Sitting in my studio the other night and I realized that I'm just not having FUN anymore.Whether it's playing, mixing or writing. I have this HUGE block going on.I think it's all because I have been trying to finally get all my songs re-recorded and put to a disc.Just something that I can share with close friends and for posterity.So now instead of just letting it happen, I guess I'm pressing to make everything as perfect as possible. Add to that I just don't have all the proper mixing skills and know how and frustration seeps in. Now, this pressing thing in general is probably not bad, as it can bring focus,  but in my case it has totally taken the fun away from the music, from the process. Like many of you, I would imagine, music is my outlet in life.I play, I write and my soul opens and I purge myself of all the daily dysfunction that life brings.Without that outlet things get backed up. Would that be 'Artistic Constipation'? geez Any advise? Dave

Sometimes, all you might need is a little break (1+ day....or more....) from the studio. When you remove yourself from that environment and come back later, you'll be refreshed, and possibly see/hear things that you didn't see/hear before.  

No advice for you Dave but I've been down the road
and can share my take.
 
The idea of being able to record, perform all the parts and not
having to rely on other musicians is what inspired me to invest.
 
What I learned was that the computers and software weren't up to speed
to do it.
I became trapped into spending money to ride the market waves for years.
 
Then the computers and software seemed to be at a state to perform...only to
find myself being distracted by BS issues.
 
I too lost interest and found a hobby (building guitars) to replace it with and keep
me busy until maybe someday it'll be as advertised.
 
The plus side now is that I play my guitars more because I'm not dealing with all
the digital BS. To top it off I'm playing what I've built!
 
So currently I don't really feel right complaining about recording problems because
had not it been for them I sure would have missed out on learning and  regaining
my picking time. It made me realize -I picked up the guitar because I loved playing...not to
be a recording engineer and troubleshooting computer geek.
When and if it ever gets right I'll hit the record button. Until then...play on and that is really
where the fun is for me.
 

 
With out directing this at anyone... and I mean that!
 
I think the whole notion of setting up a studio so that you can do everything yourself is the first step to ending up not having fun.
 
I like working on music so doing it solo is ok, but I only have fun when I am working with other musicians and sharing experiences and ideas.
 
I agree that keeping a digital studio working in the ever changing world is a pain... so I try to have as much fun with it in between maintenance and updates and stuff as I can.
 
Just babbling.
 
 
best regards,
mike
 

@ Mike  -  you know Mike I've had thoughts about needing to work with other musicians again. It's been years since I collaborated with anyone.
Heck it's been a couple years since I just sat down and PLAYED with another musician.
That does inject some life into things.
A good point.
 
@ Spacey - That is is very healthy attitude you have. Things happen for a reason, or so I have always believed. Not fate, just cause and effect.
A very cool hobby you have now.
 
@ Mesh -  yeah I hear ya about taking a break from it and coming back refreshed.
I've done that in the past and you're right, it does inject a freshness to your approach.
Problem is I've been away from it now for a couple months and it's almost like I can't even
walk in there without having this visceral reaction.
 
it suks man.
 
So of course I did what HAS to be the solution... I just bought a couple new pedals for my setup.. LOL  
 
Thanks for the insights guys. appreciated.
 
Dave
 
 
 

When inspiration dries up, I usually try do a simple cover of a song I like so that I don't have to think about how it should go etc and just do it for fun rather than getting bogged down with trying to get the sounds in my head to come out sounding like they do in my head. Works most of the time.New stuff can help too !
 
 

Having a couple of days break is a must. Sometimes when I'm mixing something constantly for night after night I get really depressed about it to the point where I think "my God, this really does sound like crap. Everything sucks." And I can't bear to open the project for a few days. Then, when I go back to it and have a listen, I think "wow, this really sounds great! Why was I so critical?" 
 
Your ears really start to play tricks on you when they're tired. And it's not just the mixing side, it's the creative side too. When I get down, everything I play sounds like crap. 

I've ALWAYS gone in cycles where I'll get into something (a sport, hobby, work-related stuff, games, being a vidiot in front of the boob-tube, heck - even what foods I like to eat) and, for awhile, I'm gung-ho and all-consumed while almost everything else gets put on hold.  Then some internal switch turns that particular subject off and on to a back burner it goes only to be replaced with something else.
 
After 50 years I've realized that this is just how I am and it's really not possible for me to fully change to fit a "normal" person's type of schedule.  I did well in school, but would have absolutely KILLED every subject if I could completely immerse myself in only one or two subjects for awhile and then switched to others instead of trying a buffet of several every day.
 
To illustrate this using my studio as an example, when I'm in that zone, I'm into it day and night; buying gear, learning, playing, writing, recording, mixing, refining, etc., etc.  Then, without warning, I leave everything and can go months without even picking up an unplugged guitar to noodle around the house with.
 
Since I have some extremely varied interests, and have always realized that the best way to get the most out of an activity is to really learn it and use the best equipment, this can get stupidly expensive and require LOTS of storage space that others absolutely don't understand!  "If you're not using it, then why don't you just get rid of it?"  "Because as soon as that switch turns back on I will definitely be using ALL of it again!"
 
I've given up trying to change who I am, but it's definitely hard on the pocket book and relationships!  LOL.

craigb
I've ALWAYS gone in cycles where I'll get into something (a sport, hobby, work-related stuff, games, being a vidiot in front of the boob-tube, heck - even what foods I like to eat) and, for awhile, I'm gung-ho and all-consumed while almost everything else gets put on hold.  Then some internal switch turns that particular subject off and on to a back burner it goes only to be replaced with something else.
 
To illustrate this using my studio as an example, when I'm in that zone, I'm into it day and night; buying gear, learning, playing, writing, recording, mixing, refining, etc., etc.  Then, without warning, I leave everything and can go months without even picking up an unplugged guitar to noodle around the house with.
 

Well Craig this is good to hear because I experience things very much the same.
While I multitask all over the place, sometimes things just get dropped off to make room for
others.
So maybe this experience I'm having right now is just part of that natural cycle.
Only difference this time is while I was doing it I had lost that passion, that fun.
Maybe that was my sign it WAS time to walk away for a while.
 
Funny thing is, I think about music, writing, playing, being in the studio, every day.
The fact that it now disturbs me might be that sign that the shift is about to occur again.
I'm hoping that all I have to do is break the ice.
 
 
 
 
 
 

There are times that I really enjoy what I'm doing for income (what other's would call "a job"  ).  But when the fun dries up in anything I'm doing, I don't want to continue it because then it only seems like work.  Unfortunately, this sometimes has to happen or else I leave things unfinished.  The longer I have to be in "work" mode, the longer I tend to want to stay away from that activity.
 
Oh well!