Inspiration
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Thread: Inspiration

  1. #1
    Tech Convert Sound Mutants's Avatar
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    Default Inspiration

    So I know for me inspiration hits at some of the strangest times, mostly at night when I should be sleeping.
    Be it for mixing or production which I do also and if I don't capture it at that moment sometimes I don't even remember what I was even thinking about.

    Like some people I have to get up in the morning and go to work. Or sometimes I have to get up real early like tomorrow and take my wife for chemo treatments and such.

    So what I was wondering was for those of you who do experience this how do you handle it?
    Do you have a way to quickly sketch an idea or make notes of your idea?
    Do you ever avoid doing something with that inspiration because you know you should be sleeping?
    Do you set a time limit on how long you will work on that inspiration so you can ultimately get some sleep?
    Etc...

    I experiencing insomnia because of this most nights.

    I can't be the only one who goes thru this.

    For those of you who can grab hold of your inspiration without worrying about having to get up the following day I am a little jealous, not gonna lie.

  2. #2
    Tech Guru mostapha's Avatar
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    for production, learning to read & write music notation can help. So can having an iPhone/iPad/Tablet/whatever app that will let you sketch ideas and then bring the MIDI to your real computer.

    For mixing…a notebook……jot down notes. Having a notebook around to remember things as they come up is a big benefit…I love mine.

  3. #3
    Tech Convert Sound Mutants's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mostapha View Post
    for production, learning to read & write music notation can help. So can having an iPhone/iPad/Tablet/whatever app that will let you sketch ideas and then bring the MIDI to your real computer.

    For mixing…a notebook……jot down notes. Having a notebook around to remember things as they come up is a big benefit…I love mine.
    Yea, I guess playing by ear all these years instead of learning to read and write music may not have been the best of ideas. It's strange I can hear what I want in my head and if I get on my MIDI keyboard I can duplicate it (95% of the time) sometimes it turns into a different idea all together (Not necessarily a bad thing) and I don't always have access to my keyboard when inspiration hits.

    I think the notebook Idea is great. Just jotting down a brief description or track names or what part of their structure I was thinking may be all I need to re-spark the idea again later when I read it and I'm near my gear.

    I have an old first gen ipad that mostly just collects dust so a good app might just do the trick.
    Any suggestions on a good sketch app that allows for both beats and synths as well as transfers MIDI? (Im also gonna search this out but user suggestions I've found are usually spot on)

    Thanks again for the reply. Sometimes its good to have someone to throw ideas around with, especially since it can be lonely when no one around you personally has any idea what's going on on the screen while your working...

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    Tech Mentor Eric Day's Avatar
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    Not sure what DAW you're using for production, but for that part, I just found this article on FL Studio the other day. Basically, you can hum an idea into a mic, and the program translates it into a working medium that can be plugged into a vst and played, rearranged, automated, and manipulated the same way as if you had played it into the computer with the piano roll. You can also record onto any small digital audio recorder, and then drop it right in FL whenever you want. Keep it on your night stand.

    I haven't had a chance to try this, but from what I read in the article, it sounds like it will go as reported. My situation will be a little trickier. A lot of my random thoughts come when I'm in the shower, so I have to remember it long enough to get on the keyboard, and by that time, it's similar to your issue. I need a waterproof digital recorder..lol

    http://www.flstudio-tutorials.com/po...FL-Studio.aspx

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    Tech Mentor Eric Day's Avatar
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    I almost wish I didn't make that last post. I might have just let the cat out of the bag for a lot of people. :P

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    Tech Guru dj gullum's Avatar
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    iMaschine but it's for iPhone so looks not so good on iPad and youll need maschine on your computer. music studio looks good too. Garageband.
    there are 100's others
    DJ setup 1 - Pioneer XDJ-Aero, Pioneer DDJ-SP1, Mixvibes Cross, Macbook Air 13", Pioneer HDJ 2000. DJ setup 2 - NI Kontrol F1, Z1, X1mkII, Traktor Pro2, Macbook Air 13", Pioneer HDJ 2000 w. Production - iMac 21.5", Motu 828x, Icon Qcon Pro + EX, Nektar Panorama P4, Propellerhead Reason, Mashine Mikro(drum programer in Reason)

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    Tech Convert Sound Mutants's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Eric Day View Post
    Not sure what DAW you're using for production, but for that part, I just found this article on FL Studio the other day. Basically, you can hum an idea into a mic, and the program translates it into a working medium that can be plugged into a vst and played, rearranged, automated, and manipulated the same way as if you had played it into the computer with the piano roll. You can also record onto any small digital audio recorder, and then drop it right in FL whenever you want. Keep it on your night stand.

    I haven't had a chance to try this, but from what I read in the article, it sounds like it will go as reported. My situation will be a little trickier. A lot of my random thoughts come when I'm in the shower, so I have to remember it long enough to get on the keyboard, and by that time, it's similar to your issue. I need a waterproof digital recorder..lol

    http://www.flstudio-tutorials.com/po...FL-Studio.aspx
    LMAO! I know the feeling. I feel like I need to walk around with a recorder all day, every day, wearing a disclaimer on my shirt.

    I have jumped around with DAWs for years (think I tred all of them or damn near) but I think I have finally settled down to a mix of Ableton and Logic with a splash of NI Maschine and a pinch of Reason from time to time for production. I love Ableton for the scene triggering and ease of use for VST's. It allows me to easily combine my beats from Maschine with my custom synths from reason. I am partial to Logic for its recording (especially since I do a lot of live recording for local musicians) and effects but it dosen't seem to like Maschine without a lot of mucking about in settings and preferences etc...

    For Live performance it's Traktor 110% all the way. This was an easy transition for me coming from vinyl and I have never looked back, well at least not since 2008.

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    Quote Originally Posted by dj gullum View Post
    iMaschine but it's for iPhone so looks not so good on iPad and youll need maschine on your computer. music studio looks good too. Garageband.
    there are 100's others
    Thanks I'll try some of these. Have to check if iMaschine give you access to the step seq. for minor adjustments to 1 or 2 notes if needed...

  9. #9
    Tech Guru mostapha's Avatar
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    One of my friends liked iMaschine before he got his mikro…I don't think he's used it since. it's limited.

    people rave about garage band for iPad, but I havne't used anything but technobox2 in m iPhone……I like it, but it's a strict 808-style drum machine and 303-style synth (with it's weird sequencer). I like it, but I can't see writing non-acid melodies on it.

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