Creativity Traded for Efficiency
by Dean Terry
If you are interested at all in the concept of creativity, you need to read this Wall Street Journal article, “Chains That Set us Free.” Now, there have been any number of articles, musicians, and all kinds of creatives that talk about the benefits of setting limits when attempting to be creative. But, none have put it in such a way that really explained why boundaries are necessary for our brains to be most creative. Jonah Lehrer says,
The larger lesson is that the brain is a neural tangle of near-infinite possibility, which means that it spends a lot of time and energy choosing what not to notice. As a result, creativity is traded away for efficiency; we think in literal prose, not symbolist poetry.
“Creativity is traded away for efficiency.” Wow, I’ve humorously labeled myself an efficiency guru. I’m always looking for the fastest route to the next destination (which is sometimes annoying I’m told), the most efficient way of covering teaching material at a lesson, etc. So, it makes perfect sense to me now why, when I am sitting down to compose something for my students, I am paralyzed unless I know what I am writing about. Knowing what technical skills of pianists I am writing for is also helpful, but not nearly so helpful as knowing what I am writing about. If it’s a pirate, I am so much more efficient finding piratey sounds. If it’s a rainbow, then my creativity is efficiently channeled to a certain type of sound. If it’s a piece for a string quartet, then at least some of those pathway searching neurons can be more effectively channeled.
I’ve wondered whether needing to know my subject or at least some boundary is a weakness or a strength, but I’m happy to realize that its just a part of the process of efficiency that helps me establish boundaries and find creativity in those boundaries. Anyone else have these needs to find
It’s a great article, so don’t forget to read.
Read MoreDistractions: From the same device for work and play
I struggle with distractions like everyone else, but as an entreprenuer and self-employed individual, distractions can mean a loss of money or the slowing of a project. I thought Seth Godin had a great explanation for my specific situation:
One reason for this confusion [being engaged with activities that feel like work, but aren't], is that we’re often using precisely the same device to do our work as we are to distract ourselves from our work. The distractions come along with the productivity. The boss (and even our honest selves) would probably freak out if we took hours of ping pong breaks while at the office, but spending the same amount of time engaged with others online is easier to rationalize.
Seth goes on to propose using separate devises for play and work, but I don’t think that will help me. I’m not by games, but rather choosing to work on urgent things rather than important things (here’s a slideshow explaining the difference). I know there are programs which lock you out of things like Facebook, email, etc. so that you can only work on one thing at a time, but I fear that’s just a crutch and fake way of developing discipline and focus! At any rate, the above paragraph just helped me identify my production enemy and might help me draw lines on the battlefield of focus.
I’d love to hear how you keep yourselves from distractions. Please share below!
Read MoreCreativity: “Oh the Thinks You Can Think!”
I know that I am not alone when I say that Dr. Seuss was a brilliant writer and illustrator of children’s books. I’ve always enjoyed reading his books to children and my fascination with sounds makes it all the more enjoyable to listen to the subtle music his words create. As I’ve developed a definition and philosophy of creativity in my life, I’ve come to realize the books of Dr. Seuss exemplify true creativity. (See What is Creativity?)
Because creativity is so important in our teaching, composing, and everyday life, I wanted to share some examples from a great Dr. Seuss text.
My current favorite book is “Oh the Thinks You Can Think!” I love this book because it assumes that creativity is in everyone and his suggested “thinks” are again a recombination of things that already exist. Here’s an example:
You can think about red.
You can think about pink.
You can think up a horse.
Oh, the THINKS you can think!
Now, this might not seem to be that “creative” since we all know what red is, pink is, and what a horse is. But, if you look at the novel picture that he drew when he recombined those existing elements, you’ll see what I mean by Dr. Seuss exemplifying creativity:
Oh, The Thinks You Can Think!
Is this what you imagined when he said, “pink, red, and horse?”
As another example in the same book,
Oh the THINKS
you can think up
if only you try!
If you try,
you can think up
a GUFF going by.And you don’t have to stop.
You can think about SCHLOPP.
Schlopp. Schlopp. Beautiful schlopp.
Beautiful schlopp
with a cherry on top.
Dr. Seuss was wonderful creating creatures and objects which do not exist, but as you look at his illustrations, you can see that each of his creatures and objects simply contain things that already exist combined in new ways. What is Schlopp? Why, it looks like a wonderful cake like dessert with ice cream in the center, pickles (?) on the side, accompanied by a drink of some popcorn-looking blue, pink, and white chunks. Obviously, his illustration is much more affective in helping us understand schlopp than my mundane explanation, but you understand my point I am sure.
Oh, The Thinks You Can Think!
I often take a break to read a Dr. Seuss book if I am feeling a bit dull in my creative efforts. Since most of his books are written for children, its helpful for me as a teacher to read them periodically just to remember how fun using your imagination can be. I find that I connect with my young students much better when I am actively using my imagination as well.
I hope this posts encourages you to use your own creativity in teaching or composing. You might also read Am I Creative? for more thoughts on this. And if you find yourself still thinking that you are not creative, please let these words of Dr. Seuss encourage you:
Read MoreThink left and think right
and think low and think high.
Oh the thinks you can think up if only you try!
What is Creativity? [A definition that can change your life]
Recently, I gave a workshop in Wichita called “Nurturing Creativity and Inspiration.” I shared about how to be more creative in teaching and how to find that elusive concept of inspiration. Though I cannot condense a 2 hour workshop into a blog post, I will be sharing a few of the things that I spoke about throughout this year. I hope that you too will go away encouraged that you already have the tools to be as creative as you want to be and that you can learn to find the inspiration that is all around you. It is truly much more simple than we often think it is!
I am going to start by sharing what I think was the most important part of the workshop: the definition of creativity. If you believe that creativity is creating something new, than it is inevitable that you will always feel less than your creative best. You will frequently be discouraged that your creation is not as new or unique or different than another creation.
When I was studying composition in my master’s program, I would spend long hours at the piano composing. I was often very discouraged with what I would write because I felt like it was simply a regurgitation of music that had already been composed. I was obsessed with becoming the next Steve Reich or Arnold Schoenberg…I felt I had to be the one who started a new movement in music or else what I composed would not matter.
As a result, I would often be in what my husband called a “composing funk” when he came home. [I'm sure you are gathering that such a label was not a good thing!] So, he had a discussion with me about my definition of creativity. I told him that I thought creativity was “creating something new.” But, he insisted that this was not correct and he gave me a definition that has changed my life.
Yes, let me say that again. It has changed my life. It has changed my approach to composition. It has changed my creative output. It has changed me as big ideas often do.
So, here is what he said:
Creativity is not creating something new.
Creativity is recombining elements that already exist in a new way.
Ah, now this made sense! It finally made sense to me what Ecclesiastes says: “There is nothing new under the sun.” Indeed all of the things that I have always thought were new and made me doubt the validity of that verse were created by recombining that which already existed! These elements are all around use. We just need combine them in a different way to come up with something that is “new!”
This definition completely freed me and allowed me to use what I already knew to be creative. It was such a freeing conversation and in future posts I will share examples about creativity in our own profession, tell you how I use that definition, and show how you can use it to be more creative.
For now, I’d love for you read this article, “The Genius of the Tinkerer” from the Wall Street Journal that came out 8 days after I gave this workshop. Talk about validation! I’d encourage you to read it, reflect, and let me know how these things might make a difference in your own creative endeavors. [And for those of you who attended the workshop, this article will make clear why I subscribe to The Journal to "enlarge my creative box."]
Happy Creating!
Read MoreRevised Manuscript Paper
I just revised several files in the Manuscript Paper section of the website.
It always bothered me that my large print, “6 stave with grand staff” staff paper allowed only 3 measures per line, since so many phrases are in 4 measure increments. It was also curious to me that I called it 6 stave paper when there were really 8 staves on the page. So, I fixed all that and included a little extra room at the top for students to write a title for their piece if they wished.
Of course, there are other options on the page including:
8 stave paper
10 stave paper
10 stave paper with grand staff
12 stave paper
12 stave paper with grand staff
Hope this is helpful!
Read MoreWriting Lyrics
Writing lyrics can be a tricky thing for composers. Recently, I found some great articles and presentations on writing lyrics.
8 Cures for Lyric Writer’s Block
If you ever plan to write lyrics, you should make watching these next few videos a priority! Pat Pattison is a Professor at Berklee College of Music, where he teaches Lyric Writing and Poetry. In addition to his three books, Writing Better Lyrics, The Essential Guide to Lyric Form and Structure, and The Essential Guide to Rhyming, Pat has developed three online lyric writing courses, available through Berklee’s Online School. He has written over 30 articles for Home & Studio Recording Magazine, and Performing Songwriter.
Part 1. In this video, Pat talks about Melodic Rhythm and Lyric Rhythm:
Part 2. In this video, Pat talks about stressed notes as spotlights:
Part 3. In this video, Pat talks about preserving the natural shape of the language:
Part 4. In this video, Pat continues to talk about preserving the natural shape of the language:
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