Unmixing – separating logistics and creation
Unmixing – sort of the reverse of a mixing/recording session where the technology gets untangled from the creativity.
creative process
playing with feelings in improvisation – InterPlayful
Feelings are deeply connected to my improvising. What I mean by that is emotion is often (almost always?) a starting point for my improvisations. This includes piano improv. As you know (unless you’ve never been here before), one of my key creative outlets is piano improvisation. One recent avenue to this form of creating was …
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Expectations For A Creative Challenge
I can give you summary of this post now: set realistic expectations … if you can. At least for me, that’s the trick with doing anything with great intensity. I’m writing this post in first-person. Even though the references here will be to “me” and “I”, you may find that you can relate with some …
Begin – 3 Ideas for Actually Starting Creative Projects
You must begin. Until you start, your creative (or any) projects won’t finish themselves. (Don’t you hate that?) Here are some tips that might be starting points for taking your creativity beyond a concept or imaginative idea. (It will probably come as no surprise that these are exactly what I need now, too.) Do you …
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Pain Chain and Releasing the Brain
Pain Since I started a blue-collar job (my first one since college), I’ve been experiencing pain. To be clear, I have chronic pain from three bulging discs in my neck. But this is different. Due to the nature of physical labor and long hours of driving, I’m feeling more discomfort than I can ever remember. …
Muse As Magnet – Why I Compose and Write
Throughout my life, I’ve pondered the muse. Even my brand name includes a play on the word “muse” (as well as music, for, now, present moment, and so on). Yet, once in a while I need to be called back to unravel the mystery of why I create. Recently, I’ve had a number of conversations …
Quick Creative Process: The Long and the Short of It
In my previous post you read about longer creative processes. Obviously, one alternative to this is a very brief or quick creative process. In my experience, the typical way that an artist does a short project is by intentionally setting a goal or intention of doing it quickly. Thanks to @SoMiDalsgaard for sharing your thoughts …
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Long Creative Process: The Long and the Short Of It
“This is the short and the long of it…” ~ William Shakespeare One thing that I’ve noticed about my own creative process is that the time to create something can vary widely. What I mean by that is simply that some processes take years (or even decades) and others can be quite brief. I’ve observed …
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Which came first? The chords or the lyrics?
You asked for creative process, so here you go… Melody or Words “Do you write the music or the lyrics first?” This is one of the questions I’m asked most frequently about songwriting. The cool thing is that there’s no right answer. I have several songs that would fit one answer and several that would …
Goin’ Back – On the trickiness of reviewing one’s own art
Musicians can arrange a song in so many beautiful ways. I’ve included videos of three versions of Carole King and Gerry Goffin’s “Goin’ Back” to illustrate this point. Thinking Back In 2001, I released my first album, Disappointment and Delight. It was a collection of instrumental improvisations that I had layered with additional instruments for several years. Eventually, …
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