The Intuitive Aspect of Music Production
The void.
Every artist experiences it and one could easily argue that it’s not just artists who understand this, the creative void is a human experience of universal law. The void is a place where all creativity spawns from. It’s an endless well of new ideas, thoughts, instincts, and inspirations that we tap into when we do anything creative. Whether that’s something as traditional as fine art, music, or writing it’s something mundane like coming up with a new way to organize your refrigerator or creating a new system for your child’s homework…either way, we tap in daily to this well without even realizing it. It’s the one thing in this universe that is completely free of charge. There are no prerequisites, no cover charges, no hidden fees. It’s always there for us, no matter what time of day or night, 365 days a year.
One of the great mysteries is what happens when we try and tap into this void. Often artists try and explain their process, but usually words are unreliable sources of articulation to describe what this void is. Without using esoteric terminology, we can just use the term “tapping in” as a verb that explains what happens when our minds come up with a new thought or idea. We “tap in” to the well and what’s available and what comes out are like sparks that our minds chase, latch on to, and use as catalysts to fuel our intentions. It doesn’t seem complicated, but in order for us to maintain that level of connectedness, we have to continually practice this, like working out a muscle, in order to maintain our connection.
Like any muscle in the body, the intuitive sense also needs to be trained. One simple way you can do this is to play a simple game of “What’s next” with yourself when producing your next track. Lay down an element (pad / bass / percussion / etc.) and put it on a repeating loop. Sit with it for at least a minute, and try and allow yourself to sink into the space where you make intuitive decisions. Not every decision needs to be critical, but our intuitive knowing is sometimes what brings about the best, and most needed results. Try and “listen” to what your intuition is saying to you about what would come “next” and see if it’s right. Another pad? Add one. More bass? Lay one in and see how it feels. Perhaps another sequence to compliment the original. The more you practice this, the more you’ll begin to just “know” what to do following each move you make in the DAW.
The final piece of the puzzle is having grace for yourself and realizing that when we do something creative, or manifest something like a piece of music, there’s a larger force at work that often guides us to better outcomes. I see it as an interplay between conscious decisions and allowing “magic” to happen. If you can do this, and begin that process of allowing, you’ll find yourself more in the “flow” and less stuck when it comes to knowing what to do. Music production is just as much technical as it is artistic, but remember that we are working in an invisible art form. Sound is only vibration and we only have the same frequency spectrum to work with. Your mark is what you make of it and your sound will only come from effort, experience, and time. If you can do this, you’ll be well on your way to the “flow state” and make more decisions in the DAW with ease and certainty that you are on the right path.
