I used to think that great music was about speed—how fast can one’s fingers glide across the piano, shred on the guitar, fly on the drum kit?
I used to think that great music was about difficulty—as if greatness was directly related to one’s ability to play Liszt’s Transcendental Etudes.
I used to think that great music could only be played on a great instrument. If you didn’t have something that was at least $1000, what you were playing was total garbage.
Believe it or not, I also used to think electronic music was lame. I mean, what skill is really involved?
It’s not that brilliant musicians can’t play fast or difficult music. Or that they refuse to use nice instruments. No, it’s just that their music is deeper than that. It’s more real. It comes from within.
Music isn’t just about technical prowess and difficulty. It’s in your mind. Combining sounds. Using sound to create emotion, to paint a picture, to communicate depth. Whether that’s on a Steinway or a Macbook, it doesn’t matter.
It’s not about having the most expensive gear. Or having the most gear. Brilliant musicians use whatever is in front of them to communicate. They feel inspiration from everything and can make anything sound good.
Whether they have a pedal board full of Strymon pedals or a Squire with a Digitech delay, they find the inspiration. They don’t make excuses. They find a way to express their heart. To go deep. To communicate through their instrument.
That doesn’t mean you never buy nice equipment. It means you don’t rely on the instrument itself for the music. You rely on your mind, your heart, your ability to feel something deep, and in turn, cause every listener to feel something deep.
Here’s a test: Pick up your instrument and create a deep emotional sound using one note. That’s right—one drum, one key on the piano, one fret on your bass or guitar.
You know you’ve passed the test when that isn’t boring.
The Law of Creative Constraint
If you had more money to buy nicer equipment, you could really be creative right? Imagine if you had a home studio full of the best stuff that you could access whenever you wanted. Imagine how brilliant you would become.
All of that was true except for becoming more creative and brilliant. Sure, it would be nice. But creativity doesn’t always thrive on more.
You can actually be more creative with constraints on your art.
Limit your options and see what creativity will thrive.
It’s a myth to think that having eons of all the best equipment will make you more creative. Oftentimes it’s nothing more than stalling—a distraction from making beautiful art with who you are NOW and what you have NOW. Don’t wait. Stop stalling.
Start creating stuff.
You Should Try This Too
Block out 30 minutes to play your instrument. But before you allow your hands to travel to familiar chord patterns and familiar songs you’ve been playing for years, think for a moment.
Breathe.
Picture something in your mind. Maybe a sunset. Maybe someone in need. Maybe Chipotle. Maybe your church.
Think about how you feel in the moment.
Picture what you’re passionate about.
Now…slowly, intentionally play a simple melody that reflects what’s in your heart. When you do this, you’ll find that emotion flows more naturally. Why? Because you’re basing your musical idea on something meaningful to you. You’re interpreting something real.
This applies to singers too. Picture something and communicate emotion through your voice. Having great pitch isn’t enough. Bare your soul. Be vulnerable. Give a gift.
That’s what the best musicians do. They realize music isn’t just in their fingers or their voice. It’s an extension of…themselves.
