Creative lows and highs

I'm writing this as I'm sat here in my studio on a very sweaty Saturday afternoon, when I should be outside getting some sun.  Why aren't I?  Well, the main reason is I've just started to get my creative drive back after nearly 3 months of feeling like I have no inspiration and focus to create music.  Nothing was happening in the studio.  I was getting frustrated and bored with what I was trying to do and ended up at the point where it felt like I was forcing it, rather than letting it flow naturally.  I'm no stranger to low points of creativity, as I'm sure all artists suffer some form of writer's block, in one way or another, but this one felt different and definite.

Obviously, as a consumer, you wouldn't know I've not been doing anything, as music has still been coming out over the last 3 months, and I've been keeping the label busy and moving forward.  Anyway, I guess what I'm getting at with this post is how incredibly important being creative to me is, so I felt the need to voice it.  I often take it for granted, as it happens so effortlessly most of the time, but this recent lull scared the shit out of me.  I guess every time it happens, as an artist you feel you will never reach those heights you were at before it strikes (well, that's how I feel anyway!), but I'm grateful to have some spark back, and hopefully I'll be producing some new tracks I'll be excited to release in the not too distant future..  

This should tie in nicely to getting the next episode of Auxcast:Phase Two up.  Expect that in the next week, all being well.

5 comments:

Main Drain Studios said...

glad to hear your hazy quarter seems to be ending... creative blocks are a tough(and a bit frightening) time, especially when it gets in to months-long stretches... http://bit.ly/UMJnps

... Though I've never found an easy fix to such 'deep depressions', having a copy of Eno's Oblique Strategies in the studio has definitely helped me break some downward spirals in the past...

Unknown said...

Thanks for posting. I can totally relate to this. Usually I hit a block because I get bored of the style I'm trying to write so I go off and make music in a style I haven't tried, or something that's completely devoid of classification. This gets the juices pumping again and I feel refreshed to resume what I was trying to write originally.

digifruitella said...

dude, the same shit happens to me all the time - that's probably the biggest reason why I still haven't finished the edit I started doing for Error Code. It's kinda hard when you have no ideas or motivation.

I can see how that can be scary as hell when you're blocked, but I feel that most of the time it's just a phase. Every single time.

Anonymous said...

Can you please expand more on creativity and specifically working through the lean times (not feeling creative) and your thoughts on pushing ones limits (progressing with the music/forward thinking)? I often feel like my music has hit a brick wall and I know that if I am to progress, I have to move beyond it, but it seems all my results has been nothing.... so far.

ASC said...

For me, it's mainly about trying to work through the lean spells. You will know if it ain't happening and things start to feel forced. When that happens, I force myself to walk away from it all. Take a break and focus on something else and let your batteries recharge. The main thing I've learned over the years is that I will never write good material if I'm forcing it. Creativity must be organic in it's process. Good luck!

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