Just fill up the project with a basic rhythm to work off of. So when the ideas appear to run dry, we’re left with that feeling of “now what?”, and we begin to question if this is really what we were meant to be doing in life after all. In short, it means that if you solve a problem a certain way, you are more likely to solve the problem the same way the next time you have a similar problem. By using more than 60 different languages…. Early on when you’re first getting into writing music, there’s always a wealth of information to draw on for ideas. 10 Best Acoustic Guitar Under 200 Dollars, 8 Most Important Guitar Chords for Beginners, The 5 Pentatonic Scale Shapes You Must Know, Top 6 Best Guitar Amps for Practice and Small Gigs, 10 Effective Ways to Memorize Song Lyrics Much Faster, How to Memorize Lyrics, Chords and Chord Progressions, Top 10 Best Electric Guitars s under 300 Dollars, 10 Ways to Play Beautiful Open Chord Shapes. So how do we break out of the box? Don’t worry about making a song, don’t worry about how useful something is, or how you might use it for your next album. On a similar note, Avni M. Shah (Assistant professor at University of Toronto) and George Wolford (professor at Dartmouth College) studied consumer buying behavior and came to the conclusion that choices initially leads to an increased buying of products and sense of satisfaction. Schwartz, B. Self-determination: The tyranny of freedom. Sometimes it can take months or even years to get over slow times, but you WILL get over them. Self-determination: The tyranny of freedom. Although Dogma 95 is perhaps more about ideology, it’s an example of voluntary creative boundaries. Overchoice is what happens when we are faced with too many similar choices, making it hard to decide which choice is the right one (Toffler, 1970). In 2019 Swedish composer Jacob Mühlrad premiered his choral piece. 2020 - all rights reserved by DJ TechTools on all content DJTechTools unless otherwise noted. The point is to get SOMETHING in front of you as fast as possible. Music producer Brian Eno and painter Peter Schmidt came up with a particularly creative way of helping themselves out of creative blocks with their tool called Oblique Strategies. If your writer's block continues, you might seek counseling. There’s nothing worse than sitting down to work on a music production project and having no ideas at all. Ricard also makes music under the artist name Wheel. Schwartz, B. When it does happen it’s mostly one of my better works. (2019, September 13). Your email address will not be published. The first involves breaking free from our usual ways. These famous cards have been used by many artists and creative people all over the world. The second explores how we can make limitations work to our advantage. Where the fear of being in a rut is actually keeping you from even getting started in the first place. Required fields are marked *. ), 9 Best XLR Cables For Home Recording (2020). Unsubscribe at any time. I'm a violinist and composer as well as a writer, and when faced with writer's (or artist's) block, I can normally cycle through my different creative tasks. Employers. You need breaks like this to remind yourself of why you got into making music in the first place, and to remember that music is more than just the end result. Traktor secrets, controller reviews, a massive MIDI mapping library, and more. If you have a mic, try tapping out a basic rhythm on your desk with just your hands or pencils. Truly out of sight and out of mind. merriam-webster.com. You’ll be surprised to find many genius songwriters also struggling with it. doi: 10.1037//0003-066x.55.1.79. Maybe you start by playing some chords with your favorite pad preset. It contains a set of over 100 cards with questions and statements that aid in finding new approaches to creative problems. Retrieved from, pitchfork.com (2017, October 23). Save your samples, save your old song ideas, save your presets, save it all in case you need it in the future. It appears the freedom of choice leads to cognitive overload and stops us from actually making music. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipogram. Dealing With Imposter Syndrome: Making It Or Faking It? Blog. Every few years (sometimes more often) I go through and basically erase everything on all my hardware synths, delete all the samples I’ve been saving, and clear any unfinished song ideas off my hard drive. Another example of how extreme constraints in the creative process can spark new, interesting ideas. They feed each other. Try picking one piece of gear you own, real or virtual, and writing a song using only that. we won't sell your data, ever. Our mind often has a hard time operating outside of the box, as learning by experience is all about doing what worked the last time. (n.d.). Vi, Imposter feelings can negatively impact your quali, As a producer or musician, have you ever experienc, Standing at a mighty altitude of 1100m, the @anref, Absolute monster studio set-up over at @postelectr, Fusing Sound Design & Architectural Principles (Interview With Ténèbre), Empowering Communities Through Knowledge Sharing (Interview With Stranjah), It’s All In The Details (An Interview With Objectiv). Each card is another way of breaking out of the box and helping the mind  to find new neurons to connect with. Some writers find it helpful to switch back and forth from one project to another. If you don’t continue to try and produce a result, you don’t get paid. Although Dogma 95 is perhaps more about ideology, it’s an example of voluntary creative boundaries. My go-to when I'm truly burned out is to enjoy others' art -- read a book, watch a movie, listen to music, etc. All rights reserved. Grab loops from your past songs and try to create a super remix of everything you’ve written in the last 3 years. The paradox of choice: why more is less. Music-making can be a fantastic, creative and liberating experience. Last update on 2020-09-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API, creativityeditorialpsychologywriter's block. The list can be made long, and examples can be found in varying fields of creative work. goes through. doi: 10.1037//0003-066x.55.1.79. wikipedia.org. Retrieved from https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/5-excellent-electronic-albums-made-with-a-single-synthesizer/. Artificial Intelligence In Music Production: What Does It Mean For Artists? I have more ideas, and my songs and production chops seem to be better than before I started having issues. Work on More Than One Project at a Time Caiaimage / Getty Images. Often times the best way to get through dry spells is to just keep trying new ideas, to do your best to avoid the blank page syndrome writers often refer to. Not all of these ideas are unique, nor will they work for all people. I have more ideas, and my songs and production chops seem to be better than before I started having issues. The Eno & Schmidt Approach: Oblique Strategies . Drop your email address here, we'll send you news, tutorials, and special offers once a week. pitchfork.com (2017, October 23). Even if you hit on something you like, the next day start totally over from scratch and try writing a new song. New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group. Your email address will not be published. In October 2017 online magazine published an article about music albums made with just one synthesizer (pitchfork.com), another example of voluntary creative boundaries. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9280.2007.01906.x. merriam-webster.com. It can also be scary as hell. There’s nothing wrong just sitting down with your favorite instrument, and just playing for the sheer joy of playing. Toffler, A. The David Bowie Approach: The “Cut-Up” Technique, Headphone Calibration Software (Does It Live Up To The Hype? The Writers Block) READ LICENSE. Try grabbing random sounds you normally wouldn’t put together, just to see what will happen. This is a step I often use when I’m stuck in a creative rut. Go to a concert, a club night, anywhere you can see music being performed by someone other than you. Hebb, D. O. (2019, September 13). Ask a friend if you can remix one of their songs. This creative strategy involves cutting up written text and combining it into new phrases, phrases the writer otherwise wouldn’t have come up with. Grab some loops or samples you may have collected earlier and place them randomly in your project. Buying Behavior as a Function of Parametric Variation of Number of Choices. You’re just scrambling all the time to glean any bit of advice or new techniques you can use, and it’s easy since there’s still so much to learn. Or it doesn’t work, and you both go your own ways, but at least you tried. This approach may not be for everyone, but it can be quite liberating having to start over. This idea of producer’s block seems to happen more frequently the longer you’ve been following your passion. • The Writers Block maintains full ownership of this instrumental • Must credit (Prod. We can always go back and change a bass sequence, tweak a reverb some more, or change the Rhodes chord sequence from a Rhodes MK1 to a Rhodes Mk2, just to change it again tomorrow. But of course, nobody talks about them on the media. And yet this absence of creative constraints, this freedom, can backfire and make us less creative. No matter what you do, or how hard you try, there’s going to be times when the magic is just not happening. Retrieved from. Maybe it’s worthwhile to get out of your comfort zone even, and work with a musician you wouldn’t normally be interested in. Be a little daring and bounce your midi to audio. Copyright © 2018-2020. DJTT Inspiration: Try making Mad Zach style soundpacks to work through producer’s block. The downside, in a creative context, is that it also makes us likely to repeat ourselves instead of coming up with truly innovative ideas. Sign in. Music producer Brian Eno and painter Peter Schmidt came up with a particularly creative way of helping themselves out of creative blocks with their tool called Oblique Strategies. Tarekith is the owner of Inner Portal Studio a Seattle-based facility with over 12 years experience providing quality mastering and mixdowns of electronic music for producers around the world. For many people, the inability to overcome the creative hurdles when they appear like this is by far the largest obstacle keeping them from even considering a career in the arts. The trick is to not let yourself get stuck looking at a blank screen. Some of the most memorable classic tunes of our time started this way, it’s different from the norm and stands out. You now have a new chord sequence. Shah, A. M., & Wolford, G. (2007). a work with lyrics containing only one word. Danish movie director Lars von Trier and a few other directors formulated the concept Dogma 95, a set of rules for film making (like no use of artificial lighting for instance). I find that for whatever reason, after a long bout of writer’s block, I seem to come back stronger than ever. He has been practicing as a professional psychologist for the last 10 years. comes to a similar conclusion that although many choices should increase the likelihood of making good choices, too many choices can also lead to fear of making the wrong choice and fear of missing out on alternative, possibly better outcomes. Seeing how someone else approaches something you’ve been doing the same way for years can make you rethink your methods and spur on new ideas. POPULAR . David Bowies’ approach to writing lyrics (which he shares with several other writers) can serve as another example and is sometimes called the, Deliberately choose another order in which you do things. The point is to realize that it is possible to work your way through a creative rough spell, even if it might just take longer than you think. Music not only calms the savage beast, but it also inspires the blocked writer. To remember that joy you felt when you first started putting your fingers on the strings, keys or drum pads hearing how YOU were affecting sound. Then you move on to finger drumming a beat on your controller of choice. Check out a style of music you might never have seen before. It can be a synth, guitar, drum, softsynth, plug-in, whatever. (2012). How did he do it? In October 2017 online magazine published an article about music albums made with just one synthesizer (. As a result you just end up staring at a blank piece of paper (or in this case a blank DAW project screen) wondering what to do next, where to start, how to get back ‘that feeling’ you get when the ideas are flowing fast and freely. Whether you’re working professionally under a deadline, or just trying to relax and have fun, that feeling of “writer’s block” can be a terrible thing for any artist – DJs and producers alike. Have a DAW template prepped and ready to go. Back in the day, it was too expensive or time-consuming to go back and make minor changes you simply had to trust it was good enough. Indeed, for many people, that’s the appeal of something like electronic music in the first place, that ability to do it all by yourself. Writers Work is the all-in-one platform for launching your dream job. Most of the time this is a time-saver, as we don’t have to find new solutions to the same problems over and over again. Sometimes you don’t need new gear to trigger inspiration, you just need to look at the gear you have differently. Writers Work is the all-in-one platform for launching your dream job. Sometimes just talking to other musicians face to face about how they get over writer’s block can be the most helpful thing of all. Many music producers can probably relate to the struggle of actually making new music instead of just subconsciously make variations of the same song. I can also have writers block over one particular song, but then I start writing on something else and the inspiration miraculously comes back. Remember, before the use of midi, computers and software synths almost everything was committed to audio.