3 Creative ruts every producer hits (and how to get out without burning out)
Liina “LNA” Turtonen, a.k.a LNA Does Audio Stuff, shares how to escape creative blocks without losing your motivation. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
As a music production educator, one of the most common sentences I hear at the beginning of each lesson is, “I’m probably doing this wrong.” Without us always being aware of it, the audio industry sends lots of subtle messages about what counts as “right” or “professional.” Gear ads, forum debates, and polished social media clips can leave producers feeling like there is only one correct way to create music. And if you are not doing it that way? You are failing.
But here’s the truth: there is no single “right” way to make music. Some things in audio physics are hard to argue with, and there are technical standards that the industry expects. Everything else in music is subjective. Who are we to say what is good or bad, even when it comes to our own art? Something I make now and dislike, I might love in 10 years. Our perspective at the moment of creation is shaped by hundreds of small things: mood, hormones, outside influences, pressure, perfectionism, and more.
In the past five years, I have studied how confidence affects creativity, especially for music producers. That work became my new book, Creative Confidence and Music Production: Overcome Your Insecurities. Through this process, and through many interviews with incredible people such as Susan Rogers and Rachel K Collier, I came to a conclusion: we all experience creative ruts, no matter what stage of our career we are in. It is completely normal. There are also practical techniques for getting out of these holes without pushing yourself into burnout.
In this article, I will share three of the most common creative ruts producers fall into, explain why they happen, and give you practical ways to move through them while protecting your energy and confidence.
Rut #1: The Blank Session
What it feels like
You open your DAW, ready to make something brilliant, but nothing comes. You scroll through sample packs, try out presets, maybe tap in a beat, but nothing sticks. Suddenly, the joy of making music feels like pressure, and you close the laptop in frustration.
Why it happens
The pressure to create something “good” right away.
Blaming yourself or your skills when creativity does not flow on demand.
Endless options: hundreds of plug-ins, instruments, and effects can overwhelm rather than inspire.
Forgetting that play and discovery are valid. Having fun is the actual point.
Ways out
Set micro-goals. Tell yourself you only need to make noise for 10 minutes. Do not pressure yourself to finish a track or even like what you make.
Limit your tools. Pick one synth, maybe ROLI’s Equator2 or even a stock Ableton instrument, and commit to it. Limitations create freedom.
Just show up. In an interview for my book, Susan Rogers (Prince’s producer) shared that Prince did not always feel inspired, but he always showed up and played. Flow cannot be forced, but it can be encouraged by starting. Key reminder: A blank page is not proof of failure. It is an invitation to rethink your expectations and to enjoy making music.
Rut #2: The Endless Loop
What it feels like
You have built a killer 16-bar loop. It is catchy and vibey, but you have listened to it 50 times. When it is time to expand into a full track, you freeze. Instead, you keep tweaking hi-hats or EQing the kick, and the track never leaves loop-land.
Why it happens
Loops feel safe and controlled. Expanding feels risky, like you might ruin what you love.
Fear of committing. Seeing the track laid out in full can trigger doubts about arrangement, genre, or quality.
Ways out
Arrange early. As soon as you like a loop, copy it across three minutes. Carve out an intro, breakdown, and drop with muting and automation.
Create options. Make two or three different arrangements of the same track. This helps you detach from the loop and experiment more freely.
Keep it simple. Simple is often more effective. Instead of adding layers, use your existing instruments more creatively with automation, effects, or layering.
Key reminder: Leaving the safety of the loop opens up new opportunities
Rut #3: The Confidence Crash
What it feels like
You finish a track, but when you listen back you think, This is terrible. Or you scroll through Spotify, hear your favorite artists, and suddenly your work feels pointless. Confidence crashes often hit right after you have been productive.
Why it happens
Your taste grows faster than your skills, making your work feel disappointing.
Perfection myths. Social media only shows polished highlights, not failures or drafts.
Comparison. Measuring yourself against others instead of your own growth.
Ways out
Understand your goal. Why are you making music? If you want to play the industry game, study the rules of your genre. It takes time. If you do not want to play that game, trust your vision and do what feels right to you.
Track your progress. Compare your current track to one from six months ago, not to someone else’s release. We all grow on our own timeline.
Find a safe community. Share drafts in spaces that support growth, not tear it down. Trusted friends, small Discord groups, or mentorship can make all the difference. My Patreon community is dedicated to supporting people’s creativity with a fully safe space free from unsolicited feedback or judgment. Find a community where you can feel completely accepted as you are. Creativity needs vulnerability, and if you do not feel safe to show your true self, you will easily fall into creative ruts and self-doubt.
Key reminder: Confidence dips are not the end of your journey. They are something we all feel from time to time, even if the music industry does not always openly talk about it. This is why I interviewed dozens of artists for my book to share their insecurities as musicians and producers. The more we talk about these experiences, the less faulty and alone we feel.
Avoiding Burnout Altogether
The worst thing you can do when stuck is to push yourself harder. Creativity does not respond well to punishment.
Schedule breaks. Walk, stretch, or step outside after each session. Your ears and brain need recovery.
Schedule creative sessions. If you struggle to find time, schedule 10 minutes or an hour each week just to play. You never know what 10 minutes can lead to.
Remember: creativity is a marathon, not a sprint.
More About The Author
LNA (Liina Turtonen) is a Finnish-born artist, producer, author, and sound designer based in York, England. Her melodic and progressive house blends electronic and acoustic elements with a distinctly cinematic feel. Beyond her artistic work, she is an Ableton Certified Trainer and creator of the YouTube channel LNA Does Audio Stuff. She also runs a supportive Patreon community focused on building creative confidence and helping artists make more music. In 2025, LNA published her first book, Creative Confidence and Music Production (Routledge), a practical and mindset-focused guide for overcoming self-doubt and growing as an artist.
Suggested articles
“There is no failure in creativity”—LNA Does Audio Stuff on fearless music-making
Gnarly celebrates having confidence in your creativity
Join the ROLI community