Unlocking Your Creativity

Inevitably, it happens that the indie artist will find his/herself grasping for a new spark. Reinventing oneself is often a greater undertaking than we would like to admit. Getting past these moments can be difficult and it can take a toll on our outlook. It can often make us doubt our mettle for our craft.

As I contemplated this dilemma, I found a jewel on TED.com speaking on 4 Lessons in Creativity. Julie Burstein, author of Spark: How Creativity Works, speaks on the importance of embracing new experiences and letting go of encumbrances and the liberation that brings to our endeavors. It becomes easy, through her examples, to being to glimpse how to harness the natural urge to create.

As a performer one of the greatest challenges I found was taking the same set and making it new each time my band performed it. This was in part due to the resistance of band mates. It was also, in great part, due to the fact that I began to be weary of the material. The solution was not always as simple as singing new songs. Adding new material meant having to have the time to practice and perfect it. The easiest solution was to revamp the material. Create new segue ways and intros and interludes. Often, this is the challenge that artists find most compelling. Even the greatest, most renowned artists struggle with how to spice up their material over time. As Julie Burstein points out, embracing the nuances of life will help unlock the creativity in you. Embracing life’s experiences, your limitations, your joys, your loss, and your vision can open the floodgates of creativity for you.

I tell those who ask never to shy away from leaving your life on a track. Of course, people have apprehension about giving too much. However, those are the tracks that make hits. Anyone listening to any music I have done has a snapshot of my truth. I have been my most creative when I have let go of the fear of being vulnerable.

We must all come to our own understanding of what makes us creative and what helps keep our creative fuel firing. However, I would venture to advise that you start by watching Julie Burstein’s video and assessing the experiences you have to draw from. If you still feel stifled, it may be time to get some new experiences.  

The Real Cost of Digital

I recently came across an article on Digital Cowboys that outlined the true impact of the digital era on the sale of music. The article, found here, stated, “Music is a much smaller and less significant part of many people’s lives than 10-20 years ago”. I beg to differ in the following respect. I don’t think music has a lesser role in our live but I do think that less of our resources go into purchasing music. There are so many other ways to hear the music we love and ownership, as defined by this article, isn’t as important as enjoyment.

I use Spotify to listen to music online. The library is diverse enough that it allows me to hear the music I love without having to spend thousands of dollars on CDs or downloads. I don’t have to worry about my music taking up space on my hard drive or in bins in my closet. Through this service, I have been able to regain access to music that had previously been lost or stolen from me. I realize that this does not translate to sales for major record labels but I think that this makes more room for the little guy to be seen and heard.

No doubt, I am all for the little guy. That is one reason why I fully embrace the digital revolution. I would love nothing more than to see the music industry delivered into the hands of the people. Permit me my soapbox for a moment… I, for one have grown weary of the cookie cutter dynamic of major labels. Real talent and innovation in music has too long been stifled. I support almost any movement that deems to turn the “business as usual” concept on its head.

I digress. I think that it is incumbent upon major labels to figure out a better way to navigate what the digital era and, particularly, cloud music and music streaming have manifested. I, personally, can’t fathom paying for a lot of new music that comes out. For me, it’s not a question of cost but of quality. Additionally, I am so oversaturated with the same tunes on traditional radio that I don’t need to own the tracks to even play in my car. What it boils down to is this; major labels need to find a new formula. Until they have one, the canvas is wide open for dedicate indies to take a stake in the game.