Recently I watched a brilliant talk with the composer for the Doom games, Mick Gordan, talking about his creative process. Something that really stuck with me was the idea that the way to avoid creative block is to start in a different place each time you begin writing. It's so easy to get stuck with … Continue reading Creative Block and the writing process
Sitting at my desk and looking at a beautiful sunrise this morning, I'm thinking about the role of creativity to support my mental wellbeing. Things got a bit out of control work-wise last term and I suddenly found myself without the time to do what makes me the happiest: sit down and create. Having that … Continue reading Creativity as self care
Depending on what genre you are pigeonholed into, there are certain expectations that are put on you when it comes to how you present yourself. I have faced this hurdle as someone who plays classically, as well as in a symphonic metal band. The metal band part wasn't too hard, I've always been more of … Continue reading Breaking away from the stereotypes
As well as working as a performer, I also get commissioned to do arrangements and transcriptions for people. I often come across a stumbling block when I have to quote a price. Where performance prices are easy enough to set, the lines for arranging and transcribing are blurred. Due to this, I tend to massively … Continue reading Trying to find the right price
I've had a weekend, heavy with playing. While that's brilliant, it's also exhausting, with no time to recover from the previous work before going straight back into to this one. Here are 3 things, I try to do during these busy periods to take care of myself. 1. Take some time This means doing something … Continue reading 3 ways to practice self-care after a busy weekend
As a self-employed person who also juggles other jobs, burn-out is a familiar feeling for me. When freelance work is unstable, it's easy to be driven by the fear that there will be no work for several months, even if you also carry jobs with more stable income. We're taught to work hard, however, surely … Continue reading Burn-out
Back to work and a new schedule and suddenly the practice feels all over the place. Over the holidays I get into a rhythm with my practice routine and once term starts, I need to find a new one. It can be tricky to make sure that you have a realistic goal, based on work … Continue reading The Practice Routine
I went to a talk yesterday on image of music and while it wasn't exactly what I was expecting, it did get me thinking. As part of the discussion, they addressed the speed of which the industry moves now and how that can automatically make something that just happened out of date. An example of … Continue reading Image of Music
If, like me, you are a gigging musician who then works term time hours to provide stable income, you'll understand the difficulties of keeping everything going once back at work. Good intentions are set and plans made but it can be easy to lose yourself in the job and your own work can go on … Continue reading Keeping it all going when back at work
Yesterday I was asked how I would teach notation to complete beginners and it got me thinking. How valid is it to teach notation from the start? In my opinion, music is an aural and kinesthetic experience primarily, with the visual aspect of copying the tutor. Notation can be taught in many ways and not … Continue reading How helpful is notation really?
A Musician Cooks 