When Life Changes Your Music: A Path to Creative Renewal
Have you ever felt like you ran out of good ideas?
Today, I want to tell you about a simple but powerful idea that changed how I make music. I learned it from "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron. It's a great read and the book has been ranked as one of the top 100 Best Self-Help Books of All Time.
Think of Your Creativity Like a Pond
Julia Cameron says our creativity is like a pond full of fish. To keep catching fish, we need to keep adding fresh water. In the same way, to keep having creative ideas, we need to fill our minds with new experiences.
My Story
A few years ago, my life changed completely.
I became a dad, and because of pandemic, I lost most of my music clients. I couldn't work with other musicians in person anymore. During this tough time, I decided to learn bass guitar.
This simple choice led to something amazing for me.
I made a playlist of 282 songs with incredible bass players like James Jamerson, Pino Paladino, Bootsy Collins, and Verdin White. I listened to this playlist every day - while walking with my baby, cooking meals, or driving somewhere. I wasn't just listening to learn bass lines. I was filling my mind with new ideas.
Why This Works
This way of learning matches how we learn to talk. Think about it - babies listen to people talking for months before they say their first word. The same idea works in music. When we listen a lot, we learn naturally.
Three Big Changes I Noticed:
Better Musical Memory: When I practiced bass, I started remembering parts from songs I'd been listening to. Even though I only got about 40% right at first, I was learning faster than ever.
More Musical Ideas: After months of listening, making music became easier. I had more ideas for songs, and I didn't get stuck as often. 5 years later, information from that playlist is still looming in my mind and finding its way into my music.
Better Work with Clients: This new way of working helped me understand what my clients wanted. I would make playlists based on their favorite music, and this helped me create songs they loved.
This Works for Everything
You can use this idea for any kind of art. Whether you're editing videos, writing songs, or planning shows, filling your mind with good ideas helps you create better work.
Looking back, I see how everything worked together. Those walks with my baby while listening to great bass players weren't just about learning bass. They were helping me grow as an artist. Even though the pandemic made things harder, it gave me time to focus deeply on music.
What started as a way to stay connected to music during a hard time became something much bigger. All those hours of listening did more than prepare me to learn bass guitar. They changed how I make and think about music.
Now when I work with clients, I know that everything we do - every song we listen to, every practice session, every challenge - becomes part of our creative toolbox. Sometimes the best ideas come when we stop trying so hard and just take in the world around us.
🧠 Quote of the week
"When we make art, we use the pictures in our minds. To keep making art, we need to add new pictures. We do this by experiencing new things through our senses - what we see, hear, smell, taste, and touch. Words alone aren't enough. We need real experiences. This is how we create magic in our art." - Julia Cameron (simplified)
🎯 Challenge for the Week
Take two hours this week to go somewhere new by yourself. Visit an art show, walk through a garden, or explore a market from another culture. Use all your senses to take in the experience.
Enjoy your week,
Melvin Darrell
