Loss of passion for producing?

[KFKiller]

This is a question really aimed at people who have been around for a while producing im not talking about a year but im talking about more then 5 years. I first started off in 2003 when Nestle had a cereal promotion and I brought all three of the promotions which where Dance Ejay 4, Techno Ejay 4 and Dj Mixstation (Which was run by VDJ) I used Ejay for a few years thinking I was some bad boy producer using all of those clips and making them into a track. I loved it I didn't know any better. My uncle was a producer he gave me a copy of FL Studio 6 at the end of 2006 but it took me almost a year to migrate from Ejay to Fl studio and since then ive used Fl until roughly a year ago when I switched to Cubase and then finally started with Pro Tools last september(Fully).
I decided id go back to FL Studio today to check out some of my old projects that go all the way back to FL Studio 7 I realised something when checking them out the feeling those tracks gave me I dont get that same feeling anymore. My tracks wern't even that good but there is something about them that is just awesome. Nowadays I don't feel that im my music and it makes me upset as I still really want to produce.

Anyone else having the same sort of problems and have you overcome it or does this sort of thing normally make someone leave it all together.

Thanks.

[thesh3ll]

don't leave it all together, that's like killing a side to yourself

let's get to the root of the problem

what are you producing?

you could just be tired of what you're currently making or forcing yourself to make a track

here's some options:
- go and search for really well produced and creative (in your opinion) tracks and listen to them, it could make you feel better and motivate you

- Stop listening to dongstyle, it can actually be depressing (imo)

- Stop working on tracks and work on sound design, if you make a good sound it can be rewarding (and remember that you need good sounds to make a good track to an extent)

- If none of the above steps help then take a break from producing for a while, just relax and listen to all different kinds of music, eventually you might have a feeling to produce again

if you're finding it boring what you're currently producing, it means you need to go to a higher level with your music, produce music to a higher degree and be creative

i hope what i said might have helped in some way

[The Void]

Definitely don't drop it! That would be the worst thing to do.

I haven't been producing for long but whenever I feel like I can't do it anymore I move onto another genre. It really helps to get my inspiration going & to be more creative.

Got to agree with what Aliner has said. Don't give up and if you need to take a break.

I also agree that listening to 'dongstyle' is depressing so listen to more styles

[PhadeZ]

Had the same problems and solved it by producing new versions of my old tracks, just for myself in private.

Got some new ideas and inspirations for new tracks with this and it helped me to get over that..

[Jay]

Indeed, hearing some other Genres helps a lot.

I started listening to ambient a while ago and i was completely astonished by the sound design which really was a source of inspiration.

About Old projects.
I know what you mean,i also have quite some projects from over a year or 2 ago and when i open them i laugh at what i did here and there.
But what you could do is just pick up the idea and recreate it with your current knowledge and style.
Thats at least how i "revive" the feeling of a old project for me.

[Subject Zero]

I started listening to ambient a while ago and i was completely astonished by the sound design which really was a source of inspiration.

This x1000.

Something i've tried recently - Since i'm a huge Mass Effect fan and i am currently replaying the games, i stopped today and just realized how cool the soundtrack is. I ended up messing about with FL today trying to create some ambient stuff, based on the whole sci-fi space kinda genre.

Also i am planning on reworking some of my older projects - we all have great ideas for tracks and melodies, but when you listen to it a year or two later the sound design is so bad that you don't want it reaching the public

[R3cl41m3r]

Something i've tried recently - Since i'm a huge Mass Effect fan and i am currently replaying the games, i stopped today and just realized how cool the soundtrack is. I ended up messing about with FL today trying to create some ambient stuff, based on the whole sci-fi space kinda genre.

Yep. VG Soundtracks are an awesome source of inspiration, especially Nintendo's music

[andyhuynh]

Listen to other genres for inspiration. I listen to a lot of dubstep/glitch/complextro stuff which inspires me and gives me ideas for my sound design. I also like to listen to house & trance for some melody ideas

[audiofreq]

There's nothing wrong with taking a break, or stopping completely.

There are plenty of producers (myself included) who simply run out of steam and motivation and there's nothing wrong with that. We are not tune factories, we are not machines who need to produce music for the masses, you should never be under any expectation or pressure to create anything. If you don't have the inspiration to make anything, then don't force yourself too because you end up making yourself feel worse. I apply this rule to myself - if I don't have an idea for a tune or I'm not inspired to work on the 40 unfinished projects I have, then screw it, I'm better off doing something else that is either more productive or will make me feel better.

Take a serious break. I'm not talking about not getting around to producing for a few days, I mean take a seriously long vacation from your normal routine. Whenever you get the urge to produce, go outside and kick a football with your mates, or go for a walk, or open up a notebook and draw. Break up your lifestyle and do something out of the norm. Seek different experiences. If you normally don't go to parties, go to one and get wasted. If you do go to parties, try some meditation in a park.

Force yourself to be as far away from production as possible. Don't read about it, don't listen to the music you're trying to produce, don't even talk about it. Take a serious break.

Then, when the urge become completely unbearable, open up a new project and start something from scratch. Take elements from the other unfinished works you have made, let yourself enter the flow and block everything else around you. Trust me, when you've been away for a long time (I'm talking months here), and you start entering that flow of production, things just happen. Its like magic.

Also, look at the reasons why you want to produce music. And this is very important. Be honest with yourself. I write music because I couldn't imagine life without me creating something - I love the process of creating a sound, a mood, writing a vocal, or hunting for that perfect sample, then pushing myself to create a beautiful work. Sometimes these are original, sometimes these are remixes or dj tools. Other times they are contracted works (unfortunately with deadlines!) but all in all, I love the entire process of creation. It doesn't matter, what matters is the drive behind it. If you cannot imagine a future without you creating something, be it music, logos, drawings, poetry or whatever - then you just need some time away.

Good luck

[J-DAW]

I think I kinda know what you mean. I use logic now and used to used FL for a while. Every now and then I got back to tracks I first started making when I had hardly a clue what I was doing (roughly 6-7 years ago now). Yea sounded pretty bad yet awesome in a way. I think in a way we do still get that old feeling, we are justed used to it, and its more of an illusion than anything. Kind of like nostalgia I guess. If you want inspiration, well there it is - owe some music to the child or younger producer in you. You owe it to the "you" who started making music

When learning how to properly produce, we slowly have to refine ourselves and it takes away so much of the freedom we once precieved, as now we have to follow a much more restricted method. But seriously don't give up, we all go through it at some stage (heck everyone in life from athletes to office workers).

Just stick to your guns and remember why you got into music in the first place, and more importantly why you love it. Hope these few words can help

Peace,
J-DAW