Optimizing Your Creativity

Let's face it, when it comes to creativity, inspiration can be fickle. There are times when you're on fire and everything you do seems like a complete gem. Then there are other times when it all seem like complete garbage. The worst seems to be when ideas don't seem to be coming at all. There are things we can do to optimize the time when we're the most creative and what to do when we aren't.

Being On Fire

We all love those times when ideas are just flowing. The ideas are coming from every where and one seems better than the next. We all know though, that these times are fleeting and they seem to leave just as quickly as they arrived. Creativity can be like a little child. They come and go when they please. They're very erratic and can't be depended on. They can last but usually they're quite short...or never long enough. And the worst part is that the harder you try to get them to abide by your will, the harder it is to get them to cooperate. In short, when it comes to inspiration, we're at the whim of the gods.



Taking Control


So we can see that creative inspiration won't abide by our demand and will. Like the little child analogy, there are ways we can set the stage to entice creativity to come our way. We can make sure that we take time for it everyday. Creativity needs a playground. It needs a time and space to play. We can't always be there when it wants but we can set the stage and see what happens. We can have an open mind and most of all, patience. Great ideas come when they're good and ready. You should be ready too.

The Repetitiveness Of It All

Our brains work in different ways depending on our environment. Have you ever noticed that you get great ideas at the weirdest times? There are good reasons for it most of the time. There's no mystery why we come up with our best ideas when driving, vacuuming or taking a walk. Something happens to our brain when we do simple, repetitive tasks. Much like our brain when we take a walk, the brain gets into the the repetitive motions of the activity and spurs the ideas in the back of our brain. We want to get our mind into this area when we're trying to be creative. That's why being consistent with your work is such a valuable asset. Being in the right mindset helps too.

Cramming Your Day

There's also the opposite effect when we're stressed out, or trying to do too many things at once. Creativity usually can't fit inside your mind when you're preoccupied with a million other things. Try to set aside a time where you won't be bothered. Try and forget your day. Don't put too much emphasis on 'getting something done' as much as 'seeing what comes up'. If at all possible separate your 'creative days' from your 'working days'. I try to get as many of my chores done in a single day so I can devote a separate day to just creating. Pick a time of day when your mind is more quiet. Ironically, I usually find this to be the morning, you may find something else. If you're writing and your mind is preoccupied with things to do, write them down and let them go. They'll be there when you're done.

Other Places to Play

Some people say that they come up with the best ideas in weird places but have trouble getting the juices going when they get home or into the studio. I've had some musicians tell me that they've had their best ideas when teaching and working with others. There are two reasons for this. The first goes along with the notion we mentioned earlier about the environment and repetitive tasks. When teaching students, teachers are usually in the same space and same environment mentally for quite a few hours. They're also doing actions that are very similar and repetitive. The other reason is the state of mind. When sitting down and trying to get creative in the studio, you may do a couple of warm ups and get right to it. You start to bang out a couple of ideas and wonder why nothing is coming. Like the child, creativity doesn't seem to want to play today or at least won't play on demand. In the teaching scenario, you aren't asking the child to come and play. You're simply working and trying to convey ideas. You're playing on your own and leaving it open to creativity if it wants to come in a join you. Of course since your mind is on the task at hand, this happens in your sub-conscious. Working on your sub-conscious is much more effective because that's the area where your creativity stems from. Your mind isn't concerned about coming up with the next best idea, it's simply involved with the task at hand.

So What Can I Do

The best way to stimulate creativity is to just start playing. It's much more interested in playing along than being told what to do. Some people work best when they put aside a particular time of day and just get to it. If you're dismissing this right off, don't. I've always felt that I needed to be 'in the mood' or at least 'in the right state of mind' to be creative. I've also always felt that I was more effective at night than at day. The problem with this was I never really tested it. The reason why I felt this way wasn't from concrete results but it was always the time I was 'in the mood' to be creative. It amazed me when I started working in the morning because I was busy at night and didn't like losing days. To my amazement, not only were the results better, but I was getting much more done.

The Space

We've talked about this in here before. I think it's a great idea to have an area set aside to practice so that when it's time you can just get right to it. When it comes to creativity, there are a couple of ways to go about this. It's usually better to have a space set up because you can all of your items there ready to go. All you have to do is pick up your guitar and press record. The opposite to this is to work in different areas and see what happens. You may find that with creativity you may need a change in atmosphere once in a while. Be careful about having a writing area. This may put more stress on your sub-conscious. It's better to have a 'play area' and just see what flows. After you've been at a while you may find that you can get creative in pretty much any space. It's all about getting the mind into the right space and not so much your body.

Patience Is A...

If there's one trait you need to cultivate when it comes to creativity is patience. You have to be patient and wait for the ideas to come. You have to be playful and see how things evolve. If things aren't going well, try another way. Try another chord, another groove. Try something and see what happens with that. Try not to be too judgmental at first. Children don't like nay-sayers. Or, the child may still continue to try but the judgmental will eradicate any ideas as soon as they arrive. Ideas need time to germinate and grow. We have to take our time and just see what arrives. Our first reaction may not be the best every time.

Hit the Beach


I've had other musicians tell me that they're the most creative at the beach or an area like that. This actually comes from our brain being in a playful envronment. If you're stting on the beach with friends and start jamming , you may find that ideas are flying. This is again because your mind is in that playful state. It's probably not stressed, happy and most of all free to explore. Of course you don't have to be on the beach for this to work, just get into the right mindset.

Not Tonight, I Have a Headache

So what happens when you're not feeling creative at all? What if you haven't felt like doing anything for a while and when you do something, you're less than impressed with the results? Two things may be at work here. Either there may be some turmoil in your life, and the mind is focused elsewhere. Or, everything may be fine but (for usually some completely unknown reasons) the creative juices just aren't flowing. Creativity isn't a science, so there are no hard and fast rules. We won't go into the psychology of it all, we'll just look for some solutions. First off, there are a number of things that you can do to get your mind back in order without having to spent time with your therapist.


Shut It Off

Unfortunately, our minds aren't a finely tuned machine. There are things that we have no understanding of at all. But there are some things that we can do to slow the mind down. We can work on our minds like we work on our music. We can practice letting go, concentration, focusing and mind games that stimulate the creative areas. First off, one of the best things for musicians to do (actually I think it's beneficial for all people), is to work on quieting the mind. The mind is in constant motion which isn't always a good thing. One of the reasons why you seem to get creative at the weirdest moments is because the mind is quiet. I don't mean quiet in the 'not doing anything' way but quiet in the fact that it's concentrating on only one thing. Take time everyday to quiet the mind. The best method is to simply count your breaths. It seems really simple until you try to do it. You quickly realize how much junk is running through your mind at any one time.


Exercising the Mind

One thing I like to do when teaching people how to write is to throw ideas around. There are specific exercises that I do that stimulates the mind and gets the wheels turning. These work because it challenges the mind instead of 'waiting for inspiration'. If you're a writer and having trouble coming up with new ideas, try some exercises, get out of your regular cycle and see what happens. Most writers don't like the results of most of the exercises but they're there to stimulate the mind. They actually lead to something great.

Mind stimulation exercises for songwriters:

1. Give yourself an odd assignment. a) write in a musical style that you're completely unfamiliar with. I usually will give a metal guitar player an assignment to write a pop song They usually hate this but do quite well. b) write in a lyrical style that you're completely unfamiliar with. I will ask a pop songwriter to write a song based on a ridiculous theme. (e.g. rabbits falling in love, what it's like to be a dog, the political climate in America). You get the idea.

2. Become a remixer. This involves taking somebody else's work and seeing what you can do with it. Some famous composers did this all the time; Bach was famous for using folk melodies. In essence you would take the backing track (or form, or chord progression, or groove) from a song you love and see what you would do with it. This is great for writers who have a hard time with re-writes since it makes you come up with something in place of a well known piece. This can also be applied to lyrics. Take the general theme (or main line) and write a new lyric.

3. Get a book on music theory or take a course. Nothing stimulates the musician's mind more than learning other kinds of music. Learn a new chord progression or lick or some theory and apply it to your music. Even if you're in a terrible mood, it won't last long. The ideas will be flying in no time.

4. Get a toy, new way of working. Sometimes the best way of doing something is to take another approach completely. If you've always wrote on guitar, try piano. While it's not always the best solution, sometimes just getting new toy gets you in the mood to get to work. How many times have you gotten something new and just couldn't wait to get home and get to work. Be careful not to overdo this one though. Some people have way too much gear and not enough work done. 

With all of these exercises don't worry if it's good or not, just see what happens. The point is to get the juices flowing, not to create a masterpiece.

Be Like Nike

One of my favorite websites is a site about how creative people work. It's mostly writers but it gives great insight into their creative processes. One of the things that stands out to me is that fact that most of them get up early and just start working. There doesn't seem to be any regard to inspiration, creativity or even being motivated at all. It just seems like a normal part of their day. I think that therein lies their secret to success. Inspiration or not, the most important thing is to be there and get the ideas flowing. To work through all of the problems and find what you're trying to say. It's a matter of 'just doing it'. And that's it. It's not very romantic and doesn't make for great movie plots but it's honest.

True genius may come along once in a while but if you're in there everyday, you'll find that you'll be able to get creative on a daily basis and not worry as much about finding inspiration. Happy writing.

Working Solo: Problems & Solutions

In a past post we talked about some of the problems with goals setting and planning. As a musician most of the time you're going to be on your own when it comes to trying to get things done. It's tough trying to get things done at the best of times but being on your own makes it that much harder.

What To Do

The toughest part of planning is trying to figure out what's important and what needs to be done. There isn't just one way to the top in the music industry; there are many ways of getting there. So what do you need to do? What's your first step? What's your next step? What needs to be done first? Of course the answer to any of these questions has a lot to do with where you are now and what you want to accomplish. You're going to have to do some research and development. Most companies allot a certain amount of time in research and development and as a business, you're going to have to do the same. That means spending time everyday doing some research in figuring out what people in your industry are doing to make it.



Let's look at some specific problems that musicians face and try to find some solutions.

1. "I don't even know where to start"

The Master Plan

The first part is putting together the master plan. The hardest part about this is that there is no clear cut path for musicians. You're going to have to be as creative in your endeavor for success as you are in your art. This means that most of the time you're going to be trying things out and seeing if there are any results. There are times when you know that this is the right step for you but often you won't be absolutely sure. You're going to have to try things and just 'see how they go'. This happens in music a lot so it shouldn't be a brand new paradigm for you. The musicians that go furthest in their careers are the ones that take an active approach in forwarding their career. This means finding out what other people are doing, reading material and taking courses when needed. The biggest part is that there must be some plan to action. That means whatever ideas you come up with, you must implement them. Once you've given the idea some time, you will know if it's worth continuing or just going on to something else.

2. "It's too overwhelming, I don't know how to tackle it all."

The Goals List

Putting a master plan together is great because it gives you a sense of purpose and direction. Looking at a master plan can be overwhelming when you look at all of the things that need to be done. Once you establish a goal, you need to break it down. It needs to be broken down into a list of actionable goals. Once you have these it still needs to be broken down once more into steps that can be done within a short time. The amount of time is always a variable and not always something that can be estimated correctly. Once you've done these a couple of times, it becomes easier to tell what is involved and how long it's going to take. Once you have these steps, then you can add them to your daily list.

3. "What can I do today to get the ball rolling."

The Daily Plan


The daily list is very important. I keep mine on a simple notepad. I carry it around and cross off items when they're done. You may find something else that works for you but try and keep it simple. Don't make the list another item on your list. It's good to only put a couple of items on your list. Be honest with yourself. If it's only a couple of items you're more likely to see how easy it is to complete the list. This increases the odds of getting all of the items done. Make it a habit of making daily lists even if you don't get it done. The discipline will creep in slowly if you work at it.

4. "How to do I find the people who will help my career?"

Networking

Everybody in the music business knows the importance of networking. I find that personal relationships is the lifeblood of a lot of industries not just the music business. You have to remember that it's all about personal relationships. It's about making sure that there's something for them as well as yourself. Since the industry runs on relationships it's possible to get a lot help and get a lot done just by your personal skills alone. This includes not only industry contacts but contacts with other musicians and the general public. Networking is one thing that should be on your daily list...everyday. There are always chances to make a connection with somebody be it ever so small. It's all about a number of small contacts more than it is one do or die situation. It's only after a number of contacts with the same person that things usually happen. Therefore, it's important to make those 'small' connections as much as you can without being a pest. That means you have to make a list (yes another list) and get to connecting with those people. There is no short answer for this, you're going to have to do your homework and work at it everyday.

5. "How do I make money from my music?"

The Financials

When I was putting together the business plan for my music business*, I was thrown for a loop when I had to put together the financial section. The whole idea was completely foreign to me. Not only did I not know how to even put together a financial forecast, I didn't even know how to put together my expense list. I find that a lot of artists are like this. This sort of thing is not the stuff you learn in music theory class. Nowadays the method of making money from your music isn't as straight forward as it was a decade ago. There are many avenues to take. Most of them are DIY, which is great for musicians because it puts them in control of their own music. It's a problem in the fact that there are so many avenues to take and so many details to take care of that it's overwhelming. Like networking, you're going to have to take this one step at a time. Start with releasing your music and putting it on CDBaby. Find a distributor like TuneCore to get it on all of the different outlets. Don't just let it out there though. Find out what works. There are a number of ways that you can track the sales from the different places. See where the money is coming from. Don't forget about touring as this can be the catalyst for most of your sales.

*Every musician should put together a business plan. It invaluable as far as seeing your music career as a viable business.

Keeping Motivated

The hardest thing to deal with when working on your own is keeping motivated. It's one thing to try and figure out which step to take next, it's another to keep yourself motivated when there's no one on the team but you. One of the best ways to keep motivated is to get other people involved. The best is to get others involved in your project. Things get done much more quickly when there's other people helping you out. The other is to have a community. It's important to have others that you can talk to, to seek advice from, and to kick you in the ass when you need it. Other musicians and people in the industry are the best for this since they understand what's involved. Knowing musicians, there's usually some healthy competition involved too.

The Whole Package

As you can see, there's a ton of things to take care of here. Realistically it's too much for one person to do. The launching of a music career takes a team of people to make it successful. This includes a lawyer, PR, management, bookkeepers, agents, etc. When you first start out, you're going to be on your own. The support team won't be coming onboard until there's some momentum and  money to be made. You're going to have to do it all initially. That's why it's important to keep organized. You can go crazy with it all if you don't have some organization. There has to be some  measure of if you're on the right track and if you're having any success with the route you're taking.

Be the Tortoise

Keep working, keep at it, stay organized, and get something done everyday. Soon enough you'll have a team of professionals to consult and chat with. For now though, you're on your own and nobody will work harder for you than yourself.

Yoga for Musicians

I have to admit, I love yoga. But before you think I'm going to get all new-agey on you let me point out some practical applications and conventions from yoga that we can apply to our art.

Getting Into It

Yoga practice is a lot like music practice; its a set of exercises to set the mind and body in a specific direction. It's done everyday, it follows a regimen, and it can be done practically anywhere.  With every yoga practice, there is a mind/spirit connection. You try and be in the moment. Focusing all of your energy on the matter at hand. You take time to notice how your body feels while trying to quiet the mind. There is the constant 'practice' of working on something, keeping focused, working hard and getting better everyday. It becomes a ritual but not automatic. It becomes an important part of your day. It becomes part of you.


Preparation

Before you start any yoga session, you're encouraged to slow down and empty your mind. In the first part of a yoga session there are some very simple gestures and poses. These are to settle the mind down and get you into the right mindset.All of the external problems and mind think is thrown out the window and all of your energy is in the moment, concentrating on the material at hand.

The same should be for your practice sessions. Use the first 5 minutes to get your mind into what you're doing and away from all the usual noise going on. Part of the reason I always start with a simple finger exercise is because they're so useful in slowing the mind down. That's why it's good to always do your warm-ups slowly and deliberately. It gets the mind into the right mindset while getting the fingers and muscles ready.


Concentration

An important part when learning how to meditate is concentration. It is essential for effective meditation. Some people believe that concentration is something that you have or don't have. Concentration must be developed; like working a muscle or learning a new skill. We all have various amounts but can develop greater abilities with some practice.

I've written before about making the most of your practice sessions and how important it is to stay focused. Concentration is a big part of this. Much more can be absorbed when there is a constant concentration on the material at hand. It's much more effective to practice for half an hour and be totally focused and concentrating on the practice session than it is sitting a couple of hours in front of the TV, noodling aimlessly. While working through exercises keep the mind on the material. Ask yourself questions, throw yourself some curves, keep the mind in it. Even when going through scales and other material that's almost automatic, keep the mind engaged. Sing the scale while playing it. Take notice of what your fingers and body is doing. Try to 'hear' the scale before you play it. Notice the sound of the scale and differentiate it from other scales. The more ways you do this, the better.

Get With the Program


Yoga sessions aren't arbitrary. There is a program and a logic to every move and the overall session. The point is to work different parts of the body and making sure that there is variety while the most important techniques are always included.

Your practice sessions should follow a program. It's the best way to ensure success and make sure that there is some development. Consistently changing the program doesn't allow any material to really take hold and master. It's important that certain skills are done regularly and the basic fundamentals are taken care of. It's also important to have variety and encourage creativity and self exploration.


Daily Practice

One of the greatest things yoga can bring to us is the ritual of the daily practice. It's all about setting aside time to practice everyday. You're encouraged to do it at the same time in the same space, everyday. The mind is cleared and the practice begins. It's about gently pushing yourself a little everyday. Trying to get better without pushing too hard. Have patience. Be in the moment. Let your mind be absorbed with what you're trying to achieve and nothing else.

Try to approach your practice sessions everyday with the same paradigm and see how it enriches your whole musical experience.

Practicing Your Scales Effectively

One of the first things we learn in music is scales. We're told that these are the building blocks of music but that doesn't mean too much to us initially. So we learn a couple of scales, starting at the lowest note, going up an octave (maybe two) and then come back and stop at the root. This seems to be the method for at least the first couple of months. We may then learn some songs, maybe some licks from our favorite solos. The scales however, still remain a step away from the 'real' music that we're learning. Aside from atonal and 20th century music that stays clear of scales on purpose, all popular music uses scales; in fact, the same scales.

Up and Down

All too often I hear students practicing their scales in the method listed above. Up and down, up and down. In the music we hear, the scales are rarely used that way. It's the equivalent of learning to paint using the same color combinations over and over. Aside from trying to getting familiar with the scale and trying finger exercises, scales shouldn't be practiced this way. Once  you learn a scale and and committed it to memory, you should be practicing it in other ways.


Patterns

One thing that happens a lot in music is patterns. Music is filled with musical patterns repeated at different intervals and different rhythms. Once you learn the fingering for a scale, it's time to try a couple of patterns and play those through the entire scale. There are innumerable combinations but I'll give you a couple of starters.

1. 1-2-3-1, 2-3-4-2, 3-4-5-3, etc. - this is one of the most well known patterns. It's used in pretty much every type of music. It's simply taking three notes of the scale and then returning to the first note. You then take the next note in the scale and use the same pattern. Remember this can be applied to any scale, including pentatonic scales. The idea would be the same but the 'number of the note' would be different. For example a minor pentatonic would look like this: 1-b3-4-1, b3-4-5-b3, etc.There are also a million variations on this.

2. 1-3, 2-4, 3-5, etc. This is essentially the scale in thirds. Any and all intervals should be done here. Remember to do the intervals backwards too. Eg. 3-1, 4-2, etc.

3. 1-3-5, 2-4-6, etc. This pattern outlines all of the triads in the key. Try to identify the triad as you play it. Also try different patterns within this pattern by jumping from different triads. Eg. 1-3-5, 3-5-7, 2-4-6, 4-6-8, etc.

Rhythms

Another important aspect of practicing scales is rhythm. First of all, your scales should be practiced with a metronome. You will also want to practice them with drum beats and rhythm tracks. When practicing with the metronome, start with just playing through the scale like you normally would but using different note lengths. Start with a slow speed using eighth notes. Work up speed gradually. This is the best way to get speed in your playing. Next, try triplets, then sixteenths. Then try swing eighths and then swing sixteenths. Then you can try combination of different values eg. eighths with triplets.

Dynamics and Phrasing

Another exercise is to play the scale using different rhythms but also to incorporate dynamics and phrasing. For example, play in eighth notes but accent certain notes. Start with one accent on the beat, and then try accents on different notes in the bar. Also, try different phrasings, ties and slurs.

Changes In Time

One thing jazz musicians will do will go through the changes in a song, playing the relevant scale for each chord in time. It doesn't have to be a jazz tune to do this. You could take the circle of fifths and play one scale per bar. A great exercise that helps ingrain your scales is to play a continuous line through a set of changes, just playing the scale for each chord. For example for the first bar you would play a C major scale and then in the second, you would play the G major, without stopping in the middle of the phrase to start at the root. Try to keep this going as long as you can through a set of different keys.

Making Music

One of the best ways to learn how to use your scales is to just try and start 'making music' with them. That means just taking the scale, play a phrase, and then try and play the next logical phrase. Of course, the 'next logical phrase' will mean something different to everybody. Whatever style you're into, or what you're trying to accomplish, you want to have your music have some sort of logic to it. Musical language is much like our own language, it follows a lot of the same general rules. First of all, we speak in phrases. That means making a statement, taking a breath, then making a new statement. Try and make your musical phrases breathe, just like the way you speak. Make sure you try different octaves and fingerings. Also, incorporate different dynamics and articulations for each phrase. Make the phrase come alive. At this point we're just trying to play one phrase after another in a logical way.

Bringing Life Into Boring Old Scales

There are many more avenues to take with this but keep it basic at the beginning. Incorporate one or two of these exercises into your daily practice. Don't do them all at one sitting. You don't need to practice these for hours, as long as you're consistent. By practicing these basic exercises and incorporating them into your daily schedule, you'll find your playing, phrasing and improvising taking on a whole new life.

Perfectionism for Musicians

Something that a lot of musicians and artists often deal with is perfectionism. I know this first hand because it's something that I have to fight everyday. Perfectionism is debilitating in the fact that it can stop you from doing the thing that you love the most. It causes stress and undue friction within your own life. And, can actually cause the opposite effect of it's 'purpose' in the first place. While there is a place for high artistic standards, when your standards become so high that nobody can live up to them, how are you supposed to create your art?


Getting Support 

There can be many underlying causes for perfectionism; we're not going to get into them here. We're only going to look at the problems and some solutions. One thing that is important to mention is support. If you're perfectionism is getting in the way of you actually getting anything done, one of the best things you can do is find some support. Support for perfectionists can come in two forms. One is psychological support either from a professional or a close friend. This doesn't necessarily have to be a formal thing, just having someone to talk to about this is usually enough to help people get out of the rut. The other type of support is artistic support. Musicians and artists need a community. Artists have always sought out other artists for support and comradery. This serves not only as a support and friendship but also artistic support. Other artists know what the artistic process is all about. They can also be helpful with ideas and usually a sense of healthy competition helps in getting a 'fire in your belly'.

Just Start

One of the best ways to get anything done is to just start. Perfectionists, as a rule over-think things and try to find the best time to do something. The best time to do something is 'right now'. For a lot of perfectionists, the start is usually the hardest part; the second being finishing and letting the project go. There are two things that usually stop perfectionists from starting and they both have to do with over-thinking. Either they over-think the entire project; seeing all of the steps that need to be taken, seeing all of the problems that can arise, and see all or the limitations of their inability to get the job done to their satisfaction. Or, they over-think their initial ideas; negating any thoughts as not right before working through the ideas. This pretty much kills the project from the get go. Over-thinking the beginning is usually enough to stop them from getting on the project. Of course the best solution is to just start but there is more to it than this. There must be some alteration in the mental process before the start. That means either shutting off all of the internal chatter, or changing the internal chatter.

One of the best ways to just get started is to set apart a short amount of time and just let ideas flow. Try half an hour to start and don't kill any ideas, just let them flow. You might want to try the Pomodoro technique. Have a set time everyday where you work on your art. This way at least something gets done everyday. You'll be surprised how often great ideas creep in when 'you didn't feel creative' in the first place. Also, always have deadlines for your projects. They don't have to be written in stone, but at least it gives you some kind of timeline.

Let It Go Already

The other biggest problem perfectionists have is actually finishing the project. While this may be a universal problem, perfectionists take it to a whole new level. Perfectionists have unrealistic expectations. They envision the perfect ending (and results), and nothing else will suffice. There are a couple of problems with this thinking. First off is rarely do things (especially in art) live up to the expectations we put on them in our own minds. There has to be some give with this. This will always be an issue and with every project you're going to have to decide a) when it's done b) if it's done c) if it's never going be done. Some projects don't turn out like we want and at some point we have to be honest, let it go, shelf it and look at it as learning experience. In short, you're going to have to decide if it's good enough to put your name on it and put it out there. Second, artists sometimes lose their objectivity. After working on a project for an extended period of time, you start to lose your ability to effectively evaluate your art. It's important to be able to take a step back and take a second look; usually after you've taken some time away and your mind is clear. Sometimes artists lose all perspective. This is where the community and support comes in. In this way, you can feel free to create your art, and when you're unsure, or just need some feedback, you can seek some outside input. Try and find objective, knowledgeable support. In this instance, family and friends usually don't cut it. You need to find a knowledgeable source that will be honest with you.

Kill the Editor

I've written about this before. One thing that may kill your creativity is being too closed or waiting for the perfect idea from the get go. Some people have no filter and some aren't as hard on themselves as perfectionists. The problem with waiting for the perfect idea is twofold. First of all, sometimes ideas have to be worked through before the gem shows itself. It's a matter of taking an idea in it's raw form and working it into something memorable. The other problem with waiting for the perfect idea is that our internal editor isn't always spot on as far as making creative decisions. Sometimes you have to try some ideas and then leave them for a while. Let the ideas perculate and come back when your mind and ears are fresh. It always amazes me how different some ideas sound the day after. Sometimes I'll write something and think it's the most incredible idea I've ever come up with only to be completely disappointed on the day after. On the other side, sometimes I'll just get something down and not think much of it only to be completely surprised on my second listening.

Great Expectations

Of course the definition of a perfectionist is someone who has impossibly high standards. Working through ideas and trying to create something extraordinary is one thing; never being happy with anything that you create is another. Some artists and writers go through their entire life not happy with their creations. You might be thinking that having high standards is what makes your music great and separates you from the rest. If this keeps you focused and motivated, then it works for you. If you create many pieces but never finish. If you finish projects but then hide them away. If you make excuses that 'you aren't quite ready' and need to finish one more project before putting your stuff out there, then there is an issue here.

Not An Excuse

Before you think that letting perfectionism go is an excuse to be mediocre, you're wrong. This is all about getting things done but also getting it right. This is for the people who have been working on the same three songs for a couple of years; or, the one song that never gets done. This is for people who don't try things or flip flop from one project to the next because they never live up to expectations. One thing about great artists is that they never accept anything but the very best from themselves and their art. There comes a time when you have to let it go. You have to work through the problems, take a step back, decide if it's a good representation of what you set out to do, and then move on. It's important to start, work through, finish and move on. If you miss one of these steps, your art will never see the light of day.

Working Through It

Having high standards for your art if great. Having completely unrealistic expectations may be stopping you from creating your best work. It may be something you have to work through often; most artists do. But there has to be a time where you just get to work. try not to over think things or look for the perfect results. It's important to just enjoy the process and let the editor in later. Do the absolute best you can do right now, evaluate, and then let it go. You may come back one day realize that in spite of it all, you've created something great.

The Evolution of An Artist

It usually happens you're so busy trying to get stuff done, that you don't notice. You try and get something done everyday. You work hard at your craft and try to improve. While you may not notice, there's something happening there. You're evolving as an artist. Before we get too philosophical about this, let's take a practical look at what's going on here and see if we can help in our own evolution.


Keeping A Record

One of the things that's fun to do is to go through old pictures of yourself and your friends. A trip down memory lane reminds you of where you come from and all of the things that you've been through. In fact, you can see your own development right there. That's why it's important as an artist to keep a record of things that you've done. It's all too easy to get caught up the moment and let things slip past. As an artist you want to do the same thing. This is a little harder because as artists, we're usually working toward the future without really taking a record of where we are now. There are a couple of things that you can do on a regular basis that will help document your development and give you something to look back on from time to time.

Hit the Record Button

Of course the best way to document your development at any time is to record yourself. This can be done in a couple of ways. First of all, take the time to record your practice sessions once in a while. Either record yourself playing some of the songs in your repertoire, record some songwriting ideas, or record some of your own jams and improvisations. This is invaluable as a review to see how you're performing and see where you can use some improvement. Once you've recorded and reviewed yourself make sure to date and archive them. Recording should be something a musician does on a regular basis. It's great for self improvement and it makes for a great moment in time to take out some in the future and see where you've been. 

Rehearsals

Your band rehearsals should be recorded. Usually just placing a stereo recorder somewhere in your rehearsal space will suffice. This doesn't need to be a full multi-track studio recording situation. It's better if you just have a little recorder because there is very little set up and won't usually take anything away from the rehearsal. Most of the band will even forget it's there. Make sure you keep the recordings and date them for future reference.

Demos and Songs
 
These days, it's all too easy to get a demo (and even full CD) recorded right at home. This is another thing that should be done on a regular basis. Make it an appointment that everybody in the band has to show up to. Make it another 'rehearsal'. This way you're all recording and producing stuff on a regular basis. The great thing about today's technology is you can do all of the recording and takes that you want. If you're working on demos and songs on a regular basis, you're naturally going to get better at it. If you've recorded a song a number of times, you can all do reviews together and see what's working. This is sometimes harder to do in the heat of the moment in a rehearsal. Also, you will develop the material to the point where it's much better instead of just going into the studio once and trying to make it work.

Vids

This is another thing that used to be a special item but with today's technology, it's pretty easy to do. Not only should you be video taping your performances, you should also be recording you rehearsals. It's a good indication of how the audience will see you when you've seen yourself performing.

Hills and Plateaus

There are days when it doesn't seem like we're getting anything done. Then there are times when can actually see our growth. The truth is that if you're continuously working at your craft, practicing and trying to to improve, there is progress there. We usually don't see the progress though. There seems to be the same repeating pattern. We learn a new skill, we practice that skill, and depending on the difficulty of the exercise and where you are your development, at some point you will actually see some improvement. There is the initial learning, practice and execution, then (hopefully) there is improvement. Your progress doesn't seem to be continuous, there seems to be a lot of plateaus. This is how we learn. The fact is though, there is some development and learning while still in the plateau, we just don't see it. There are small changes being made within us that moves us closer to executing the skill.

Getting Past The Plateaus

If you've been keeping records of your practice sessions and practicing on a regular basis, there will be improvement. Like we mentioned before, it won't always seem like it, but there will be progress. What happens if it really seems like there isn't any progress? What happens if you feel like you've been on the same plateau for a really long time? One of three things may be happening here.

1. You're not using your practice time very effectively. (Or not practicing regularly, or worst, not practicing at all). Either you're going over the same material over and over or you're simply not paying attention to what you're learning at the moment. You may be going through the motions with certain exercises and not really trying to get the most out of them. It's like working out without breaking a sweat; there's something happening there, but not much.
2. You've bitten off more than you can chew. If you've been playing the same 3 chord songs for the past couple of years and then suddenly get into learning jazz, it may be a while before you really see any improvement. In fact, in these cases, you will actually appear to get worst before you get better. A good way to go about this and still see improvement (and keep motivated!) is to learn in smaller chunks. For example if you've been playing the same 3 chords and then want to get into playing some jazz standards, you will want to take some intermediary steps. A good way to go about this would be to start with a 12 bar blues and then start learning that in different keys. Once you have that, then you can learn some of the alternate chord changes in some blues tunes. Since the blues is the lifeblood of jazz, this is a step in the right direction without getting into anything too advanced to start. 
3. You're well into your development. When you first start learning a new instrument or skill, the improvement in your development may almost seem like a daily event. As you get better though, those plateaus seem to creep in more and more. Not only that, but you seem to be staying on those plateaus even longer. This is simply a part of being good at any skill. One reason for this is that at a higher level, the skills trying to be mastered are usually difficult and simply take longer to learn. The biggest problem is to keep motivated and trying to improve once you've reached a high level of achievement.Once again, keeping the practice regimen and notes helps a lot with this.

It's in the Details

There is a timeline to what you're doing. Hopefully, there is a plan. What you do everyday are the details. They seem inconsequential, but in the big picture they're huge. It's these little things that you do everyday that makes up who you are as an artist. It's these little things that you do everyday that is the reason for your success. That's why it's important to plan. It's easy to lose track of these little details. It's easy to lose track of where  you are and where you want to go. Even if you don't follow it to the letter, it gives you some sense of direction and some sense of what you've accomplished in the past.

The Next Step

There are times in every artist's life when they try something new. Either they've been doing the same thing for quite a while and want to try something different, or they may be just exploring to see what develops. Some artists are immediately recognizable and any changes they make are seen as a mistake. Other artists can make many changes without ruffling many feathers. As an artist, you will be exploring many avenues. Some people try as many things as they can and hope to find some success. Others try different avenues of the same type of style. For others, there doesn't seem to be any path at all; it's just dabbling in one thing after another without really exploring the possibilities. There are better and worst ways to go about your development.

Dabble This!

If you don't ever want any success of any kind, just simply try things just once or twice and then abandon them. Don't worry about developing any skill or knowledge in the endeavor, Just try it a couple of times and as soon as you get bored, move on.

As Always, Focus

Most musicians love to try lots of different things.One day you may try playing some jazz, the next it may be some reggae. This is normal, this is something most musicians do. There is a difference though between trying something for fun and really developing some skill at it. You want to focus most of your time on your most important projects and your main style of music. Because we all like to try different styles, it's good to do this now and again, just make sure that you're spending most of your time on the most important things. It's a variation of the old 80/20 rule. Make sure you spend 80% of your time on that most important 20%. That means if you have a gig this weekend, it's not time to start exploring free jazz. If you do develop a real interest in another style, integrate that into your practice regimen along with your usual stuff.

There is a difference here for instrumentalists and composers. Being fluent in a number of styles is part of your expertise and as such, should be part of your usual regimen.

The Evolution of An Artist

We're all on a journey. There are many paths and experiences for you to enjoy.There is an evolution taking place and you want to make sure that it's heading in the direction that you want. To know where you are and have been it's important to keep records of what you've done. Do this on a regular basis and review it when making plans for the future. Second, make plans on a regular basis. They may not always come to fruition but it gives you a goal and road map. Third keep focused and work through the hills and plateaus. Finally do it all over again. One day, you'll be able to sit down and actually see your evolution as an artist.

Effective Memorization In Music

One of the most important parts of learning music is memorization. Whether it's a small piece. a couple of licks, scales, chords, or an entire performance, memorization is something that musicians have to deal with on a daily basis. Yet this is rarely mentioned in textbooks and music courses. One thing that should be part of every musical education is how to effectively use your memory. Simply learning a piece isn't enough: memorizing the piece is another process entirely. It must be dealt with accordingly. If you don't believe me, just look at how you would approach trying to remember a phone number. If you had a pen and paper, you would simply write it down and forget about it. But, if you had to memorize it on the spot, you would probably go through a couple of exercises or techniques to help you remember the number. You know that simply repeating it to yourself just once isn't going to work*

*Unless there was a memorable pattern or special characteristic in the number. Marketing companies are well aware of this fact. Just see how many times a number is repeated on an infomercial or how companies like to make their phone numbers into simple, easily memorized sequences.

It's the same with music. Learning something and memorizing something are two separate brain functions and two separate processes.Once you decide to learn a piece, you go about learning the fingering and different sections of the song. Some parts may become part of your internal memory through simple repetition. Musicians will rely on this most of the time. They figure that if they repeat the piece enough times, it will be internalized. This is only half true.

Like the phone number exercise above, if the number is repeated enough times, it will be memorized. But what happens if you suddenly forget it? Or, what if you remember the first part but can't remember the rest? What happens if there is a long time between uses and the memory gets lost? This is where the memory needs help.

Stuck in the Middle

One thing that happens to a lot of musicians is the 'stuck at the bridge syndrome'. They'll have the verse and chorus down no problem. But when it comes to the bridge or a separate section, the mind will suddenly go blank. This happens a lot with the bridge but also happens with sections that are complicated, or obscure parts that occur at just a single part of the song. There are a couple of reasons for this. The usual reason is that since it's a part that isn't played as much, it's easier to forget. Another reason is because parts like this are easily overlooked when learning a song. If a song has a unique section or part. it must be noted in the memory. Or, they may have the lick memorized but missing other parts. The lick may be memorable in its own right whereas you might be saying to yourself 'how does that bridge go again?' because it's not in your musical memory.

Going Blank

Most musicians have been through this. Sometimes when playing a piece, (usually with longer pieces) your mind will simply go blank. For the life of you, you can't remember the next part, Sometimes you can even 'hear' the part in your head, but for some reason, the fingering just isn't coming to you. Of course, if you're relying solely on your physical memory (more on this later), you won't remember the part that comes after that either. There may be many reasons for this but the biggest reason is because you've memorized the piece based solely on the physical. You've memorized the fingering or how it looks on your instrument and nothing else. The problem with the physical memory is that it's based solely on feel. If something changes in the feel, you lose focus, or the picture in your mind changes, then you completely lose your place. There is nothing else to fall back on.

Two Planes

When it comes to memorizing, there are two different planes that we're dealing with here; there is the mental plane and the physical plane. You want to have both at your disposal. All too often musicians will depend completely on the physical and ignore the mental. They will memorize a piece based solely on the fingering and how the piece looks and feels on their instrument. The biggest problem with this method is that it's too linear. The way one section feels is completely dependent on the section that proceeded it. Have you ever tried and started a song from a completely illogical point? By this I mean not at a new section but right in the middle of a phrase? If you have, you'll know what I mean about memorizing based on the physical. Sometimes it's impossible  to remember (or even play) a piece from a completely arbitrary point. The tactile method also becomes problematic when looking ahead. If you've mentally memorized the piece, it's easy to see the whole piece or separate sections. If you're going completely by the physical, it's a lot harder to see one part without the part that proceeded it.

Memory Techniques

Memory techniques have been around forever. The Romans were famous for their ability to remember facts and dates. The reason for this was the Romans had many different techniques that stimulated the brain to remember facts (and the fact that pen and paper weren't usually handy!). Some of the methods used were association, patterns, chunking, and repetition. 

Ripping It Apart

When memorizing a piece, one of the first things you're going to have to do is organize the piece (or whatever you're trying to memorize) into a logical thought or progression. That means dissecting the piece; separating pieces into sections, separating sections into phrases and parts, and creating highlights and milestones within the piece. Most orchestras will do this automatically when rehearsing a new symphony. The score arrives with all of the relevant sections separated and the bars will be numbered. The musicians will make notes within the score to remind themselves of special phrases and performance notes. If it was a song, you would analyze the different sections. You would then write it down on a single piece of paper so you could see the entire song at a glance. You would then be able to memorize the entire song, along with any special notes at once. The same process would apply to anything that you're trying to learn. The breakdown and organization must come first, because this is what your memory techniques are going to be based upon.

Chunk King

Much like trying to memorize a phone number, memorizing pieces of music becomes a lot easier when using the 'chunk' method. It's simply a matter of taking pieces and memorizing them in chunks instead of trying to memorize the entire piece at once. Also, like the phone number, it's better to piece the chunks together in a logical fashion. That would mean memorizing separate sections, highlighting certain parts, noting milestones and special characteristics, and putting the piece together in a logical fashion.

Shout It, Shout It Loud

If you've ever spent a night trying to memorize facts before a big test, you know the value of verbalizing. You simply want to take what you've learned and verbalize it into a coherent idea. For example if trying to memorize a song, after you've organized it into the different sections, you should verbalize out loud the order of the song complete with notes and special sections. For example; verse and chorus repeated twice with a tag at the end of the second chorus. C F Am G in the verse, C G Dm in the chorus. A 12 bar bridge in Em and the chorus repeated twice. Most songs can be organized and memorized in this way. If there are special sections or parts, take a second to make a note and remind yourself about these parts.

Games Without Frontiers

There are a couple of ways we can get our mind working and tricking it into remembering things. One thing that humans do well is patterns. Whenever learning a new piece of music or trying to memorize something, look for patterns. It's much easier to remember a 5 figure number repeated 3 times than it is to remember 15 individual numbers. If a section is repeated, or a pattern is repeated, take note. There might be a slight difference on the repeat of the section; just remember ' the A section with a ii V at the end of the repeat'. Another technique that works well is association. If the song you're trying to remember has a chord progression similar to another song you know well, it's much easier to remember the chord progression based upon that association. Jazz musicians do this all the time. They're famous for knowing hundreds of songs (in fact, it's part of their education). Quite often they will associate certain chord progressions with certain songs. Once you're familiar with the chord progression, it leaves up a lot of room to improvise within that tune. Every jazz musician knows the 'Rhythm changes' and can spot them easily within a tune. Jazz musicians also use this technique to memorize the 'B' sections of jazz tunes since these can sometimes be problematic. Also, if there are any changes or substitutions within that framework, having the entire progression committed to memory makes it easier to keep track of where you are.

Messing With the Order

One thing that happens a lot is you'll often remember the first part of a section only to fail to remember the end. One technique that helps the memory a lot is breaking up the song. Try playing a section from the middle. Try playing the last part, then the middle and lastly the first. What this does is make our brain remember each part in its own right instead of the logical linear progression. With this method, if you get lost on one section, it makes it a lot easier to pick it up at the next with no hesitation. Also, if you practice the piece this way, you'll end up practicing the end just as much as the beginning, breaking the 'forgetting the end' syndrome.

Lose the Paper

I have met quite a few musicians who don't read music. While this can be a handicap in certain situations, it can help in memorization because the music must be memorized immediately. I usually will write the music down. I'll have most of the parts there and all of the different sections of the tune marked down. This usually comes in handy when discussing separate parts with other musicians or trying to remember the tune the next day (since it's written down, it's usually pretty accurate). It's really important though, that if you have the music on paper, to get it off of the paper as soon as you can. The musicians who I mentioned earlier, while at some of a disadvantage, had something over the musicians who had written things down. Since they don't have the option of writing things down, they must memorize the different parts immediately. They were usually pretty good at memorizing long complicated parts because that's what they have to do all of the time. There is no other choice. Therefore all of the repetition, association and memory techniques listed here, are things that they had to do all of the time.

Don't rely too much on the printed page.  Try to get it off of there and into your head as quickly as possible. Have the advantage by being able to memorize something immediately but also having the choice to write it down if necessary.

Using All of Your Senses

There is a whole process that jazz musicians go through when learning new tunes. It usually starts with learning the melody. Not just playing the melody but being able to sing it. They will then go through the bassline, chord progression, different voicings within that progression etc. (We'll go into this more in a later post). The point is that there is more going on than just learning the fingering for your part. If you've got the lyrics memorized, you know the bass part and any other extras, it makes it a lot easier to memorize the tune. It then becomes the difference between knowing how to play your part in a tune, and knowing the tune inside out. If you can, try this approach with everything that you learn on your instrument.

Do It Again

The best way to learn anything is through repetition; every musician knows that. The process of memorizing parts, scales and pieces also must be repeated. That means once a piece is memorized, the process must be repeated for the piece to be completely ingrained in your memory. Like mentioned in articles here before. It's best to review as soon as possible after learning something new. Another review should be done the following day, then once again in a couple of days, and then once the next week. You get the idea.

Keep It Separated

Music and musicianship absolutely depends on having a good memory. Having a good memory, much like learning to play your instrument, is a skill that can be developed and honed. When learning a new piece, scale, or technique, memorizing must be a separate process. The material must be put into a logical organization. The piece must be seen both as separate parts and as a cohesive whole. Using the different methods (chunking, verbalizing, association), the piece must be memorized. Then the whole process must be repeated and reviewed at regular intervals. Make sure this exercise is separate from the practice session.