As an educator I’ve seen it over and over again: We begin our apprenticeship to an art form with “Beginner’s Mind”: a sense of fascination with a subject which we see as a whole but have not studied piece by piece. Then comes our “Crises of Self-Consciousness” when we pay attention to analysis, classification of detail, and mastery of the necessary technique; we’re learning how difficult it is to write a great song! If we stick with it long enough, we arrive at “Beginner’s Mind” again, but this time we see the subject as a whole with all the details articulated and held in place by a few basic principles.
“The artistic life begins in instinct and moves toward calculation; or maybe, it begins in blind obsession and ends in self-possession. Or does it begin in play and end in ambition? Some say it begins in inspiration and moves toward repetition. Whichever version you subscribe to, the loss of innocence is inevitable-but one that has its compensations; namely, skill, perspective, and choice.” W. B. Yeats
You must trust the example set my experts and find the proper mentor. Once you have internalized their knowledge, you must move on and never remain in their shadow. Your goal is always to surpass your mentors in mastery and brilliance.
“The sailor cannot see the North, but knows the needle can." Emily Dickinson
Two Powerful Online Programs Are Available:
The Fine Art of Songwriting
The Fine Art of Songwriting
