arrange • compose • conduct
Posts discussing creativity, both in and outside of music
Prompts for creativity are a vital tool for amateurs. What can a professional creator use? Amateurs and aspiring artists have access to many different creative prompts. It might be as fully formed as a Bob Ross painting show, giving you all the details of how to create a painting. It […]
My most fruitful days as a composer and arranger come when I’m just playing. Others might be more systematic about their arranging and composing – exhausting all possibilities in a long list. And I have those days, too: when I’m not sure what to do next and I simply try […]
I sometimes think that the best advice for a musician doesn’t come from other musicians. It comes from other creative fields – from other creators who work in different media. For me, one example is the marvelous “cartoonist, teacher, and blank scrabble square”, Lynda Barry. (That’s her Instgram bio.) Consider […]
Like many colleagues, I am moving vast quantities of data right now. Downloading 20GB before breakfast is not unusual, and processing the audio and video I’ve been working on has pushed my two home computers to the edge of their capabilities. I bought a 128GB SD-card last week and it’s […]
In times of upheaval, I lean on touchstones–works of art that have shaped me and the continue to be sources of inspiration, influence, and solace. It might be rereading a favorite novel, a cherished poem, a movie, or (especially often) a favorite album with a good pair of headphones. Julia […]
A lot of people are taking up new music practices this spring. Learning new instruments, learning to sing, writing songs, or learning new repertoire. It’s a good reason to remember this truth: Perfect is a trap. Perfect is unattainable, and if you wait for your art to be perfect, you’ll […]
In times of upheaval, I lean on touchstones–works of art that have shaped me and the continue to be sources of inspiration, influence, and solace. It might be rereading a favorite novel, a cherished poem, a movie, or (especially often) a favorite album with a good pair of headphones. Touchstones […]
“I don’t know how to do this, but I’m willing to try and learn.” That is the exact attitude that we should desire from our students – the sign of curiosity, engagement, and a desire to grow and improve. It seems to me to be the message that all teachers […]
When you are making projects – recordings, arrangements, compositions, performances – there is a time when the work is complete but no one else has it yet. It’s an exquisite moment to be in sole possessions of your new work of art, particularly if you are feeling confident in its […]
The hardest part of the creative process, oftentimes, can be finding a way in. Sometimes a creative project can feel totally locked up – windowless and doorless. You have to take the time to look closely, as often as it takes, to find an entry point into the project. It […]