Have you ever listened to a piece of music and wondered how that musician thought of it? Where did the spark of the idea come from? What’s the process for creating something unique and engaging?
Artists of all stripes often talk about their muse. For Stephen King, it’s some old guy he knows who likes to talk a lot. Whatever it is that this guy says, King is able to take the snippets and turn them into books that sell in the multiple millions.
Whether or not you actually create music, even if you just try to come up with interesting transitions or mixes, every DJ wants to know which path will lead to that fountain of creativity.
Good news: there’s actually not just one path. Here are some suggestions that are proven to work. Not all will work for you. The key is to find your personal favorites, then mix it up every now and then.
- Listen to different genres. Country, rock, classical, whatever. Pay attention to it; learn to appreciate it. Your mind and experience will expand, and your ideas will be better as a result.
- Record it. You never know when inspiration will strike. The shower or 2 a.m. is usually when it happens for me. Always have something on hand where you can record your ideas. Absolutely never assume that you’ll remember. Chances are you won’t.
- Change the scenery. If most of your work day is spent in the studio, you need to get out for a bit. Go see a band, go for a long walk in the woods … get the oxygen flowing in a different way than you’re used to. Sometimes adding a regular work-out to your morning routine is enough of a change to spark some ideas.
- Set up a schedule. Every writer I’ve ever read has this advice. It’s the same for DJs. Set up a regular work schedule. For instance, every day from 10 to 1 you can be found in the studio mixing, listening to music, etc. That regular work schedule trains your brain to be active and creative at a particular time each day.
- Fire the editor … for now. In other words, don’t judge your ideas before they even really see the light of day. Record everything. You just never know how an idea might be developed into something truly amazing.
- Get social … with your ideas. Don’t worry about hoarding your ideas so no one else steals them. That fount of creativity is deep. Get out, talk to other DJs, collaborate on projects. Putting heads together will create an even more creative atmosphere for you.
How do you stoke the fires of creativity?
