Music inspiration is a funny thing. Sometimes you have it, and sometimes you don't. As music producers, we often wait for the magical ‘music inspiration’ to strike and make us productive. But as you’ve probably found out – it doesn't come easy. Luckily, there are ways to get inspired again, fast.
In this article, we will share five excellent tips to get inspired in the studio again. From adopting a new mindset to making remixes and learning new techniques – we’ll go through the best things you can do to get fast music inspiration.
Let’s dive in.
1. Don’t Wait For Music Inspiration
Many years ago, at a photography course in school, I told my teacher I was late with a photography assignment because I ‘didn’t have inspiration yet.’
Little did I know that what he told me would come to change my life…
He told me:
"Never wait for inspiration – work for it."
I shrugged. It sounded like fluffy wisdom at the time. But since that moment, whenever I was feeling low on inspiration, his words would pop up.
“Work for inspiration.”
I started going through the motions even on low-energy days, trying new things, experimenting, and developed a whole new approach to attain it.
I started getting inspired every day because I was always working – always creating. It has never failed me.
And because I was a music producer, I started adopting that same mindset to get inspired in the studio. It worked there too.
Never Let Lack Of Inspiration Stand In The Way
Many producers wait for inspiration to strike. They want the next big idea to come down and hit them like thunder from the sky, fueling them with inspiration and energy to get the job done.
It’s normal and, frankly, a common belief of how the creative musical process happens.
But in reality – you have to wait long times for inspiration to strike. It’s extremely rare.
So instead of waiting for the next big idea to come to you, work towards it.
Put together sounds, experiment with effects, new styles, virtual and hardware synths. Eventually, inspiration will strike. It always does.
2. Remix A Track
Lacking music inspiration often comes from being stuck in a rut and doing the same things repeatedly while expecting different results.
A great way to get music inspiration is getting new input and perspectives, seeing things from someone else’s point of view, and making new decisions based on it.
When you remix another producer's or artist's music, you get forced to think in a new way. Suddenly, you need a new strategy to put together sounds, adding your personal touch to their creation and making it sound awesome.
The remixing process is indeed different from how we normally produce tracks. But that’s what makes it interesting and inspiring.
We can also lose inspiration from the feeling that it takes a while to hear the finished result.
You need to go through so many stages in music production before you can call a track finished.
Get Into The Flow
With a remix, the track is already finished. The foundation is complete. Your task is revamping it by changing up sounds, removing and adding things, and making it your own somehow.
That can often feel like less of a challenge than creating something brand new. It’s easier to get into the flow of things.
If you have music producer friends, let them know you’re interested in doing a remix of their tracks. If you don’t, visit music producer groups on Facebook or Reddit, or network with producers on other social media like Instagram.
Remixing is a very inspiring, fun process, and if you haven't tried it yet, you'll be surprised at how much inspiration you can get from the process.
3. Produce Music In A Different Genre
Learning how to write a song and produce music in different genres is another great way to get inspired.
Like making remixes, it forces you out of your comfort zone, gives you a fresh mindset, and expands your horizons on what you can create.
For music inspiration, this new mindset is desirable as the goal is to break out of your stagnancy and get moving.
What Other Genres Do You Like?
How you approach producing music in a new genre is completely up to you. But the chances are that you like music in more genres than just the one.
In that case, start by producing music in the other genre you love.
If you mainly make house music, make a techno track.
If you make techno music, make a house track.
Or do a complete one-eighty and start producing music in a genre that you don’t even like. There are a lot of things to learn from all types of music.
Producing music in different genres allows you to learn new rhythms, techniques, and ways to produce that you maybe wouldn't have run into in your main genre.
The bonus is also that you can use this later in your productions, making flavorful additions from other music worlds to your main project.
4. Change Things Up With New Tools
Do you produce music with just your laptop and a mouse? Then it might be time for you to get a hardware synth. Or a new MIDI controller. Maybe even a field recorder and a new instrument?
Switching up your routine with new tools can take inspiration and creativity to whole new levels.
When you get a new piece of equipment, you have to learn it from scratch while exploring the new sounds and possibilities.
It also makes you use new techniques to achieve your sound. For example, you need to record a hardware synthesizer into your computer, where you often chop the sound and use the parts you like.
This new music creation process, coupled with the fact that you have to turn and control physical knobs, can give you the new inspiration you need.
Pick Your New Tool
But a hardware synthesizer isn’t the only new tool you can use to get music inspiration.
It can be as simple as starting to use the arpeggiator for new sounds, combining new rhythms and harmonies.
It can also be recording and using real instruments, like drums or guitars, in your music.
Just the act of getting away from your computer, plucking an instrument, recording it, and putting it into your productions can be enough to get you fired up.
It’s all about testing out new things and finding new workflows that work for you.
And who knows… your next thing could be what completely transforms your sound, putting you on the world map of the top inspired producers.
5. Take A Music Production Course Online
When you’re not feeling inspired – it’s time to learn new things. And the far best way to get the right knowledge is to take a music production course online.
When we don’t feel inspired, we find it particularly hard to get started and make something we want to continue with.
Sound familiar?
You sit down in the studio, try different samples, synths, and sounds. But there’s no magic there. You don’t ‘feel it.’
When you feel uninspired, it hurts. You want to create music so desperately, but you can't go on for the love of you.
Always Find Inspiration
Music production courses give you the knowledge to create even when you ‘don’t feel it.’
And the best part is…
Remember our first tip – “don’t wait for inspiration”?
… when you get going and start creating music, you will find that inspiration always comes – sooner or later.
When you know how to make beautiful sounds from scratch, make breathtaking melodies for every track and how to make grooves that get you moving – it’s hard not to feel inspired!
That’s why taking music production courses is one of the best ways to get inspired. By learning new techniques and ways to make music, you can always create the music you want – even when you don’t feel like it.
That way, you can say ‘goodbye’ to being uninspired – because it won’t matter.
You will still be in the studio, making amazing music – every single day, and loving every minute of it.
Become Inspired To Make Music Every Day
Never let lack of inspiration stand between you and the creation of amazing music.
With the Ultimate Bundle, you get all tools necessary to produce music in a wide variety of genres while learning new advanced techniques and tricks.
You will also get all preset packs, MIDI packs, and samples – including over a hundred templates to dissect professional songs and learn all the secrets (or remix them.)
Totaling over 193 products, all with life-time access, say goodbye to feelings of being uninspired – forever!
The biggest bundle ever includes:
- 34 Complete Courses + all products released this year
- 28 Sample and MIDI packs + all products released this year
- 108 Templates + all products released this year
- 30 Preset Packs + all products released this year
Ultimate Bundle shows you how to:
- Make Earth-Shattering Deep Basses
- Write Breathtaking Melodies
- Craft Beautiful Harmony And Chord Progressions
- Get Inspired Instantly
- Create Sounds From Scratch In Your Favorite VST (Sound Design)
- Make Tracks From Start-To-Finish In Popular EDM Genres
Get ready to become the most inspired and productive musician you’ve ever been…
Click here to learn everything about music production.
Thanks for reading, and see you in the next article.
 Pelle Sundin is a Swedish music producer and writer, active with his chillout project PLMTRZ. He also produces psytrance. When he's not producing, he surfs, skates, and chugs coffee. |