I've Hit My LIMIT
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- Опубліковано 6 бер 2024
- In this video Christian talks of a recent experience on a project that made him pause for thought and he believed was an important lesson. So much so he rushed this one out whilst still in his short term memory.
Have you ever encountered the uncanny valley, a rut. How did you get out of it, how did it feel how did it go?
Answers in the comments down below please!
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I cant tell you Christian just how much this video was needed for me today! Ive been in a rather intense composer mentorship where I constantly feel in a state of failure or imminent failure. Its harsh, its brutal and there have been so many days where Ive just wanted to pack the whole thing in and call it quits...but like clockwork through some mysterious force of nature you always end up posting a video directed at exactly what I need to hear. Keep up the great work my friend!
Thank you so much for the kind message! That’s the goal for us all to be a wide support network for each other where kindred spirits can help each other in this crazy journey!
Asking for help is not a sign of weakness, rather it displays humility and professionalism. Approaching life with curiosity, and a willingness to learn (including from failure) every day paves the path for success in all aspects of life. The three words that are most important are 'tell me more'.
You’re right, humility is so important!
David Bowie said: “If you feel safe in the area that you are working in, you’re not working in the right area. Always go a little further into the water than you feel you’re capable of being in. Go a little bit out of your depth, and when you don’t feel that your feet are quite touching the bottom, you’re just about in the right place to do something exciting.”
And we all love doing exciting things!
I can't imagine ever setting a limit on myself, randomly or haphazardly. Setting goals, and limits, ought to be a very conscientious act. I might begrudge someone who attempts to steer me in a direction that conflicts with my goals.
Well put!! 👏👏👏
I think the uncanny valley reference is not about being in a rut - using a valley metaphor might work, but the uncanny refers to 'things that appear to be real on the surface or first look, but there is something 'off' about them'. Mostly referrred to things like motion cap animations where the body movement seems to be real but the eyes or hands are dead or artificial. So nothing to do with a rut, which as I said is just about being in a ditch, stuck, lost, etc: But thanks for the general chat about failing forward anyhow!
My understanding is that the term ‘uncanny valley’ originated with a Japanese tech professor in the 70s. He was describing the experience of finding robots to be more and more appealing the more human they became. But only up to a certain point at which time they become more and more repulsive. You’re describing the discovery of unreality based on a telltale detail. It’s related but not quite what ‘uncanny valley’ actually means. The eventual repulsion is the point. So, the original idea has been adopted and bent to mean different things in different contexts. Christopher’s story about video production tracks that arc perfectly. And, in a different way, discovering that you’ve unwittingly or subconsciously set a limit on your potential when you’re belief has been otherwise for some time, you’ve also landed in an uncanny valley. Maybe repulsion is too strong a word for the experience of that discovery - or maybe it’s not. But I don’t think his use of the term is off the mark. It’s a multi-purpose metaphor now.
Nah Christian is way off on his use of it here - and I have worked in virtual world industry for a couple of decades so know exactly what the term means ... it is not about repulsion it is about 'awareness that something is 'off' as I said in my post ... the word uncanny is the key to what it means, an unease with what we are seeing. The term is used now very precisely in film animation and games to describe something not quite right vs 'repulsive' regardless of it's Japanese origins ... one thing is very clear as per this video, it does not mean 'stuck in a rut' .... @@garygimmestad4272
I was not expecting to learn this about this phrase! Thank you both for sharing your insight on it!
I also enjoyed the chat and insight, but didn't think the phrase was totally relevant. Doesn't really matter, but @garygimmestad4272 has again confirmed that language is elastic and constantly adapting to fit context. Thank you both! My example of the 'uncanny valley' would be the point when I stopped enjoying playing Grand Theft Auto. My favourite version was GTA Vice City, which is 'realistic' to a degree but you're clearly playing in a fictional world with a strong sense of time and place. GTA V is brilliant really, but I felt like it was a little too close to the present day in look and feel and subsequently I didn't enjoy playing as really unpleasant characters doing really unpleasant things in a way that felt too close to real life. That was when the 'repulsion' mentioned before kicked in. Anyway...slightly off topic on the video itself. Great work as always Christian - keep it up!
@@aldo34 Your gaming story reminded me of the backlash to the ultra-hi-res production of ‘The Hobbit.’ It went into that uncanny valley where, despite the delight of fantasy becoming real, we prefer a little Vaseline on the lens. The over-abundance of microscopic detail, it turned out, is a distraction. Some complained that it strained their eyes. The same is true in audio production. We have so many plug-ins that are designed (among other uses) to tame the bite of digital edge (saturation, soothe, cassette, etc.). Nostalgia is the marketing scheme but it’s also about backing out of the uncanny valley of ultra-hi digital resolution.
I just saw that I called Christian Christopher. Apologies!
My daughter is going through this right now. She is living in New York pursuing a career as an actress. Having spent years training in the field and (As a dad I would say this…but it’s true..) being very very talented. She had pushed and pushed herself to do things she never thought possible, not knowing if it will ever truly pay off or not. The true definition of passion.
If you look up passion in the dictionary this should be what comes up! 👏
With every new track I write I nearly always end up in that valley, then maybe just one sound can create that tipping point and I'm on my way to the finish line 🔥🔥🏆🏆🔥🔥
Well put! Getting to that tipping point where anything can happen!
Dear Christian, you have said many times that you do not read and you do not know music theory - but you just wrote a film score with a 90 piece orchestra. Would you mind explaining the logistics of that, from you composing a piece of music on a DAW to a bassoon player having a piece of sheet music in front of him (or her of coarse!) and a conductor counting in the band!!
This sounds like a great video idea! 🤔
I love it when you offer up 'life lessons'. This video is quite timely as I was told today that I needed to do something differently and my first reaction was that I cant. But you've helped me to realise that I need to try.
Well done on being brave enough to give it a go and acknowledge that!
Videos like this are so helpful. Thank you Christian!
You’re very welcome! 😊
Great reflection Christian, thanks! love these mind explorations as much as your musical ones. Cheers !
Thank you! We’re really trying to look at the wholistic approach of it
I'm trying to perform live electronic music, but gradually adding lyrics, them performing those lyrics; it's really scary but also really exciting at the same time, and defo out of my comfort zone, which is a good thing. Always a new peak ahead to climb...
It’s the best kind of scared to Be!
Brilliant, just the challenge I needed today. Appreciate your vulnerability. I'm going to challenge my fixed mindset and just go and do it.
Glad it helped!
I think in film production, the expression 'uncanny valley' is used when observing scenes with special affects and you can 'see' the space between reality of scene and the affect itself or something like that.
Thanks for the insight!
Amazing and inspiring! Thanks for sharing this!
You’re very welcome!! Thanks for tuning in!
I'm in that valley at the moment, I've been charged to write very pop/ commercial music and coming from a rock background am finding the push from the management is hitting me in the stomach. so I understand you.
Good luck on this challenge!
Another very valuable video. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts with us in such an honest way.
Thank you! I’m glad it’s resonating with you
Ah yes, the rut. It’s mental fatigue. Burnout is another way to describe it. Refresh, refuel, and do whatever it takes to reopen the mind to the possibilities in front of us.
Besides, that’s where the really good stuff comes from sometimes. So, why not accept the challenge? Bring it on!
As always, thanks Christian. I dare say that your life lessons are more valuable to me than any software. But, when I know that your heart and knowledge is infused in them, I have all the confidence in the world that they’ll be inspiring.
Keep it up!
Such a kind message! Thank you so much! 😊
Incredibly valuable lesson, Christian, thanks. Have a lovely weekend.
Thanks! You too!
Excellent, Christian; thanks for doing this video!
Thank you for enjoying it!
Christian, thank you for the honest advice. I needed to hear this.
I’m glad you got to hear it! Thanks for the support
Thanks again Christian. Your words always help. You are right about this. Without pushing ourselves we aren't our true potential. Pushing ourselves and getting through it, for me why life can be great at times.,
Extremely well put! It does make life great!
Well, good morning to you, too, Christian! I woke up to another day of feeling like I'm "in a rut", in various different ways, and you were here to share another story from your own life, and give words of inspiration. This is one reason why I stay tuned in with you. Thanks. I've been working on building a portfolio of music concepts to use to try and get filmscore composition work, and, somedays, I reach a place where I do start getting that negative thought wondering if I can take the piece where it needs to go, and wondering if I can find and maintain some originality that will be recognized and appreciated. It's one thing to push one's self, but you were challenged to do go beyond the pale, by someone who was expecting the finished product to do what he wanted it to do. You are amazing. I think your analytical thinking is a big part of your success, along with your musicality. Now, I will go back to my composing with the thought that I must always greet the challenge and break through whatever barriers that may seem to arise, as I understand you do it all the time.
I’m glad it could help you change your narrative on your day!
Thank you . Very thought provoking . I suppose that if one is writing for something "out there " It is a matter of applying imagination and practical experience . Being able to draw out of one's own experience, a wonderful feeling or observation and expressing it musically. Or expressing a very dark true and hideous place of a pain full experience . And telling or redirecting that into musical composition and the art thereof . Music should be more than just nice sounds for the masses .
Poetry in motion! 👆👆
Excellent Christian!!, thank You!.
Thank you for supporting us in this journey! 🐦⬛
It's an interesting discussion, for sure. I also think it's wise to remember not to overpromise with projects though. I've tried to leave my comfort zone in the past and sometimes it works, and a couple of times it's gone badly wrong and I haven't been able to deliver and ended up losing a client.
Good point! In general, overpromising can be a dangerous game!
Currently, I am working on a musical project that's a bit out of my comfort zone, presenting considerable challenges. Today, I encountered a significant obstacle, feeling utterly ensnared in stagnation. In a moment of frustration, I exited my DAW and turned to UA-cam, where this video prominently appeared. I’m standing on the edge of the “slightly higher diving board” as we speak. And to be frank I’m very nervous.
Every outcome offers growth: learning from missteps or building on successes. I think after a nice walk I will return with your advice feeling a little extra motivated.
Your insights on navigating creative impasses are immensely appreciated. Thank you for your timely and resonant advice 🙂 🙏
Thank you so much for being so honest with all of us! You’ve got this!
Well said. My dad once said “You only get better if you play with someone better than yourself.” That’s true, and good advice. But you can still get better, you can still go somewhere you’ve never been before, you just need to decide to do it.
Exactly! That’s why it’s called a journey.
Well Christian, its so weird that you talked to us today about pushing yourself, the rut! I was given a few weeks ago a wonderful piece of music to put a bass line into....mmmmmmmm yes I am a bassist of sorts but I also love composing as well. so out came my DAW, logic and I decided to set to and hopefully create a midi bass line? what a mess, what a disaster, I even was at a point of letting the composer know that I didn't think the song needed a bass? but no, we must never give up, so I plugged in a fretless bass and just, well played what I felt, natural and completely different from anything I have ever done before..........and wallop! Today, all done, didn't give up but tried something different and I am very happy with the end product. Hey Christian, I love your impromptu talks, you make so much sense and you are such an asset to the music industry and us all. Much peace and love Gary
Sending good vibes your way too! Well done for making that step over the plateau! 👏👏👏
Thank you for this
Thank you for watching it! 😊
Great thoughts Christian love your flow of consciousness, and an added bonus is that many of your thoughts are also relevant to other careers and endeavors.🎈
Thanks! I’m glad it was something that is relatable for you too 😊
There is a fine line between pushing your limits, and just biting off more than you can chew and then choking on it...Most of us try to walk that line carefully, but almost everybody who has achieved notable success in a given area has intentionally crossed that line. Many more than once....
A lot of great messages here. Reminds me of something I've learned as a video editor. When I was younger I would push back more on creative ideas before trying them. I eventually realized that I should always try an idea even if I can't imagine it working. More often than not I would find my assumptions were just wrong, or I would discover a new way to solve the problem that I hadn't considered. It's comfortable to work within the creative walls we build for ourselves and are trained in. But there's really great work that can be done if you're willing to make the effort to climb over those arbitrary creative barriers.
The Uncanny Valley or rut is all too familiar and it happened just this week. Like you, I don’t read music nor know music theory. I write, I sing and have recorded and published many songs across genres (Kathy Muir).
Two weeks ago I watch a video about DADGAD tuning and thought ‘I must have a go at something I’ve never done).
The good news was that a guitar piece came almost instantly (verse and pre chorus). Then it all got difficult. I didn’t know what chords I was playing, didn’t know the shapes in this alt tuning mode and didn’t know how to create what came next. I could hear it in my head. So I played around with shapes a long time and wrote in tab sequences so I could forget.
Piece by piece, brick by bit, 4-bar by 4-bar it came together. Many of the orchestral strings and pads came before I had even found a guitar piece for the chorus.
I then analysed a drum pattern from a song I thought was a close match to what I could hear in my head and so I spent 4-5 hours building up demo drums (a real drummer will redo this June).
I felt a real weight on my shoulders that this was an enormous challenge, one I wasn’t sure I could work through. So I kept telling myself to take a little piece at a time.
14 hours 4 days ago, 12 hours 3 days ago, 12 hours 2 days ago.
The arrangement was finished yesterday. So today I’m going through a snagging list as well as having the joy of something I know how to do: lyrics. Vocals later today in this Spanish hotel room.
So, my lesson learned? I was waaay out of my comfort zone using a primary instrument I didn’t know to use to write a piece I had only briefly heard as a fragment.
In doing so my creativity went in a different direction (never used session horns until now) and proved to me I have more inside of me than I thought I had. I can bend, I can be open to change and I know how to push though. I am capable.
The song will be recorded in Connecticut on 20 June. It’ll have been four years since I saw my producer (I’m London/Edinburgh). Each year when I used to live in the States, I’d be in the studio on my birthday. It seems fitting that discovery (the song) and re-discovery (Steve Hansen) will be hand in hand. Crowhill sounds are included in that discovery :).
Once back in London, I’m going to keep one of the guitars in DADGAD tuning!
Thank you for documenting your process! I love hearing how other people do it!
I think creativity and growth in a skill set are intrinsically linked. Crossing that threshold between what is known to you and what is completely new is where the magic happens. However, crossing that threshold can be a slow, multi step process that usually has a toll to be paid.
Thanks for connecting the community in this way. It can be all too easy to feel isolated, with only the DAW and the inner bully for company.
I’m glad we help you feel like you’re in a community!
Keep bringing those magical moments!
Very well put. Been there many a time.
It’s a good place to get through!
Christian -
you need to rest and re-nourish and restore yourself
these are rough times in the UK and the life of the artist is inherently tough
Keep bringing us the good stuff as you do
Thank you! That’s why we’re trying our very best to keep the good vibes coming!
Good topic. Love the perspective. I will say though that the opposite of this can be equally true - well meaning friends telling you that you can/should do it when in fact you really shouldn’t. Definitely good practice to challenge our own limits that we set ourselves and the narratives that support them but equally it’s good to know when to walk away from something.
Good point! Two truths can be held at the same time!
Great advice. Definitely best to have no limits at all, if that's possible. Especially for composers, but even for players.
I remember not even trying to play such&such song because I wasn't near good enough (and I wasn't). But when I eventually decided to try and put the work in, I found I could do it. So removing my self-imposed "limit" made me a better player and was a huge confidence booster to learn more music that I had thought was beyond me.
Well done on getting past that plateau!
Thanks for sharing! Awesome video!
Thank you! You’re awesome too!!
@@TheCrowHillCo Thanks! I appreciate.
At one stage my standard answer was either "no" or "yes, but..." and that got me nowhere. I WAS scared of failure (and of course still am) but I adapted this kind of YES mentality that really has gotten me places I otherwise would've never gotten. So, good talk!
Well done for managing to get to that place!
@@TheCrowHillCo Thanks! It's always a work in progress tbh.
Great video, Christian. For sure we learn being pushed beyond our "limits". I wonder if there's a optimum amount of pressure to learn the most. Like a gaussian curve of crushing pressure at one extreme vs carefree (no pressure) on the other end, and an optimum peak in the middle. Also, I wonder how the context of the environment, time constraints, and anxiety/being stressed out impact our learning. 🤔
That’s a great thought! I guess there’s no blanket rule and different people will sit in different places on the scale
Thank you!
No, thank you! 🫵
I agree that pushing yourself is always a great idea. I like your idea of attempting to go to the "slightly higher diving board." It's also good to have an awareness of when that reach is too great and failing in a disastrous manner is a real possibility. That's never fun.
Absolutely! That’s why it can be good to work your way up to things!
Speaking of pushing yourself beyond your limits - I am just a learning musician, making lo-fi budget music. I have musical education, I was singing in a choir a while ago, but learning how to make music is quite challenging. And I always had this... fear inside me that I cant come up with an original melody, that everything that plays in my head is just a part of something that I heard before. That one day my inner voice is gonna go completely silent. Well, I decided to push that voice to prove myself, that I can write melodies and create music. I turned that into a game - created a list of themes, and each day was randomly picking one of them, until the list was done. After a month I had 30 melodies. Was every single one of them good? No. Original? Maybe not all of them. But there were 30 melodies, written by me.
You managed to break that barrier and that’s all that matters! Well done! 👏
For some reason this video has much less BS than some of the more recent ones.. keep this mind set and vibe, reality is better than tried for reality. You've made some big changes, for reasons I dont know about, but this vid gives me a more positive view point on them. Congrats. :)
Thanks, I still do these heart to heart videos! I’m glad it helped you on your journey 😊
In terms of composition, I recently had to create a score for a short film where the director struggled somewhat to speak in musical terms and didn't really have a good grasp of what kind of music they wanted. All of their references were simply music that they liked listening too, rather than music that really told the story. After many drafts it became clear to me that I had to make music that satisfied their own music sensibilities, and somehow make it fit the story without it feeling so incongruous. It felt like an impossible task and I physically lurched at the idea of working on it, but eventually I forced myself to get in there and make it happen. Turns out the director loved it and I really enjoyed the challenge in the end. It felt like I learned this exact lesson from working on this particular project! Don't give in to misgivings, push through and trust the process of trying something new, so long as you dive in early there's always enough time to refine it into something that sounds 'good'.
I literally just wrote in my journal today, I don’t know what I’m fully capable of so what can I discover today? Standing on the diving board of my life right now… never draw conclusions or wrap things up in a little box because of fear… you can’t know until you try… I’ll let you know how I land…
I do enjoy your philosovlogs.
I am on version 5 of game character theme and I have been feeling I have set foot into the uncanny valley for a couple of weeks, now. Yet, I decided I am not giving up and instead I set out to find a way out of the valley. I think I see an opening in the thickets ahead of me, and even if some more thickets might appear because of some voice in my head I do believe that this time the opening I am seeing is real
Well done on keeping your head up through versions 1 through 5!
@@TheCrowHillCo cheers, I am aiming for version 5.1, now!
Bravo !
Uncanny valley means when when something emulates humans so close its off putting (like the feeling of something being uncanny). So you could pile on, over work and over produce say Mario and it would never reach uncanny valley because its cartoon like quality. Same with CGI film monsters. I think where you've got the idea of its meaning is you were maybe working with developers striving for realism in a human face and at certain point its close enough to trick the mind its real but there are enough signals to say it isn't human. That cognitive dissonance gives us an unnerving feeling. Unfortunatley in regards to the metaphor the way to solve this and get perfect realism would be to add more and more detail until you can't tell its not real haha (but obviously with budget and computing restraints this can't happen yet but it's coming) so instead they might back off detail to be more illustrative.
Not taking away fromt the videos message. Just thought you might like to know
You sir. Brillant.
Uncanny valley is where something is so close to looking human that it looks inhuman. Usually boils down to some almost imperceptible things that we subconsciouslg detect in faces.
Oof, bravo! I have a two octave midi keyboard from Arturia (Keylab 25) and I've ended up only using it for it's controllers. For travel I've bought a three-octave midi controler with mini keys and although I relatively often hit a wrong note on it, It's an actually workable size. If I had to compose on a two octave keyboard with other people in the room, I think I would have a heart attack within a minute!
The Kaylab 25 is a classic! At the end of the day it’s whatever works for you!
We get conditioned as you said, to not living 'on the edge'. But each day really is a 'clean slate a 'new beginning', and we get to choose what we want to make of it. Everyone's circumstance is unique and therefore the only true learning this that we do for ourselves. The uncanny valley in a creative sense is maybe going stale, no longer pushing through the reeds, but holding back and remaining in some comfortable but stagnant tepid backwater.
I would say this, Music has no limits and no boundaries so do what you want with it. Learn as many styles as you can but most of all, enjoy what you do.
While I think there's value in 'pick one genre/style and be the go-to person for it', I ignored all of the 'don't try and do everything' advice that always came up at networking events, production music awards etc because I felt instinctively drawn to lots of different stuff.
In the last few years I've done South American folk, dubstep/trap, big, melodic orchestral, string sextet, and I'm just about to start a breakbeat score(!). Music's music innit? We don't have to like *every* genre, but I'm wary of a musician who doesn't at least find some interest or value in something unfamiliar to them. Will you let us know what your challenge was eventually? I'm intrigued!
Well done on managing to branch out so far!
And maybe one day… 👀
More sage advice here Christian 👍
I think that the majority people are tolerant of 'honest' failure, where someone tries their best but it just doesn't happen for whatever reason. And the rest aren't worth bothering about.
There may be no uniquely right answers, but there lots of wrong ones. Sometimes 'I can't do that' is the wrong answer while 'this will be my first time doing this' is not wrong. Thanks for the video, Christian!
There's a solid lesson here on getting beyond self-imposed limits (thank you!), but I don't think this has anything to do with the notion of the uncanny valley. That idea comes from robotics. It refers to creating an imitation of something real (in robotics, of human appearance or behavior). Starting with a crude imitation, as you increase the fidelity or likeness of the imitation, the response of users ("affinity") at first grows. But there's a point where, as you approach but don't yet reach high fidelity, the imitation starts creating undesirable reactions-being close but not quite "there" gives the user an unsettled feeling, almost as if they feel deceived, or kind of freaked out by the attempt to imitate. Then if you increase fidelity even further, the user impression eventually starts improving again as the imitation becomes closer to being indistinguishable from reality. The OED defines "uncanny" as "strange or mysterious, especially in an unsettling way." The uncanny valley refers to affinity increasing, then falling, then increasing again with increasing fidelity or likeness, with the dip in affinity due to feeling unsettled by the attempted but not quite successful imitation.
I suppose in the world of sound design there could be a counterpart in attempts to mimic an acoustic instrument or a natural sound via synthesis or modeling. Perhaps the sound becomes more appealing to a point, but then becomes less appealing as you get near high fidelity without yet reaching it, and then it finally becomes appealing again as you get a near-perfect sonic recreation. It would be interesting to know if something like that happens with sound design. Perhaps it could even be exploited, to create an unsettled feeling in the listener by deliberately limiting fidelity to the target sound. -Tom
Hi Christian from Australia :)
There is no way you are 52….Everyday is a school day. The day you stop learning is the day the put you in the ground. Words from a wise uncle have always stayed with me. He made me realise at a young age that everyone good or bad has something to teach you, its up to you what you take away from it. Love your work and inspiration Christian
Hey Christian - another great and very interesting video! - But my understanding is that the term "Uncanny Valley" was first coined to describe how humans feel about different types of robots.... so, humans interacting with a robot that is really far from appearing human are very comfortable and can be very pleased by a robot that looks like, say, R2D2 and think it's very cute etc ... but as robot designs go closer and closer to human people get more and more uncomfortable and have a visceral reaction of being disturbed, but it's not just the way the robots look it's how they move - if you watch videos of the Boston Dynamics robot "dogs" you can see this and feel it, the way they move is so unnerving it's scary. I think this sense you're getting of the uncanny valley as requiring massive effort to get out of is true in that to solve the "realism" problems at that level is a huge huge technical task .... but that's a different sort of difficult task to what you're talking about in this video..... but I think there is a lot to think about in terms of how the uncanny valley applies to using sampled instruments .... while a sample of a drum or say, a saxophone is a real drum / saxophone we know that trying to get the "movement" (articulation) of those samples into a performance is really difficult if the goal is to make a performance indistinguishable from a "live performance" of a drummer or sax player .... I think you could make another video about the uncanny valley in that context ... my feeling is that, as a composer / producer, the way to avoid being stranded in the uncanny valley is to pick your battles - you might be able to use the sample library of saxes / horns for certain parts convincingly enough for long sustained notes or horn stabs but if you try to play a sax solo on a keyboard with the goal of it being "realistic" you're either going to have to devote LOTS of time to programming it ...or maybe it's better to avoid that issue altogether by just not doing that .... the thing to think about is that we, as producers/ composers (or film directors or video game developers) need to establish audience expectations for "realism" or "believability" in a work via art direction and creative decisions early on that "set the tone" for the piece. The problem (I think) is when you set up the expectation for "realism" but then don't meet it, that one part where you suddenly realise it's a programmed sax rather than a "real" one - and we know that's going to be in that programmed sax solo etc ... something like the Linn Drum Machine had samples of real drums but, IMO, it really came into it's own as an instrument not when people tried to programme it like a "real" drummer but when Prince embraced the "machine" -ness and unnatural-ness of it....
My experience is the opposite. Numerous times I've agreed to do something without a clue how to do it. Looking back on some of them, if I knew how hard they were before saying yes, I would never have done so. Ignorance is sometimes bliss. As for your recent experience - I think I remember you saying something about having to come up with a new version of the theme for Top Gear in no time with only your portable rig? There are many stories of composers working in really restricted environments away from their home base and coming up with something extraordinary. Running on adrenaline I guess.
My 'skillset' was challenged with the brief; "Write me some music that's a cross between Cajun and Italian. It's a level that sees Italian mobsters roaming swampland. I wrote something like the Godfather from New Orleans. I got away with it. Not before I tortured myself believing I was rumbled and the blag was up. It's my only foray into games music thus far, but Clive N Wrench is out there, still selling, and I wrote over 70 eclectic tunes for it.
Oscar is the best, Happy Easter
Don’t over produce or overthink the detail. Yes detail is important but overthinking it will take you into the uncanny valley.
'Every day's a school day'
I couldn't agree more.
Equally valid to recognise one’s limitations in terms of knowledge and experience. At what point to decide the project needs expertise that you don’t currently possess, do you have time to learn it, or is it more honest to yourself and fairer to the client to bring in extra help at your expense? How do you feel about learning a skill at another business’s cost that you have contracted to complete?
Hello Christian.
That's not really what "uncanny valley" means
Yeah I thought that. isn't it where say an image has the likeness of someone but there's something not quite right about it? I get what he means though.
@@arnolddawson5747it's where something looks uncomfortably unclose to real. It's a concept that comes from the 70s, where people were trying to make human-like robots.
Thought so too. It’s still a cognitive dissonance. Comfort zone. Something that feels alien, and emotionally unnatural to do.
I think the metaphor stands
I agree. It does stand.
Did you ever get to see Stevie Hyper D live?
It's like Chicken tikka masala was created in Glasgow not mainland India.
And I thought the uncanny valley was about visceral reaction (empathy drop) when confronted with pseudo realism. Oh well.
Click bait; a synonym for UA-cam. Now I see - said the ...😎
You know there is an answer to this way of thinking when you think you cannot do it. Take a leaf out of our armed forces.. SAS who dares wins…!!!
Stop riding the wave. Jump way before the trough.
If you don’t fail every now and again it’s a sign you’re not doing something very innovative or creative…
It must be tough being you.
Imagine having to be your parents!
It's tough being a ewe. I'l grant you that and that only.
Bro why are you here
You are a treasure!!! I dearly wish we did not live on opposite sides of the planet.