How to 'unstuck' and start enjoying making music again
- Apr 8
- 5 min read
Updated: May 6
Two of the artists I’ve been coaching lately in my 1:1 Music Production Coaching, both found themselves stuck and unhappy with their music. I'll bet all the coins in my pockets this is something you've experienced before too.
It wasn’t just a lack of inspiration, they felt pressure to make something exceptional.
They worried about whether their music was good enough and, deep down, wondered if it was actually the imposter syndrome talking. They’d produced tracks they enjoyed in the past and even had them signed to labels they respected. But suddenly, nothing they made felt right.
We talked it through. They weren’t sure why they’d lost the spark; they just knew something wasn’t clicking. The creative energy felt blocked, and each session in the studio left them frustrated.
It reminded me of a Zen poem of trying to "see your own eyes" or "taste your own tongue". You obviously know they’re there, but you can’t quite put it into words.
It was clear their own thoughts were holding them back. In a way, it was the success of their last projects that triggered this. They set the bar so high for themselves that they felt they had to keep outperforming their previous work.
Suddenly, the fun of making music got overshadowed by the need to impress others, meet label expectations or one-up themselves.
That might sound logical. You want to keep growing and making better music.
But creativity doesn’t do logic. It’s irrational. It’s mystical, spiritual, and magical.
If you beat yourself up, telling yourself to ‘do better’ or ‘be perfect’, it often backfires, especially when making music that feels meaningful or vulnerable.
These artists' desire to impress was shutting down their natural creativity.
Pressure can be a good motivator for some tasks, but for music-making, it often does the opposite.
I’ve been there, too, especially after my EP on Clergy came out. I piled expectations on myself to create an even bigger record next time. That stress completely killed my creativity for weeks.
It’s a pattern I still catch myself in, and I suspect most artists fall into it again and again.
Even when we know in our heads that we’re pressuring ourselves too much, it’s surprisingly easy to keep doing it until we reach a breaking point.
Eventually, we end up saying, ‘Fuck it, I can’t make anything good, so I might as well just mess around and have fun.’
Then, almost like magic, the spark returns. Without the pressure, we let ourselves play and follow our curiosity, and suddenly everything feels more alive.
It’s a cycle we’ll probably never fully escape. I don’t think there’s a magic fix that guarantees 100% fun and zero blocks. But we can tweak our mindset so that when the pressure and frustration creep in, we catch it faster and steer our sessions back towards flow.
For me, this means having a simple set of creative principles that keep me aiming towards my own creative direction, curiosity and fun, rather than external expectations.
My own go-to questions are straightforward:
Do I genuinely like what I’m hearing?
Am I enjoying the process of making it?
For creativity to flow smoothly, the answer to both of these questions should be an honest and genuine yes.
These questions sound obvious, but actually applying them in the heat of a frustrating studio session is harder than it looks. Sometimes, I realise I’m not liking what I’m making and not having fun either. That’s a clear sign something needs to change.
Maybe I just need to mute half the track that doesn't fit and see if I can take the track in a new direction.
Maybe I need to grab my favourite plugin and experiment freely.
Maybe I should step outside for a walk and some fresh air.
Each project is different, but the key is to be aware of the problem, and then act on it, even if it’s something small.
When you feel that friction or self-doubt bubbling up, consider letting go of the pressure. The more you practice recognising the moment you lose the fun, the quicker you can pivot away from it.
That could mean muting certain elements, creating weird new sounds, or deleting something you’ve spent hours on. It could even mean taking a break and coming back with fresh ears later.
By noticing what’s not working and making room for playful experimentation, you’ll start finishing more tracks, enjoying the process more and feeling that spark again.
There’s no bulletproof way to stop your mind from ever piling on the pressure, but there’s no need to fight it endlessly, either.
You can allow those thoughts to exist, acknowledge them, then say, ‘Alright, let’s get back to having fun.’
Let the music flow as it wants to, without deciding it must always measure up to some unrealistic benchmark.
When you next feel that heavy sense of friction or frustration creeping in, take a deep breath and remember these ideas.
If you want to turn things around quickly, ask yourself: ‘Do I honestly like this? Am I having fun right now?’
If the answer’s no, you know it’s time to loosen the reins and just play. That might be all it takes to bring your spark back.
And if you can do that consistently...
Well, that’s when the real magic happens.
Your best work often appears when the pressure fades, and you allow your curiosity to lead the way. Then you’ll discover new sounds, new textures, and brand-new approaches you didn’t even know were in you.
Music feels alive again, and that’s the moment you remember why you do this in the first place.
Now go and make some music for yourself and enjoy the ride, pressure free.
Big love
Eryk Kabay
Whenever you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help you make better music:
Watch my techno production masterclasses. Learn beyond the surface-level ‘how-to’ and get a deeper understanding of the 'why' and 'when' to make better decisions in all your future tracks. View the masterclasses here.
Join my 1:1 music production coaching Resolve overwhelm and confusion and become a more creative and authentic artist. Learn how to make professionally sounding music that's uniquely yours. Find out more and apply here.
Get your music mastered, mixed or get feedback Is your music nearly finished? I will help you make it sound the best it can and get it ready to release into the world. Find out more about my music services.
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