What are you finding fun in music making?

[Iron Keys]

What things (if anything) are bringing actual feeling of 'fun' and enjoyment in regards to music making lately?

Sometimes music-making can feel more like completing a task or solving a problem, but sometimes recently I found myself just finding certain elements really 'fun', and it felt more like I was 'playing' than 'trying to make a beat'. Anything giving you those real fun/playful vibes whilst making?

 

[InsideOutBeats]

What things (if anything) are bringing actual feeling of 'fun' and enjoyment in regards to music making lately?

Sometimes music-making can feel more like completing a task or solving a problem, but sometimes recently I found myself just finding certain elements really 'fun', and it felt more like I was 'playing' than 'trying to make a beat'. Anything giving you those real fun/playful vibes whilst making?

Yeah man, fun trying new instruments on the Mpc pads, ‘playing’ the Mpc for melodies, finger drumming, sampling.

Really enjoying the sampling process of hearing something that clicks and i vibe with then chopping it up and again ‘playing’ those chops and creating something new.

Studying further effects and mixing and that feeling when you learn something new and you actually get it.

Shit just not being at work and actually having time sitting down and that blank canvas before you start a beat knowing this could go anywhere with so many options.

Just loving the process and the feeling making music gives especially when your feeling a groove, melody, beat.

Downside is when I know I have work away for 2 or 3 days and just want to work on a beat I started and hate waiting that damn long

 

[OGBama]

I’m @Iron Keys finding beat remakes fun for me and it is a way for me to learn music theory as I can’t and don’t see it as dry and academic ‘cause I personally never experienced it in an academic context.

 

[Fade]

When a person isn't having fun making beats anymore, it's either over-thinking or depression.

I just have fun chopping samples and seeing what I can come up with. Sometimes I try to sample just the smallest piece of music and see if I can build around that.

 

[Iron Keys]

Yeah man, fun trying new instruments on the Mpc pads, ‘playing’ the Mpc for melodies, finger drumming, sampling.

Really enjoying the sampling process of hearing something that clicks and i vibe with then chopping it up and again ‘playing’

Yesss!

This is what I enjoy. When I'm makinf a certain style and improvising melodies over my stuff I'm genuinely just having fun and vibing and "playing" *with* the music.

Same for finger drumming and stuff and getting good sample chops, but not as much as the melody improv.

Such an amazing feeling.

 

[Iron Keys]

it's either over-thinking

In what sense?

 

[Fade]

In what sense?

I don't know how more specific I can be.

 

[Iron Keys]

I don't know how more specific I can be.

Just trying to expand on the concept.

'cause I can be making a beat and not enjoying it. And wouldn't really say I'm overthinking it or depressed. Or can enjoy the beat, but not necessarily be 'having fun'.

So thought it an interesting topic to explore.

 

[Fade]

When I'm sampling something sometimes I over-think it and try to do too much with it, when in fact I should just use it as is. For example, I'll take a small piece of music and try to build on it but it just won't work, so I'll keep adding and then it becomes shit.

But if you're talking about just making a beat in general, if you're not having fun then it could be you're over-thinking what you're trying to do, but most likely it's depression. One of the most common signs of depression is lacking interest in things that used to make you happy or general hobbies. Like jacking off. @Armani

 

[Iron Keys]

But if you're talking about just making a beat in general, if you're not having fun then it could be you're over-thinking what you're trying to do, but most likely it's depression.

I dunno, I'm thinking maybe it's more overthinking in the idea of 'oh I'm going to make this kind of beat'. I dunno. I wouldn't say it's depression, even if there are depressive things a gwan.

Beat I'm making currently is so much fun. And I'm putting a mix of thought into it and feel, divine inspiration, and play.

Maybe I'm just not enjoying the other music I'm making. I dunno, some of it I enjoy but it's not as fun more 'matter of fact'.

 

[Fade]

I think when it comes to music it's normal to have depressive tendencies of sorts. I'm not saying it's cool to be depressed, but with making music it can be tough. I think we've all been there, questioning out creations. I think it's natural and that taking time off is ideal.

 

[Armani]

When I'm sampling something sometimes I over-think it and try to do too much with it, when in fact I should just use it as is. For example, I'll take a small piece of music and try to build on it but it just won't work, so I'll keep adding and then it becomes shit.

But if you're talking about just making a beat in general, if you're not having fun then it could be you're over-thinking what you're trying to do, but most likely it's depression. One of the most common signs of depression is lacking interest in things that used to make you happy or general hobbies. Like jacking off. @Armani

man tell me about it. I remember the days when it'd feel like it's about to fall off, yet I'd still open pornhub desperately, sometimes only to type in "Help" or "I need a hug or something". that's actually when I realized if you type in random letters it'll give you the actual freaky stuff you never knew you needed in your life. Later on I also tried that on youtube too and got some super random results like pointless car footage with a radio announcer giving french news, people's personal stuff, or even super amateur distributed music. I decided to sample them and ngl, they always turn out super fun to make/listen to fsr. something about the low quality and randomness makes the tracks feel... fresh. Love it. I can share a few if you wanna hear.

what were we talking about ag- oh yeah I jerk off like a lot now and it's super amazeballs. fun stuff.

 

[Armani]

I dunno, I'm thinking maybe it's more overthinking in the idea of 'oh I'm going to make this kind of beat'. I dunno. I wouldn't say it's depression, even if there are depressive things a gwan.

Beat I'm making currently is so much fun. And I'm putting a mix of thought into it and feel, divine inspiration, and play.

Maybe I'm just not enjoying the other music I'm making. I dunno, some of it I enjoy but it's not as fun more 'matter of fact'.

I'm no expert or nothin mate but if there was a gun to my head and I were to bet on if you're somewhat depressed or not, I'd be havin pretty good winning chances with a yeah he's not really doing fine.

 

[Iron Keys]

I'm no expert or nothin mate but if there was a gun to my head and I were to bet on if you're somewhat depressed or not, I'd be havin pretty good winning chances with a yeah he's not really doing fine.

If I were depressed, I wouldn't want to make music. That's quite a different thing to what's being discussed.

I'm making music pretty much everyday

 

[DPrezd Beggar]

If I were depressed, I wouldn't want to make music.

jk xd

The fun part for me is actually when shit doesnt get anywhere you hit a random note or browse random shit on YT and suddenly

And when shit is done, i can lean back, listen to what i made and then drag it in the trash bin.

 

[Armani]

If I were depressed, I wouldn't want to make music. That's quite a different thing to what's being discussed.

I'm making music pretty much everyday

Idk man, I'm just sayin what I feel talkin to u.

 

[Iron Keys]

Idk man, I'm just sayin what I feel talkin to u.

Thanks for your expert diagnosis I'm sure we could all make expert diagnosis here.

 

[Fade]

I think anyone that creates stuff could easily fall into a depression of sorts. Like making beats - how many times have we questioned our own beats? Over the years I've seen SO many people just on here alone say they were stuck or lacked motivation, and the answer is always to take time off.

But as far trying to find fun in making beats, it could be a combination of stepping away and doing something else, then coming back to it with newfound energy.

 

[hosie]

Interesting topic and thread. It's why we're all here, I guess.

I agree with @Fade . If you're not having fun making music then you're doing it wrong or your heads in the wrong space. I find when I'm feeling low / shitty or not my best self that I don't want to create the same and if I force myself into it the results are generally not that great. However I also use music as a therapy and to keep my mood balanced / positive. I find if I don't have that release / creative outlet that it negatively impacts my mood.

One of the most fun parts specifically when beat-making for me is when that vocal chop cuts through the beat and it sounds exactly like I wanted it too / better. I then sit and listen on loop for a while, just enjoyed it.

In terms of "chores" or "tasks" - after countless times "chopping" and "cutting" I can now say after forcefully making myself try to enjoy the experience that I now genuinely do enjoy and soak up the feeling / experience of chopping records / samples. I was always so caught up and restless to get to the "hitting the keys / pads" creative part that I couldn't relax and enjoy it. It's such an important and large part of the music I create that seeing it as a task seems silly now. It's also improved my chopping too.

 

[Iron Keys]

Interesting topic and thread. It's why we're all here, I guess.

I agree with @Fade . If you're not having fun making music then you're doing it wrong or your heads in the wrong space. I find when I'm feeling low / shitty or not my best self that I don't want to create the same and if I force myself into it the results are generally not that great. However I also use music as a therapy and to keep my mood balanced / positive. I find if I don't have that release / creative outlet that it negatively impacts my mood.

One of the most fun parts specifically when beat-making for me is when that vocal chop cuts through the beat and it sounds exactly like I wanted it too / better. I then sit and listen on loop for a while, just enjoyed it.

In terms of "chores" or "tasks" - after countless times "chopping" and "cutting" I can now say after forcefully making myself try to enjoy the experience that I now genuinely do enjoy and soak up the feeling / experience of chopping records / samples. I was always so caught up and restless to get to the "hitting the keys / pads" creative part that I couldn't relax and enjoy it. It's such an important and large part of the music I create that seeing it as a task seems silly now. It's also improved my chopping too.

Nice, I guess this is an insightful and useful concept and approach.

I myself hate the tedious setting up or chopping or finding the right samples etc; I'm eager to get down to playing and piecing the record together.

I think for me personally this is largely to do with my workflow, I love to be able to just slap out some drums, boom, hop to the chords, boom, lick off some cool melody, boom lace some bassline. Just that smooth flow.

I find the tedious parts can kill the flow or vibe, at least mentally.

Kinda like getting to the field/court and having to do your stretches.

Maybe it's partly a hands on thing - I seem to be enjoying mostly the hands on "live" action of it all, as opposed to clicking about opening up screens and settings and boxes. Probably why mixing isn't as fun as I think it could be for me!

Maybe for my beats I need more custom templates and presets ready, though I'm not so keen on "going back in and changing the sounds" I like to start with the right sounds, so that would be the only conflict there.