I Made a Song Using ONLY Random Household Objects

Ever tried making music without any instruments or synths?

I did just that and created an entire track using nothing but sounds from household objects—think kitchen utensils, pots and pans, glasses, plants even the coffee machine (thanks Andrew Huang).

At first, I had no clue how I was going to do it.

Here's the thing - embracing constraints, working under a deadline, and giving myself a challenge unlocks new level of creative innovation.

>> Why Constraints are Powerful:

Limitations spark creativity: When I knew I couldn’t use any instruments, I was forced to listen differently and think about sound in ways I normally wouldn’t.
Deadlines force action: Instead of tweaking endlessly, I had a clear finish line that kept me focused and moving forward (which was by the end of the day)
Challenges boost growth: This process pushed me out of my comfort zone and made me think in fresh, exciting ways about sound design and music production.

>> How I Did It:

Sampling: I walked around my house, tapping, banging, and recording anything that made a unique sound. Knowing I had to capture material for Rhythm, Bass, Melody & Harmony.
Calibrate: I brought these recordings into my DAW (Ableton), chopped them up, and manipulated them into playable instruments. This involved sound design, time stretching, re-pitching and processing with audio effects.
Layering and Effects: Layering was a HUGE hack for this. My kick was a combination of 6 different sounds mixed together. Then I treated the household sounds like any other sample, using EQ, reverb, and delay to create space and cohesion.
Flow: I jammed out some ideas as I was designing the instruments. Then dedicated some time to jam a bunch more ideas.
Extract: I picked the best ideas, then started to create variations and jam more ideas alongside my best ideas to create even more material. I start loosely sketching scenes for a structure.
Compose: I "performed" my structure into the timeline. Then started chiseling it away. I removed a ton of stuff, shortened sections and did some quick edits.
Edit, Mix, Master: Because of the extreme time constraint I did all these stages SUPER fast. this forced me to do the absolute minimum and have NO time to overthink / analyze anything.

>> The Result?

A track that I never would have imagined making! You can listen to it for yourself [here].

Is it perfect? Nope

Am I going to release it? Probably not

Did I learn something & have fun? Yep

>> Takeaway:

The best creativity comes from constraints. We all have access to endless plugins and presets, but when you strip things down, you unlock new layers of imagination.

The limited time aspect of this challenge reminded me that not allowing yourself to overthink and overanalyze (which I always tend to do) - keeps things flowing. GO FAST.

>>Your Turn:

If you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed, try setting a limitation on your next project. Whether it’s a deadline, restricting yourself to a few samples/instruments, or using non-traditional sound sources, you might surprise yourself with what you can create!

What challenge will you take on next? ⬇️

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