For decades, I have been surviving any embarrassment for my music by saying, "my performance sucks, but no one sucks exactly like I do, and that's got to be worth something"
Brian i feel that conscious direct approach is just as powerful as musical genius if not more so. I have an overview of musical genius people not being able to make a song people can get down with while 4 dummies like the Ramones made the world dance . What you we posses i not jus t worth something it is Everything respect
The music college I'm studying in has a whole module where we're pushed to play instruments that we're not comfortable with, and to avoid making music, just "make noise, layer it together, chop it, reverse it, and then record more noises." It's honestly the most useful thing any musician or producer can be taught.
@@joedarrow5422 A module. It's only one sixth of the semester. The other modules are normal music. The point of this module is to push experimentation so you have techniques to use in the other modules.
I'd say take music theory 101, it helped me with production side. Because it's basically composing music by reading and writing on the staff and translating that to instrument such as piano
@@saintpeniel I've been studying classical music theory for 16 years. This class is still far more useful to production than any music theory I've ever learned. I think you're missing the point here.
@XeroPulse guess it's different for the both of us, I tried that way that you're doing it now for about 6 years. But once I decided to take music 101 and 103 etc. It helped me in the way you have described, I think that's cool that we got a similar outcome
I just have to say thank to you. I had burnout exactly when I started studying harmony, I trashed every project I had begun and in one year I finished only a song that I didn't even like. Unfortunately, due to a health disease with my ears (I hear half) I stopped completely out of depression but this video is tempting me into restarting making music again
Damn sucks with the ears. If you do return to making you should share it on magpie pirates with that story! Super inspiring with overcoming such things
i wish you all the best and specialy courage to restart again. a while ago i read about a pianist who lost one hand in one of those horrible wars. could have been ww 1. he wouldn't stop playing and asked famous composers to write one-handed music scores for him and he played them on stage. as i remember they are still played today... will say: perhaps you too may find a new approach to making music even with the limitation...
"I don't mind swimming against the current. 'Cause I'm not looking for the sea. No I'm more interested in what's ahead of where I'm swimming currently." Words to live by. Brother, that is an ethos. That grabbed my heart and held tight. Thank you. Fan va du är bra.
Dude that’s brilliant. Reminds me of Frank Zappa, where he said the way he solos is just having a basic understanding of the mechanics of the fretboard, and then being inspired in the moment. This is such a good way of looking at music.
My philosophy for guitar playing is: no matter where you put your fingers on the fretboard, you're either in tune, or one semitone off, and can just slide right into whatever pattern you feel appropriate
@@motionsuggests that's brilliant, thank you, kinda echoes my philosophy on tuning, i have to be able to "hear the _wrong_ notes" before i can adjust them into being "the _right_ notes"....
@@mindsigh4 and any wrong note can become a right note through repetition. If you hear an off note once its off. If it becomes part of a pattern, its just part of the music.
First example that came to mind of personal > perfect is singing voices . A lot of the most famous singers are unique rather than just being perfect vocalists and it just makes it better
You’ll get better and better. Truth is, I think we all think we suck from time to time. Some days you’re king of the world, and the next you’re the ditch digger. Just enjoy the ride, and embrace it all, because in the end, it’s always fun
The 'child like appreciation' of the toys/instruments is really fascinating to me. I have several less common instruments, like a talharpa (tagelharpa), lyre, etc. on top of a collection of synths, and my students have generally never seen either. In fact with synthesizers they often ask me if "That's what I use to DJ with" despite... it sometimes having literal keys on it like a piano. Perhaps because I teach teenagers, some are already afraid to touch the instruments, get nervous just holding them, perhaps they can recognize that its special, or may cost money or whatever, but some just really dive right in and are excited to play it. They'll ask me how I learned to play any of them, and I tell them I just picked it up and started playing them until I got better, just like they can. They're surprised I was willing to buy them never having played them and I explain that's kind of the point, that's why I got it, I wanted to play it and there was no one like me I knew of that had stuff like that. I didn't even start playing until I was quite a bit older (technically I had lessons as a kid but there was a massive gap), and just doing it and giving things a shot not only boosted my confidence and made me happy even when the songs might not be that great. But even after a few years I still enjoy picking up a new instrument (my bukkehorn showed up today!) and figuring out how to use it, and how to include it into a song is always a lot of fun.
I definitely got stuck in a rut for a while trying to focus too much on perfection when recording, even on instruments that I am relatively proficient at. I found it very helpful listening to isolated tracks of musicians that inspire me. It really opened my eyes to the fact that many studio recordings have imperfections, but it doesnt matter, and it is part of their charm in a way.
Most fun I had doing music was during lockdown, when a friend and I made a challenge: We'd pass a genre and a topic to sing about (like, Gospel and vacuum cleaning or sth.) to each other and had like 1-2 weeks to record and mix the song. We'd explore a lot of stuff we didn't normally do and it was beautiful. Also: That ending song brings joy to my heart.
This was honestly really inspiring. I've been working on my first album for a while now and about to finish it up. In the process I will sometimes get this anxiety of me not being good enough or whatever and being scared of showing it to people. This kinda helps alleviating that. Thanks :) Also your new album rocks 🔥
Im new here and i have to say your piano is literally the most badass piano ive ever seen. The art on it is amazing. Also to add onto what you talked about. Prince is the PERFECT example of someone who utilized this technique. The guy could play 27 instruments. I doubt he was "pro" level at all 27 instruments but this creative mindset isn't about being god tier. its about expanding on your weaknesses, pushing yourself out of your comfy zone and growing as a creative person and taking what you CAN do and maximizing it to its full potential. This skill is greatly overlooked and under utilized. Fantastic video.
I’m honestly pretty sure he was god level on all of them 😅 but probably from just playing them all so much on feeling! once in a generation type person
As an example of a group that can actually combine virtuosity and personality I have to mention Dirty Loops. They manage to make absolutely wild stuff with some insane musicality that is also approachable and just enjoyable to listen to. You can nerd out about progressions, insane vocal runs and absurd precision of the rhythm section, but you can also just sit back enjoy happy music that is fun to listen to.
I think you've just minmaxed for arrangement skills. Cause even if every single part of a song sounds bad on its own, they all add together to make a whole greater than the sum of its parts. You're an inspiration for a hobby producer like me that's never sunk time into learning any instruments, but I've always focused on arrangement and composition.
My passion for production kinda died after spending countless hours in the piano roll. A few weeks ago I picked up a bass, and being bad at it and just dorking around has really reawakened that passion. Looking forward to buying more random instruments :D
I appreciate what you are saying. Making things work together is in itself playing with skill, no matter what level of expertise. Jerry Garcia had only been playing with the lap steel guitar for a couple of weeks when he layed down the steel guitar on Crosby, Stills and Nash's "Teach Your Children" I get stuck on things being "great" and most skilled work... It is ego and more often than not is far from childlike and keeps me from learning even more. I play fiddle and sweet. It is what it is. I just appreciate your encouraging talking
I couldn’t agree more with this video, Simon. I come from a background of playing in a lot of metal or metal adjacent bands and there couldn’t be a style of music with less character and originality. Everything is quantized or recorded slow and sped up, slip editing and vocal tuning are rampant. Drummers will record their hands and feet separately and even then their tracks are quantized to the grid. Guitarists tend to use the same plugins and modellers to get their tones… This is all in the pursuit of sounding “perfect” and in that pursuit they lose every last bit of life that may have existed in their music.
i have been looking for this type of advice for a decade now, and i recently found it in a discord community unrelated to this but i'm glad this sentiment is shared by more people. it's the type of thing that has led me to actually create things after years and years of wanting to
I've been producing for over 15 years and my friend's and I have really taken to teaching the kids how to produce. My 16yo cousin just started and I LOVE the amaturish sound of the music he makes. It inspires me so much.
My favorite activity on this planet is making bad music with our 7 year old son. he’s got no knowledge or formal training and it’s just so wonderful to go full send anyway. It’s not about the results for us, it’s the process. Added bonus, the music we make now is WAY better than what we made six months or a year ago. Super awesome to see the progression of a child’s creative mind.
This was a beautiful video man I thank you from the bottom of my heart for this. It reminded me to just have fun with it more and relax. Music's beautiful and as someone getting into making mine at 30 and stresses myself out all the time this helps me I will watch this everytime I get down on playing music because it truelly is uplifting seeing someone enjoying music like this. Your cool man keep playing and enjoying. Thats a cool song too no joke vibes 1000 percent
I struggle so much with this. Not only with instrument playing or vocals, but with everything music related (recording, mixing, theory and more). It's been a long journey of trying to accept my limitations, my incapacity of playing any instrument and my lack of theory. I just been trying to focus on having fun. But despite having that approach to things, there are some things that are still a big struggle for me. Not knowing how to sing/hating my voice is a big one for me, I've relegated myself to just to instrumental stuff but it frustrates me a lot that feeling of shame of anyone listening to my attempts of singing or playing an instrument. I don't know how to get rid of that feeling.
@@SimonTheMagpie oh yes, I see mixing as one of the most asked kind of feedback on the discord, people are always worried it's too muddy or things like that. Please do a "fuck mixing" video.
I used to hate theory as if it was some kind of hard to learn boogieman that was complicated and very difficult to learn, but it's really not and you learn a lot of the neat little patterns that theory teaches you just by playing. Theory is just a structure you can chop up and manipulate as you please, in all honesty I see it as a way to organize the notes and as a map to go where I want whenever I feel it. Because in the end all you are trying to do is get the music out of your head and into the world. And if you just keep on doing that over and over again, you'll learn little pieces of it and after some time things will begin to click. I had to learn to ease up and let myself be weird and that helped a lot. Every artist makes a lot of stuff that isn't great before they make that one masterpiece and honestly the more you're making the more you're improving and the more of a chance you have to find that one hidden gem. I tell my friends this all the time, don't whoop the baby. Your art is just a child right now. Maybe it can barely even walk. Babies technically suck at walking but they keep on doing all sorts of crap that isn't really walking until they walk. But they do it because they don't even know that it's bad. Nobody is beating them every time they fall or shouting at them for not being able to walk yet. So I have to treat my art like it's a baby. And I had to let go of the mindset that my art isn't worth making unless I'm aiming to monetize it and make it into a product. It's not! It's something I enjoy and it's good for my mental and emotional health and it's fun. I don't know if any of that helps you or if you feel you can apply any of these concepts. Everyone is different and learns the same things differently. Nevertheless it changed my creative life to realize these things.
I can't be the only one that noticed that at 10:54 the beat that plays is almost exactly the same as Losing My Edge by LCD Soundsytem. I have a feeling james murphy was playing around with that same casio when he made that lmao
Ever since I got on medication for my overwhelming anxiety disorder I've been finding discarded pieces that once thought were trash.. and they're really good?? Just need some minor polish on the production to my present standards. We are so unfair to ourselves. I still struggle with judging my own music but it was a very enlightening moment. I also cant deny that I was far more prolific when I didn't know what I was doing at all but also wasn't super worried about it being perfect because who would ever hear my Sony acid no midi no vst all sample manipulation beats? Forever struggling to recapture that freedom and spontaneous writing. It's definitely my most interesting music
I've started adopting this point of view in my music and it's made it soooo much more enjoyable. Got caught in that trap of trying to overproduce and make everything as clean and perfect as possible for many years till one day i picked up a guitar, having never played before, strummed a few notes into my mic, sang a few words badly, and made a whole song
I love that topic: It is about a learning path versus exploration of something. Exploring something you are not professional at, comes with a lot of freedom. - This applies to jamming as well: Open stages that allow people to grab an instrument and be part of the experience - I have seen magical things happen with people there, fe: "Hey, that was cool what key was that in? You must be a pretty experienced bass-player"-"I picked this thing up half an hour ago". Or Professional musicians saying that it was totally wrong on a technical level, but worked and felt surprisingly good afterwards... Those Jam-Sessions, I was lucky to get into regularly some years ago, were a gateway for me to explore expressing myself with audio as well. I do not care if what I make is listenable or good by certain measures - it is merely an expression of a moment in time. A sound that felt right for my thoughts, my situation... that moment. Be it understood or misunderstood - liked or not - in this case, this is my way of exploring. - - Thinking about that more - it all, the whole topic, feels like a byproduct of the journey being the destination more and more. - Which can also be a mighty reminder for professionals as well and ties into some of the less-is-more logic. --- That was inspirational! Thanks Magpie!
I'm a soon to be Sound Engineer student and you are very inspiring! More doing less thinking and just going with the flow without the judgment of absurdness! That's the vibe I'm getting when I paint abstract! Keep it up!
I have tried to practice guitar for over a decade, I can't play crap. I got some korg volcas and a Kaossilator and I can create an entire song with sample sounds. Something that actually sounds like a song, not that great, but a song. struggling with learning traditional instruments was frustrating, and I almost gave up on music all together. I am happy I bit the bullet and got synths and samplers because it opened an entire world were I can create an entire project instead of learning chords from a Led Zeppelin tab book. It is my own sound. Even if my wife and kids make fun of me, I love making noise that I can control and manipulate. I admire people with talent hugely, but being able to puzzle together your own song with your own sounds is immeasurable and immensely gratifying.
Beautiful, man! I'm glad you're back and appreciate your viewpoint. I totally agree, especially in making music as solo composers working in our own studios. I don't think an AI will ever match the sheer, maniacal and frenetic creativity of a human being.
how encouraging that a musician i apreciate very much, has the same approach to making musik as me, humble amateur... just started making music late in life... and there are too many instruments that fascinate me, to still learn them all, or even one of them... I assembled my little menagerie of instruments i don t know to play, some of them even broken, like my beloved fake trumpet from india of the 1930s. I am struggling to get interesting tones, record and mix - by myself and with friends- and sometimes the result even pleases me... and if it is only me who is pleased, so be it.
I do agree with your sentiment. I was stunned to think about my wide circle of friends who play music professionally and how much each of them is a multi-instrumentalist. I do know most aren't, but what struck me was how special it was to realize how many around me ARE! I can say "less is more" if the performance is just going insanely noodly, but in a general sense. I agree with ya Magpie.
I've been working on my electronic album with Swedish lyrics since 2014 (ish) on my spare time, and the production is based on sounds from Caustic (mobile daw), synthesizers, old home computers, vsts and rhythm instruments and other weird stuff, like a home made spring reverb. It's finished now (not released, working on videos and art for it), but it will be heard by very few people, being an independent artist/composer/producer singing in a language very few people understand. But I've had a good time making it :D What I want to say is that I like the way you think. Just quit putting pressure on yourself on what other might think of your music, just make music however you want!
@SimonTheMagpie ... The "braveness" to be VULNERABLE is an amazing quality, my friend! You are amazing. As a long-time studio musician, I thoroughly ENJOYED this! BIG THANK YOU MAN.
With the power of DAW:s these days, I’ve always felt emense preassure to achieve a great sounding mix that as a beginner it just kills my spirit to work with as I never get the results i want or feel is expected working in modern environments. The creative spirit came back to me when I switched to working with a 30 year old 4-track cassette recorder and truly committing to those limitations. That also includes working only with hardware which provides a very tactile experience. Creativity came back to me when I focused more on the experience of making music in the moment rather than the finished result.
In the 80's I loved all these synthpop bands. And in 1986, most of them turned completely shit and made idiot stuff like crappy soul or bad pop-rock, etc. Because they had had hits, and now had money and experience to make what they WANTED to do all the time. And it sucked. When they couldn't play instruments, knew nothing about music and had no money for studio time, they made amazing, groundbreaking music. Because, as you say, they needed to come up with ways of overcoming their limitations, and by doing that they came up with new, groundbreaking stuff. Examples: OMD, Heaven 17, Human League, they all made crap albums in 1986. Even Depeche Mode and Kraftwerk released low-point albums in 1986, although Kraftwerk certainly did know what they were doing, the whole time, so that's not relevant to my point. :-E Men Without Hats are relevant, though, although their shit album was in 1987. Tears for Fears also made their last good album in 1985. The year music died, 1986.
Limitations spark creativity. You can find limitations trying to play something that you haven't really learned to play like that or create them in some other way like allowin yourself to use only certain limited instruments or trying to record on an old 4 track tape recorder.
I've seriously started getting into music production over the last month. I made my first actual track a few weeks ago. It's simple, but effective to my ears. It sounds good enough to me, and has a good length. It's been a while since I've been proud of something I made myself, and this song I made just made me realize how what I am capable of doing is already worth something.
I have no music knowledge nor skills but I like to connect few synths, sequencers, and make some horrendous noise and ambient. I even try to play with simple melodies, and I don't care how bad it is, these experiments give me enormous pleasure.
Music has been the biggest thing in my life jumping from genre to genre and finding new, hidden gems with different styles. I’ve always expressed that the best music to me isn’t always the most technical or “perfect”, but rather music that shows it’s imperfections. You really show and tell a great way that authenticity and personality matter. For those of you who enjoy “imperfect” music, research outsider music. A very well known and genius artist i recommend is Daniel Johnston
re: talent talent may not be innate, but the discipline to practice consistently and gain talent absolutely is. ADHD is fun, it kills that completely lmao. it even kjills the ability to enjoy being bad at stuff
I'd definitely agree with the sentiment here. I've often been struck by how many music production RUclipsrs, who clearly have massive technical ability, seem to make quite bland and generic music when it comes to their own work. Something I appreciate about this channel is that the music has character and personality. It sounds like Simon The Magpie and nobody else. I've often thought - and it's certainly true in my case - that as a beginner you find your own voice by trying to sound like your favourite artists and failing hard. Repeatedly. Cos you're just not good enough. But so long as you keep trying, the specific elements that you like about them become clearer and your influences become more thoroughly mixed together and your own sound emerges from this process. I suspect the problem for more technically competent musicians/producers is that they *know* how to sound like their favourite artists and so when they try to make their own music the result is more or less 1:1 with their influences. Nothing goes askew or gets modulated and consequently, they don't actually develop their own sound. Anyway, that's my excuse for not practising my instruments. 🤣
Thank you for this video, i put a lot of pressure on myself because i have high expectations and i want to learn everything at once and get super frustrated when i feel stuck. I am starting to realise that this approach kills the joy that originally motivated me to learn instruments and produce music. I still want to learn and improve, but i dont want to be spiraling down into depressive, intrusive thoughts that make music more of chore then a passion. Your playing in at the end of the video gave me so much, it reminded me so much of what i love and why i love it. As cheesy as this sounds, thank you man. Ps: Also very inspiring how you just try it and dont give a fuck how it may sound a little funny, you just keep going and embrace it until you get it right. And you have all the fun in the world while doing so. I will 100% rewatch this when my head gets too loud.
I absolutely LOVE my wall of instruments that I can’t play but do! I similarly find that the more of them I’ve managed to pull down and mess with during a project, the happier I am, with the music and otherwise.
"The benefits of being bad at making music". Finally! A video for me \o/. Im in constant struggle to find the good melody, or the good harmony, or the good rythm; but there's always something that demotivates me and ends up in me abandoning a half idea. Funny enough, I'm stubborn and get back, although with a different idea. I think music teaches me a lot in life by being a strict and demanding mistress, yet a inspiring life guide. There are things that I find easier to do, yet I choose to stick with the one I try hard to do; i feel like it is something worth the hard times.
i think one of the best things we can do to combat algorithms ripping away our drive, ability, and opportunities to create on an individual level is to create without shame. create without shame, and show off how fucking human you are with the soul put into your creations. that's what makes art and music interesting, shameless humanity.
Yeah really focusing on specifically music production here. Live is a whole other thing. Since imo thats all about communication! And skill essentially = communication imo
Thanks for this unique perspective! I have often felt self conscious and discouraged by my inabilities when it comes to making music. But framing that as a creative tool is a really good way of looking at it.
This is the most amazing production video I've seen yet. It's so perfect because it's so imperfect! As someone who never grew up playing any sort of instrument I've only begun my journey recently. THIS is what I need more of! Thank you Magpie! ❤
One of my favorite albums is Red Flag by The Elegant Bachelors because you can hear the imperfections and it sounds like it was recorded in your mate's garage.
After 3 days you have over a thousand likes and over 200 comments. To me it means you related to a lot of people. That's important. Point well made! The creation of art thru expression. Thanks
i agree. i remember when i wasn't sure what i was doing back then. i write music in famitracker for video game-esque tunes and back then, when i was not sure what i was doing, it's sometimes fun to go back to these early files and see what i did and see why i did such.... or maybe i don't see it. it can be a good way of getting creative again, with your own references in the past. it's kind of magical to realize you composed music differently back then
You had what I call, HAMA. Havin A Mess Around. No rules, no goals. no care. Just fun. The pursuit of perfection is futile. The pursuit of fun is fertile. (getting out the sunglasses for my next HAMA session)
I'm making music myself, so the video gave me a motivation boost. Thanks for that, keep doing what you love. To add to the AI spiel: I think since AI creates art based on preexisting works, the development of AI will inspire artists to make their art more experimental, personal, artistic, etc. It will take time to get used to, but I don't think it's going to cause the "death of art" or whatever.
I love music for the joy it brings me, in making and listening. Thats all I want for me and for you. I've learned so much about my mental health, outlook, self worth all by creating music. I hear so many wonderful creators who are talking about moving yourself from making music to impress and make music that makes you happy. Thank you Simon and all the creators dropping some philosophical nugggets around when it comes to music being a joy not a burned.
I'm usually not one to write music, kinda just stumbled upon this, but I can really appreciate the idea of just playing around with instruments you know nothing about for the sake of wanting to play with them. Getting that deeper appreciation of how they work, what they sound like, bit worrying about sounding like poo playing them. I've never NOT been in a big music class or musical instrument store and where I found myself fighting the urge to just play with everything I saw like some overgrown toddler. Seeing how other people can just take it a step further, throw stuff at the proverbial wall and come up with something that sounds incredible, is both the most intimidating thing musically I could think of, and it makes me reconsider if I've dismissed my own musical skills a bit too much in the past...
Been a big fan of yours for years, and your approach to music inspired me to switch up how I was producing, years ago. It was actually when you put out the tape loop samples. I went so far as to try and boil it down to a moniker, which I adopted. "Naivety at its finest, music implicitly borne."
Wow I was talking to my family about this exact thing the moment AI generated art came out. I started asking myself what is the point of trying anymore. But I eventually realized it's not like the value of drawing portraits has gone away now that cameras exist. It's not like woodwork isn't artistic anymore now that IKEA is more popular. The value in your art should never have been just your virtuosity, it should be the fact it's *yours,* with exactly *your* creative vision. ART WILL NEVER DIE!!!
Tack som fan för denna video! Jag har också samlat på mig massor av instrument men har ofta bashat mig själv för att jag inte lär mig att spela dom. Jag vill bara ha kul men lagt för mycket press istället. Jag älskar hur din låt blev och jag är riktigt inspirerad till att sampla det lilla jag kan och se vart det leder. Skitkul att följa dig och tack igen! ❤
I don't think I'll ever be able to say I'm "good" at playing any instruments, music just isn't an art form that I was really meant for, as much as I love it. But this video has at least changed my outlook on creating music, which I'm very grateful for. I've always applied a similar mindset in other mediums like acting and writing but couldn't really find a way to mentally translate those ideas into music, it always felt like "skilled performance = good piece."
Magpie you genius, You make the banal, profound and not the profound banal like most artists do at some stage. Lean into your weaknesses. I love my limitations and worry that as I learn more , I may loose my mojo. I think T.V on the Radio's creative rules were you had to play a different instrument to the one you were skilled at.
i needed this, i’ve been playing piano on the keyboard on my daw and everything tends to sound pretty good though my new midi keyboard came in the mail today and made me feel so discouraged. It’s a lot harder then i thought
this was amazing thank you. I discovered this in lockdown. otherwise you get nothing finished or released so i just keeep creating and move on to the next thing
Thank you! This is great! You validated my/our approach to making music for the past 22 years. This is very much the same approach I still use. I have collected several different guitars, drums and percussion instruments, keyboards, harmonicas, flutes, even kid's toys. Been looking into getting a cello next. Although after a couple decades, I'm becoming a better player on some things.
Put the sounds on patreon yeah: www.patreon.com/magpiestuff
Introduce yourself to Jack. You're talented man.
you said a pro penis instead of pro pianist
@@mf_rat thanks
@@DetroitMicroSound who's Jack?
@@DetroitMicroSound which Jack
For decades, I have been surviving any embarrassment for my music by saying, "my performance sucks, but no one sucks exactly like I do, and that's got to be worth something"
Agree!
“Wow. Your works sucks as much as Mozart.”
Well spoken
Brian i feel that conscious direct approach is just as powerful as musical genius if not more so. I have an overview of musical genius people not being able to make a song people can get down with while 4 dummies like the Ramones made the world dance . What you we posses i not jus t worth something it is Everything respect
Wow, I'm holding on to that one haha. Thanks dude. That's strangely super encouraging.
The music college I'm studying in has a whole module where we're pushed to play instruments that we're not comfortable with, and to avoid making music, just "make noise, layer it together, chop it, reverse it, and then record more noises." It's honestly the most useful thing any musician or producer can be taught.
Yeah, ok... Why? And at what point do they say to start making actual music-or at least musical noises?
@@joedarrow5422 A module. It's only one sixth of the semester. The other modules are normal music. The point of this module is to push experimentation so you have techniques to use in the other modules.
I'd say take music theory 101, it helped me with production side. Because it's basically composing music by reading and writing on the staff and translating that to instrument such as piano
@@saintpeniel I've been studying classical music theory for 16 years. This class is still far more useful to production than any music theory I've ever learned. I think you're missing the point here.
@XeroPulse guess it's different for the both of us, I tried that way that you're doing it now for about 6 years. But once I decided to take music 101 and 103 etc. It helped me in the way you have described, I think that's cool that we got a similar outcome
I just have to say thank to you. I had burnout exactly when I started studying harmony, I trashed every project I had begun and in one year I finished only a song that I didn't even like. Unfortunately, due to a health disease with my ears (I hear half) I stopped completely out of depression but this video is tempting me into restarting making music again
Damn sucks with the ears. If you do return to making you should share it on magpie pirates with that story! Super inspiring with overcoming such things
You might also be interested in stuff from our friend Accurate Beats, if you aren’t familiar. He does music with one ear not working, too. :)
i wish you all the best and specialy courage to restart again. a while ago i read about a pianist who lost one hand in one of those horrible wars. could have been ww 1. he wouldn't stop playing and asked famous composers to write one-handed music scores for him and he played them on stage. as i remember they are still played today... will say: perhaps you too may find a new approach to making music even with the limitation...
Thaaanks ❤️❤️❤️
Some of the best music was recorded in mono ;)
"I don't mind swimming against the current. 'Cause I'm not looking for the sea. No I'm more interested in what's ahead of where I'm swimming currently."
Words to live by. Brother, that is an ethos. That grabbed my heart and held tight. Thank you.
Fan va du är bra.
Yeah... it's fabulous.... I've been singing it to myself for a few days now.
That line literally gave my whole body shivers
Dude that’s brilliant. Reminds me of Frank Zappa, where he said the way he solos is just having a basic understanding of the mechanics of the fretboard, and then being inspired in the moment. This is such a good way of looking at music.
My philosophy for guitar playing is: no matter where you put your fingers on the fretboard, you're either in tune, or one semitone off, and can just slide right into whatever pattern you feel appropriate
@@motionsuggests
that's brilliant, thank you, kinda echoes my philosophy on tuning, i have to be able to "hear the _wrong_ notes" before i can adjust them into being
"the _right_ notes"....
@@mindsigh4 and any wrong note can become a right note through repetition. If you hear an off note once its off. If it becomes part of a pattern, its just part of the music.
First example that came to mind of personal > perfect is singing voices . A lot of the most famous singers are unique rather than just being perfect vocalists and it just makes it better
There's benefits?! Finally, some good news! I'm terrible at making music 😊
Same.
Me too but it’s fine to try!
Everybody is bad. Some are just better at hiding it (confidence) or they just suck a tiny bit less. 🤣
Haha and some are really really REALLY good.
Oh hey looks its Tyler Larsen
You’ll get better and better. Truth is, I think we all think we suck from time to time. Some days you’re king of the world, and the next you’re the ditch digger. Just enjoy the ride, and embrace it all, because in the end, it’s always fun
The 'child like appreciation' of the toys/instruments is really fascinating to me. I have several less common instruments, like a talharpa (tagelharpa), lyre, etc. on top of a collection of synths, and my students have generally never seen either. In fact with synthesizers they often ask me if "That's what I use to DJ with" despite... it sometimes having literal keys on it like a piano. Perhaps because I teach teenagers, some are already afraid to touch the instruments, get nervous just holding them, perhaps they can recognize that its special, or may cost money or whatever, but some just really dive right in and are excited to play it. They'll ask me how I learned to play any of them, and I tell them I just picked it up and started playing them until I got better, just like they can. They're surprised I was willing to buy them never having played them and I explain that's kind of the point, that's why I got it, I wanted to play it and there was no one like me I knew of that had stuff like that.
I didn't even start playing until I was quite a bit older (technically I had lessons as a kid but there was a massive gap), and just doing it and giving things a shot not only boosted my confidence and made me happy even when the songs might not be that great. But even after a few years I still enjoy picking up a new instrument (my bukkehorn showed up today!) and figuring out how to use it, and how to include it into a song is always a lot of fun.
Awesome!! I wish I had all those instruments you mention 😁
@@SimonTheMagpie The feeling is mutual!
Can't express how much I've missed you and totally vibing with what you are saying. Glad to see you back bro!
I definitely got stuck in a rut for a while trying to focus too much on perfection when recording, even on instruments that I am relatively proficient at. I found it very helpful listening to isolated tracks of musicians that inspire me. It really opened my eyes to the fact that many studio recordings have imperfections, but it doesnt matter, and it is part of their charm in a way.
10:58 is literally "Losing My Edge" by LCD Soundsystem . Love it!
Thank you for the 1.25 recommendation I hope this type of thing is standard across RUclips
Most fun I had doing music was during lockdown, when a friend and I made a challenge: We'd pass a genre and a topic to sing about (like, Gospel and vacuum cleaning or sth.) to each other and had like 1-2 weeks to record and mix the song. We'd explore a lot of stuff we didn't normally do and it was beautiful.
Also: That ending song brings joy to my heart.
This was honestly really inspiring. I've been working on my first album for a while now and about to finish it up. In the process I will sometimes get this anxiety of me not being good enough or whatever and being scared of showing it to people. This kinda helps alleviating that. Thanks :)
Also your new album rocks 🔥
you talk about the benifits of not knowing how to music, then completely knock it out of the park! so inspiring and amazing!
Im new here and i have to say your piano is literally the most badass piano ive ever seen. The art on it is amazing. Also to add onto what you talked about. Prince is the PERFECT example of someone who utilized this technique. The guy could play 27 instruments. I doubt he was "pro" level at all 27 instruments but this creative mindset isn't about being god tier. its about expanding on your weaknesses, pushing yourself out of your comfy zone and growing as a creative person and taking what you CAN do and maximizing it to its full potential. This skill is greatly overlooked and under utilized. Fantastic video.
I’m honestly pretty sure he was god level on all of them 😅 but probably from just playing them all so much on feeling! once in a generation type person
As an example of a group that can actually combine virtuosity and personality I have to mention Dirty Loops. They manage to make absolutely wild stuff with some insane musicality that is also approachable and just enjoyable to listen to. You can nerd out about progressions, insane vocal runs and absurd precision of the rhythm section, but you can also just sit back enjoy happy music that is fun to listen to.
Simon. You are amazing. Don't stop making music.
That little song you heard is genuinely so nice, you can hear the passion that was put into it. You really proved your point with that song!
I think you've just minmaxed for arrangement skills. Cause even if every single part of a song sounds bad on its own, they all add together to make a whole greater than the sum of its parts. You're an inspiration for a hobby producer like me that's never sunk time into learning any instruments, but I've always focused on arrangement and composition.
My passion for production kinda died after spending countless hours in the piano roll. A few weeks ago I picked up a bass, and being bad at it and just dorking around has really reawakened that passion. Looking forward to buying more random instruments :D
I appreciate what you are saying. Making things work together is in itself playing with skill, no matter what level of expertise.
Jerry Garcia had only been playing with the lap steel guitar for a couple of weeks when he layed down the steel guitar on Crosby, Stills and Nash's "Teach Your Children"
I get stuck on things being "great" and most skilled work...
It is ego and more often than not is far from childlike and keeps me from learning even more.
I play fiddle and sweet. It is what it is.
I just appreciate your encouraging talking
Bruh!! That line/chorus is everything! Just a beautiful metaphor that completely describes the concept you just explained! ❤
talent is just consistency over time, you do anything consistently and constantly long term you'll get good
I couldn’t agree more with this video, Simon. I come from a background of playing in a lot of metal or metal adjacent bands and there couldn’t be a style of music with less character and originality. Everything is quantized or recorded slow and sped up, slip editing and vocal tuning are rampant. Drummers will record their hands and feet separately and even then their tracks are quantized to the grid. Guitarists tend to use the same plugins and modellers to get their tones… This is all in the pursuit of sounding “perfect” and in that pursuit they lose every last bit of life that may have existed in their music.
love how the track sounds with the vocals, reminds me of early brian eno :> wonderful video as always simon
i have been looking for this type of advice for a decade now, and i recently found it in a discord community unrelated to this but i'm glad this sentiment is shared by more people. it's the type of thing that has led me to actually create things after years and years of wanting to
I've been producing for over 15 years and my friend's and I have really taken to teaching the kids how to produce. My 16yo cousin just started and I LOVE the amaturish sound of the music he makes. It inspires me so much.
My favorite activity on this planet is making bad music with our 7 year old son. he’s got no knowledge or formal training and it’s just so wonderful to go full send anyway. It’s not about the results for us, it’s the process.
Added bonus, the music we make now is WAY better than what we made six months or a year ago. Super awesome to see the progression of a child’s creative mind.
Brilliant! All the way around. You've shown that a lack of virtuosity is absolute perfection when imbued with the personal.
This was a beautiful video man I thank you from the bottom of my heart for this. It reminded me to just have fun with it more and relax. Music's beautiful and as someone getting into making mine at 30 and stresses myself out all the time this helps me I will watch this everytime I get down on playing music because it truelly is uplifting seeing someone enjoying music like this. Your cool man keep playing and enjoying. Thats a cool song too no joke vibes 1000 percent
I struggle so much with this. Not only with instrument playing or vocals, but with everything music related (recording, mixing, theory and more). It's been a long journey of trying to accept my limitations, my incapacity of playing any instrument and my lack of theory. I just been trying to focus on having fun.
But despite having that approach to things, there are some things that are still a big struggle for me. Not knowing how to sing/hating my voice is a big one for me, I've relegated myself to just to instrumental stuff but it frustrates me a lot that feeling of shame of anyone listening to my attempts of singing or playing an instrument.
I don't know how to get rid of that feeling.
Interesting in regards to mixing and all as well. I think I might talk about that in a future video cause I think it might be very relatable!
@@SimonTheMagpie oh yes, I see mixing as one of the most asked kind of feedback on the discord, people are always worried it's too muddy or things like that. Please do a "fuck mixing" video.
I used to hate theory as if it was some kind of hard to learn boogieman that was complicated and very difficult to learn, but it's really not and you learn a lot of the neat little patterns that theory teaches you just by playing. Theory is just a structure you can chop up and manipulate as you please, in all honesty I see it as a way to organize the notes and as a map to go where I want whenever I feel it. Because in the end all you are trying to do is get the music out of your head and into the world.
And if you just keep on doing that over and over again, you'll learn little pieces of it and after some time things will begin to click.
I had to learn to ease up and let myself be weird and that helped a lot. Every artist makes a lot of stuff that isn't great before they make that one masterpiece and honestly the more you're making the more you're improving and the more of a chance you have to find that one hidden gem.
I tell my friends this all the time, don't whoop the baby.
Your art is just a child right now. Maybe it can barely even walk. Babies technically suck at walking but they keep on doing all sorts of crap that isn't really walking until they walk.
But they do it because they don't even know that it's bad. Nobody is beating them every time they fall or shouting at them for not being able to walk yet.
So I have to treat my art like it's a baby. And I had to let go of the mindset that my art isn't worth making unless I'm aiming to monetize it and make it into a product. It's not! It's something I enjoy and it's good for my mental and emotional health and it's fun.
I don't know if any of that helps you or if you feel you can apply any of these concepts. Everyone is different and learns the same things differently. Nevertheless it changed my creative life to realize these things.
I can't be the only one that noticed that at 10:54 the beat that plays is almost exactly the same as Losing My Edge by LCD Soundsytem. I have a feeling james murphy was playing around with that same casio when he made that lmao
Yeah I looked it up after another comment! And all points in the pt-30 direction. Which is cool! 😄
Ever since I got on medication for my overwhelming anxiety disorder I've been finding discarded pieces that once thought were trash.. and they're really good?? Just need some minor polish on the production to my present standards.
We are so unfair to ourselves. I still struggle with judging my own music but it was a very enlightening moment. I also cant deny that I was far more prolific when I didn't know what I was doing at all but also wasn't super worried about it being perfect because who would ever hear my Sony acid no midi no vst all sample manipulation beats? Forever struggling to recapture that freedom and spontaneous writing. It's definitely my most interesting music
I've started adopting this point of view in my music and it's made it soooo much more enjoyable. Got caught in that trap of trying to overproduce and make everything as clean and perfect as possible for many years till one day i picked up a guitar, having never played before, strummed a few notes into my mic, sang a few words badly, and made a whole song
I love that topic: It is about a learning path versus exploration of something. Exploring something you are not professional at, comes with a lot of freedom. - This applies to jamming as well: Open stages that allow people to grab an instrument and be part of the experience - I have seen magical things happen with people there, fe: "Hey, that was cool what key was that in? You must be a pretty experienced bass-player"-"I picked this thing up half an hour ago". Or Professional musicians saying that it was totally wrong on a technical level, but worked and felt surprisingly good afterwards... Those Jam-Sessions, I was lucky to get into regularly some years ago, were a gateway for me to explore expressing myself with audio as well. I do not care if what I make is listenable or good by certain measures - it is merely an expression of a moment in time. A sound that felt right for my thoughts, my situation... that moment. Be it understood or misunderstood - liked or not - in this case, this is my way of exploring. - - Thinking about that more - it all, the whole topic, feels like a byproduct of the journey being the destination more and more. - Which can also be a mighty reminder for professionals as well and ties into some of the less-is-more logic. --- That was inspirational! Thanks Magpie!
I'm a soon to be Sound Engineer student and you are very inspiring! More doing less thinking and just going with the flow without the judgment of absurdness! That's the vibe I'm getting when I paint abstract! Keep it up!
I have tried to practice guitar for over a decade, I can't play crap. I got some korg volcas and a Kaossilator and I can create an entire song with sample sounds. Something that actually sounds like a song, not that great, but a song. struggling with learning traditional instruments was frustrating, and I almost gave up on music all together. I am happy I bit the bullet and got synths and samplers because it opened an entire world were I can create an entire project instead of learning chords from a Led Zeppelin tab book. It is my own sound. Even if my wife and kids make fun of me, I love making noise that I can control and manipulate. I admire people with talent hugely, but being able to puzzle together your own song with your own sounds is immeasurable and immensely gratifying.
Beautiful, man! I'm glad you're back and appreciate your viewpoint. I totally agree, especially in making music as solo composers working in our own studios. I don't think an AI will ever match the sheer, maniacal and frenetic creativity of a human being.
Agree!
how encouraging that a musician i apreciate very much, has the same approach to making musik as me, humble amateur... just started making music late in life... and there are too many instruments that fascinate me, to still learn them all, or even one of them... I assembled my little menagerie of instruments i don t know to play, some of them even broken, like my beloved fake trumpet from india of the 1930s. I am struggling to get interesting tones, record and mix - by myself and with friends- and sometimes the result even pleases me... and if it is only me who is pleased, so be it.
I do agree with your sentiment. I was stunned to think about my wide circle of friends who play music professionally and how much each of them is a multi-instrumentalist. I do know most aren't, but what struck me was how special it was to realize how many around me ARE!
I can say "less is more" if the performance is just going insanely noodly, but in a general sense. I agree with ya Magpie.
That’s really cool! 😁
I've been working on my electronic album with Swedish lyrics since 2014 (ish) on my spare time, and the production is based on sounds from Caustic (mobile daw), synthesizers, old home computers, vsts and rhythm instruments and other weird stuff, like a home made spring reverb.
It's finished now (not released, working on videos and art for it), but it will be heard by very few people, being an independent artist/composer/producer singing in a language very few people understand.
But I've had a good time making it :D
What I want to say is that I like the way you think. Just quit putting pressure on yourself on what other might think of your music, just make music however you want!
This was incredible and inspiring and hilarious and beautiful!! Thank you!!!!🙌🏻❤️
@SimonTheMagpie ... The "braveness" to be VULNERABLE is an amazing quality, my friend! You are amazing. As a long-time studio musician, I thoroughly ENJOYED this!
BIG THANK YOU MAN.
Thanks!
With the power of DAW:s these days, I’ve always felt emense preassure to achieve a great sounding mix that as a beginner it just kills my spirit to work with as I never get the results i want or feel is expected working in modern environments. The creative spirit came back to me when I switched to working with a 30 year old 4-track cassette recorder and truly committing to those limitations. That also includes working only with hardware which provides a very tactile experience. Creativity came back to me when I focused more on the experience of making music in the moment rather than the finished result.
In the 80's I loved all these synthpop bands. And in 1986, most of them turned completely shit and made idiot stuff like crappy soul or bad pop-rock, etc.
Because they had had hits, and now had money and experience to make what they WANTED to do all the time. And it sucked. When they couldn't play instruments, knew nothing about music and had no money for studio time, they made amazing, groundbreaking music. Because, as you say, they needed to come up with ways of overcoming their limitations, and by doing that they came up with new, groundbreaking stuff.
Examples: OMD, Heaven 17, Human League, they all made crap albums in 1986. Even Depeche Mode and Kraftwerk released low-point albums in 1986, although Kraftwerk certainly did know what they were doing, the whole time, so that's not relevant to my point. :-E Men Without Hats are relevant, though, although their shit album was in 1987.
Tears for Fears also made their last good album in 1985. The year music died, 1986.
ya ur right, the song u made felt very alive and full of life (weird but also reminded me of "dont hug me im scared"), keep up the good work
ty
Limitations spark creativity. You can find limitations trying to play something that you haven't really learned to play like that or create them in some other way like allowin yourself to use only certain limited instruments or trying to record on an old 4 track tape recorder.
I've seriously started getting into music production over the last month. I made my first actual track a few weeks ago. It's simple, but effective to my ears. It sounds good enough to me, and has a good length. It's been a while since I've been proud of something I made myself, and this song I made just made me realize how what I am capable of doing is already worth something.
I have no music knowledge nor skills but I like to connect few synths, sequencers, and make some horrendous noise and ambient. I even try to play with simple melodies, and I don't care how bad it is, these experiments give me enormous pleasure.
Everything about this is awesome. It's a really fun sounding song your were making there.
Music has been the biggest thing in my life jumping from genre to genre and finding new, hidden gems with different styles. I’ve always expressed that the best music to me isn’t always the most technical or “perfect”, but rather music that shows it’s imperfections. You really show and tell a great way that authenticity and personality matter. For those of you who enjoy “imperfect” music, research outsider music. A very well known and genius artist i recommend is Daniel Johnston
Not true the best music is synthesizer the most unique instrument
❤❤
You made me feel good
Thanks for being you and doing what you do and sharing. This is now one of my favorite music / creativity videos.
re: talent
talent may not be innate, but the discipline to practice consistently and gain talent absolutely is. ADHD is fun, it kills that completely lmao. it even kjills the ability to enjoy being bad at stuff
I always feel like my music's never going to catch on but I personally love it so I continue. Love your video thank you!
That really came together towards the end. This is exactly the motivation I needed to get back to work. Thanks for that.
I'd definitely agree with the sentiment here. I've often been struck by how many music production RUclipsrs, who clearly have massive technical ability, seem to make quite bland and generic music when it comes to their own work. Something I appreciate about this channel is that the music has character and personality. It sounds like Simon The Magpie and nobody else. I've often thought - and it's certainly true in my case - that as a beginner you find your own voice by trying to sound like your favourite artists and failing hard. Repeatedly. Cos you're just not good enough. But so long as you keep trying, the specific elements that you like about them become clearer and your influences become more thoroughly mixed together and your own sound emerges from this process. I suspect the problem for more technically competent musicians/producers is that they *know* how to sound like their favourite artists and so when they try to make their own music the result is more or less 1:1 with their influences. Nothing goes askew or gets modulated and consequently, they don't actually develop their own sound. Anyway, that's my excuse for not practising my instruments. 🤣
this is the most beautiful video i've ever watched in my life. That ending was pure, and beautiful, and I wanna listen to that full song!
Thank you for this video, i put a lot of pressure on myself because i have high expectations and i want to learn everything at once and get super frustrated when i feel stuck. I am starting to realise that this approach kills the joy that originally motivated me to learn instruments and produce music. I still want to learn and improve, but i dont want to be spiraling down into depressive, intrusive thoughts that make music more of chore then a passion.
Your playing in at the end of the video gave me so much, it reminded me so much of what i love and why i love it. As cheesy as this sounds, thank you man.
Ps: Also very inspiring how you just try it and dont give a fuck how it may sound a little funny, you just keep going and embrace it until you get it right. And you have all the fun in the world while doing so. I will 100% rewatch this when my head gets too loud.
I absolutely LOVE my wall of instruments that I can’t play but do! I similarly find that the more of them I’ve managed to pull down and mess with during a project, the happier I am, with the music and otherwise.
I really needed to hear that. Thanks for all this wonderful stuff you put out into the wide world, Mr. Magpie.
"The benefits of being bad at making music". Finally! A video for me \o/.
Im in constant struggle to find the good melody, or the good harmony, or the good rythm; but there's always something that demotivates me and ends up in me abandoning a half idea. Funny enough, I'm stubborn and get back, although with a different idea. I think music teaches me a lot in life by being a strict and demanding mistress, yet a inspiring life guide. There are things that I find easier to do, yet I choose to stick with the one I try hard to do; i feel like it is something worth the hard times.
i think one of the best things we can do to combat algorithms ripping away our drive, ability, and opportunities to create on an individual level is to create without shame. create without shame, and show off how fucking human you are with the soul put into your creations. that's what makes art and music interesting, shameless humanity.
A lot of inspiration! I really like your philosophy! The most important: Having fun by making music/sounds/bleeps & bloops!
This is one of those videos you can watch multiple times.
Also people actually making music, especially live, cannot be replaced.
Yeah really focusing on specifically music production here. Live is a whole other thing. Since imo thats all about communication! And skill essentially = communication imo
@Simon The Magpie you're right.
Also this video was really encouraging.
Thanks for this unique perspective! I have often felt self conscious and discouraged by my inabilities when it comes to making music. But framing that as a creative tool is a really good way of looking at it.
You have been a huge inspiration to me over the years dude. Thanks for the encouragement and creativity!
This is the most amazing production video I've seen yet. It's so perfect because it's so imperfect! As someone who never grew up playing any sort of instrument I've only begun my journey recently. THIS is what I need more of! Thank you Magpie! ❤
One of my favorite albums is Red Flag by The Elegant Bachelors because you can hear the imperfections and it sounds like it was recorded in your mate's garage.
glad you're making videos again. really appreciate this one in particular
Man if anyone ever made an argument it’s you. What a process!
After 3 days you have over a thousand likes and over 200 comments. To me it means you related to a lot of people. That's important. Point well made! The creation of art thru expression. Thanks
i agree. i remember when i wasn't sure what i was doing back then. i write music in famitracker for video game-esque tunes and back then, when i was not sure what i was doing, it's sometimes fun to go back to these early files and see what i did and see why i did such.... or maybe i don't see it. it can be a good way of getting creative again, with your own references in the past. it's kind of magical to realize you composed music differently back then
Duuuuuude, I love this. So amazing. The music you made is wonderful. And that conversation about A.I. is so real.
Have missed these kind of videos from you. Hope you are well, sir.
You had what I call, HAMA. Havin A Mess Around. No rules, no goals. no care. Just fun.
The pursuit of perfection is futile. The pursuit of fun is fertile.
(getting out the sunglasses for my next HAMA session)
I'm making music myself, so the video gave me a motivation boost. Thanks for that, keep doing what you love.
To add to the AI spiel:
I think since AI creates art based on preexisting works, the development of AI will inspire artists to make their art more experimental, personal, artistic, etc. It will take time to get used to, but I don't think it's going to cause the "death of art" or whatever.
Think I’m gonna follow up the AI since it’s a fascinating and very relevant topic right 😁
The magpie is back
I love music for the joy it brings me, in making and listening. Thats all I want for me and for you. I've learned so much about my mental health, outlook, self worth all by creating music. I hear so many wonderful creators who are talking about moving yourself from making music to impress and make music that makes you happy. Thank you Simon and all the creators dropping some philosophical nugggets around when it comes to music being a joy not a burned.
I'm usually not one to write music, kinda just stumbled upon this, but I can really appreciate the idea of just playing around with instruments you know nothing about for the sake of wanting to play with them. Getting that deeper appreciation of how they work, what they sound like, bit worrying about sounding like poo playing them. I've never NOT been in a big music class or musical instrument store and where I found myself fighting the urge to just play with everything I saw like some overgrown toddler. Seeing how other people can just take it a step further, throw stuff at the proverbial wall and come up with something that sounds incredible, is both the most intimidating thing musically I could think of, and it makes me reconsider if I've dismissed my own musical skills a bit too much in the past...
10:39-17:34 Now that's the experimenting Magpie who I know and like! 🙂 Keep on the good work! 😉
Been a big fan of yours for years, and your approach to music inspired me to switch up how I was producing, years ago. It was actually when you put out the tape loop samples. I went so far as to try and boil it down to a moniker, which I adopted.
"Naivety at its finest, music implicitly borne."
Wow I was talking to my family about this exact thing the moment AI generated art came out. I started asking myself what is the point of trying anymore. But I eventually realized it's not like the value of drawing portraits has gone away now that cameras exist. It's not like woodwork isn't artistic anymore now that IKEA is more popular. The value in your art should never have been just your virtuosity, it should be the fact it's *yours,* with exactly *your* creative vision. ART WILL NEVER DIE!!!
Tack som fan för denna video!
Jag har också samlat på mig massor av instrument men har ofta bashat mig själv för att jag inte lär mig att spela dom. Jag vill bara ha kul men lagt för mycket press istället. Jag älskar hur din låt blev och jag är riktigt inspirerad till att sampla det lilla jag kan och se vart det leder.
Skitkul att följa dig och tack igen! ❤
I don't think I'll ever be able to say I'm "good" at playing any instruments, music just isn't an art form that I was really meant for, as much as I love it. But this video has at least changed my outlook on creating music, which I'm very grateful for. I've always applied a similar mindset in other mediums like acting and writing but couldn't really find a way to mentally translate those ideas into music, it always felt like "skilled performance = good piece."
Magpie you genius, You make the banal, profound and not the profound banal like most artists do at some stage. Lean into your weaknesses. I love my limitations and worry that as I learn more , I may loose my mojo. I think T.V on the Radio's creative rules were you had to play a different instrument to the one you were skilled at.
i needed this, i’ve been playing piano on the keyboard on my daw and everything tends to sound pretty good though my new midi keyboard came in the mail today and made me feel so discouraged. It’s a lot harder then i thought
Totally something I needed to hear. Thanks for this, Simon!😻
This is just all out great this is just the video I needed bless you!💯
That track sounds straight out of a Bibio album, and I absolutely love it !
this was amazing thank you. I discovered this in lockdown. otherwise you get nothing finished or released so i just keeep creating and move on to the next thing
This was truly inspiring. Thank you so much for posting!
Abounding love, Magpie. We all have a sound to share 🎉 the song at the end was joyous ❤
Inspiring video and awesome runthrough of the track production - especially great lyrics in the chorus as well, thanks a bunch!
10sec into vid... Instant thumb up. IDK how you do it but your positivity is astonishing.
Best wishes bro!
Thank you! This is great! You validated my/our approach to making music for the past 22 years. This is very much the same approach I still use. I have collected several different guitars, drums and percussion instruments, keyboards, harmonicas, flutes, even kid's toys. Been looking into getting a cello next. Although after a couple decades, I'm becoming a better player on some things.
Much Respect to you and your musical approach