LHG, I like melodic metal, alt rock, neo progressive. I like big band from the 30s and 40s. I like baroque from centuries ago. And then some random stuff that’s adjacent to those types. I grew up listening to Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, the Beatles, the Who, then when I was grown, it was Pink Floyd, Genesis, Yes, King Crimson. Later moved toward Magazine, Joy Division (but not New Order), The Smiths, the Cure. Then goth metal, Evanescensce, Nightwish, Within Temptation. Then Cage the Elephant, Arctic Monkeys, Band of Skulls, Beseech. I still listen to those last few currently. My current faves are Dredg, Antimatter (a perennial favorite), No Money Kids, Left Hand Solution, Placebo… actually, although my tastes are narrow, it might be quicker to list what I don’t like: rock oldies, especially southern rock oldies (I get sick of songs on repeated listening, and most rock oldies I never liked much in the first place), New Wave from the 80s, rap, country, pop, anything with Autotune in it, and symphonies.

Eirik, can we listen to your music if we Google your name? Otherwise, links please

But I guess the first time film music really «clicked» for me was when the Star Wars Trilogy Special Edition happened in 1997, and all three soundtracks were re-released in complete and chronological editions on double CD albums. 

You mean these ones?   I also picked them up back in 1997 and they made a huge impression on teenage me.

I forgot to comment on this. If you’ve done a decade of gigging I can completely understand that it feels like enough is enough. I think you really should try a hand at composing!   You seem to already have a great understanding of music in general. The «something blocking you», is it kind of a voice in your head that says you can’t write so and so, a kind of self-doubt? If it is, I think that’s a very common thing for all creative people. If I think too much or start doubting my own ideas too much, it gets very hard to create anything good. I also find that the best ideas do not appear while I am in the studio, surrounded by tools. Rather, when I am on a walk, or in the shower or whatever, and just let my mind float around, that’s when the best ideas often appear. I hurry up and grab my phone and just sing those ideas in while they’re fresh. That way, when I’m in the studio later, I already have a plan, which I force myself to stick to. Then there is no room for doubt, because I have already committed to a particular something!

These things of course vary a great deal from person to person, but I’ve heard about similar experiences from quite many artists and composers.

Thanks for this. Yes, I think self doubt is a huge part of it, but there's also a struggle to create any ideas of my own in my head. I can sit in front of an empty DAW and find that absolutely nothing comes out. I've tried a few strategies, including making intentionally bad music just to get something down, and taking part in challenges that impose fun limits (e.g., a 60 second piece of music in an '80s power ballad style that must include flute).

I do at least have a vague idea of the kind of instrumental music I would like to create, but getting down to specifics is a bit of a battle!

Eirik, can we listen to your music if we Google your name? Otherwise, links please

Sure you can – thanks for asking!  You’ll find it on both Bandcamp and streaming services like Spotify, Tidal, Apple Music and (probably) all of those. I also have a website, but a fair warning: It contains almost too much info..!

You mean these ones?   I also picked them up back in 1997 and they made a huge impression on teenage me.

Indeed! Those are the ones!!  

Thanks for this. Yes, I think self doubt is a huge part of it, but there's also a struggle to create any ideas of my own in my head. I can sit in front of an empty DAW and find that absolutely nothing comes out. I've tried a few strategies, including making intentionally bad music just to get something down, and taking part in challenges that impose fun limits (e.g., a 60 second piece of music in an '80s power ballad style that must include flute).

I do at least have a vague idea of the kind of instrumental music I would like to create, but getting down to specifics is a bit of a battle!

Be assured that it is a constant battle for me too. And some days you feel like you’re just shit, and all your ideas are shit. I think it will probably always be that way. If you listen to interviews with one of the world’s most fantastic film composers (in my opinion), Danny Elfman, you will find that he is *excessively* full of self-doubt, and constantly talking himself down. His reaction to someone giving him his first gig as a feature film composer was essentially, «You’re making a big mistake!» I guess this kind of constant «battling with ones own mind» is a personality trait for many artists and creative people. It goes to say that many of us are also neurodivergent, which I believe is no coincidence. 

Hey Eirik, I’ve been browsing through your Bandcamp from time to time over the past couple of weeks. I admit I only sampled some of the soundtrack scores since I think those tend to need a little more context to fully appreciate. I did really enjoy what you did with Oslo with making city sounds into a song ? The things I’ve listened to more than once are Peer Gynt: Selvets Keiser, Wait for It…, and Escapades. Thanks for sharing ❤️ Really good stuff!

Have you ever, or would you ever, do a soundtrack for a video game? If I were a game maker, I would hire you in a heartbeat!

Hey Jen! Thank you!!   I really appreciate it!  

I have *almost* been involved in a couple of game projects, but they never went into production, so it’s still on my bucket list! I would love to do music for games!

Well, actually, I *did* do some music for Kahoot! back in 2016. Technically not really a game, so I often forget mentioning that. 
https://eirikmyhr.no/kahoot