Haha, they sure are clicky. Luckily my partner is also part of my band, so it’s not so much of an issue. And the softer M:C is better for bed-based music now at least.
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haha - wow - living the dream! Do you write your music together?
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Going off topic here, but yes. Everything is mostly written on guitar (my main instrument) or ukulele (her main instrument) then we get the Elektrons involved to translate everything into the synthy electronic realm. One of us writes the main chords and/or melodies for each song, then the other refines things. Though she’s entirely responsible for vocals/lyrics. In fact, bringing this back on topic, having someone to bounce ideas off of is so so important. Whenever I’ve been without feedback, band mates, or collaborators, I flail about in the dark and get absolutely nothing of worth done 
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Exactly. Since I suffer from major depression due to loneliness (vicious circle) – having someone to make music with, is – I think – such a huge insurance to not fall into that rabbit hole.
So for me there wouldn’t be anything more desirable than having a partner with whom I could be creative (be it music or whatever).
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Same. I have mild, manageable, functioning manic depression. But as I’m 37 now, I know that the shit times always pass and that the good times are just around the corner. Ironically enough it’s the times when I feel super great that annoys everyone around else around me (like talking to some dickhead on coke haha), then I get down thinking everyone hates me. Totally cyclical. Same thing with music. Sometimes I think this is the best thing created since Beethoven lol, and other times I’m like this doesn’t even sound like music haha. Sticking at it for the long haul is the only way to find what’s normal to other people imo and to balance things out. It’s fucking tough being an artist, whatever the medium happens to be
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sounds nice, elektron pillow talk.
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i’m lucky. i never had that feeling.
and when i took a break from making music for several years, it was due to another time- and money-hungry hobby. 
teenage dreams must be fulfilled, period.
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One of my never-accomplished-teenage-dreams was to play bass with my friends in a nu metal band (it was all the rage back then…). But my friends weren’t interested in music whatsoever. 
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I grew up on Nu Metal! It’s always been my favorite sub-genre of rock next to alternative. You just need one other person, do like Local H did.
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One thing that might help with this is improving something where you lack. I don’t mean hard or software, I mean skill. Learning something new (YouTube, books, whatever) and then using it can be a wonderful source of inspiration and motivation. Who doesn’t like getting better at something? When you hear a “next level” in your track, you’ll want to level up again.
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Lately, I’ve been listening to some nu metal albums while working from home… to my great surprise, it’s the ideal soundtrack for hacking through super boring work.
If I had the energy to get in a band again, it would probably be more on the stoner / sludge side, now, though.
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The do it all yourself musically burn out talk is a real thing. I was heavy in a band but a pregnant girlfriend and that nagging sense of time to grow up changed that. Had no cash but managed a sound card and Daw and quickly realized this is not for me. Took over a fifteen year hiatus with only my guitar after that. I find that limiting the amount of gear, at least for me, is key. Simple is my goal, hardware and musically. It’s hard to be simple and takes focus. Adds to my drive to get it right and make it something I enjoy rather than a work session.
Lots of fantastic reply’s here considering the current climate.
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Ha. That takes me back. I studied music at Uni, and my instrument is piano, I also studied modern jazz and and remember really pissing off one of the ‘jazzers’. Was practicing in public and just stopped on a voicing repeating it slowly, rhythmically and repeated with dynamics and turned to him with a happy smile “just listen to that, thats a beautiful sound!” “yeah dude but you can’t just play one chord!”
me “but there’s so much to hear in a simple thing”
I had forgotton that till now.
And yes at times I have seemed to be losing the will.
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Adding onto that, my mind was blown when on a guitar, I discovered that playing any three notes from something like the harmonic minor or major scale resulted in chords perfectly attuned to that scale. Seeing as most scales are over 3 strings it made perfect sense to mix these up and see what happens. Basic but awesome! 
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I’ve heard industrial musicians talk about listening to their music while cleaning the bathroom, so unsurprising!
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First post here. I kept finding this group while searching for answers about Digitakt and, as of a couple days ago, AH. Registered my account mostly to say thank you to someone here who so consistently posts clear and accurate answers. (Thank you @William_WiLD!) Then I clicked over to the forum and found this thread at the top of the stack.
Thanks to all for such a thoughtful and honest discussion. Wow. Pretty sure I’ve had all these feels from time to time. I’m 51 (as of Thursday), a producer and multi-instr (guitar, drums, brass, keys) with a long history of wandering musically with no clear ambition or direction. I started college as a music performance major, but that was 33 years ago (!). Since then, I was lucky to find a productive career outside the arts and have been able to do creative things just for the love of it. I spent decades with only an acoustic guitar, which I didn’t play that often. I played in bands, but spent more time producing and directed plays, made short films, and a few years ago produced and sold a successful documentary. (“Finishing things” can take a long time. We started working on the doc in 2005 and premiered at Sundance in 2014.)
Sometimes there was music/sound involved (scores, soundtracks), sometimes not. But 100% of the time, there was collaboration. What I’m starting to understand about myself: I’m creative, and sometimes even productive, alone. I finish things with other people.
Moving from beats and sketches to finished pieces is the current goal. I’ve started writing and producing songs with a musician friend who lives across the country, and returning to work with the director of a short film I shot 20 years ago that needs a soundscape. I’m sure some of it is about accountability or whatever; but a big part of it is inspiration, and sharing humanity with somebody, and just vibing (as my teenage daughters would say).
All that to say: I feel you, friends. This COVID isolation thing is no joke. Be easy on yourself. Somebody earlier said, there’s all this pressure to “live our best lives” during all this. Don’t sweat those voices, whether they’re coming from Facebook or from inside your head.
Sorry, this has been a long and personal response. If anybody is still reading, I’ll share the punch line: I quit drinking a month ago. Nobody would have described me as a “problem drinker” or whatever; but increasingly over the years, a few beers or a bottle of wine after work had become the norm. And for me, I could spend all day waiting and excited to get off work and get my hands on the gear. But after that first beer or glass of wine, my motivation would fade and I’d end up cruising Craigslist gear or reading reviews of stuff, instead of playing. I also found that all the COVID anxiety was only being made worse by alcohol. I’m sure this enthusiasm will fade and shift, but right now, I’m playing and recording a ton. Not telling anybody what to do, or judging or preaching – far from it. Just sharing what’s been working for me during these fraught and funky times.
Thanks for reading. Glad to be here. Seems like a great community.
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Thanks that’s very kind!
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Happy birthday
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almost a year and a half later apparently. time flies. laid back on music and got really into lifting. things never really came back the same way but in recent months ive found myself messing with gear again more frequently. i have ideas again sometimes but still no major desire to act on them like before. I just do stuff now. glad to be actually getting some small amount of pleasure from using it at all though so thats something. may just start recording little cuts and loops just mashing it together into a tape. would be interested to hear where anyone else is at
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Do what feels good, bud. Glad to read that you are getting some happiness from it again.
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