We’ve teamed up with Point Blank Studios to bring you a brand new series that dives into the world of electronic dance music production. In partnership with Point Blank Music School, this production series will be recurring with a variety of installments that will include guest posts from hot up and coming artists who will offer inside tips, detailed looks into the minds and tools of producers, as well as tricks of the trade for all you aspiring producers at home.

You’ll get to hear from your many different artists and get an inside look at how they look at and work in the studio. Even if you’re not a producer, our new series is a cool glimpse inside the mindsets of some of your favorite artists.

Our second volume of this fresh series sees us team up with Big Wild who dishes out tips on how he is able to find inspiration for making music. Without further ado, here are Big Wild’s five tips for finding inspiration:

1. Find new music.

Listen to new artists to switch up your music library. Hearing new sounds and styles is the easiest way to get inspired and get through a rut. I find that just randomly searching for songs on soundcloud, YouTube and Spotify to be the best way to find some gems. You never know what’s going to get the ideas flowing.

2. Create limits.

Create boundaries and limits for yourself. This might sound counterintuitive, but doing this forces you to be creative with what you have and to stay focused. It’s easy to start creating and then lose your inspiration because you get lost in the almost limitless options you have. Maybe limit yourself to a specific tempo and drum kit, or a chord progression and melodic hook.

3. Take breaks.

Take a break and doing something unrelated to producing or music for a couple days. It’s a refresher for your brain and I find that you will get inspired by things you wouldn’t expect. A conversation with a friend who mentions a great artist you forgot about or maybe quick trip somewhere really beautiful and a few examples of “hidden inspiration”.

4. Be open-minded.

Being open minded is essential for being inspired. Realize that inspiration comes in many forms but it’s up to you to listen and realize it. If you made a mistake while playing a melody out, don’t instantly discredit it. Some of my favorite melodies I made by accident but I was listening carefully to realize that it was actually something really cool. Many lyricists create great lines by actively listening to conversations and picking out interesting things people say (i.e. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds).

5. Why you started.

Most importantly, never forget why you began producing and where you want to go with producing. A lot of people start making music simply because they love it, and that’s the best source of inspiration you can ever have. Don’t always feel like you have to do the “strategic move” with your music. Don’t get wrapped up in petty drama with other artists and creators. These things drain your inspiration and can turn music into something you hate. Remember why you started and let that guide you.

For more expert tips, visit Point Blank, the award-winning music production and DJ school with classes in London, Los Angeles and online. Six-time ranked ‘Best DJ & Production School’ by DJ Mag, Point Blank offers ground-breaking courses taught by expert instructors including songwriters, producers and Grammy award winners. Former students include: Claude VonStroke, Nicole Moudaber, Gareth Wyn, AlunaGeorge and more. Head to their site for production tips, tutorials or to sample an online course for free.

Big Wild

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RTT x Point Blank Artist Production Series Vol. 2: Big Wild on Finding Inspiration