At times it can be very difficult to carve out time for ourselves to work follow creative pursuits such as modular synthesis. However, I believe it is extremely important to do so. In this video I attempt to discuss this and hopefully provide some useful strategies for finding time. Hope you enjoy and as ever, please hit like and subscribe and leave a comment below. 😄
I have trouble setting time aside to create things for myself and I found that collaborating with a friend on a long term project has motivated me to keep to a schedule. After the project is finished, the habit has been established deeply enough to continue the practice.
Flow usually happens with a challenging task where the challenge matches your ability. So yeah, it could be waking the dishes, but if you're practicing some sort of skill based approach to washing, then that's going to help you get flow.
Washing the dishes might not be the best example actually, because you can probably zone out and drop into some sort of semi-meditative state just due to the repetitive nature of the task. But on the other hand, it's probably also possible to approach it in a zen-like manner, where you try to wash the dishes in a certain way, maybe trying to make perfect concentric wipes with the dishcloth or reach into the deepest greasy crevasses of a particular item. Then you might bring the element of skill into the washing up too. 🙂
@justrichardcharles for sure. Based on my recollection, many of Csikszentmihaly identified meditation as among the more frequent flow activities among his research subjects. You absolutely can get flow more or less anywhere, but the match of skill and challenge is one of the things that tends to be part of a flow experience.
Totally, I think that's where the zen-like approach to everyday tasks comes in. Trying to do something as efficiently and almost taking it to an extreme where even something like doing the washing could be considered an art form. At times I think this is a skill my wife has yet to master judging by the number of items I end up having to rewash after she's washed dishes 🤣🤣🤣
The rack's in a gig bag, but my volca kick came to the playground with me today. Set of headphones, and I can make some thumps and zaps, while the kids scream and run around.
Hit the nail on the head. The algorithm gods got it right today. My situation is so similar to yours right now and I find myself flipping through YT for gear reviews and imagining what it would be like to have unlimited time with them. It really is about getting those 15 minutes daily to get your feet wet. That’s probably why I’m so ready for a holiday break so I can carve out some creative time for myself. Cheers.
"fruitless" .. Yes, I had one of those days, today. Working, with a couple of my main modules (that really are very good, & useful modules) .. and finally getting at aspects that I had been meaning to get to, for some time .. which, seemed like enough of quest for me .. but, there were also some quirky ways, in accessing some of the functions, and .. of all things, how to save the settings, which I'm very keen on saving, after what I've been through, recently. I have to concede .. my experiences probably pale, in comparison, to what heavy duty users, sometimes go through, though. After a person gets past the dry sponge phase, where hardly anything soaks in .. I'm looking forward to being a moister sponge. 😄
my problem is far more energy than time... I'm so tired in the evenings it's often hard to make music and not just flop in front of the Playstation. Once I get started, normally I'm OK. I look at it like the gym - a bad workout is still better than not training.
Sometimes that's the hardest part, just getting started. As soon as you're going it's always ok, and then you wonder why you didn't get going sooner. 😂😂
I have a 4 and a five year old. Synthesizer room was some of their first words. It’s nearly impossible to get anything done with them in there. I think they are big enough now that they won’t mess up my modular patches. I pretty much did only software over the last years so I could save things.
I don't have to find time for my modular synth. Because I don't have one 🤣 Because the struggle is real. I don't have time for 5 analog synth neither. Therefore for me it's a "bathroom musician" LOL Good talk, enjoyed. Despite what I said, I somehow play modular style music in whatever hardware or VST or mobile synth.
Modular Daughter Partner and Time, depending on who’s turn it is, grabbing 2mins too play with feedback while the teeth are being cleaned or she is having a poo, that boat were in is real…. 🙏🏼
I know what you mean. For me when my daughter was very young I kind of had to abandon it for a while. I'd get time very occasionally to have play, but not do anything serious. That was enough though, and you know there will be a point in the future when you can start to get some time back. It gets easier. 😊
At times it can be very difficult to carve out time for ourselves to work follow creative pursuits such as modular synthesis. However, I believe it is extremely important to do so. In this video I attempt to discuss this and hopefully provide some useful strategies for finding time. Hope you enjoy and as ever, please hit like and subscribe and leave a comment below. 😄
I have trouble setting time aside to create things for myself and I found that collaborating with a friend on a long term project has motivated me to keep to a schedule. After the project is finished, the habit has been established deeply enough to continue the practice.
Great advice! Collaboration always has so many benefits anyway 🙂
That's a good idea!
Flow usually happens with a challenging task where the challenge matches your ability. So yeah, it could be waking the dishes, but if you're practicing some sort of skill based approach to washing, then that's going to help you get flow.
Washing the dishes might not be the best example actually, because you can probably zone out and drop into some sort of semi-meditative state just due to the repetitive nature of the task. But on the other hand, it's probably also possible to approach it in a zen-like manner, where you try to wash the dishes in a certain way, maybe trying to make perfect concentric wipes with the dishcloth or reach into the deepest greasy crevasses of a particular item. Then you might bring the element of skill into the washing up too. 🙂
@justrichardcharles for sure. Based on my recollection, many of Csikszentmihaly identified meditation as among the more frequent flow activities among his research subjects. You absolutely can get flow more or less anywhere, but the match of skill and challenge is one of the things that tends to be part of a flow experience.
Totally, I think that's where the zen-like approach to everyday tasks comes in. Trying to do something as efficiently and almost taking it to an extreme where even something like doing the washing could be considered an art form.
At times I think this is a skill my wife has yet to master judging by the number of items I end up having to rewash after she's washed dishes 🤣🤣🤣
@justrichardcharles "Zen and the art of motorcycle repair" for example. Cheers. Happy Thanksgiving from the USA.
Absolutely! Happy Thanksgiving to you too! 🎉 🦃
The rack's in a gig bag, but my volca kick came to the playground with me today. Set of headphones, and I can make some thumps and zaps, while the kids scream and run around.
That's brilliant, I've been thinking about getting something more portable myself too for the same reason! 😁
@@justrichardcharles Do, there's a certain freedom a little easy set up brings. I've done some of my best music on a Vongon Replay.
Hit the nail on the head. The algorithm gods got it right today. My situation is so similar to yours right now and I find myself flipping through YT for gear reviews and imagining what it would be like to have unlimited time with them. It really is about getting those 15 minutes daily to get your feet wet. That’s probably why I’m so ready for a holiday break so I can carve out some creative time for myself. Cheers.
Blessed be the algorithm gods! Hope you manage to find some time during the holiday break 🙂
"fruitless" .. Yes, I had one of those days, today. Working, with a couple of my main modules (that really are very good, & useful modules) .. and finally getting at aspects that I had been meaning to get to, for some time .. which, seemed like enough of quest for me .. but, there were also some quirky ways, in accessing some of the functions, and .. of all things, how to save the settings, which I'm very keen on saving, after what I've been through, recently. I have to concede .. my experiences probably pale, in comparison, to what heavy duty users, sometimes go through, though. After a person gets past the dry sponge phase, where hardly anything soaks in .. I'm looking forward to being a moister sponge. 😄
Hey Ken, I like your analogy! We should all aspire to be moister sponges! 😁
my problem is far more energy than time... I'm so tired in the evenings it's often hard to make music and not just flop in front of the Playstation. Once I get started, normally I'm OK.
I look at it like the gym - a bad workout is still better than not training.
Sometimes that's the hardest part, just getting started. As soon as you're going it's always ok, and then you wonder why you didn't get going sooner. 😂😂
I have a 4 and a five year old. Synthesizer room was some of their first words. It’s nearly impossible to get anything done with them in there. I think they are big enough now that they won’t mess up my modular patches. I pretty much did only software over the last years so I could save things.
Oh yes, once my daughter comes in that's the end of anything productive, but so happy it's captured her curiosity!
I don't have to find time for my modular synth. Because I don't have one 🤣 Because the struggle is real. I don't have time for 5 analog synth neither. Therefore for me it's a "bathroom musician" LOL
Good talk, enjoyed. Despite what I said, I somehow play modular style music in whatever hardware or VST or mobile synth.
Hey man, modular can be a state of mind rather than an actual thing 🤣. There's always VCV!
@@justrichardcharles Oh yeas! I got full paid VCV Rack 2. Meditative! ◼⏯🖤
Modular Daughter Partner and Time, depending on who’s turn it is, grabbing 2mins too play with feedback while the teeth are being cleaned or she is having a poo, that boat were in is real…. 🙏🏼
I know what you mean. For me when my daughter was very young I kind of had to abandon it for a while. I'd get time very occasionally to have play, but not do anything serious. That was enough though, and you know there will be a point in the future when you can start to get some time back. It gets easier. 😊