Originality doesn't exist. Be unique instead.
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- Опубліковано 9 кві 2023
- Have you ever experienced an artist whose work was unique to them as an individual and immediately recognizable as that artist - while simultaneously pushing boundaries and exploring new areas? In an age where every other video I see is about how AI is about to replace every artist in existence, how can we ensure that our own work isn't easily replaceable, and our own "original" artistic voice is always present?
Artists/Composers featured in intro:
David Bowie, Olivier Messiaen, Nine Inch Nails, Sergei Prokofiev, Yes, Hammock
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I think the fears of AI replacing artists are missing why people love art to begin with. It’s made by humans and we admire the humans and the humanity in the art.
In the age of the Internet, where you need to be able to market yourself and be discovered digitally in order to have your career take off, AI is a major threat to artists since most initial discovery is just people clicking thinking “ooh, what’s that?” and people’s feeds are going to be clogged with easily generated AI content which could block out the real artists from being seen as easily.
AI can piss off. I dont want nothing to do with it. It will completely destroy art
Imo drum machines, sequencers, samplers, electronic keyboards and drums, plugins, daws, etc. have all been pointed to by groups of people as ‘ruining music’. Yet you can witness how these tools have inspired many creatively. I am hoping that AI will do the same. New sounds, ideas and creativity more easily shared. Will I personally enjoy the output more… don’t know… but hopefully:)
@@benbowland I think that’s true. It’s hard to be found. I’m just not convinced most of us are going to be as into AI as the people making it want us to be.
Ai pearlclutchers are the worst people ever, a rare case where both sides of a debate are annoying as possible
"Give yourself permission to be bad" is something I desperately needed to hear
It's called experimenting. :)
Cool sound bed here. 👍
Not even bad..we will need to be down right dirty!
honestly you don't have as much control as you think you do
so don't be hard on yourself
'It's all just practice'
This is absolutely what people getting into music need to hear. The main difference between pros and amateurs is that pros never stopped when they sucked, so eventually they stopped sucking.
I think even more important: pros continue to suck. Bowie was already a veteran with a couple classics under his belt when he released some of his worst projects. Him being a legendary songwriter didn't stop him from sucking. But even then, he still kept making music, and eventually blessed us with another classic which he released on his deathbed. I think the thing is that pros understand that sucking is part of the process, because we're human, and because art is heavily subjective and personal. They allow themselves to suck, which in turn allows them to find their gold, eventually.
@@joaoassumpcao3347 Amen brother. Preach it! Most of us learn by trial and error.
Occasionally lightning strikes and we're blessed with a revelation (or a realization).
Ha! the rest is uphill all the way :)
@@joaoassumpcao3347 You have a point there since sometimes the best stuff emerges when you get out of your comfort zone and embrace the suck again. But something I would like to bring up is that being a pro is not necessarily about success, often times it is about making the vision you have become reality. In essence I'd say it is about being able to convey the ideas and emotions you want with your music.
I'm not familiar enough with Bowies discography so can't really give my opions on that. But I think the more important question is, was Bowie happy with what he created.
@@seanemmettfullerton That's being struck by bleach.
@@treetopjones737 LOL... as if I'm not white enough already. Thanks.
Summary:
- Developing a unique artistic style is important to avoid being replaced by AI
- Five tips for developing a personal style: develop taste, be intentional, push out of comfort zone, focus on consistency and pushing boundaries, and put in work
- Making intentional choices and experimenting are key to developing a personal style
“Give yourself permission to be bad at things” That’s huge. A lot of us are perfectionists and sometimes we don’t even make a start if we feel like we’re not good enough. Great vid
Yup. I have been making music for a while, but I still take long breaks because I am my own worst critic. I need to work on allowing myself to be bad at things.
@@justanotherpxrson I feel you, I’m on one of those breaks right now. We got this and let’s keep pushing forward 💪🏼🔥
This is exactly my advice when trying to explain to people how to start creating. Just steal! And copy! The lofty dream of inventing your own style and identity from the word go is enough to squash anyone's motivation when they discover how impossible that is. But, as a beginner, there's a lot more joy to be found in making something that sounds a bit like artists you like. It's good practice, and it demystifies the whole craft a bit. Of course you won't be able to make something as great as your favourite artists straight away, but even making something say 10% as good helps reveal to you how you could reach that height, with more practice. For me at least, it gave me a lot of context as to what the road ahead looks like. And hey, if you can't even make something that someone has already done, how do you expect to be able to make something new and better?
This video is so lovely. As a seasoned pro (20+ albums) I cringe at the amount of bad advice on youtube. This video tells the beginner everything they need to know and also is a comfort to jaded old musicians like myself. Thank you
You've been nailing these lately, really good insight on this stuff. "Taste requires choice, and choice requires options" is a banger line, also
Thanks man!
@@JamesonNathanJones 🙏🫡
@@JorbLovesGear I love your videos!
I love this guy’s voice. I love his slight southern accent but completely meditative tone. I want him to read books to me.
That last line might be the best piece of advice on the internet.
By day I am a professional visual artist by night I am a musician. In both endeavors I approach it professionally. As an artist regardless of medium, process is the foundation of creating eventual great art. It's not about a static creation, it's a liquid medium of growth and transformation that is for some called work, for others called joy. The moments of completed creations are the highlights but not the goal. Doing it continually and staying open to others needs and your internal voice manifests the 'work' of professionalism. The art bubbles up from that.
This is the truth or at least it was for me. I started learning the keyboard when I was five. My teacher said I wasn't concentrating and she couldn't teach me. I played trumpet from fourth to eight grade. But I really want to play rock guitar.
When I was sixteen my parents bought me a cheap acoustic guitar and I put everything I had into it, which wasn't much other than time. I learned to tune the guitar and the open chords in the key of G. I bought an electric with the help of my parents.
I looked at pictures of guitarists playing electrics and slowly found the intervals I thought sounded strongest, which I now understand were the fourth and fifth. Then I learned the notes on my E and A strings. I learned tab. Tried to play Eruption. I learned the minor scale shape on the guitar.
I took music classes in college. I joined a few cover bands. Wasn't very good, but got better. Joined an original band. Learned the harmonic minor scale shapes. Then formed my own original band. Kept studying and practicing.
I learned the beginnings of actual music theory. I learned arpeggios. I learned simple inversions and harmony. I worked on my tone constantly. Now I'm in my 50s and I can play pretty well. I like the songs I create. I keep thinking and working on music theory and recording. It took most of my life to reach the point at which I liked my playing. But I simply did not quit. I put countless hours into practicing.
If someone wants a career in music they cannot take their entire life to get there. You have to be great by the age of about 17. So in addition to constant practice on the instrument I recommend immediately learning music theory. It unlocks all the doors.
Absolutely! Thank you, JNJ :) yes yes yes. Beautiful... for security reasons online,
we all now must prove that we're NOT robots. Ha! What better reason then to be unique,
distinct, and not just another common thief or plagiarizer. Indeed, give yourself permission
to be yourself, to trust your own instincts... rock on!
‘Composition is overrated’ has gotta be one of the funniest things I have ever read
It took me 7 years to find my own sound, as if i followed my favorite artists but at some point i took a detour and found my sonic signature.
The divine gift that humans have to make dissonance cannot be replicated by an empty vessel like an AI.
I definitely understand the ‘work’ part of it and I’m so glad to see someone else explain this I’ve talked to my friends about how writing music can be difficult and sometimes the stuff I have to do is laborious and boring, and they often respond with “why don’t you just make music you like” and I wish I knew how to explain to them that I do like and enjoy my music but to get it to a standard where I’m proud of it sometimes I have to work hard to get the sounds I want instead of just improvising everything
Dont let comments get to you at all bro. You are a musician, you're intelligent, you understand music differently than most people. You're extremely good at explanation. Keep up the good work. Throwing yourself out there on UA-cam, where ppl are watching, interested, is gonna inspire you to make great work. Because everyone wants to succeed and make others happy. And thats what you're doing, and gonna do.
I appreciate that, Lance! I actually enjoy even the salty comments, because some of them have sparked ideas for more videos :)
Very well said, Lance! ✊
Easy tiger, he's quite possibly in the process of getting caught up on the Content Creation merry go round just like all the others. They need to keep it spinning around in endless circles without going anywhere - gripped with the fear of it slowing or worse... stopping.
@@CFox.7 yeah true. Keep is about the music. Be like Deadmau5. Start a 5 hour stream and say a few words here and there and have the same thing looping for 2 hours straight. Boring but I still watch the process. Especially when he has his monitors linked up to the video. But yeah, I think this guy has all the knowledge about music he needs. Maybe smoke a little weed for creativity spike. Whatever it takes
Came here for the music, stayed for the philosophy. Brilliant advice, JNJ!
The secret of creativity is concealing your sources
I'm so happy that after (on and off) a year of sifting through content to separate few grains of wisdom I got the invisible UA-cam hand grabbing my neck and bumping my nose into your channel.
"Give yourself permission to be bad at things. Write songs you aren't happy with."
Easiest assignment, *ever* ..
I was very unique in my approach to my main career. The number of hats I wore was added to as often as I could gain a new skill and volunteer to use that new talent on the job. It served me well until I retired 2 years ago. I worked in manufacturing aerospace batteries.
Now I am being asked to to play music at charity concerts, three so far this year. I only ever played for fun till now anyway. My approach is that I play and sing in a style that is to me the best of the 60s to 80s. And I'm writing in that voice too.
Just starting to expand into this new phase. So far I am surprized at how people react to my style. Unexpected to say the least.
Last year we made a challenge with couple of my friends where each week we were selecting random genre of music and we were trying to make a track in that genre. Last year was most productive year in my life, and I learned a lot during that process.
So now I know more tricks from various genres, and quality of my music was improved significantly.
But I agree - you need to keep grinding and copy as much as possible. Even if you are copying, you will do that your way anyway.
The texture that comes in on the background music around 1:25 is so good. Love that sound.
Thank you!
I drew a cartoon for my college paper, and at times, it was published five times a week. I was getting paid, and I had to do it, which meant having to come up with ideas, good or bad, regularly. This forced me through the process of what he's talking about--doing it, sucking, doing it more, sucking less, and discovering things along the way. Nothing replaces regular effort, truly.
I started Dawless House Music because in the home studio synth world, House takes a back seat to all other styles.
When I tell people that House is much harder to express something new, they give me all manner of grief and I get a lot of, "you just gotta feel it"
That negates the struggle that is unique to House among electronic styles. House is rooted in so many styles that have distinctive musical conventions and certain instruments/timbres are almost mandatory.
The second you say, "no rules!!", you're almost always going to leave the realm of House.
I want to break rules but 35 years of very traditional and now old and cranky Black folks will throw tomatoes if I do.
So, despite wanting to break free, I have to work and work and work to find how I can satisfy the genre while trying my best to move House forward.
It's like jazz or blues you have to master the rules before breaking new ground
Strangely enough... or maybe not strangely at all... this message can carry over to visual art. Or to all forms of art, in fact.
No matter what, I approve of this video. Thanks for this 👍
I think you should never stop trying to be original! Yeah everything has been done by some old dead composer or an old jazz cat but i come across something new and interesting very often when listening to music! Sure, people have been exploring the 12-notes of the western chromatic scale for ages, so you probably won't find a new chord progression, but electronic music is always evolving with every new synth or effect vst gets put out. I think sound design is the most interesting thing in music, and i think a lot of music geeks overlook electronic music and view it as lowbrow simple music for clubgoers. I also have some of the most fun and cool ideas by thinking "what if..?" But what's even more fun is just exploring and experimenting until you have an happy accident and make a cool sound or something!(:
good points, I'm reminded of Hans Zimmer who stated find your won voice and stick to it, and work work work.
JNJ, please keep making your amazing videos. Composition related video are important to serious music creators. If all viewers want is a quick fix that appeals to their issues with GAS, they're not going to get much out of a composition video... it's not a matter of you overthinking, it's a matter of composition not being on the priorities list of those types of viewers. While creating an appealing sonic soundscape is important, I don't get much out of videos that have 10 minutes of a simple two chord vamp or worse a one chord drone that says everything it has to say in 10 second, but then goes on unchangingly for another 9 min and 50 secs . Your videos are far from that... they cover a range of topic that appeal to me. Thank you!
Oh man. As a both Guitarist and heavy electronic music lover…I’m heavily getting into adapting my own style of Uplifting Trance mixed with Classical Guitar. I’ve been doing it a lot lately and I love it! I don’t believe I’ve seen anybody who put the 2 together. It’s a huge world out there though so I wouldn’t be surprised. Good video. I was feeling uninspired, hopeless due to AI…but I kept forgetting I’m also a traditional instrumentalist so I’ll always have that 🤣
I think the best advice I’ve heard was from David Lynch, he said that everything has technically been made but that hasn’t been made by you.
"Stop watching this video and go start sucking at something."
Wise words.
Last year I started taking an art class. When I look at my recent work I see something I literally wouldn't have known how to begin doing a year ago. It's amazing what you can achieve by just trying something. Then trying again. And again.
My art teacher likes to quote Samuel Beckett: "So you tried, and you failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better."
You have absolutely no idea how apt and useful this video was right at this very moment in time. Thank you so much 😂😂😂
This series of videos just keeps getting better and better. Thank you!
"There is no satisfaction at any time." -Martha Graham
aaaalriiiight, y'aaaall!! let's get irreplacable up in heeeere!! ;-D your insights are always deep & clear & greatly appreciated, sir. thanks much for keeping up the good work. & I love that you cited schoenberg & bowie here. you can always reel me in with either of those fellas. now, if I may, I've got some bots to slay.....
😂😂
Love this! One of my favorites of yours so far
Jameson, this video was excellent! Thanks for this.
Another helpful tip when it comes to making music:
Find a community of somewhat likeminded individuals who are all interested in creating. Art, Music, Cooking, Writing. Find other people who inspire you and encourage you to keep pressing on. Especially when you're feeling down or in a rut. Being around art makes more art, at least in my experience.
Absolutely agree 🙏
Good words! Especially if that community is kind but also willing to push you a bit here and there - either with constructive critique or creative challenges, something that makes you explore outside your comfort zone.
100% The number one thing that has helped me push through self-criticism and self-doubt with creativity is having at least one other person who can encourage me to keep going.
That's great advice! I write fiction as well as music, and I was regularly writing short stories and working on a book for years, encouraged by my local writers' group. Then a year and a half ago I moved 600 miles up the country and could no longer meet those people. I've basically written almost nothing since. They were extremely helpful, like a second family to me!
@@macronencer I hope you are able to find another community to encourage you!
lol, when I first saw this video pop up - I rolled my eyes and thought you jumped the shark.. But then I watched it and wow - you said everything I would say. I'll just add some thoughts/quotes "It takes a long time to sound like yourself". And "Ostinato Rigore" which means stubborn & difficult to control rigor. That was Da Vinci's life quote. I Love your work man! I actually started modulating the lfo/arp clock because of what you said about the poly brute!
"You don't have to apply your standards to everyone else. They're for you."
That's good. I'll be keeping and using that one. 👍
This video, for me, gets at the question "why make music?"
A few years ago, faced with an existential crisis, I discovered that the thing I wanted to do most was to play music with other people. So I built a social group around jamming and then eventually co-founded a "dad band." We had fun and did write/arrange our own (rather derivative) songs, but after some bad interactions with the band and growing boredom with the music I quit.
But I think it's perfectly OK if people want to make music as a social thing, or for therapy, or just as a time pass in the evenings after work. And I don't think those people necessarily have originality as a goal, or at least not as a main goal. But now I'm interested in making music as "art" as more of the main goal, and your videos about composition really inspire. Thank you!
Oh absolutely. Music as a hobby is a wonderful thing.
I'm a digital artist and have recently discovered a lot of this myself lately. I think much of what is said in this video applies to all types of creatives, even if the focus here is music. Thanks for another great video, this one has such a pleasant feeling to it, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel a bit inspired by it.
this video very closely matches what i learned while studying graphic design, though it took some years after leaving school before those lessons actually stuck. ive never seen any sort of creative endeavor called derivative if it was actually good
You wrote exactly what I was going to write. 👍
I absolutely adore this channel and I agree with every word you are saying!
Personally, I find the more I explore different types of sounds and styles of music, the more my compositions become true to myself.
This is so great on so many levels. And I definitely need to buy more shorts. Thanks!
Good thing you mentioned Mr. Schönberg! You captured the essence very well: he was an experimentalist. That's why I like him and find him inspiring - though I'm a guitar player and have almost nothing to do with classical. His "atonal" music is clever and experimental, but edgy as hell. You can do your own experiments too
Great message bro! “Do” is the key word! IJS
It took me some years to figure out by accident, that my favorite producers signature sound is not a signature sound. And then I figured out the sound of some others isn't one either. F*** that concept.
That was such an awesome explanation and very inspirational! Thank you!
These new videos with insights on composition and music in general, are pure gold!
I enjoy the 'Do this new thing with the Matriarch' as much as everyone else (and actually those are the videos that made me subscribe!) but these new ones are as much as important, or even more. Thanks!!!!!!
Thank you Rodrigo!
An excellent presentation with great content. Thank you very much!
Awesome clarity. Creativity is in the work. Thanks for the reinforcement!
Excellent commentary and advice on all kinds of creativity and learning. Thanks for posting. Cheers. :)
Wonderful, inspiring video that applies to so many of our not so trivial pursuits.
Originality may not exist but creativity does. I’m working on a piece combining Māori chanting and Scottish highland music . The sound is rather interesting. Respect
Thanks for an inspiring (and epic sounding!) video - lots of beautiful insights.
I love this. Great vid, man. I completely agree. Keep up the great work! Looking forward to the next vid!
I just have to say, I watch a lot of music related content on here - but your videos are so philosophical and well thought out. This one and the one about composition simplicity really resonates - thank you for making them!
Thank you for this video!
So happy to see you include Reznor among the artists you described. He was the first to come to mind as you were asking the question. I'd subscribe just for that if I hadn't subscribed already. Great video, great tips, and great music!
Thanks for posting this! Great video. Good work requires work.
Some very useful insights, thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Thank you for this video man!
Made me cry. Touching. Thank you.
❤ stop watching this video and start sucking at something... i love it. I am a visual artist and happened across your video. Excellent parallel to most creatives mental/emotional blocks. Thanks.
Lovely thoughts. Thanks!
Completely agree. Hearing these observation resonate with my own gives me some conviction. Thanks. Great stuff.
*THANK YOU FOR YOUR FREE SAMPLES*
Great video man!! Very inspiring
Gem of a video. I think good composers take influences and then blend it with our own and master their own uniquness. U nailed it.
Spellbound. What an intuative narrative. Kudos to you sir. 👍
"Write songs that you're not happy with" is very important.
I was talking to a new artist once who had made one song and they weren't willing to make another. They were just endlessly tweaking that one song trying to make it what they think would be perfect. I understand tweaking/editing and stuff but this person wasn't done with that song and had been tweaking it for over a year.
I am pretty sure you will slow down your ability progress in your art if you take the first thing you did and remake it over and over again until you reach a "perfect" version of it. You will progress a lot faster by just moving on an making the next song and the one after that and so on. Ten songs in you would probably have a better track than if you just had the tenth version of the first songm
i have been introspecting on my own process a lot lately and this literally took the words out of my mouth. great video.
The best video I’ve watched all month!!
This is the best video I've seen on this subject in years. Amazing. 🖤
A lot of people are hyper focused on being original to the point where they stop being honest with what they create. They’re not expressing themselves truthfully. They become too self conscious and about how their work will be received; and the result is that they create subpar work.
Originality isn’t necessarily always good.
Your channel has been the most helpful thing I’ve stumbled across on UA-cam. You gave me the motivation I needed to start studying composition seriously again.
Really appreciate that! Best wishes!
these videos have been very helpful thanks!
Thanks for demystifying this issue and articulating it in a very user-friendly way. You’re a great communicator.
Loved it. Every bit jame, you r for real gem.
rejoice in your uniqueness . Hawkwind .spirit of the age .
This one got me to subscribe. Been close a couple times, this one pished me over the edge. Agree 100% on all points here!
This is the most important video that I’ve seen in a while about art and perseverance . Well done.
You should watch Brian Eno talking about art, you'd like it.
This is great content. These are thoughts that I find inspirational, and give me the motivation to focus, to fight the desire to give up when I feel like I am never going not totally suck.
The idea of building on and modulating around a core idea that you mention in your other video is such a great concept that I don't think I've heard any other music creator here on UA-cam state so eloquently. I feel like between that and call and response almost anyone should be able use while working on their composition skills as a point of reference that can help one make gainful momentum towards improving their skill level.
Just found your channel. You're an excellent pianist and have good advice on multiple things thanks for your content and hard work
I resonated with so much of this! You put words to how my taste has developed the past 6mo as I’ve studied youtube video production styles. It’s really interesting how that composer mastered several styles and then could pick and choose which to incorporate! Feels relatable.
Actual solid advice
Thank you
Amazing speech!!!
This is great, thanks for the grounded motivation 👍🏿
Great advice. Hammock are incredible, original musicians.
Finally a video about the work and patience required to acheive uniqueness! Thank you! I also want to add that many celebrated geniuses, from Schoenberg and Strawinsky to the Beatles and Miles Davis continued to dramatically develop their personal style throughout their careers!
Brilliant. Thank you.
Always profound and enlightening, thanks.
Seems I am not the only one who needed to hear this right now. Thank you for the push to go suck.
Choosing options...yes true but also - limiting your options also helps you be more creative...Good video.
Favorite video of yours so far, I remember spending a few hours trying to replicate an aphex twin song before stumbling on a combination of phrases that sounded far different and far more interesting (to me) and that’s my favorite moment to have when making music. Shoulders of giants and all that.
I’m simultaneously enjoying your music, your UA-cam content (valuable and hilarious), and watching your channel grow. I’ve been watching you for about a year now; I always look forward to your videos. Thank you for staying on the grind and providing so much value to other musicians.
Much appreciated!
First time seeing you, but that speech was so usefull. My goal and desire is to bring some beauty to this world, and I think I'm too focused on this, rather than focusing on the actual process. I'm jumping from drawing to painting, to composing music, to 3D, back to drawing, and so on, caring more about the result, than caring about what I'm resonating with. I started realizing it but still struggle to not let it overtake my actions. But your wording there deffinitely helped
I agree with this video so much! All good things need work and we need ro stop putting pressure on us to make a song that we even like. We have to experiment and suck to get good. Great advices!
This video is really comforting