I noticed something yesterday. Each time I return to an aspect of music production, there’s a discomfort that arises and pushes me to stay with it until I’ve learned something (or several somethings) new.
It’s funny, because it really doesn’t feel like it’s up to me. Take the kick drum, one of the most frustrating instruments I’ve ever tried to mix.
Trying to get that damn thing to sound just right is like trying to compose music – while not waking a sleeping lion.
So I watch some videos, I learn a few more tricks on how to add more transient, or compression, or whatever, and play with my new tools until the kick sounds more serviceable to my admittedly green-ish ears.
Fast forward to the next song, and suddenly those tools no longer measure up. There’s some new elusive quality I wasn’t picking up on before, which I now need more tools to decipher…
You get the idea. Or do you?
I wonder a lot about this. How many of us share that hunger that keeps us from staying satisfied with what we’ve done so far? How many of us actually act on that hunger? Is having it even a GOOD thing?
It’s a bit paradoxical: On one hand, I need that hunger to push me to improve, but on the other, it saps my enjoyment of what I’m trying to do.
Progress seems to be made up of these swings back and forth between satisfaction and dis-satisfaction. And there has to be balance between them, or I’ll either get hopelessly frustrated, or never grow beyond my current ability level.
The hungrier you are, the more you push yourself, but the more dissatisfaction you feel, which ironically makes the whole thing less enjoyable.
That said, I certainly think more of us could do with indulging our (emotional) hunger for better – better skills, better friends, better job, better life.
For example, far too many dance students ‘just want to learn a few steps’, when they could dive DEEP and experience the full benefits of balance, control, and musicality.
And much as the process hurts, I’m grateful for the motivation to improve my mixing abilities, because it opens up new possibilities, and feels good (up to a point) each time I feel I’ve grasped some new concept.
So get a little bored with yourself. Bored enough, that it pushes you to try something different, without discouraging you. It’s how life gets better.
P.S. #ProjectAnubis is nearly ready! Super excited for the release of my first psytrance song, hopefully before the end of the month. Keep your eyes glued to the interwebs!
Credits:
‘Mammal Nature Portrait Animal Cat’ by Sarah Richter from Pixabay
‘Man in Black Long Sleeve Shirt and Black Pants Climbing on Wall’ by ShotPot from Pexels
‘Man in Muscle Back View’ by Pixabay from Pexels
‘Roasted chicken beside basket of fruits photo’ by Christopher Ryan on Unsplash