The Other Kind of Break #rest #break #takeabreak #creativeblock #artistblock #seventypesofrest
For the past several weeks I have been writing about the histories of the various samples commonly used within drum and bass and jungle. While there have been a couple of bass samples, the vast majority have been about drum breaks. As far as breaks go I’ve covered James Brown’s “Cold Sweat” and “Hot Pants” as well as the Apache break, taken from Jerry Lordon’s seminal track “Apache”. Today we are going to talk about breaks, but not drum breaks. We are going to be talking actual breaks.
If you create in any form be it music production, DJing, dancing, cooking, coding, writing, or the like you probably have an intense drive to create when given the chance. It’s a fundamental part of life as much as breathing and it’s just about instinctive. While creating, we sometimes get into a state of being called “The zone” wherein which we just let go and everything comes flowing forth, almost effortlessly. Those are the days in which we get the most accomplished; those are the days that often remind us why we are artists.
Then there are those days that we sit down to work and all we do is struggle. Even if we have a solid game plan, the struggle is real and it doesn’t quit. The struggle is there even if there is a deadline looming or we really feel the drive to work. But I have some advice: don’t create. Take a break and do something else. Go out into nature, look at art, or listen to other types of music. Our projects will be there when we get back. After our break we’ll feel rested and ready to get going again.
Creative blocks happen to everyone and it’s pretty common for people to struggle through them and then beat themselves up. We aren’t always on our A game. We are human and no matter the need to create, we still need rest. There are seven types of rest, and one of them is called “creative rest”. It is the type of rest that rejuvenates creativity and includes the things already mentioned: connecting with nature, music, or art.
We need to stop trying to force the creative process because it just causes unnecessary anguish and frustration. Take some time today to take a break and try some creative rest.
Till next time,
Tally G
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