Where do you guys/girls get your inspiration?

[Elmorya]

Ive been attempting to make music for a little while now (about a year) and i used to have my head full of ideas, but it seems that the more i learn about making music and techniques, the more i forget about what i wanted to make in the first place. Where does everyone find the inspiration to make all these amazing tracks?

[the4thImpulse]

Ive been attempting to make music for a little while now (about a year) and i used to have my head full of ideas, but it seems that the more i learn about making music and techniques, the more i forget about what i wanted to make in the first place. Where does everyone find the inspiration to make all these amazing tracks?

Listening to music of the same genre I produce around the time I'm writing only makes me compare my work to the professionals and it never gets me anywhere. I listen to genres on the other side of the spectrum for inspiration; lots of classical, sometimes metal stuff, never electronic (as I write it).

Its very common for people to not be able to transfer the song in their head into the DAW, I still struggle with it too. If you can't get that idea down spend time learning and coming up with stuff on the spot, don't sit there staring into space because you can't recreate those ideas.

[Freewave]

Two best places:

the SHOW-it should be your main place for inspiration. If it's a single scene, a response to a whole episode, or a response to a fanmade creation that equally inspired you, it's still the best place to draw from and to make those melodies turn into a musical piece. But remember just because something is pony doesn't mean it will get a human reaction unless you make it emotional connection to who hears it. The show works best when it dwells on human feelings that we often all share.

Music- if you aren't listening to other music and getting musical ideas you might not be listening to enough music. Try to find an idea, style, or a technique you'd like to try in your own work. Look at a genre you too would like to make music in and try it or develop your technique in the same genre if you'd like to. But don't be afraid to create. Also understand there's a lot a great music out there and only a sliver of it is brony music or new.

[itroitnyah]

We all get inspiration from different sources, and some sources will work better for some than others. For me, I'll just get an idea, out of the blue. It'll just pop into my head, and I'll remember it for quite some time. I even still remember, and plan to make, some song ideas that came into my head in the very early days of my music!

Sometimes, I don't start a song with inspiration. I just start making synths and laying down notes on piano roll, until I get something that I like and build up from there.

[Nine Volt]

I... don't know to be honest. Sometimes I hear a song that I like a lot, and I think "Hey! I should make something like that!". Other times, I just start building synths that fit a certain theme, for example icy sounding synths for a track about winter or whatever. You know, smooth, high pitched squares, sharp sawtooth plucks, that sort of thing. Other than that I usually just get inspiration from listening to music I like.

[itroitnyah]

I... don't know to be honest. Sometimes I hear a song that I like a lot, and I think "Hey! I should make something like that!". Other times, I just start building synths that fit a certain theme, for example icy sounding synths for a track about winter or whatever. You know, smooth, high pitched squares, sharp sawtooth plucks, that sort of thing. Other than that I usually just get inspiration from listening to music I like.

^^^ this

[Mondogreen]

I have my buddies give me a list of great ideas, and then I run them through a wood chipper. Surprisingly effective. o.o

[colortwelve]

Some of it comes from the music I listen to. Some of it comes from the books I read or the shows and movies I watch (i.e. Friendship is Magic). Some of it comes from random thoughts I manage to notice and latch onto quickly enough. Some of it comes from the sounds I make when I get bored, because atmosphere plays a huge part in my music. Sometimes I'm inspired by one of my own songs, either to redo said song or to reuse a technique or sound from that song in a better track. Sometimes I'm inspired to apply something I've been reading out of my music theory book, and either dust off one of my unfinished tracks or start something entirely new.

It comes from a lot of places, really, but I'm thankful that I at least have a lot of wells to draw from.

[XXDarkShadow79XX]

Wait, you need to have INSPIRATION? Aw, shoot.

[Raddons]

Happy things

[Pickslide1992]

One of two ways:

1. Inspiration randomly strikes and I come up with a badass riff/pattern and save it for later

2. Listening to music of a similar genre and getting some ideas that way for riffs and such.

[Motivfs]

It's not so much that I compare some of the grade A producers of the genre I love to myself, but I somewhat want to make music that sounds similar to theirs, or in the same style, but still be unique as mine. It's really hard for me to grasp where my inspiration comes from because it can be very random at times.

Although I do know that I definitely get inspired by most of Camo & Krookeds, Maduk, Feint, & Rockwells music. Basically anything Drum & Bass.

I don't think I even know what I'm saying.

[Thyrai]

I... don't know to be honest. Sometimes I hear a song that I like a lot, and I think "Hey! I should make something like that!". Other times, I just start building synths that fit a certain theme, for example icy sounding synths for a track about winter or whatever. You know, smooth, high pitched squares, sharp sawtooth plucks, that sort of thing. Other than that I usually just get inspiration from listening to music I like.

This is pretty much exactly how it happens for me

[cloudshovit]

ummm.. drugs? I'm just kidding. Consume as much music as you can but it can be both a good thing and bad thing. Also spend some time away from the computer, which is what I'm having a problem with. Stop watching TV (except for MLP of course). Spend some time talking to people in real life and shit. Also having a diary with all your thoughts and ideas could help.

[Beetie Swelle]

I'd hate to basically restate what has already been said, but yeah, listening to different types of music and just doodling on a DAW or instrument is great.

[Magnitude Zero]

I get inspiration at the weirdest times, from the weirdest places. I can't tell you how many music ideas I've come up with while taking a piss.

Without getting too far into that, I do get a lot of ideas from listening to some artists whose style I tend to emulate (i.e. PPS, Pendulum, occasionally Two Steps From Hell) and thinking "hey that sounds cool, let's try that". Sometimes I'll find myself singing a cool melody. Maybe there's some interesting weather outside, or the stars are particularly bright out, or someone made a pun. Inspiration comes from everywhere, usually when you don't want it to.

tl;dr listen to music, look at nature, and maintain a healthy bladder

edit: also ponies

[Elmorya]

Thanks for the advice everyone, ill keep trying to make music and uhh...maintain a healthy bladder

[Pewter Robot]

I get my inspiration from my insatiable hunger for new music to listen to. I'm always finding new genres and new artists that inspire me to try out new things that I haven't done before. Like right now I'm obsessed with Feed Me, so I'm trying to make a lot of electro house.

[Pewter Robot]

Listening to music of the same genre I produce around the time I'm writing only makes me compare my work to the professionals and it never gets me anywhere. I listen to genres on the other side of the spectrum for inspiration; lots of classical, sometimes metal stuff, never electronic (as I write it).

That's why I get inspired by the professionals. I compare my music to theirs and it makes me force myself to work on my songs until I think they're good enough to listen to and enjoy them. Comparing my music to the professionals is what makes me get better. So I guess this varies by person.

[cloudshovit]

I get my inspiration from my insatiable hunger for new music to listen to. I'm always finding new genres and new artists that inspire me to try out new things that I haven't done before. Like right now I'm obsessed with Feed Me, so I'm trying to make a lot of electro house.

I also do this ^

but then there's this

Listening to music of the same genre I produce around the time I'm writing only makes me compare my work to the professionals and it never gets me anywhere. I listen to genres on the other side of the spectrum for inspiration; lots of classical, sometimes metal stuff, never electronic (as I write it).

That's why I get inspired by the professionals. I compare my music to theirs and it makes me force myself to work on my songs until I think they're good enough to listen to and enjoy them. Comparing my music to the professionals is what makes me get better. So I guess this varies by person.

This is also where my problems lies. This is why I haven't released anything more than a few audio snippets. I think we are sometimes being too hard on ourselves and not allowing ourselves to grow and progress at our own pace. Like a lot of the people we look up to have been doing that shit for a considerable amount of time. I think it is unrealistic to expect ourselves to come up with something as good on our first tries. I sometimes try not to look for new music for inspiration anymore and try to use that time to make myself get better at what I'm doing by learning things I'm weak at. And also just focus on the music of the artists that I already know is good. And try my best to be as good as well. Also I have come full circle from being a metalhead first and now trying to make electronic music. Its ironic how trying to make electronic music made want to learn classical guitar and listen to classical music.

[Sonarch]

I get a huge amount of musical inspiration whenever I am utterly unable to act upon it. Like, i'll be at school or out camping, and get hit with the urge to make some music, but when I get home and have time to do it, I end up wasting the time goofing around online or watching whatever TV show i'm watching at the time. I also get a lot of inspiration from hearing other people's music. I recently stumbled upon this guy who does a one man barbershop quartet thing, and hearing his voice makes me want to be able to sing so badly.

The main thing I try to do is keep my ideas, no matter how general or specific, noted down somewhere. I have a word document full of random ideas, be they "remix X song" to "mix these 2 genres", and a lot of other random ideas I get. I don't know how many i'll be able to actually carry out, but i'll try. The main thing is, where I used to say "someone should make a remix of this" or "I wish someone could make a song in X style" now I can think "I should remix that!" or "what if I did a song like this?"

You know?
I don't know what my point was anymore. I'm rambling. Carry on.

[PonE-Sharp]

I like to find a certain tune that I like and hum it to myself. Then I start changing notes around and adding a few. Eventually it becomes an entirely new song, while still keeping the base feeling and rhythm of it's base tune! Unfortunately, I seem to only be able to do this while I'm at work, resulting in 0 musical output.

[Captain Ironhelm]

I think about fluffy caterpillars dancing in the rain on rainbow colored donuts.

but more seriously, from anything and everything. Seems rather generic, but true.

[Warbalist]

I have to side with Stravinsky on this one. I'll paraphrase: Just keep writing and make your own inspiration.

I just imagine being a potter and the blank page/screen is the wheel. Just throw some clay on there and mess with it until it looks like what you want it to look like.

Art, books/stories, movies, games are a big inspiration to me. If this piece of art had a soundtrack, what would it sound like? What did this particular scene make me feel and how do I communicate that in sound? Questions can really drive inspiration.

As an introvert, being utterly alone in the wilderness helps me. I feel like I can be myself completely and am able to ask myself some interesting questions. Just be sure to bring pens and paper with you if you try it!

[K3WRO]

In the shower