Welcome back to another edition of the newsletter! Today, I want to dive into a question that every music producer gets asked at some point:

Whether you’re writing a book, making a film, producing a track, or even coming up with ideas for this newsletter, the process of generating new ideas can feel like magic. But it’s not.

Creativity isn’t about waiting for inspiration to strike—it’s about building habits and systems that allow you to capture, develop, and refine ideas consistently.

So, if you’ve ever stared at an empty DAW screen, wondering why you have zero musical inspiration, this one’s for you. Let’s break down how you can come up with fresh ideas for your music every time you sit down to create.

💡 Where Do Musical Ideas Come From?

Let’s bust a myth: creativity doesn’t come from thin air. It’s not some mystical force that visits you when the universe feels generous. Instead, ideas come from:

🎧 Listening: Great producers are great listeners. You should be constantly exposing yourself to different styles, genres, and even non-musical sounds.

📓 Stealing (the right way): Every artist is influenced by something. The trick is not to copy but to take inspiration from multiple sources and blend them into something new.

🌍 Everyday Life: A conversation, a weird sound in your kitchen, a film soundtrack, the rhythm of a train—ideas are everywhere if you’re paying attention.

🧠 Experimentation: Sometimes, you don’t find ideas. You create them by playing around with new sounds, plugins, or techniques.

🎵 My Process for Generating Music Ideas

I don’t just sit down and hope that inspiration shows up. I follow a simple system that ensures I always have ideas when I need them. Here’s what works for me:

1. Keep an “Ideas” Folder

I use an app called Tape It, but you can use the simple voice notes app or even a portable digital recorder. Any time I hear an interesting melody, drum pattern, or vocal idea—even if it’s just me humming into my phone—I save it there.

📌 Actionable Tip: Start an ideas folder today. Every time you hear something cool, record it—even if it’s just 5 seconds long.

2. Use “Constraint-Based Creativity”

Too much freedom can be paralysing. Sometimes, the best way to spark an idea is to limit yourself.

Try these ideas:
🎹 Use only one synth (e.g., only Serum, only Analog Lab, only Drift)
🥁 Make a beat with just 3 drum samples​
🎵 Sample something weird (the hum of your fridge, a voicemail, etc.)

By limiting your options, you force your brain to think differently.

3. Remix & Flip Existing Ideas

If you don’t know where to start, don’t start from scratch. Open an old project and flip it in a new way.

✅ Slow it down, pitch it up, reverse it, chop it.
✅ Take the chords from one song, but write a new melody.
✅ Take a bassline, but change the rhythm completely.

A lot of producers think every song needs to be 100% original. The truth? Some of the biggest hits ever were inspired by existing tracks.

4. Use the “First Thought, Best Thought” Rule

If you overthink, you kill creativity. Some of my best ideas came from spontaneous moments—before I had time to second-guess them.

🔥 Next time you make a melody or drum loop, stick with the first version and build around it instead of tweaking endlessly.

5. Collab & Borrow from Other Art Forms

Sometimes, the best ideas don’t come from music at all.

📚 Read a book and turn the mood into a song.
🎬 Watch a movie and recreate its atmosphere with sounds.
👥 Work with another producer or vocalist to get fresh input.

Different perspectives = fresh ideas.

🛠️ Tools That Help with Idea Generation

Here are some of my go-to tools when I need to break through creative blocks:

🎹 Scaler 2 – Helps generate chord progressions when you’re stuck.
🧠 Cthulhu – MIDI chord & arpeggio tool for instant inspiration.
🔀 Serato Sample – Lets you flip and chop samples easily.
🎛️ Randomization – Some synths and DAWs (like Ableton 12's new MIDI tools) can generate happy random accidents. Play (and RECORD everything!).

The goal isn’t to rely on tools instead of creativity—it’s to use them as starting points when inspiration feels low.

🎬 Interesting Videos I Watched This Week

1️⃣ The Science of Creativity – A breakdown of how creativity actually works in the brain. Watch here.

2️⃣ How Top Producers Come Up with Melodies – A deep dive into the techniques used by pros. Watch here.

3️⃣ Why Limitation Makes You More Creative – A short but powerful video on why having too many options kills creativity. Watch here.

🎯 Your Next Steps

If you struggle to come up with ideas, don’t sit around waiting for inspiration. Instead, create a system that helps you generate ideas on demand.

✅ Start an ideas folder today.
✅ Use one constraint next time you produce.
✅ Flip an old project in a new way.
✅ Use the “First Thought, Best Thought” rule.
✅ Watch one of the videos above for more inspiration.

Remember: Creativity is a skill. The more you practice capturing, developing, and refining ideas, the easier it becomes to stay inspired consistently.

Let me know—what’s your go-to method for coming up with new music ideas? Reply to this email, and I might feature your tip in a future issue!

Until next time, keep creating and stay inspired!

Cheers,
​

Kompa55

P.S. If you want to support me and my music, then click here to listen to my new track "I Still Burn" which was released late week.

P.P.S. Here are a few other ways I can help you on your music journey:

• The Producer Skillset: 30+ YouTube videos to level up your music skills.
• Ghost Production: If you want me to create a full, release ready track for you, then hit reply. Let's chat!
• Mixing & Mastering Service: Interested in making your tracks sound professional? I use my full range of analogue studio equipment to mix & master your tracks to get them sounding polished, loud and ready for release. Hit reply to know more.

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