Continuing our journey through (supposedly) irrelevant subjects to the creative process we're going to talk about an area which is either ignored or desperately held onto by creators of all kinds.

Today we're talking about a book which has changed my perspective on almost everything (probably) more than any other. The change has been startling, and for the better. It's responsible for much of the Music Machine, how Make Music Your Life works, how I make music, how I parent and much more...

Even though I'm extremely passionate about the subject of Season 4, I've struggled making these PodWalks. But now I've figured out why and what I'm going to do about it... (In Season 4 I'm PodWalking about supposedly "irrelevant subjects"...because siloing in it's many forms is an anti-creative force.)

A very different PodWalk today as I share a story from my past (pretty much my first clear memory) which I believe has shaped my approach to almost everything... And definitely my strong aversion to the siloing of information, learning and knowledge. (In Season 4 I'm PodWalking about supposedly "irrelevant subjects"...because siloing in it's many forms is an anti-creative force.)

A very music based PodWalk today, as I'm talking about how I've used the Gestalk Principles of visual perception to help me (and others) make music. (In Season 4 I'm PodWalking about supposedly "irrelevant subjects"...because siloing in it's many forms is an anti-creative force.)

In Season 4 I'll be PodWalking about supposedly "irrelevant subjects"...because siloing in it's many forms is an anti-creative force. So let's talk about how the creative process (as commonly practised) ensures we're creating unnecessary frustration. When we take into account how our minds work - we can make making WAY simpler, quicker and less painful...

In Season 4 I'll be PodWalking about supposedly "irrelevant subjects"...because I believe that siloing in it's many forms is a terrible waste of human creativity. And in this PodWalk I'll fill you in on an area of learning which has had the most profund effect on my ability to do almost anything. It's the bedrock upon which all other learning has happened... The first book that got me into meditation I mention was "The Relaxation Response" by Herbert Benson. It's not the best book on the subject (I've read many), but it is short, simple and practical.

If you're struggling to get started again after a break...listen to this. You'll be just fine. :) You'll also find out what Season 4 PodWalks will be about.

This is the final step of "Festive" Season 3, where I'm taking you through a process I use to get focus, motivation and clarity for the coming year. If you've missed the other steps...

This is step 4 of "Festive" Season 3, where I'm taking you through a process I use to get focus, motivation and clarity for the coming year. If you've missed the other steps...

This is the 2nd step of the "prep for the best possible next year" process I'm taking you through in this "Festive" Season 3.

Let's kick off "Festive" Season 3 - where we'll get clear on what we're doing NEXT YEAR! Starting with The Review... This is the process I'm using with my team, coaches and clients for birds eye view of last year.

Let's talk about what is coming in PodWalk "Festive Season 3"...

In the last PodWalk of Season 2 let's have the "debate that isn't a debate at all" debate. What is the relationship between quality and quantity? If you've ever said "I'm all about quality not quantity" then this is for YOU! And if you're already familiar with my schtick on this subject - there's even something new for you too! :)

"I know exactly what I want but I just can't get it to come out right" is a problem I've heard repeated 1000s of times over the last decade. (In fact, today on a coaching session with a group of musicians, at least 3 said this was their no. 1 problem.) But there's a problem with the problem itself. It's based upon a set of mistaken assumptions about ideas, the creative process and how the human mind works...

WHY does the Making Machine work? What's behind it? Because any system that works has to be based upon principles... Starting with one of the most insidious, destructive forces I've seen kill many a track, song and even career dead. What's worse is that the tools and technology we use to create suck us into this creative black hole. UNLESS you know what the problem is, why it's so dangerous and what approach to take instead...

I'm launching not 1 but 2 new podcasts! Find out what they are and where you'll find them in this double trailer.

In the 1st 3 PodWalks of Season 2, I've shared how the Making (and Music) Machine fundamentally works. In the final PodWalks I'll share what's the behind the Machine, but first a little background on how it came to be...

Beating a piece into submission is the default method of finishing for many makers... But while it works (I did it for years with my music), is it the best way to get quality or quantity? On our PodWalk today we're going to talk about the problems with "brute forcing" your work, and a much more fun, free and effective alternative...

What is a "bad" idea? From my experience of using the Magic Making Machine I've come to realise that a bad idea is a good idea out of context. One of the benefits of using a system like the Machine is you get a birds eye view of what you've been doing. It tracks what you do over many years, so you realise that you're perception of what you've done and what you've been doing is out of whack with reality. If the only perspective of your creative past is in your head, it is going to be distorted. And this is where the Sketchbook comes in. Because in the Machine, you don't delete your "bad" ideas. You come to understand that what you think is bad is a goldmine! So on today's PodWalk we're going to talk about the Sketchbook and the difference between "Ideas" and "Splurges".

How many top artists have you heard say something like: "I can't stand listening to my past music, all I can hear are the mistakes!" I said this, too, for many years. But there's a glaring problem with this. What are mistakes? What are the problems within the music we have made? And how does hiding from what we don't like about our work hold us back? On our PodWalk today, we will talk about what we do with our past releases. (HINT: it's NOT to hide from them. No matter how bad we now think they are!) Get your Music Machine Trello Template here...

What is your definition of "finished"? After many years saying a piece was "done", then realising it wasn't I had an aha... What was giving me the perspective I needed to know if it was 100% "Done" was the fact I thought it was! This is one of the reasons that in the Making Machine "Done" is separate to "Release" (where we get our stuff ready for release.) So on our PodWalk today I'll get into why and how you make this crucial distinction... Get your Music Machine Trello Template here...

There is a fundamental "pivot" point in any creative process. You move from a "divergent" approach (adding, experimenting, brainstorming) to a "convergent" one (removing, moving, improving, editing). In the Making Machine this pivot happens when you get the piece you're working on out of "Discover" and into "Draft". Then, to keep your process flowing (and not gummed up) you want to make sure you're not putting too much pressure on yourself. On our PodWalk today we'll talk about 2 crucial stages of finishing anything: Draft and Done. Get your Music Machine Trello Template here...

"Inspiration shows up when you do." Let's talk about the start of the creative process... Get your Music Machine Trello Template here...

I did a back of the envelope calculation the other day. Through personal and group coaching, writing, making programs and videos I've invested around 20,000 hours helping musicians and producers with their creative process. In PodWalk Season 2 I'm getting deep into what I've learned by sharing the model I've developed to explain it. Because while creativity is chaotic and uncertain, there is a pattern...