What to do if you're out of ideas

[Intero]

Hi everyone,

I have to really popular problem of having no ideas what to compose if you're working on a project.
So I want to ask you all: What do you do, if you're having no ideas but you must compose something.
I should help me out of this. I tried everything: Sitting on the piano and played around, heared music for hours, whistled... etc... But nothing good appears. xD
I hope you can help me and others out of this situation or maybe there is no solution.^^'
And don't say things like: "You cannot force yourself to compose" ^^
I want to compose but there are no ideas.

- Intero

[Pure-Metal-UTA]

What I've done in the past in this situation is Think of the different ideas I've had, then seeing if anything else can go with it.
If that doesn't work take a 2 day break.

[gregaaron89]

There's a bunch of thing's I've found can spark your imagination. Try out a new genre, try remixing a song, join a colab or a contest... or just sit around and noodle on a keyboard. That's how most of my songs are started.

[alcatraz5]

What I do, is just think of the name of the song first, and try to make a song that when you hear it, it gives your the image of the title.

[HardcoreCap]

for me it's either doodle around for a bit or focus on an emotion

[Bjra]

leave and come back later and see if i can make anything then.

if that doesnt work, do it again

[066pop]

Sometimes I think Im a bit mental, because Ive never had any propper inspiration. Its just been an idea from another song, or playing around finding something good. The thing is though, I cant take a break for two days; I wont let myself... ? Sometimes I wonder 'WTF wrong with me?'. All it is, is that making music is fun. Just think ist boring, take a week off (even if something comes to mind) and go back with a fresh start.

Yes its only worked once for me, but now I cant get off my PC... Its like addicting... LOL xD

[TMM43]

%u25B2
%u25B2 %u25B2

Triforce.

Just listen to music before, I usually get some sort of inspiration from that.

[Zero123Music]

People say emotions are a shortcut to great music..

[Mrmilkcarton]

Take a break.

Always works for me.

[SessileNomad]

depends, usually i try messing around with different effects, instruments, w/e

if you really cant think of anything, then just stop composing for a while, give the creative side of your brain a rest

or just go smoke pot, i dont do that, but it does wonders for my friends, xD

[Mich]

At 1/17/09 09:18 PM, Bjra wrote: leave and come back later and see if i can make anything then.

if that doesnt work, do it again

I think you had this audio file on an ALT of yours with you giving tips against writer's block, though I forgot the link. That actually helped for me, so you might want to link to it here :p

[5cyp43r]

Tak a short walk outside, breath fresh air. Come back home and try to relax. Make a cup of tea, then sit on your chair and play your keys.

[Envy]

I dont think theres a specific way of solving it. It's different for everyone. For some people it's take a break till you get some ideas, and for others it's work like crazy until you get something. You have to figure out what works for you. For me, I listen to songs and rip ideas from them. Although i will admit, once I get filled with ideas and I put them down in a song, I have to start all over again getting inspiration.

It's a lot of work, but just find what you think works. I wouldn't suggest "taking a break" as that only solidifies an interest in NOT wanting to work on something. Instead, open whatever program it is you use (I don't know if you stated it in the opening post, I kind of skimmed, sorry) and try and learn new stuff in the program. Slice vocals, make breaks. Do whatever you can to keep yourself in the music, but not exhausting your creativity.

[NeonProject]

I'd advise the followng:

1. Like previously said, take a little break and see what you come back with, if that fails;
2. Look at your older stuff, try to finish any unfinished projects or remix a song you've done previously, it usually puts you back in the same mind as you we're when you first created that song, failing that;
3. Download a remix pack and see what you can do, having another fail;
4. Collaborate with someone else, if you can't think of an idea you're partener(s) will, you should get something from those ideas...

I hope that helps. :/

[MaestroRage]

I run into similar problems, and sadly when working on tight deadlines, going away and coming back hoping i'll be "in the groove" isn't going to work.

What I do is I imagine the song's purpose. As stated above you can think of the name first and try to make that fit, that's one plausible way yes. I try 2 things.

1. Let's say i'm making a battle song. (I know this specific example doesn't work for many electronica genres but the fundamental theory remains the same). Using both setting and knowing what types of sounds best represent the emotion given are essential.

For what purpose? A big deranged lunatic with a big deranged axe? Okay. I imagine this guy, in the scenario he's to be found in. Desert/foggy field/front of a church, whatever. Then I try to think of, what kind of melody or ambiance one would hear as this fearsome titan walked up to you. This ambiance/starting melody is important to me because if you try to jump into the battle theme right away you'll likely have too many blanks to try and fill in at once, and this provides an acceptable jumping point.

He starts swinging, BAM, he's a siinster giant so I imagine heavy brasses blasting away, high shrill violins to represent the stress and fear the hero is feeling. Organ if it's a church scene, reverbed panpipe for foggy field, you get the idea. Mean rough cellos sawing away.

From this I get my foundation. If I hear the theme I want, I waste no time getting it down. Equalizing/mastering/realism, none of this matters at the moment. I personally have a short memory for themes and melodies so it's gotta get down or it's going to disappear.

My second method is a kind of personal luxury :D! I simply imagine myself in front of a large orchestra. It's amazing how easy the melodies come if I'm imagining myself enthusiastically conducting. When I imagine this my brain WANTS to create a suitable song to go with my image. When the image and the song clicks, it's just... something else entirely.

The first or second method CAN be used for rave/techno songs. Imagine yourself the DJ or at a rave party. You feel like you want to play something euphoric, something epic that will have everybody stand there looking at you all :0...

what do you hear? What do you want to hear to achieve that effect? If you're not the DJ but the dancer, what would you want to hear to make your face go :0? What would you want to hear that makes you get down and do the worm a couple hours?

This method generally works for me. Sometimes however, I just really really miss the target and I have to go away for a while. Frustration is my biggest inspiration killer. Once I start getting mad my brain starts losing the ability to be flexible.

[Intero]

Wow, I didn't thought so many people would reply.
And the idea of Maestrorage sounds the best for me.
I should try each method to get a good imagination how the song should sound.

@The users who said: "Take a break"
Sorry, but I don't want to waste by taking breaks, because I hadn't ideas the whole weekend.
My friend Zero123music and I am working on a project and he works really diligent and he has composed really good themes. I made nothing good to show it to the producer. It lets me look like an idiot. xD

Well, thanks to everyone who took the time to reply!
I think this collection of solutions should be useful for everyone!

- Intero

[Mrmilkcarton]

I take breaks because when I come back from a few days or so of break I usually come back making something better then my last stuff.

If I keep pushing myself I get frustrated, hate the song, and don't feel like working.

[ZENON]

If you're out of ideas, then just move a knob differently than you usually do, play in a different key signature, different time signature, effects, synths, samples, instruments, anything... just do it differently and you'll instantly have some new, cool ideas.

[Rawmin]

You do this...

[shizeet]

You can always stea- um, borrow some ideas that you think you can work with, and make them your own - I mean, in the musical context, of course :P.

[Bjra]

At 1/18/09 01:18 PM, MaestroRage wrote: I run into similar problems, and sadly when working on tight deadlines, going away and coming back hoping i'll be "in the groove" isn't going to work.

this is the hole In my first bjra method. I found a way to solve the problem indirectly. leaving and coming back in a different state of mind gives you a chance of getting into a groove.

what is being in the groove anyways. I've been trying to understand this, and this is why I haven't posted a second audio recording yet. My goal is to figure out how to enter this state directly, and at will.

what is this elusive state where you sit down and "feel" your way through the song. where you just know what to do intuitively and there is not much interference from the thinking mind.

where you don't press through your song with grim determination, but with curiosity and ease. where your imagination flows out into your song. where you start working on a song, go "wow this sounds amazing", look at the clock, and 8 hours have passed without you realizing.

In my experience, I've had around 30-50 of these sessions, looking back. each time seems to be characterized by "no thought". I don't think much of anything at all. I'm completely focused on the sounds, and the feelings coming out of the speakers. I hear the melodies and ideas I want to include, and put them in, almost effortlessly.

I'm in this almost euphoric state. hours fly by without my noticing.

now the issue I've found is when I sit down and say "i need to get into this state". it doesn't work. it doesn't work in the slightest. when I think much of anything, i cant get into this state. some days, Ill sit down and I'll just enter it effortlessly. I'm trying to figure out why.

this brings me to my next point. if you are making a song without any thought, then doesn't that make you unable to criticize and improve your song? well, from what I've seen, no. you intuitively know what sounds good and bad.

the only way I can possibly describe this state, and how to get into it, is you have no thought, and you are completely focused, intensely focused on the music you are listening to right now, and the feelings it invokes within you. your mind is slienced. you hear melodies and cool new parts. you add them in.

if you think "I cant think" you are focused on your thoughts, and not on the music. being in the groove is almost a meditation. but instead of sitting there focusing on a flower, you focus on the music.

I highly suggest anyone who wants to try to understand and enter this state more easily, go read "the power of now" by eckeharte tolle, especially in audio book form.

this elusive state, or being in the groove, is what I'm going to try to understand more deeply and talk about in my next audio book. It truly is the most important aspect to making good music, hands down

[CWN]

Drink beer.

[D-a-n-i]

There are many ways to spark the mind.
heres a few i find usefull...

-Mess arround with a synthersizer. try making yourself a new patch or preset something you can use.

-sort out samples/audio files. Not onley with this help tidy but one of the samples might spark some insperation

-look on the internet for free vst instruments [KVR etc.]. if you get something new you will naturally want to try it out, and write a few bars see how it sound. even if its not useable, what youve written may help with a intro, chorus, verse etc.

-listen to your older stuff that youve already listened to

-put the tv on in the background [hopefully something that wont destract you]

theres plenty more but try these.

let me know if this helps anyone =D

[megakyle53]

here is what you do, you create a tune that you like and just build off of it

[HolyTomato]

I usually clear out a block of time where I can isolate myself from anything related to the outside world, i sit in front of my computer with my recording stuff set up and my instruments out, and I just think. Sometimes I look at pictures to see if I can get some inspiration, sometimes I listen to other songs to see if I can get any ideas from that. Sometimes I just try to focus on one thing and see if any ideas come from that, like a specific genre or something. And If that doesnt work sometimes I just mess around untill I find something I like. Once you find one idea it gets easier to build the rest of the song off of it.

Just try various things and see if that helps.

Cheers!

[DaGrahamCraka]

suck loads of dick.

[Nintechno]

Eat.

srsly

[DJredsocks]

At 1/17/09 07:57 PM, alcatraz5 wrote: What I do, is just think of the name of the song first, and try to make a song that when you hear it, it gives your the image of the title.

best advice ive been given on making music
u get a golden star, top of the class

[Kazmo]

At 1/19/09 02:45 PM, CWN wrote: Drink beer.

I'll be honest, that can really bring out different ideas.

I did that once, I drank a few beers, then started making music. You come up with stuff you wouldn't normally make if you were in the normal sense of things.

Then you come back to it the next day (hopefully you're sober by then) and work on it some more. :P

Great Idea CWN! xD