6 replies to this topic

[dizzy]

Came across this the other day http://www.gapingvoi...ves/000932.html

Something to read in those idle moments!

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So you want to be more creative, in art, in business, whatever. Here are some tips that have worked for me over the years:

    1. Ignore everybody.

    2. The idea doesn't have to be big. It just has to be yours.

    3. Put the hours in.

    4. If your biz plan depends on you suddenly being "discovered" by some big shot, your plan will probably fail.

    5. You are responsible for your own experience.

    6. Everyone is born creative; everyone is given a box of crayons in kindergarten.

    7. Keep your day job.

    8. Companies that squelch creativity can no longer compete with companies that champion creativity.

    9. Everybody has their own private Mount Everest they were put on this earth to climb.

    10. The more talented somebody is, the less they need the props.

    11. Don't try to stand out from the crowd; avoid crowds altogether.

    12. If you accept the pain, it cannot hurt you.

    13. Never compare your inside with somebody else's outside.

    14. Dying young is overrated.

    15. The most important thing a creative person can learn professionally is where to draw the red line that separates what you are willing to do, and what you are not.

    16. The world is changing.

    17. Merit can be bought. Passion can't.

    18. Avoid the Watercooler Gang.

    19. Sing in your own voice.

    20. The choice of media is irrelevant.

    21. Selling out is harder than it looks.

    22. Nobody cares. Do it for yourself.

    23. Worrying about "Commercial vs. Artistic" is a complete waste of time.

    24. Don�t worry about finding inspiration. It comes eventually.

    25. You have to find your own schtick.

    26. Write from the heart.

    27. The best way to get approval is not to need it.

    28. Power is never given. Power is taken.

    29. Whatever choice you make, The Devil gets his due eventually.

    30. The hardest part of being creative is getting used to it.

    31. Remain frugal.

    32. Allow your work to age with you.

    33. Being Poor Sucks.

    34. Beware of turning hobbies into jobs.

    35. Savor obscurity while it lasts.

    36. Start blogging.

    37. Meaning Scales, People Don't.

    37. When your dreams become reality, they are no longer your dreams.

Now in the right forum  :-*

[rhythmboy]

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Now in the right forum  :-*

;D

Cheyne's changing the site's name to Sound Plur  :-*

ps nice find dizz

[wisefox]

:clap: great article - particularly this point (not having a go at the gear junkies here, its just good inspiration for those that only have the basics)


10. The more talented somebody is, the less they need the props.

Meeting a person who wrote a masterpiece on the back of a deli menu would not surprise me. Meeting a person who wrote a masterpiece with a silver Cartier fountain pen on an antique writing table in an airy SoHo loft would SERIOUSLY surprise me.

Abraham Lincoln wrote The Gettysberg Address on a piece of ordinary stationery that he had borrowed from the friend whose house he was staying at.

James Joyce wrote with a simple pencil and notebook. Somebody else did the typing, but only much later.

Van Gough rarely painted with more than six colors on his palette.

I draw on the back of wee biz cards. Whatever.

There's no correlation between creativity and equipment ownership. None. Zilch. Nada.

Actually, as the artist gets more into his thing, and as he gets more successful, his number of tools tends to go down. He knows what works for him. Expending mental energy on stuff wastes time. He's a man on a mission. He's got a deadline. He's got some rich client breathing down his neck. The last thing he wants is to spend 3 weeks learning how to use a router drill if he doesn't need to.

A fancy tool just gives the second-rater one more pillar to hide behind.

Which is why there are so many second-rate art directors with state-of-the-art Macinotsh computers.

Which is why there are so many hack writers with state-of-the-art laptops.

Which is why there are so many crappy photographers with state-of-the-art digital cameras.

Which is why there are so many unremarkable painters with expensive studios in trendy neighborhoods.

Hiding behind pillars, all of them.

Pillars do not help; they hinder. The more mighty the pillar, the more you end up relying on it psychologically, the more it gets in your way.

And this applies to business, as well.

Which is why there are so many failing businesses with fancy offices.

Which is why there's so many failing businessmen spending a fortune on fancy suits and expensive yacht club memberships.

Again, hiding behind pillars.

Successful people, artists and non-artists alike, are very good at spotting pillars. They're very good at doing without them. Even more importantly, once they've spotted a pillar, they're very good at quickly getting rid of it.

Good pillar management is one of the most valuable talents you can have on the planet. If you have it, I envy you. If you don't, I pity you.

Sure, nobody's perfect. We all have our pillars. We seem to need them. You are never going to live a pillar-free existence. Neither am I.

All we can do is keep asking the question, "Is this a pillar" about every aspect of our business, our craft, our reason for being alive etc and go from there. The more we ask, the better we get at spotting pillars, the more quickly the pillars vanish.

Ask. Keep asking. And then ask again. Stop asking and you're dead.

[neo]

Great read, very insightful!

[rhythmboy]

^^

Amen Wise Fox, Amen. You must be wise... 

Seriously tho I couldn't agree more with the general gist of what you said, and articulately put. The really creative people I've met - in music at least - may have lots of pillars, but in essence they don't need them. The old cliche that a great guitarist can make a shit guitar sound great is true.

In retail I used to sell large expensive rigs to utter beginners who had the cash to burn and thought that instantly amassing a big rig of great sounding toys would launch them to fame and stardom and enable them to write killer hits overnight. Then for the next year I'm taking tech support calls every second day from a frustrated n00b who's pissed off his $40k investment isn't paying off 

By contrast some my most inspiring, creative friends and colleagues either (a) don't have any more gear then my own modest system (yes WF, it has shrunk over the years!), or have gradually collected things they love, things they can actually use to best creative effect. It's about the love rather than the desire - my bluegrass-playing mate has a beat up old Dobro that he could easily replace with an expensive Gibson or something. But why? He makes his guitar sing. He loves the instrument he has - he doesn't need to upgrade.

I'll never forget Richie Hawtin, c.2002, playing Zouk nightclub in Singapore. I was lucky enough to stand behind him in the DJ booth. Richie launched into a 909 handclap solo. For the length of a whole track, Richie had over 2,000 punters, hanging from the scaffolds, going absolutely apeshit, screaming, hands in the air, while he knocks out a string of fucking handclap patterns. No kick. Awesome  ;D Who needs the Chemical Brothers rig when you can do that?

[wisefox]

just to clarify RB - i didn't write that post, was only highlighting the excellent point made in the blog dizzy posted. although i do whole heartedly agree with it!

;D 909 handclap solo. if you said cowbell solo i really would have been impressed...

[antonio_hancolotykevitz]

Man this is the most inspirational thread on SP. Really cool advice, thanks guys! I need to hear that hand-clap solo RB! Sounds wicked :cans:. Is it on the net?