kakku
I would like to hear some tips about how to maximize creativity and how to reach that mental state when wonders happen. I looked for tips on the internet elsewhere about this subject but would like to hear how you guys do your stuff.
kakku

drugs.
 
LOL
 
 
for me, sometimes, it's just that simple.
 
i have so much music crammed into my head...
seriously, i live and breath with drum beats and riffs going off all the time...
and sometimes i can't cut to the chase for all the noise.
 
maybe it's just a shot of good tequila.
 
maybe it's something else.
 
but i do not have a drug problem, and can use these things as a catalyst.
 
 
ok, ok, i know some of you folks aren't down with that, that's cool.
 
 
 
away from that....
 
 
i find that CREATIVITY does not equal PERFORMANCE.
 
and a lot of times, i'll simply go off with ideas while recording, 
not intending to keep anything...
 
but later, under different head space, go back and listen to what sticks to the wall.
 
then, i learn it.
 
and perform it.
 
a lot of guys get stuck on 'that first take'.
 
i think that's a mistake.
 
you can always do it better, the trick is to get so good at doing it, 
that you can make it be what you want,
instead of settling for a happy accident.
 
 
away from that....
being outdoors, always makes me feel more creative.
doing long hikes in the mountain in the summer,
and spending days in the mountains when it snows,
 
both are incredibly inspiring to me.
you have to find your mountain,
or situation,
that makes you happy, and makes you think musically.
 
 
 
away from that.......
expand your listening to stuff outside the box,
outside your immediate knowledge,
and do some homework on where that stuff originated, and trace it back.
 
there is a wealth of info in the old stuff.
 

batsbrew
 
drugs.
 
LOL
 
but i do not have a drug problem, and can use these things as a catalyst.
  
but later, under different head space, go back and listen to what sticks to the wall.
 
a lot of guys get stuck on 'that first take'.
 
you can always do it better, the trick is to get so good at doing it, 
that you can make it be what you want,
instead of settling for a happy accident.
 

 
 
EDITED for CONTENT  ^^^^^
 
 
I recall one evening setting around burning some rope..... we were supposed to be learning some new tunes.... someone fretted the guitar on one string and played that one note... someone else thought that was cool..... someone else fired up another one, and before long..... uhhhh what did we come here for?  Oh heck, fire up another one and pass me a beer.
 
Often, when I wrote and recorded the ideas stoned..... the next morning it was like....what was I thinking? It sounding so.... pure freaking genius last night....
 
 
Yeah...all in fun, and it sure seemed so at the time.....
 
But the last paragraph I quoted..... dead on.
 
 

With very, very few exceptions, a single beer marks the end of a night's work for me. Not that I can't hold alcohol, mind you - but for creative, studio work, I need 100% access to all my resources.
 
As a matter of fact, when I really need to let go and the wheels won't stop spinning, I grab a beer.
 
I haven't abused anything else for decades, but I'm assuming that the same would go. For me, anyway.
 
My brain has quite enough unorthodox pathways and odd connexions readily available - what I usually need is resources to manage those. Anything which slows me down even just a notch does the exact opposite of maximizing my creativity.
 
Obviously, things work differently for every one, I'm the first to recognize it.

I am not a man of letters, and I hope I don't offend those who have working knowledge of such subjects as the physical, mental and spiritual parts that make up a whole person. I count myself as blessed when I learn something new.

I might posit a few ideas here. The first is that creativity in the context of music can have many different components. From composition, to lyrics, to engineering, to connecting with others, to developing many different versions of the same work. The second is that it takes different thought processes within the whole person to become aware, and those vastly complex thought processes can use different parts of the brain and mind and effect how you get to and stay in magical moments.

This topic is fascinating to me for a few reasons. I found out a coupla years back, that I have high functioning ADD, and I am prone to bouts if you will, of hyper focus. Believe it or not, I think these two things are an amazing blessing. ADD gives me the ability to let something go- fast, become engaged with many things fearlessly, and that intense focus thing helps to analyze, and lock on to something until I know it inside and out - squirrel.

There are a few things that I cherish (aside from the loves of my life). The creative and analytical processes in me. So much so that I have a deep interest in how they affect my life, and how to take full advantage of them. Here's the kicker - for me... I noticed that there are times when the two can work side by side - like engineering, and connecting with others. There are also times where the analytical gets in the way of the creative - like composition, and lyrics. For me, I can turn on the analytical in about a minute, but connecting to the creative takes a lot longer. To keep this shorter, here's what I have learned for me, for the composition, and lyric component.

First, to maximize creativity, in a way, implies that I get to that state as fast as I can. If I am not in that state, I am opposite of maximize to begin with. For me, I need to move away from an analytical place, to get closer to a creative one. They don't seem to me, to be coming from the same place in my brain. To start, oddly enough I grab my guitar and run scales, arpeggios, walk through chord changes and analyze my performance as I am doing it. There's something in me that gets uncomfortable when I could make mistakes that don't sound good (keeping in mind mistakes can be a very good thing). As I practice and warm up a bit, I gain confidence, begin to have fun (I'm a performance nutcase), and relax. When I am relaxed, I am there.

Second tip, stay in the creative composition process. I maximize the time I am in it and do things to help me protect it. Since analytical seems to distract me, I do all I can to minimize any engineering effort like creating a bunch of tracks, mixing, adding effects and the like. It's hands on instrument, having fun (I have an affinity to performance..).

Third tip. Choose that which seems to be emotionally fulfilling at the time. This is where maximizing creativity with my fans, or friends, or just me takes place. Since performance is import, then making a emotional connection with as many people as I can is paramount. I find when I work on something that touches me, I also stay engaged. Putting it another way - choose wisely, because it can maximize the level in which I use my creativity.

Fourth tip. Get out of the studio. This might sound like heresy, but spend time watching other musicians live. Find partners in music to work with. The power of two is not just double maximizing, it's not linear. It can be exponential. I find I pick up whatever fever they have, and that sharing helps create many versions of an idea, faster.

But, Thats me...

Very best regards, and PLAY ON!

L

it's only rock and roll.
 
 
but i like it.
 
 
 

Thanks guys for the good comments.
kakku

Well, OK , on this topic …..I'll bite .
 
For maximim Creativity , 
All you have to do is stop everything and I do mean everything ….
Then do your self a big favor and take an inventory of where you came from and where you are at now ….
 
Now would be a good time to ask yourself a few good honest questions ….
 
what is Creativity ? what does it mean to me ...
 
Is my definition of Creativity based on a desired goal or an expected outcome ?
 
How will I be able to determine if I am being Creative or not ?
 
Is it possible for me to expand my ability to expand on my level of expressing Creativity ?  
 
What would it take from me to help make that to happen ? 
 
What or Who is holding me back ?
 
Does Creativity exist for me ? 
 
Is it Right for me ?
 
Can I accept it ? 
 
 
Imo , Creativity is an active force and expression of our natural being , and it can be found easily once you decide to start looking for it where it can be found  
 
Kenny

Thank you Kenny for your thoughts.
kakku

I like Picasso on this: 'Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.'
 
Any time spent trying to "create the right vibe" in order to create is, in fact, procrastination.

Creativity
Learning to run with the wind-
Exploring what tomorrow may bring-
Soaring through trees, as it begins.
Creativity
A mountain to climb-
A monument to sin-
A lascivious woman, to please on a whim.
Creativity
A little breath-
A whispered din-
A battle that no one wins-
Creativity