I recently spoke about advice. I feel really intriqued by this topic so let’s unleash a few more words about it…
Skewage
Information is easy to obtain these days. The web is full of great free advice, which is nice.
But danger loometh again beneath the surface.
I think it’s become TOO EASY for many of us to seek solutions from elsewhere, instead of devising our own.
Every now and then I even come across people who seem to be almost addicted to getting other people’s advice and opinions.
It may seem a bit skewed for me to say something like that, as offering advice is what I do. But hold your horses.
There are times we need advice. We need tools to get where we wanna go. Advice can also provide extremely valuable new perspectives. A few words could crack a problem that you’ve been struggling with for years.
Sometimes advice is absolutely crucial to us, there’s no denying that.
However…
We need to recognize there are times when really all we need is confidence to push on through and maybe some encouragement. Not new ideas.
Often we just simply fail to realize that because we are too busy looking for solutions from somewhere else. The society encourages this kind of behaviour in us. Ever since the first grade at school you get rewarded for memorizing and repeating what others tell you. You don’t get rewarded for thinking on your own.
That’s not learning, that’s programming! Sure you will know a lot of things but that’s not how you build real skills.
So how do we really learn?
The formula
Mastering any skill is a never ending series of trial and error. Only through this process you will find the wisdom to understand better what works for you and what doesn’t.
This is something that nobody can do for you. You can buy knowledge but not experience. It takes thousands of hours of sitting in there, trying things out, sometimes pulling your hair, sometimes feeling you’re on top of the world…
It is imperative to understand this:
If you want to make exceptional music you have to BE exceptional. There are no shortcuts to that.
Good news is it’s not that difficult if you’re willing to put in the effort. A touch of stubbornness and good work ethics go a long way.
Embrace the process
A few concrete things to keep you on the right track:
- Spend as much time as possible working on your music. This is the #1 thing.
- Listen to a lot of other people’s stuff, especially the stuff you look up to. Compare, pay attention and learn from it.
- Build up your confidence. Do whatever it takes. Take responsibility of your own progress.
Without these things in place, even the best advice is USELESS.
Finally: don’t stress about it. It’s enough to be conscious about these things.
Music is supposed to be something you enjoy.
Watch the process unfold as you get your hands dirty. When you have the right mindset, it automatically leads to better things.
If, after this, you still feel you are in need of good advice, have a look at my services. I’ve designed them to help you sound stronger.
1507 Followers
1791 Likes
