In The Zone

[John Ferraris]

I'm sure we all share some common ground on the way we go about building a track from a technical point of view but I'm interested to get people's input on the non-tangible side, i.e. being in the zone, you no, when it just flows and you create some proper good shit.

You see, I don't no about you guys but I spend 90% of my time below form when I get nothing meaningful done except maybe a few bare ideas. This does have a side affect of improving my technical side but the lack of creative flow only serves to make the situation worse, like a vicous circle. Maybe I suffer from 'performance anxiety' or something :lol:

The problem is more often than not weeks will fly by and before I no it its been well over a month before I've done something I'm really proud of, worthy of building into a tune. Don;t get me wrong, its not like I spend that time tone deaf, i do get ideas down, but nothing that raises the hairs on the back of your neck and makes you feel all funny inside!

When The ideas do flow it makes the whole process worth while, but for some reason I get servere 'producers block'. I may be on the extreme end of the scale here, but what are your experiences of the matter? What do you do to get you in the mood for production?

[DJZeMig_L]

I love the poo pooing of synths/ samples 4 ideias and doing the basic groove. then I'll probabbly hit a little bit of a block when it comes 2 the sequencing, I find it very very boring, I wish U could just jamm and have everything donne perfect, but the fact is I am a perfectionist and I luv little details, etc.. so I really have 2 get down 2 very heavy sequencing...
Again when u finally start and things get flowing u feel powerful ! :)

Z

[John Ferraris]

I love the poo pooing of synths/ samples 4 ideias and doing the basic groove. then I'll probabbly hit a little bit of a block when it comes 2 the sequencing, I find it very very boring, I wish U could just jamm and have everything donne perfect, but the fact is I am a perfectionist and I luv little details, etc.. so I really have 2 get down 2 very heavy sequencing...
Again when u finally start and things get flowing u feel powerful !

Very true, I think that's a lot to blame. Making a track from start to finish is definatley a mental journey, and starting is the hardest bit i reckon. Its like when you used to have to do homework for school... you put it off and off but once you start it kinda writes itself

[DJZeMig_L]

humm don't know if I really agree about the home work :( nahhh jus kiddin' m8. that's exactly the spirit, get yer sh*t together the rest will fall into place easy!

:)


Z

[duncandisorderly]

i was having loads of trouble with my production recently. i took a week off and went on holiday with my family for a week and when i got back i knocked out three complete tracks in two days . much more relaxed now, thaty has helped me some. back to work now though so the energy will no doubt dry up again :cry:

oh well. gotta pay the bills innit ;)

[eyes without a face]

cool topic!

i often find that somedays i sit down to get some music done... and nothing! u just cant get into it :( but the pluside is that u do get ur days where u sit down and BAM! u get a groovy mo'****er going and ur smiling for the day haha

Production is an art where u gotta love the bad with the good... if u know what i mean?

[dirty_bass]

My creativity runs in cycles, I`ve been at this for years and I know the signs and read them well. When I feel I`m coming to a dry patch, I just stop trying, take a couple to 3 weeks off, and focus on other things, and listen to a LOT of non techno music.

[g]

and listen to a LOT of non techno music.

this is frequently key to my creative level in general

[John Ferraris]

A second (and third, fourth etc) pair of ears (not literally, that would be impossible) is also highly reccomended. There's been some times where I've had an idea buried in my hard disk somewhere which I wasn't sure about but someone will be browsing through my stuff n be like "Yes mate, shit hot!". I suppose that comes down to confidence in yourself as a producer and learning when to trust your gut.

My creativity runs in cycles, I`ve been at this for years and I know the signs and read them well. When I feel I`m coming to a dry patch, I just stop trying, take a couple to 3 weeks off, and focus on other things, and listen to a LOT of non techno music.

Very true my friend! I'll leave it for a while, listen to a load of hardcore (oops, didn't mean for that one to slip out :lol: ) and then go back, slate clean.