Mental state of creation.

[Last Alternative]

What's yours?

There are threads about writing lyrics and music but I want to know about your overall state of mind when creating any kind of art.

Here's mine:
I'm a wrecked soul. I feel like the only thing I'm good for in life is to make music and draw and write poetry. It's a sad way of seeing things but I suck with jobs and girlfriends and pretty much everything else. So I create to vent and express myself and to feel like a human being.
My art takes form with a mix of emotions, wine, tears of sadness & joy, reflection, and heart. The best way to put it is I'm thinking the whole time- what do I want to say or do to change the world if everyone could see and hear my art. I want to leave a legacy and make people proud of at least my art to make up for my failures in life. It has nothing to do with being famous.
Since you're all kinda like me in that we're all artists here, I figured we can break down the walls of pride and be honest with ourselves and each other. It takes a messed up person to be creative and obsess over their work like we do. I know a lot of artists go mad within themselves. I sure do.

Please share your thoughts.

[Tincture]

I usually do it because I want to make sounds, explore their relationships, in short I mainly want to make sounds/music that excites/interests me. It amazes me what can be done with Reason now. Sometimes it's more about the interplay of sounds with each other (i.e. composition), sometimes it's more about just making/finding interesting sounds (synthesis/patch making/browsing) and if I'm very lucky both!

[trimph1]

I tend to be in an experimental mode for now. I have a project up with several audio tracks and other tracks getting mangled right now... :s0230:

[Lunesis]

For me making music is like exploring one's own soul. You can't really see the whole thing from the surface, which are things like your everyday reactions to the world and how you act on a day to day basis. When you are able to sit down with yourself and write music you begin to realize how you are unique from other people. You begin to realize what you like and don't like, and that it is ok to have those preferences because that is who you are. At the same time you need to respect other people's tastes and preferences because only in that way can you have peace and understanding. Empathy is essential because it allows you to gradually adopt other people into your point of view.

Don't make music because you have to, do it because you want to. I haven't written a finished song in month, just because I haven't felt like it. I mean, I've felt like, but nothing I've done has gone beyond a handful of bars. I don't have anything to prove, I just like writing music because it is fulfilling to get that rush of serotonin for a prolonged period and know that it's all natural. Like when you listen to it in the car and just rock out with yourself.  

[Wensell]

Thanks for sharing your inner thoughts/demons.
Wonder what would happened if we didn't have music. I guess some other, more unreliable substances would fill the void. You have to be happy that you have music to turn to.
For myself I feel a lot of contractions nowadays. I dislike money, it fucks up the world, but I sure would like some more. I don't like attention, but it sure feels good when someone likes your music. I dislike the materialism of our western society, but give me a new iPhone and audio-gear please! It's like John Lennon's Imagine.. "Imagine no possessions.. its easy if you try." Well, then you have to give away your instruments, gear and whatnot. Now I'm derailing of the track. I guess these contradictions makes me dislike creating music. I don't see the reason, nor the necessity. At the end, all this mumbo jumbo is my excuse for not been able (good enough) to finish my songs :s0959:
I like your words, Lunesis. The part where you rock out to your own songs in the car. Thats a nice high
 

[selig]

Since for me music is a "job" and a hobby, I try to keep perspective on the difference. There are MANY times I just play: piano, drums, synths, whatever. I don't always record. I don't always finish what I start. Most have not heard the majority of the music I have created.

Sometimes I just need to "vent" musically, if I'm angry or frustrated etc. Other times I just need to relax. And at others I use music creation to energize me! 

Occasionally I will actually finish a song, and even post it publicly from time to time. That's not always the ultimate "payoff" for me though. I get SO much from the simple act of creating, even if I don't save that creation or share it with others. Live in the moment, baby!

[tibah]

Mine is on autopilot.

[am0eba]

Trying to partially realize the dream I had when young, to create something that would outlast me and be enjoyed by others, maybe helping them understand who I am...

Trying to get more done before I croak.

_Dave_

[Tincture]

Glad to hear you've been without the beer for a week or so Peter. Booze throws my creativity out of the window for a good few days afterwards. I think I hadn't had a drink in about 3 weeks when I wrote my best song, and I feel pretty sure that was a big part of it. As for the depression, if you're not getting meds, why not try that? I've taken the plunge recently and although I'm still drinking I think things will get better if I give them long enough.

[tibah]

Mental state of creation?  Hmmm.  I'm getting high just thinking about it.  It's 17:11 here in CA and the sun is about to go down.  I'm going for a walk through the twilight, maybe stop at the store for an energy drink and then I'll get into that state for the rest of the night.  I don't really think too hard during the creative process because I'm too high off what I'm doing to analyze myself.  I am a lonely and depressed person but I don't think about those things when I'm doing what I do.  On a side note, today is day #8 without any beers and I think I'm in it for the long haul because my creative energy is like woww!  

Very inspiring. The moment I have my 2-3 beers an evening, it's usually down to browsing forums, chatting with friends and playing online poker. I suck making music when I had even one. Turns me into the most social person I can be, but can't open Reason for 5 mins at that stage.

I wrote autopilot, because this is my mental state in the creative process. Things fly. Until a certain point that is, when I "wake up" again and listen to what I did in a more crucial manner (also the moment for most ideas to be discontinued).

[tibah]

...if you're not getting meds, why not try that?

Music is my medication!   :t0152:   :s0547: :s0238:

Very inspiring. The moment I have my 2-3 beers an evening, it's usually down to browsing forums, chatting with friends and playing online poker. I suck making music when I had even one. Turns me into the most social person I can be, but can't open Reason for 5 mins at that stage.

I wrote autopilot, because this is my mental state in the creative process. Things fly. Until a certain point that is, when I "wake up" again and listen to what I did in a more crucial manner (also the moment for most ideas to be discontinued).

I easily get up to twelve beers and a pack of cigarettes in one night with music on full volume blowing my ears out.  Some people can have a couple drinks and be creative but I can't do it.  Then I don't feel well for half of the next day and the cycle hurts my creativity.

Well, 12 beers sounds like puke parade to me. Not sure about your beers, but for German pils I couldn't do that and usually, 3 are enough to get asleep already, 0.5L that is. I'm very aware that some people can create music being under the influence of other substances as well, just not me. Congratulations on avoiding the beers! But please, don't you always wipe your SoundCloud back to ground zero!  You sir have some serious talent and I'm sure you could have more than one release on a decent indie label already.

[tibah]

But please, don't you always wipe your SoundCloud back to ground zero!  You sir have some serious talent and I'm sure you could have more than one release on a decent indie label already.

Oh thanks for the compliment!  I'm pushing myself to be better so I can tap into the more emotional, deeper and perhaps darker side of four on the floor.  I know have a long way to go but I'll try hitting some labels this year.

I wish you all the best for this and we both follow the same path, in a way. After getting into Trance in 1999 and House in 2005, I enjoy a lot of music that does something different to the four to the floor, EDM formula. Unusual stuff, different arrangement schemes, including sounds beyond sawtooth waves etc.  I just recently listen to the Beatport Top Ten Progressive House and every track sounded exactly the same, like a weird Guetta/Avici clone, which I don't get. Why would you want to make the exact same track over and over until a new trend appears to copy.

[tibah]

I wish you all the best for this and we both follow the same path, in a way. After getting into Trance in 1999 and House in 2005, I enjoy a lot of music that does something different to the four to the floor, EDM formula. Unusual stuff, different arrangement schemes, including sounds beyond sawtooth waves etc.  I just recently listen to the Beatport Top Ten Progressive House and every track sounded exactly the same, like a weird Guetta/Avici clone, which I don't get. Why would you want to make the exact same track over and over until a new trend appears to copy.

Thanks!  Best to you too!    Yeah I wouldn't even bother looking at modern progressive house because I think the genre label has been soiled by young ones with big saw leads.  I find some of the tracks I 

do

like can be found in the electronica charts on Beatport but somebody could very well argue what electronica is.  

True that. A lot of "niche" house gets in there, but also stuff like Kiasmos (Olafur Arnalds other project). But there are some goodies to be found in the prog house, beyond all the big saw leads, they just get lost. That's why I don't like Beatport that much I guess. Whatpeopleplay is a nice shop, if you're digging digital downloads, otherwise SC is an endless resource for inspiration.

[Last Alternative]

Soundcloud really blows me away sometimes. It's easy to see it as a place only musicians go to stroke their ego and get comments without giving much or any back---> [I can't tell you how often I get followers that don't even listen to my music but obviously expect me to follow back and listen/comment on their stuff]...  but when I have time to just sit there and listen to random stuff on the stream screen sometimes there's some seriously cool stuff and I feel alive again like man there really are some fuckin amazing artists underground making unique full songs, not just loopy shit. It is inspiring to be one of those inspirations for other people listening to random stuff too.

I wonder if anyone has ever been discovered on SC. Or if there are even any A&R peeps looking there. I see a lot of websites and movements to recognize & promote underground artists.. SC would be the best place for that if you ask me.

[tibah]

Not sure if labels spend time to browse SC for talent. Most electronic music indie labels, which is the area I'm familiar with, accept private tracks on SC to be linked via e-mail. I would still advise to find some labels that could be into your sound and then contact them directly.

That said, I had one agreement offered to me via Myspace, back when it still was big (2008 maybe?). It wasn't some dude with a publishing deal over iTunes that called himself "label" (I had some of those as well ).

For the music some of us create, you can even try to do it all on your own, since most artist in house / tech / prog / idm  really don't earn much with the music itself anyway, especially smaller and lesser known people with digital tracks on various shops only. But you may be booked because of your music, for DJing or live performance and this is one way to make a living. Not getting rich here, but something that pays the bills and a little left for a beer (or tea) and a cool Rack Extension.

[guitfnky]

wow, this question just made me realize that I've been doing music for a really long time.  ever since I started plinking around on a guitar when I was 15 or so, it's always been "I'm going to make something new".  I made up a little guitar line that very first time, and was hooked.  when you get to that place, it's like you're jacked into some sort of alternate reality where time has no meaning (ironic that music, by definition, requires it).  everything else shuts off and it's just you and the sounds before you.

this has been a blessing and a curse for me.  a blessing in that it is incredibly therapeutic, and that my desire to create has allowed me to come up with some seriously cool music over the years; also a curse though, because I've never really had much desire to learn other people's music or theory, which led to it taking a LONG time to get to a point where I'm somewhat comfortable with my level of technical ability (still not nearly where I'd like to be though).

that said, I wouldn't change my creative musical journey a bit.  it's helped keep me sane, happy, and actually has helped in numerous other non-musical areas of my life.  the skills that we learn as creative people, musicians, and producers/mixers can be applied in so many other ways, even if it's not readily apparent.

[Higor]

Reality state of creation