This is the JV/Xp/XV forum. But I personally own other instruments. A Ensoniq TS-12 and a Fender Telecaster. And alot of software.

If you mean what I think you mean, no...it's not the Roland equipment bring us down. It's very inspiring to me anyway.

I have had this feeling several times. I think what's helped me a lot is that I play several instruments, (I'm guilty of feeding the guitar thread). If I feel I've reached a stagnant point on keys, I just focus more on guitar for a while and learn a couple new licks and tricks. When that gets old, I work out my sax technique. I never totally abandon 1 instrument for another though, at least not my main 3. If I do, I'll go backward, but I do redirect my focus for a bit.

Another thing that has helped me immensely is the fact that I've been hired to produce/arrange/perform, on 2 different CDs in the past year. One is more rock/softrock, and the other is quite folk/country. I am responsible, at least in part, for making these artists sound good; to make their songs interesting to listen to, to make them appealing/marketable without becoming stale. Combined with my own more jazz oriented efforts, I've had more than enough stimuli to keep my brain and hands learning/creating. I listened to a whole lot of music I wouldn't have otherwise listened to, and I expanded my horizons that much further.

Finally, playing live gigs helps as well. You can easily get bored playing for yourself all the time, but sharing your stuff with people who have never heard you before, or with people who don't listen to you every day, just makes you feel fresh. Your music doesn't seem as boring, and your playing as stagnant, when you've got people listening and enjoying what you do.

I don't know if that heps at all, but I might suggest starting on another instrument, learning to play different styles of music, work with other people, (more people=more ideas), and try to play live.
This formula won't work for everyone however, as in Doug's case. He seems to have played out a lot, and with many people, and is growing tired of that. (at least that's what I gathered from his post.) So there's no 1 way to get over this hump. Just know that you'll get over it though. I always have, but I feel myself sliding into yet another. I hate it when that happens. So do you know what I've done? I've ordered some ethnic music. Maybe i need to get into African/mideast sounds for a while. I just keep plugging away, always expanding.

Hi

Let me start by saying that I do not make a living from music or work with it full time. For me it is my favourite hobby.. I play both covers and some stuff that I have written myself.

Lately I've also had some of these problems. My inspiration has been very low, as there are so many other things going on in my life. I also have problems finding time for music right now.

What I have found to help me best, is to just not demand all that much from myself. Instead of sequencing or creating music, I just sit down and play with my synth. I choose a patch and just play whatever comes into my head, or experiment with the sound-editing etc.

I think the most important thing is to not put pressure on yourself, but just relax and say to yourself that you WILL get back to music later, just not right now..

Stig

"Stigf" had a good point about sound editing. A great way to feel fresh is to create your own sound. It always breathes new life into a song I'm working on if I create my own patch. I work on music for tv, and video so sometimes it gets hard to get out of the 30 or 60 second mindset, but I force myself to write longer pieces so I don't forget how. Thanks for reading. I know I can babble.

It must be in the air, this dip...
anyway, one of you mentioned that new sounds are an inspiration but the multitude of patches you can download only seem to clog me. there're so many synth bass sounds and crunchy leads out there to make a deaf man vomit. I find trying to recreate real life sounds is very inspiring, or trying to combine sounds to create hybrid instruments. Make fantasy instruments that you can actually envision. try to think of a water-piano: a piano with strings that consist of water or how about a cloud-harp: how would that sound? I also enjoy reading the names that people made up for their patches. especially them synthpads and synthFX. try Phobos, or Titan or Atlantis. their are so many inspired souls out their how can actually synesthesize their sounds. [Synesthesia is the phenomenon in which one mixes up different types of the senses: colours can scream and sounds can sting.]
try making a sound that itches, or a sound that sort of sticky and wet, think of swamps and how would a rainbow sound? imagine the breathing of a planet and try to recreate that. How do smells sound? there's a million possibilities. I hope I don't sound like a new age fan or anything but the worlds just that magical if you can see it. That's my inspiration and if I forget it every now and again I just talk about music and sound in general with other people that love to talk about it.
hope this was of any help

That's an amazing way to look at music. I totally agree with you. I love to create my own sounds. Hybrid instruments can be incredible inspirations. You should check out a program called "Metasynth". I haven't used it yet, but I read an article about it. You can take photos and somehow transform them into sound.

That's a different way of looking at sound. I like it. I think the idea of practicing sound editing and the different aspects of music (instead of just the creation) is a good idea. Kind of venture into the technical side of it for awhile. I think I'll do that. And I do put too much pressure on myself to get it done SOON, instead of just enjoying the experience of making music. I always have a hard time relaxing. Maybe I should have become a guitar player so that I could dance around while I play.

Most musicians hit this from time to time. My prescription is CHANGE.

If you play live a lot, maybe pull back and don't gig as much. Or try to work your way into a different musical niche. I went from a country band to a heavy metal band to a punk band to a latin-jazz band, and each forced me to focus on new (or old and rusty) skills.

If you play a lot, try playing less and getting into writing. Or vice versa.

If you play the same style a lot, explore a different one, immersing yourself in it to the exclusion of other styles for a while.

If you're tired of your band, get out and work alone for a while. Or vice versa.

Sometimes it's the music itself that wears me down, but sometimes it's the music BUSINESS.

Examine what it is that's dissatisfying you, and try a 180 degree different direction.

(If you're a Seinfeld fan, remember when George decided to do the exact opposite of his initial impulses, and his quality of life skyrocketed!)

Hang in there - you're not alone. It gets better, honest.

You must be inspired enough by all this humanity, shown in the responses, that seems so lacking in the music making biz

I wish you the best at getting out off the Block you're in, We've all been there Tracey.

D