Try this if you need to get inspired to write music

Howdy! Today I want to talk about a bit of a weird creative exercise that you might find helpful if you're stuck in a creative rut.
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[@VenusTheory]

There's your homework! Now go out and quit like a winner. 🎶 📢 Soundgym ► soundgym.co/?aff=9058

[@VIRALBEATS360]

Haha, good one!

[@wordssoundsshapesshadows]

You have too many buttons.

[@yeaown8139]

Being able to make music to me feels like a superpower. Legit. It feels like I have real magical powers at my fingertips. I can build universes of meaning and beauty that keep expanding and expanding. The possibilities are endless. And being blessed to be able to tap into that magic is enough for me. I don't care about success. I care about doing what I love doing. It keeps me sane, it keeps me connected.

[@FreestyleGalaxyNMore]

True that!!!!¡!🙂👍

[@Taki-NeobaroqueDZ]

Exactly!

[@decadesofsegregation9677]

This

[@enjoixander]

Even with the meager talent I have for composing music, I wouldn't sell that ability for any sum of money. You could give me a potato and I could find a way to make a melody with it.

[@solarwinds5114]

There's too much of a price to pay with success and fame

[@Milan____]

Being bored in random, irregular intervals, is underrated. It is essential to creativity.

[@2paco]

The best songs come while cramming for a final exam

[@vincentsky]

Great advice here. Tactically, I've been working on this two ways: 1) make junk: have days where you give yourself permission to make weird crappy stuff, but explore sound design things you don't normally do...hit record and turn every knob and just experiment. 2) take breaks: especially consuming (KZbin/Spotify/etc) and focus on creating SOMETHING....anything....but complete it. With both of these, I've found they crush any writers block and lead to things that inspire the direction of a track.

[@MrMarcLaflamme]

"Complete it" is probably the best part of this and the most difficult. Making short ideas but never finishing them means you get really good at starting because that's the only thing you ever practice. Allowing yourself to finish (flesh out, arrange, mix, and bounce) something that isn't in your own view "amazing" means you put in the hours into those stages that you rarely, if ever, get to. I can definitely speak from experience on this... The "Complete" folder hasn't had a new entry in many many years...

[@vincentsky]

@@MrMarcLaflamme Totally agree. Alice Yalcin Efe released a video ~4wks ago title "....STOP Overproducing" talking about the amount of time producers spend in idea creation all the way to finishing a track. The part I took away was the amount of time wasted in idea mode... listening to the same loop over and over. I am trying to force myself into arrangement sooner has actually helped me find the thing that I need to go back and add/remove and has yielded better (and more) finished work.

[@Honkinonthebobo]

Good advice i like it, that helped me out ty

[@rabidgoon]

and if you want, have a project that is completely for experimental stuff you care less about. complete that stuff often, post it to bandcamp or streaming or whetever. release songs every week on that project. don't be too worried if not everything is some immaculate work.

[@MrMarcLaflamme]

@@vincentsky I just need to follow my own advice! 😂. I think a big fear is that if I “waste” all this time in finishing a turd I’m going to miss out on all these great ideas. But I need to tell myself that it’s not wasting time by practicing and that the ideas will always come. And when that bug great one arrives, you’ll be skilled enough to see it through because of all your practice.

[@computrhead]

I had periods of time where I’ve never listened to music. It does help to create more interesting ideas. But it also makes me restless.

[@GaryR55]

I had a period in which I was sick and tired of rock, so I stopped listening to it, stopped listening to radio and rekindled my love of the jazz my parents had listened to and I had grown up with. Now I find myself trying to create my own jazz or jazz-ish music, but with the latest music technology. At 70, it's not easy, but it certainly is educational.

[@ericsguitar0]

Since age 10, I only took one long break from music - around 18 months in my late 40's. This was a serious break. I sold all my musical instruments. I had released an album that literally had no sales. I am not great at marketing and my material is not exactly mainstream. Even a few weeks into the break, I felt a lot of restlessness and a vague feeling of missing something. I also did not listen as much to music. After about 18 months, I wanted to sell my house. The realtor was frequently kicking me out my own home in order to avoid buyer meeting seller. Anyway, I started running out of things to do outside of home. I started going to music stores. I would play bass. It was obvious that I have some talent and that I enjoyed it even if no one would ever listen to what I produced. I learned that I truly need music to be a part of my life. I had a new commitment to it. I also felt a sort of musical reset. Even though my styles (I have many) were approximately the same, I also felt more open to ideas. While I do not recommend selling your instruments or avoid practicing, I think it might be productive to take breaks from listening to music and/or recording it.

[@emmosea]

got a link to the album that didn't sell? I'll listen!

[@Kevinschart]

you took a break and sold all your instruments? that's a liquidation not a break.

[@Thassodar]

I feel your pain on the album situation, although it's hard to tell "sales" when everything is streaming now. My number of listeners that month went up, but I wouldn't necessarily equate that to a "sale". As it were, I put out an EP a few months later and a few tracks last month and now I'm...thinking of giving it a break. I did set a goal to do my first live show by the end of the year, though, so it's not indefinitely. The lack of interest, which wouldn't have bothered me when I started, is getting to me.

[@shrimmirhs292]

This story resonates with me. Thank you for sharing.

[@brucemillar]

Mate, are you my long lost twin? I can relate though I have not sold many instruments I have acquired as it was so hard to afford decent ones when I was younger. Recorded an album with a band that sold badly but got a little airplay in the 80’s. I released an EP on streaming services in January. Thanks for sharing your story mate and good luck.

[@bricelory9534]

For me, one thing that helps is to re-visit the things that made you excited about your artistic field in the first place - listen to that piece of music that you have memories of blowing your mind, or re-watch the film that made you captivated by film scoring. I think these days, we get so used to just ingesting music or content, that we don't take time to really reflect on the music that we found inspiring and so moving. For me, it's been a long time since I've sat and just listened to an album. Since music is so convenient and my life busier, I listen to a lot more music, but it's always in addition to something else. But there have been times I've stopped "discovering" new musicians (ie: throwing them on a playlist and let shuffle decide what I listen to) and I intentionally return to music that was foundational to my journey. And sometimes, I get simply blown away again - the music is amazing and I am renewed by a return to the passion I found earlier; other times, I realize that my journeying has brought me to a different place and I don't actually care for the music that I used to - and thought I still did - which sometimes helps me realize what the dissatisfaction I was feeling was about: I was trying to be influenced by something I thought was an influence I wanted, but it actually really wasn't. Either way, it's been that active listening that I do so rarely any more that has been a big help. Thanks for the video, good sir - I think it's a good encouragement to review our ruts to see if they're leading down the path we actually want to go.

[@danswansonguitar]

It is easy to forget that, up to the mid-20th century, in the history of music composers weren’t able to hear other composers works unless they went to a performance. It makes complete sense to turn off drowning in stimulus and focus on what you hear in your own head.

[@jjjjjjjjjjonathan]

Yes, this x 1000.

[@AyalSharon]

They weren’t able to hear other composers works, but many were musically literate and would buy the sheet music. Even as late as the Jazz age (1920's) many people were exposed to new music by buying the sheet music, and playing it on their piano at home. Tin Pan Alley made its money from the royalties on the sale of sheet music, not records or radio. That all changed with the mass adoption of phonograph records, radio, and TV.

[@googlekopfkind]

they studied all scores they could get

[@LafemmebearMusic]

@@AyalSharon yes buttttt what he said doesn’t discount form what you or the other commenter are saying. The point is, sometimes you have to shut off the noise. They could interpret the sheet music which by the way was imperfect at not the standard sheet music we see today and modern music theory barely covers what a person actually created so I can imagine there was ALOT of interpretation with that sheet music back then. The point is they still only heard what was in their head from the way they interpreted the sheet music, they did not ever hear what someone else wanted them to hear.

[@omegalitico]

I remember Robert Smith saying that he stopped listening to new music in the 80s, listening only to 70s disco to avoid copying other artists unconsciously. Then he heard My Bloody Valentine's Loveless and it blew his mind. That's how one of the most awesome albums was made: The Cure's Wish

[@miah6781]

I do this all the time whenever I feel overwhelmed with influence, or I feel like I want to copycat another artist. I thought I was weird, and I would sometimes blame myself as if I have to stay up to date with all genres I like. But when you start making music, it's best to have a tunnel vision of what you want to achieve instead of having scattered influences you feel compelled to follow. Thank you again, for validating what I feel.

[@PetrolMediaInc]

I totally agree with you. As a music producer, who does a lot of hip-hop, pop, and R&B I regularly have to stop listening to everything around me just to create a sound that sounds like me. The current music landscape in my genre is very much a copy the loop the other guys doing scenario and it’s sad and sucks because everything literally sounds the same and I’m not understanding how people don’t see that but that being said it also gives you the opportunity to showcase who you truly are if you’re brave enough to try.

[@SpydrXIII]

most people are normies and don't get deep into things. i always say 'art is for artists'.

[@a-ki-mm]

You really posted this on the worst day i'm having... but i'll watch the video now

[@jefferysaddoris]

Man, this really hit home and it's something I've been circling back to in my last few newsletters/podcasts. I talked about a recent trip into DC to visit friend who works at the National Gallery and how energized/inspired I am every time I go into DC. Sometimes a detox from the thing we do is exactly what we need to come back and do it better.

[@exmaxhina]

When I stopped listening to other artists music and spent the last year and half listening to my own, my music had exponentially gotten better and the style/sound has stayed cohesive even after 55 releases! Wise words!

[@falconshield]

I feel you. Been spitting out music consistently for about 14 years. Just one song after the other, or one soundtrack after the other, pretty much non-stop. And I'm NOT really a music consumer at all. I listen to...my own music 😅 Due to the nature of our work, sometimes you need to aim towards certain references to meet goals, but if that's not something that's required of me, I rarely listen to "outside" music. HOWEVER, I have learned there is something else I desperately need in order to create. Some sort of direction. This is why I've only been writing songs about games or characters/aspects from games(I also work in the games industry). In order to find that direction I need to latch on to some aspect that I find inspiring. I can't just...create... I need a purpose, I need a framework to know that I'm meeting the emotional quality that the source of inspiration requires. But that's me.

[@dylanmax.]

cameron i really hope you understand how much these types of videos help us aspiring creators. theres a deeper yearning for guidance on how to navigate the blessing and curse of being an artist. this isn't emphasised enough and your approach to these issues are beautifully explained and broken down. your videos about these topics have personally helped me more than i can say, thank you.

[@oliverpinelli3334]

I am producing and writing for 35 years. What you describe came to me many times. I think it´s wonderful and helps us to grow. I always think of it as times, when you fill-up the "inspiration tank"

[@jerryk3280]

Yeah. Sometimes you need to take breaks but if music is truly in your blood you always end up coming back to it.

[@tomk2301]

This resonated a lot. I hardly listen to anything other than what's in my head these days. It helps tweak ideas and there are no barriers there...I'm only limited by my own imagination.

[@johnking8298]

Very insightful. I actually don’t listen to any music outside of my creative endeavors when I’m in mid project. I find it to be a huge contribution to the overall originality of what I come up with. Other than information that feeds the overall sonic quality of my work, I don’t hear music other than what randomly comes in through the odd tv commercial or the score of an action film I’m watching for the tenth time. But if I hear tidbits of ideas that point at something I heard on tv, it’s immediately disqualified because the only unbreakable rule is originality. Great video. Keep up the great work!

[@tomrelf]

I’ve just discovered your channel, and it’s kinda one of the few things helping me keep my head up right now. I could listen to your voice all day. I am a decent bass and guitar player, I’m learning keys, piano and synths. And I must say I adore your channel. I’m going through a rough patch and a shit point. And I could happily listen to your videos all day, even if you just rant about Arturia’s Micro-Whatevers. It’s kinda helping me a lot. Thank you.

[@arnabkumar4610]

A new perspective always does the better :) mundane can lead to dullness especially in the field of creativity

[@Luke_Lumberjack_Music]

I love how you tend to put out videos on topics/feelings that I'm currently dealing with ❤️ I think it's important to take a break every once in a while (from listening to music as well as creating it), because otherwise I tend to see everything too eager too ambitious and too seriously. But music is essentially playful. You play the piano - you don't work the piano. I'm convinced that taking a break now and then will help to reconnect with that inner child that just has fun pressing buttons or pulling strings in a melodic or rhythmical way.

[@CandiLain]

I needed to hear this for multiple reasons and the timing could not have been more perfect. Your videos are always so helpful whenever I start to doubt this path. Thank you!

[@BellXllebMusic]

I also had a period when I quit music since nobody was interested in anything I did and I just failed over and over again. But it's a thing that just steals my heart again and again so I started over and eventually started practicing more seriously. Now it sometimes feels like I don't have energy to listen to music if I practice a lot, like my ears are already tired from the sounds I made. But sometimes it's also nice to take a bit of a break from practice and focus on listening to others.

[@solarwinds5114]

I often struggle with this problem, I definitely needed to hear this. I haven't seen this issue articulated in this way. Thanks for addressing this!

[@beatz04]

Another trap is the availability of "paint by numbers" expansions and loop packs that cater towards your sense of instant gratification and the perceived necessity to sound "professional", often giving you quick results (aka the 8 bar loop), but at the same time making you sound like everyone else.

[@a-ki-mm]

Thank you SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much !!!! i really love your video rants , it really helps me so much.

[@allenhurt]

I really appreciate all the hard work you put into your videos, sharing your knowledge and creative thinking. I have been in the music industry for 43 years and I can personally say that I have been in the same situation as you mentioned, I call it, "The dead-end street of songwriting". Having written almost 1900 songs to date in the course of my career, I have experienced these issues many hundreds of times. I have found in my case, that "style" sets my work apart from others, from the written works all the way through the production side of things, my style of how I phrase the lyrics in a song, the entire structure of the songs and their melodies. Over the years, many entertainers and producers like myself, can hear the music in the songs and without hearing the lyrics, can tell you who the session musicians are in the mix. Style goes a long way. We each have an individual style that even with "influences" belongs to you. So, no "Dead-end streets", keep building and making the street longer and deciding where you want it to go, That's the key. I wish you all much success. Thanks, Allen H.

[@ciaaie8215]

This is fantastic advice. Thank you. I’m at the starting zone and knowing to keep listening to the inner sound’s versus trying to create the outer ones is very helpful. Thank you 🎉.

[@johnfowlertrailrunning]

Really cool idea. In a similar vein, what about just listening to completely different music sometimes? Not only does it seem to allow new influences into our realm, it also throws a curveball to whatever streaming platform algorithm you’re using and can set you off also with new influences, when you’re ready for them again. Love this vid btw 🤘

[@LordTheeProducer]

I love how consistent you’ve been with the videos. One of the best music KZbinrs this year, don’t stop!

[@dariosusu1529]

I feel this so deeply. I stopped actively listening to music for about three years and just recently found my love for it again.

[@throwingshapes6490]

Love the rants. I always find them useful. keep em coming :)

[@SilentPity]

I amm definitely going through this, and appreciating the video! Thank you for the reminder that creativity doesn't come from outside - it comes from within.

[@theisandersen614]

I've been thinking about this so much too thanks for sharing this video!

[@adpitts1]

Thank you for sharing this thought process and encouraging others to evaluate their creativity. I agree that isolating myself from constant external stimuli is helpful. For me, the daily attempt to explore and create new sounds on old digital synths gives me new vocabulary to bring to my creative conversations. Thanks for all you do as a creator and encourager.

[@DanielBastionMusic]

I don't normally watch too many of the philosophy of creativity style videos (even though I think they're important and yours are typically great) but this is exactly what I needed to here. Constantly working on music with reference tracks up is hurting more than helping as I end up emulating instead of creating.

[@benrabary]

This was definitely helpful, Its very easy to feel out of ideas or out of things when having to make something creative on a daily bases and share them

[@jackhopkinsmusic]

I really needed this. Honestly thank you so much.

[@photicsonar]

This is one of the most important videos I have ever watched on KZbin. God bless you. ❤

[@johnmdavis3596]

I’m in the beginnings of an EP project and I realized that everything I was coming up with was sounding “same-y”. Basically exactly what you’ve described here. Weirdly, I started listening to more music, not less, to jog something and perhaps give me some ideas or directions I haven’t tried before. By this I’m thinking instrumentation and arrangement more than style and structure. I’ve been doing this for a few days and got some ideas and some things to try. So my instinct now is to shut off the music influence and go make stuff. It’s funny because I was on the fence about shutting off the music sooner but I realized the thing I needed to do was listen to composers who were completely different than what I was incorporating before. It’s paid off I think because I have a whole laundry list of things to try and I think by getting out of the box I was in, I’ll make some progress in new directions.

[@FactumImFactio]

A dear friend of mine likes to talk about input and output energy - the idea that if we put out too much or take in too much of anything, it leaves us out of balance. I wonder if this idea of intentionally shutting off certain input valves for the sake of refining the nature of our output is what's ultimately going on here. It can also leave us to question why we're taking things in, and why we're putting things out. Very cool - thanks for doing this!

[@towmotornoises]

I really like that analogy! Opening and closing inlet and outlet valves to maintain a creative balance - I play an industrial mechanic in real life, so this thought process really resonates with me.

[@WinfriedSitte]

Thanks Cameron, I think this was timely to hear for me as I waver between projects and deciding which one needed to be brought about first.

[@flamesofyesteryear9627]

I just wanted to say I got my first synth today and you were pretty instrumental in that, been watching your videos for a while now. So thank you for the knowledge and the inspiration!

[@floatinganarchychannel3204]

I love the way you think and the fact you share our most music creator problems and solutions! I would try it 4 sure as much as i can avoid 2 listen to others music ;)

[@hansvos5897]

;Thank U, it took me a long time understand why I never bought a lot of music, went to a lot of concerts, visit a lot of exhibitions, see a lot of movies, read a lot of books, as other artist told I should do more. The little art I enjoyed influenced me deeply and I don't want to over consume but cherish those influences. Silence is very important. Creativity is a holy process that go's far beyond contemporary influences. An empty mind is a great space for inspiration. It's like eating.... if you eat all the time the only thing you get is an indigestion.

[@noblewhitneyIII]

I’ve been trying to find a way to explain this to my family and friends for a month or too now. This video came just on time. Appreciate this

[@BlackBearSixTV]

100% agree - well verbalized.

[@K.KILLORAN]

Brilliant. Needed that!

[@OscarUnderdog]

In a similar vein: I try not to watch too many YT tutorials these days, so I can remain focused on what I want to make for myself without worrying about what others are doing :) Except of course when I see irresistible Venus Theory thumbnails in my feed... 🖤

[@NamuSenpai]

Holy 🐄, I’ve was just thinking about this yesterday. I find myself rarely actually listening to music now a days. The only music I “listen” to is the songs I play to practice my vocals to and from work. I find that even though I love music, listening to it too frequentl makes not enjoy it as much. Also, listening to mysic often inspires me to want to head in that general direction. It’s great to get inspired by music, but i find it hard to focus on my current projects when every time I listen to a song I want to jump on the particular genre.

[@innavision1920]

It’s weird, the deeper I get into my creative zone the less I listen to other artists like a used to. I’m my own biggest fan. Tbh there’s sooooo much music out there now days that it feels kinda overwhelming tapping into it.

[@nikhart100]

I am and have been going through a separation and hopeful reconciliation over the past year and I find myself in that space you speak of, of chipping away in the hopes of finding something. It’s painful and I feel very untalented atm. I thank you for this video. Nick.

[@ephjaymusic]

Loved this! Thanks!

[@itinerantghost]

That album from Jameson Nathan Jones is ace, though! Also, great food for thought here, Cameron!

[@chudluv]

Thanks for this. Nice reminder.

[@GODANMEDIA]

Good talk. Ty. I agree with you about silence the music we love. I agree with everything you said in your discussion.

[@isajoha9962]

I have restarted my music making process 3 times after year long stops. Just in a 6 month music free period after writing, recording and mixing 600 tracks between 2019-2022. Will start mastering the tracks during this year hopefully. It is good to get distance to what I do and listen to it with fresh ears before finalizing it. I seldom listen to what other producers and artists make anymore, cause most of it sound almost the same as it did 5 years ago. Great video !!!

[@rontimus]

The sound of silence is often the best inspiration

[@pavelszabomusic]

Thanks, I will think about that and maybe I will try it.

[@themadsamplist]

Listen to music (genres) you usually don't listen to. Helps me a lot. And I mean real different.

[@synkrotron]

thank you, Cameron 👍🙂

[@ilia7206]

Brings out creativity 👍🏻

[@infinitedurr]

“Why you should maybe give up on Venus Theory when he tries to clickbait your ass” 😂 Just playin’. Love ya, Cameron!

[@abelramirez7320]

You had me dying at "rectangle technology"

[@d00dledigital]

Good topic to raise. You might also get similar benefits from diversifying your listening sources beyond the tried and true for a while - e.g. venturing into totally unfamiliar genres or music from other areas of the world - this can have the effect of a creative reset too. It sounds like you want to be able to surprise yourself creatively again. Changing up the inputs is likely to generate more surprising outputs quite often in my experience.

[@cringe_papi]

Bro you legit changed my mind right at 1:44 Great content. Hope this helps others!

[@maxteks1653]

There is a natural progression from childhood when you hear music when you’re really young , the emotions we hear in music subconsciously plants itself in your memory ,… then as we grow up and become musically active we learn to channel this treasure trove of emotions into similar phrases and chord changes that stir something in our hearts when we hear it … our minds are possibly re constructing sounds and movements we found pleasurable as a baby or a 2 or 3 yr old,.. but I agree that after you’ve developed a good style of your own and become better and better , your musical ear gets sharper and you begin to hear the repetitive parts in the music you create ,… many famous Musicians or bands , I’ve identified with this quality,…which explains why they may have a big career boom with their first few songs , but if every song and album after is practically a ditto rearranged….of the same songs…then they are limited. That’s why I gravitated to musicians who made drastic changes like David Bowie,.. but no matter who you are …it’s a very difficult thing to contend with. I record alone,..for many years now simply for the fact that all the musicians I played with before hijacked the session and we had to do all their music, or songs,… so I eventually did much better alone. When you’re alone recording for years it’s inevitable that you will find yourself repeating phrases,..or chord structures that you find pleasing….we have to realize that it doesn’t necessarily mean that it sounds bad if it’s similar to something we did in the past. It could be resurfacing because it is very good ideas so be careful not to trash away something good because you think you’re repeating yourself from the past. Use your best judgment to save the finest elements and always cherish that they are original and from your inner self…..(until A.I. comes along and dies it better than all of us )…. l.o.l.

[@JonMeyer]

new fangle rectangle technology really sings

[@_kamishiro]

Been thinking about it myself lately. Not just about listening to music, but the concept of personal expression with it. I'm at super beginner level so everything is hard. Moreover every is a reason for constant doubt. Struggling to produce anything that can be named "real commercial music" I decided to come back to things that made me feel fun and excitement wich was why I started making music in the first place

[@thefrozensea9314]

This is a cool idea, I guess I haven't really thought about it in this way, even though the concept is quite familiar. Always good to have as a possible way forward when getting stuck creatively

[@vp9348]

Thank You for this Venus Theory~ For me personally making music - I get stuck within the process of producing music that I can’t stick to my ideas and the end result is just me - Coming up with more ideas without making any progress to finish my projects

[@fawltytenor]

Really love these videos and I appreciate you sharing these “deep thoughts”. I actually stepped away from music about 10 years when my kids were young. When I got back into I think my focus was better for a number of reasons. It’s probably a common thing to become influenced by what you listen to. It can be good but there’s also this energy of “that looks cool/fun…maybe I should change direction and do that new thing. Whatever the “new” thing is, it’s always a temptation. My challenge is every little shift has an associated learning curve. It’s good acquiring skills…but there’s a cost (usually time). It’s like that like “ambition bites the nails of success”.

[@ClintDecker]

I really appreciate this video and I love that Michelangelo quote! I've been chugging at an album where I feel I need to have it completed by the end of the year so that I can justify the concept of its entirety. Thanks for making this.

[@desoconnor7445]

What I have found as a basic principal in creating music or cleaning my teeth to strict schedule or what ever, is initially reaching for “IT” and then stepping back from it when the goal or expression stalls, then I withdraw from a track or a project ..and relax ..let it simmer in the unconscious …99% of creation right there….on return most times I learned and can progress 🙏🎩

[@ckek2547]

Love your content! Thank you!

[@ricardochiesa9829]

Really cool video Venus, do more of these! I can relate... it took me years to get to really want to listen to music, and I mean, plenty of years. In my case , I was overwhelmed by my influences and just overall anxiety, just listening how out of reach they were to me made me not want to listen their music... If someone else struggles with this feeling, just embrace it and just focus on learning. However, here's how I approached this, sort of related to what you talk about.. I first allowed myself to make whatever I instinctively could, to understand my own musicality, and wether it was aesthetically similar or not to my influences was not a concern at this point. Only then, I would observe what things made my music different, even if I did NOT like them, and see how they could be implement them with what other artists that I liked were doing... I know this sounds weird, how can one be using techniques or music idioms they didn't enjoy? Well, I feel we are in an age and era where it is extremely difficult to simply observe our ideas, we judge because ultimately we want to be like X artist. But if we fall into this habit, we are neglecting that X factor, the spontaneity of the creative process, those perfect imperfections. or in a more poetic way of saying, we are neglecting ourselves to find a gem that needs polishing (yes, Whisper of the Heart 😆) I still minimize my influences (but for some people, this doesn't work well! each one is different) and if I get into writers block, I will go back to basics, and just do something different even if it sucks..

[@dovzi]

Last summer I had a 6 month break without producing and the first song I made ,coming back to the studio ,I was so happy about and is currently the best performing song on my channel. I tottaly understand what he is talking about. It's like you have to rest your 'inner creator' . But I love making music so much that is hard to completly take breaks sometimes haha

[@philsmith5000]

Missed opportunity to NOT have background music in the video about not listening to music. Love your channel my guy. Thank you for putting out videos that mean something to you. It definitely translates.

[@StevenRafael268]

Thank you for this video! It helped me reevaluate my direction in songwriting. :)

[@seth.graham]

If you want to poke around on the topic a little more, look up the photographer Cole Thompson. He does what he calls "photographic celibacy" where he stopped looking at other people's images to try and find his own vision. Pretty much the same idea expressed here but he's got some interviews and lectures out there that are interesting to listen to.. if you want more.

[@therealwhite]

I don't even have time to watch your videos dude. But every time I come to the comment section and lurk, I learn something life-changing. Thanks for attracting this kind of crowd lol, I don't know what else to say.

[@Korvmannen]

I haven't been making music for over a year now, I think it was some kind of stress that built up over time that made me hit a wall of sorts. However, just the day before yesterday I was skimming through stuff I've done as I feel I kinda want get back into it. What I found was most stuff felt underdeveloped and half-baked with possible potential, a few good things here and there. Then I came to the stuff I did for a while when I tested chiptune vsts, and one of those 100% chiptune songs feels better than anything else I ever did. Even the really cool stuff I managed to do with serum because I like sound design and basses mainly didn't sound as good. On a technical level maybe it was cool, but finding a chiptune song that to my ears felt like it was on par with the Megaman 2 song or something was unexpected. Just getting a bit of distance really allowed me to see this in a more detached and less involved way, as a listener as well. In literary writing they often speak about an "author's voice", and the chiptune stuff was to me the only stuff that it felt it had a coherent one. Maybe I could try some of that again and see what happens.

[@danamcc221]

I'm not clear what you're suggesting on a practical level, but these are certainly important creative issues worth dealing with! Serendipitously, I happen to be reading Rick Rubin's book, "The Creative Act", which explores this territory with great depth and breadth. He's a gifted communicator, and given his track record as a producer, he seems like someone well worth listening to for insights on the creative process. Highly recommended! And thank you, Cameron, for fearlessly tackling issues like this in your videos!

[@VIRALBEATS360]

I definitely agree with you, here. The downside is that I am always working on music, and feel that there is never enough time to listen to others. Because of this, I am always late to the party, in discovering new artists...even the really great ones.

[@ShitStaindGod]

I was pleasantly surprised to see Trifonic's "Emergence" in the thumbnail. Such an underrated gem.

[@nicolaswolf5412]

This video speaks to a lot of what drove my new album. I let my synthesizer speak to me, and I simply facilitated, recorded, and arranged the events. I didn't think about anything other than the mental imagery and emotions I was looking to evoke. What came of it isn't necessarily music people will want to listen to, but for me personally, it was a total success.

[@MrMoviePhoneEx]

great talk as always!

[@dawud7791]

It’s important to re boot sometimes, Not just creatively. But, life in general

[@MOSMASTERING]

You've said many times that these videos are for you and your thoughts, so ignore people that don't connect with it. For me, almost all of your videos are about something I've felt and not put into words. I can't not have music in my life, so I switch between making in the studio and practicing an instrument for a break. Not a day goes by without listening to it - but I like switching up my environments too. So I'll listen on my big audiophile speaker set up, then headphones walking around, I try and see live music once a week and I enjoy the occasional dance in a club too.

[@Bossfightmedia]

Thank you SOOO much for this Video. I really, really try to take this to heart already myself. What I always do is set aside every sunday to completely block myself off the internet and just get into a childhood zone, I'd call it. I literally refuse to do ANYTHING Useful (except ofc taking care of my animals) dont work, dont clean (unless emergency haha), dont do anything thats remotely annoying and just free your mind for a day. As I tend to overstress and get quite physical reactions from that, I had this help my mental health - and therefore stress levels - immensely. You get so much more done after a day of literally going fuckall. It may not work for everyone, but cutting ties with literally the Internet (maybe except steam, if you wanna play games), and go back into a no problems place is important for your inner batteries.

[@blh-eir]

dude i dont know if you will ever see this but thank you for what you do. i so badly needed your channel. music was all i had and your philosophical perspective on things deeply resonates with my own. every video i'm watching of yours is making me think "wow, he gets it" . i struggle a lot with my mental health, so for some things, i feel a bit extra existential and extreme possibly, but regardless i really feel what you talk about, and like somebody gets me, and can guide me through, finally, to returning to this crucial part of my life. thank you

[@LoveMeBack]

This year I focus on unfinished projects going back years. Very fun to do so far.

[@martinleduc3210]

Thanks! I pas a lot of time away from screens, and try working short loops of time standing up, play a bit of guitar again, here and there, exercice dancing, take some sun and fresh air, and then dive into composing stuff i feel i never heard before, from my experiments anyway!!! Changing context, change set ups and posture helped me lately so i get the importance of sharing this clip. M

[@certifiedjfk4739]

The message in this was top tier, to help me on writing and such I generally only listen to almost purely instrumentals some songs make the cut just cause of the feeling from them lol . Outside that formalization is the creative process without influence

[@DerekMusic27]

Loved seeing Snakes of Russia on your screen. He’s the only reason I stay on Instagram. Great video!

[@michaelkonomos]

I enjoyed this video. My perspective - whatever works for you. I’ve heard that Prince didn’t like to listen to others music for some period of time, Bowie was listening to Kendrick Lamar when he made his magnum opus Blackstar. Trent Reznor listened to Low while making The Downward Spiral. I think taking breaks is good, listening is good, it’s all good - it’s so individual that it’s really about what gets you inspired.

[@pierbover]

Don't quit Cameron. Just take a break for whatever time you need.

[@SynthoidSounds]

Appreciate your message, fits perfectly. I started building my own synth hardware, in the 1980s, was devoted to experimental compositions, soundscapes, etc., in my basement lab. I wasn't even considering becoming commercially "successful", was happy just to have people listen to it, even went as far as pressing my own vinyl LP. But then . . . life, career, existence management, etc., took over, until just a few years ago. Now plunging back into the synth universe, but it's so different now. Way more advanced tech, but also SoundCloud, Spotify, etc., and many are listening . . . not even trying to make a living with this