Hey everyone,

I'm reaching out to see if anyone here can relate to this: I’ve been really struggling to find inspiration and motivation lately. It’s become a bit of a cycle—each day I wake up with the intention of diving into a studio session and really focusing on it, but then something comes up or the direction of my day shifts. Before I know it, I find myself unable to start any new projects or continue with ongoing ones.

There’s one track in particular that I’ve been wanting to finish for months. I started it earlier this year, but then I accidentally erased my SSD and lost all the project files. I couldn’t recover anything, which was a huge blow. I managed to rebuild it from scratch, finding some of the original samples and instruments, but every time I go to work on it, I just feel overwhelmed and anxious. I find myself procrastinating on it and avoiding it altogether, which only makes the whole situation worse.

On top of that, I’m also really hesitant to put anything out there. The last time I did, I got roasted—people were telling me my track wasn’t good, saying it was missing X, Y, and Z, and some of the comments weren’t exactly kind. It really hit me hard, and I can’t seem to get over it. That experience has made me feel even more stuck, and I’m struggling to get back to a place where I feel confident in my work.

So here’s my question: for those of you with home studios, how do you find inspiration? What keeps you motivated when things start to feel stagnant? Are there any particular tools, rituals, or methods you use to get back on track?

And for anyone who has dealt with harsh feedback in the past, how do you overcome that fear of sharing your work again? How do you push through creative blocks and regain your confidence?

I’d love to hear how you push through the tough times and find that spark again. It’s been really tough for me lately, and I’m hoping some of your tips can help get me back in the zone.

Thanks in advance!

 

Unless someone is making a living (primary income or significant supplemental) from making music then I don't really get the "I'm unmotivated" problem.

That is to say: If you're not compelled to create then why try to force it? Just stop doing it, and pursue something you're actually driven to pursue.

I think a lot of people fancy themselves creative types and try to force output because they've attached that activity to some imagined identity. Just do something you love and feel called to do instead.

 

I have nothing else that I’m interested in,music has always been with me

 

Thousands of tracks are uploaded to all these online services every single day without anyone asking for any feedback. If you do not specifically ask for feedback, you will not get very much of it anyway. The reason to ask for feedback is if you are trying to fix something, but don't know what it is. Upload it to a service like YT or whatever, and disable the comments. Because to you, that track is done and you have moved on to another. You will learn more and get more practice by making more songs. Not chasing your tail to listen to "feedback" from people whose opinions are meaningless anyway. It's just one track, and you will have more already in the pipe.

Another thing, is you sound like you have all your eggs in one basket. That's what happens when you work on the same track over and over. Have more projects going than just one. Otherwise you can go down the rabbit hole and tweak something back and forth forever. Be decisive and call it done. Maybe you go back to it, and maybe not.

When you are just starting out, most of what you make is going to be junk. In the greater scheme of things. Maybe you have good taste and you will know it is junk. But you cannot make it sound how you want, and that is where practice and making hundreds of tracks comes into play. All you can do is more work and there is no short easy answer to get around that. It's why most people quit.

 

"You can never solve problems with the same way of thinking that created them."

First of all, the diagnosis: A slight depression has arisen from frustration and creative blocks. Your brain needs rest, leave everything behind and devote a few days to completely different things. Don't try to carry on as before at all costs.

For me, it's because of my age, I just don't have the energy I used to have. I just produce less and take more breaks in between.
Most of it is a mental thing, you shouldn't dramatize things, but tell yourself that the world won't end because of it. I bought a Tai Chi book and started doing some exercises every day.

The goal is to achieve more serenity and contentment in everyday life. I also have a piece of paper that says to move more every day. So sit for 2 hours, get up, move around, go for a walk, clean the apartment. We are not robots and some work like that and wonder about burnout and depression. Depression is increasing massively in every society, why is that? Is the human mind overwhelmed by the flood of information? Is it the rush, the forced rationalization of our actions and work.

I would step on the brake pedal, since most people do not voluntarily slow down and stop the flood of information, the brain switches to low power mode by itself. There is more to life than music. Only nature heals us - so let's go back to nature, learn how flowers smell, observe the animals and learn to appreciate and love nature.

We also have to limit ourselves sometimes and not lust after more and more, but tell ourselves every day what we as humans have already invented and how far we have come. I have electricity, I have drinking water, a heater, there is food to buy in the supermarket.

I have already made a lot of songs, I probably need a longer break or vacation or a little distance, it will be fine. Start slowly and stick a note saying take more breaks and if you don't feel well then just stop and let me tell you something completely different, apparently my brain is overloaded and my brain or soul needs a break... Take time for yourself and not life.

Move more, go cycling, swimming, walking, dancing. Martial arts, Tai Chi or go out into the garden or nature and you will see your depression slowly disappear and your courage to live returns and with it your power. Don't overexert yourself.

 

It will be difficult if no one appears who acknowledges and recognizes you. Keep going until such a person appears in front of you.

 

I totally agree brain freeze can get you depressed & anxiety problems! Sometimes you need time out.

 

Last edited: Nov 21, 2024 at 8:15 PM

Although it isn't quite the same thing you are saying, this reminds me of a conversation I had with a friend just before a concert started. It was about the question if it is boring to play the same song over and over every night during a tour. My position was like: I don't get why so many people imagine it to be boring. Even if I'm playing a song a thousand times a year... it feels different enough every time. Different room, vibe, people, mood. Different nuances in playing, different parts which hit different every time. Playing a 6 minute track a thousand times is exactly 100 hours. I reach 100 hours with my gainful employment in about two and a half weeks. Why getting bored so quickly with something you love?

@MusicMaker2023:
I agree with the things others said. Maybe you need some compensation to balance out. It feels quite ironic to me, but nowadays I make more music than ever before. Since my teens I was always bigtime into music. Today I have children and a full time job (in which I try to work efficient enough to spend some of the home office times doing music ), I spend much time with my family, having responsibilities, doing sport ... but yeah somehow it works out, because I'm really driven doing what I love. All the other ACTIVITIES (that is key here I guess) help me to get really passionate when doing music.

 

buy more gear

 

A catarsys from psilocybin should help

 

Honestly and sincerely, works 9/10 times, power up keyboard, open Omnisphere and just go Luftrum maxxing, I could get lost for hours in his catalogue and come up with tons of inspiration.

Dunno, I'm sucker for this, Luftrum - Vangelis, then play Vangelis in background and just jam all over his music with those patches, one time I even cried doing so, divine stuff.



Watch either Ex Machina or Blade Runner 2049 and then get lost in either of these soundsets, bonus points if you jam with it while watching movie

or just Ex Machina and this one

can they become sentient, dunno, that's kind of topic that triggers tons of inspiration for me, emotions...

Don't share music with music producers, half of people are overly critical of someone else's work or you get number of those crazy people that will diminish everything you did, like you didn't used notes correctly and stuff like that. Just find circle of people you can trust, that can actually help you and motivate you to go forward with it.

Dunno, I don't try to force it, there's time I hate all the recorded music and there's times I love all of it, times when I don't make music, inspiration and spark comes and go, you can sit there for hours and torture yourself or you can embrace that time and do something else.

Watching autumn sunsets inspire me a lot, watching some taught provoking movies, going to parties, watching parties on You Tube, having few cold ones and a fatty unlocks everything, there was times I would smoke something and then just re-evaluate tons of my projects. Focusing on one synth also helps a lot, get few great sound banks and just get to know that thing well, out of nowhere you will get inspiration just from playing some cool patches.

Try to impress yourself first, don't think about people, just make something you like listening and don't share that with anyone until you get stuck, then just ask right people about feedback, someone that knows well your genre or intent, someone who can guide you further.

 

Last edited: Nov 22, 2024 at 11:17 AM

As I see it, you have two possibilities. First one is to delete it again and just let it go. Second one is to accept what has happened and accept that it will not become exactly what it was before. You seem to be holding on to something that is gone and that can never work. You get anxious because you are afraid that you won't be able to get it back, but the truth is: You will not be able to get it back exactly the way it was before. So stop comparing it to what it was and allow it to become something new.

Not all people will be kind. There will be some that enjoy crushing you, because it will make them feel better.
It might have been true that your track was missing X, Y and Z though, but you should be able to determine if they were right or not.
Then again, there is so much music out there that is not exactly great, so don't worry about it too much. Just try to find a few people that will give you honest feedback that you can rely on. You don't have to listen to everyone. Not everyone will like what you create, regardless of how good it is.

In my experience, you might not be that good for a long long time. It takes a long time to actually become great at doing something. Just look at some project you did a year ago or two and you will be able to tell how bad it actually was in comparison to what you can do now. I know that it took me a long time, and I am still nowhere near to where I want to be, but I am getting better and that is the important part.

If you compare yourself to yourself from a few years ago, you should be able to tell that you are a lot better now than you have been. That should be what you build your confidence upon because one year from now, you will be even better than you are today. And always remember: Even if you are the best, not everyone will like you or what you create.

 

I have found I can make music in my own head and enjoy it with (literally)infinitely less hassle than doing it for real. I can do it anywhere, revise what I don't like instantly... it's the way to go. And since I don't give a fuck if anyone else hears it or what they think it works out well. The last couple projects I recorded in actuality were kind of a waste of time...

 

Of course, you can also make music for listeners who are not yet born. What do you leave behind when you die? Or what remains of you after death? I think a few songs or presets, whatever, can be left for posterity. Maybe a few YouTube videos or a few SoundCloud, Bandcamp etc. songs.

 

Sounds like you need to make a workflow

 

hot take: if you're having serious trouble enjoying the one thing that used to bring you joy, then you might be suffering from depression and the sooner you admit it to yourself and get real help, the sooner you can get better.

 

Like my avatar of Jerry Garcia is doing, smoke a doobie and then fire up the DAW and see what shakes out of it. It can work for me, maybe it can work for you too!