I'm back y'all! Go out and do you some book lernin' this week. 📢 Soundgym ► soundgym.co/?aff=9058 ▼▼▼ The Books ▼▼▼ Essentialism: amzn.to/3KVMiuo F**k It, Do What You Love: amzn.to/3LqEG4N The Art Of Impossible: amzn.to/3V6SSDk Show Your Work: amzn.to/3V51NVR The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows: amzn.to/3L50qlf
I have the utmost respect for your musical skills and your character (still do, ofc) so i decided to give these books a go. I have to say that I'm deeply disappointed with The Art of Impossible. Sentences like "[play is] the nature's way of instructing us in morality" indicate that the author has no issues with giving statements on things he either doesn't fully understand or he purposefully dumbs down to the point they are factually wrong; he kind of does the exact thing i hoped he wouldn't-little to no arguments, self referencing and "trust mes" buried in authority and scientific lingo. The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows is brilliant-I've been a fan for a few years now!
After watching this, every suggestion you have made is on my radar. I went through a similar thing you talk about regarding your last suggestion. It was Joseph Campbell’s “The Hero With a Thousand Faces”. It took forever to get through because I was not ready to process so many of the ideas. When I went away from it, and returned weeks or months later some learning or experiences I had been through allowed me to go deeper into it. It is one you might like.
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert, Art & Fear, and The Tao of Pooh are all staples that have dramatically changed my approach to creativity and spirituality (which definitely go hand in hand). I still face blocks sometimes caused by fear, perfectionism, comparison, doubt, etc., but man I’ve really come a long way & am finding much more joy in my creative work these days, like I did when I was a kid again
Oblique Strategies is a deck of cards developed by Brian Eno. Each card has a short prompt to help overcome a creative hurdle. Something like, "make the melody the rhythm" or "emphasis the flaws". I've found it incredibly helpful with music, as it was designed, but also spookily insightful with any creative endeavor or life obstacle. I'm not woowoo, but it's as close as I'll get to tarot or whatever😅 Also my partner swears by The Artist's Way, by Julia Cameron.. maybe the only woman author in this thread, and it's been in print for decades.
I found them a mixed bag. Many are rather cryptic ("Cluster analysis") or generic to the point of meaninglessness ("Courage!"), and that gets annoying quickly. But there's one among them that's really genius in how it hits home: "How would you have done it?" When I'm completely stuck (which is most of the time, lol), I can look at what's in front of me as if somebody else did it, and suddenly it becomes much easier to see what I do and don't like about the thing. It's a magic question to ask.
Tao Te Ching is so good for minimalism as well, which can also be applied to music pretty well to me. Trusting your intuition and not be misguided by fear while making stuff. Try something, don’t be afraid to suck at it :)
Another book I would suggest is Deep Work by Cal Newport. It's similar to Essentialism. It talks about the phenomenon of engaging in deep work, and how to get into "the flow" of deep work through removing all distractions and narrowing your focus to achieve significant results.
Yes, a life changing book for me. Another impactful one is "Four Thousand Weeks" written by Oliver Burkman. I hope you check it out and enjoy as much as i did.
stop thinking in terms of outcomes, and just enjoy the experience of doing the thing you love. everything else is just gravy on the cake! oh yeah and remember what the Buddhists teach us: practice not having expectations :D
You’re describing the instructions for being happy. Do what excites you the most to the best of your ability until you can take it no further. And no assumption as to what the outcome should be. Keep creating.
There are very few TH-camrs that I watch their videos all the way through. You are one of them. Always insightful and enjoyable to watch. And even though I am a synth nerd, I feel like many of your videos have a lot to offer people of all creative areas. I’ll be adding these books to my reading list. Thank you for making inspiring content!
such a healthy atmosphere comes out of this video, it's incredible! these kind of videos on book recommendations are some of my favorite videos, thank you so much for your sharing and your energy! can't wait to read them! :)
Man, of all the production channels I follow yours is without question my absolute favorite. It's great to get the tips, tricks, and technical bits for sure, but you're one of the very few that talks about the mental and philosophical side of making music and being a creative. I really love these ones. Thanks mustache man!
Books are the cheat codes for our life. While a video can present you with propositional knowledge visually tailored by its creator, books force you into mental participation where the words on the page are transformed by the readers imagination. Rather than just absorbing the information, you play with it. The knowledge and experience in it become unique to the reader.
Reading in general helps with creativity as well. I'm talking reading fiction.Reading fiction develops your ability to visualize (with all five senses) and Empathy, as you're inside the head and experience a world view people who aren't like you. Also, well researched fiction can help educate you on various topics, such as history and the inner workings of different professions. And this will make a deeper impact because it's in the context of connecting with living through these characters rather than being "informed" through standard textbook teaching. All of which augments creativity in all the mediums in billions of ways. I know this might be so stupidly obvious to some, but it's still an important reminder to those who may not have thought about this before I didn't mean to take away from the topic of Cameron's finely curated list though. These are brilliant books, and these latest videos are some of the most amazing videos ever
I wrote a song called Aubadoir based off the same word in the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows. It perfectly described this lonely feeling of being up at like 5am with the dark blue morning light beginning to creep in around the window. The track I was writing was kind of dark "etherealwave" and about insomnia, so it felt like a perfect fit.
... darn, reading... yeahhh. I have you the hidden weapon, Mustasch Man, so where im going, i don't need books 😊 I wish my brain was at least just a tiny fraction normal functioning. Learning is really really reaaaally hard for my brain. But i learned there a lot of books that can help you 👍
Because of how you explain and introduce this information.. I have now ordered 3 e-books just based on that. And I kind of know that it is valuable. Thanks man.
"...then a sight she'd never seen made her jump and say "Look, a golden winged ship is passing my way" And it really didn't have to stop. It just kept on going And so castles made of sand Slips into the sea eventually" That's a Hendrix lyric that comforts me for my lack of success as an artist. I have seen it from close up and seen it pass me by. So you find another way to define success for yourself, like I brought up my kids well, I looked after my parents, I never damaged anybody. I can feel happy some days.
This kind of content are why your channel stands out to me. The music world needs this kind of positive, thoughtful information to make is better. Thanks
less of a book suggestion and more of a literature suggestion: read more fiction. i cannot stress enough how informative fiction can be through it's storytelling, but also how great fiction novels are at sparking inspiration for a new creative project of your own
The interesting thing is that one should allow oneself to not do anything… the trick is not to feel guilty about it. If your flow is to just be with no goals and you are fine with that then you have reached your happy place. Other peoples active lives should not be a negative mirror to ones inactivity.
Personnally, I got a lot out of Zen in the art of archery. In its essence, it boils down to avoid to focus on a result but rather to focus entirely on the different aspects of the task at hand, one at a time with full attention. Great suggestions, Cameron!
Your authenticity always shines through Cameron, and that means a whole lot in a sea of videos on this platform. Thankyou for showing your true self to us!
Adam Savages "Every tool is a hammer " is a great read. Every time I picked up the book to started reading. I got the urge to put the book down and go create something. Loved it.
Not really a book but a blog I have read weekly for literally years often based around creativity, writing, music, poetry, spirituality, human nature is the marginalian. Has a search bar too. Used to be called brainpickings. Has even helped me through some rough times. Also enjoy books published by the school of life. Easy quick reads and pick them up from time to time
I've read Essentialism after you showed it in one of your videos and it has helped me stay focused on what's important through some very tough situations. It helped making difficult decisions a lot easier and getting my life back on track a lot quicker. It basically describes a lot of things I already thought and did, adds more principles to it and combines it into a way of living your life I can totally get behind. I'm now reading it a second time and I'm fully commited to becoming an essentialist.
I love life lessons (the ones I've learnt for myself). So here's a couple that a relevant. 1. If you really want to do something you will do it. 2. There will always (and I mean always) be an excuse, so don't think, just do. Thinking is one of the biggest motivation killers, so leave the thinking for the creative process and leave it out of the motivation process.
Great selection. You are going to be a really cool old guy, in your later years. I'm glad you posted this because it reminded me of a book that I need to read, but forgot the title. Thank you, mustache man! 🙏
I was gifted The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows a few years ago. I 100% corroborate everything you said about it. I will also add that it can sometimes be triggering if someone is going through an emotional struggle while perusing the pages.
This is good stuff... I've always found it hard to create because of that nagging fear that I'm not any good or can't make anything good. Even with positive feedback from others, it's hard to quiet those voices. What's worse, I procrastinate on my projects by buying more gear. As soon as I get that new compressor, or mic preamp, or better cables, or a different keyboard, I can finally get started. Anything that helps me get out of the headspace and back into making is welcome, thank you.
I'm currently reading "Chatter" by Ethan Kross that deals with your inner voice and how it can hold you back or completely cripple you. Definitely a good read for dealing with that.
Hi Jack, I sometimes simply pick a sound out of LABS from Spitfire, pick a few notes out and often it starts to form into something interesting. It's not the gear, it's the sounds that fall on our ears. I should know, I've always been on a very tight budget, so much so that all of my sounds are from free sources and so are any plug-in devices I have. Go back to earlier stuff that you have done and compare the progress you have made. I bet some of it is funny because it was over complicated, waaaay too long or extremely niece. All the same good ideas are most likely there just a bit abused by lack of knowledge that you are now in possession of. Self-doubt is a pain in the butt, don't give in to it and just enjoy creating instead of worrying.
I would add the market mindset around the arts has been a detriment in that if one can't "monetize" why bother, but then we also now see rampant depression, loneliness, and a host of other issues that are known to lessen when people are creative in any way. The "outsider" the not-formally-trained are pushed further and further to the margins by the whole " I'm not an expert" belief.
Just want to say thank you for always going deep into the ideas you want to share with us. I'm sure I'm not the only one your videos resonate heavily with, but you've single-handedly gotten me out of several ruts in my musical creativity. I'll be sure to give each one of these books a read, thank you for the list!
I do see the benefits in reading. But I'm really not a book person. I rarely read anything other than TH-cam descriptions and the like. I do hope this video reaches the people who need it.
IMO, best way to be an artist, you must live like an artists, gritty, on the edge, fringe. Then, Magic happens. Doesn’t have to be drugs, parties, sex, it can be simply taking a chance by talking to someone you noticed and were curious about them, you never knows what can happen. The advice on minimalism is to the heart, good luck fellow creators!
Fuck it, do what you want - it's your life and it's short. So yeah, fuck it. Why would you not do what you like? I had many really shitty jobs, but always looked ahead trying to find a job I would love. July 1 I have my 25 year jubilee at the same job in IT, and I fucking love every day of it. Zero regret. I made my (one of them) hobby('s) my job. Don't settle for less, keep looking forward. You can do it too!
nice bro, this was a good video, yeah, success for me is writing a good song I like and waking up happy to want to work on it and finishing it, the rest is up to everyone else what they think about that. I've been in that sports statistical numbers game before in the past, racking up cool points in that perception game, but yeah, i know myself well enough to know that's just a spotlight, and you can only see a little bit in there metaphorically, long story short before I hit the TLDR, be the tide, allow it to rise and fall, its ok when you can surf, and its ok to just chill on the beach :)
Learning more in general has advanced me as a creative much more than practice. Practice is important, we need the skill necessary to effectively express ourselves, but becoming a fan of culture and generally making myself smarter and more educated has provided me more reference points to build on creatively and compare my work to. Doing this is how we can make effective, relevant, and impactful art. If we just focus on practice we're going to come off as ignorant and narcissistic. Think about how stupid it would be to practice guitar without knowing basic chords or how to use a pick. You'd be wasting your time. But, there's no limits to this. One must never stop learning and expanding their awareness, it gives them that much more new input to build on which allows new skills and creative discoveries to be cultivated extended from this increased awareness. Creativity is a constant collaboration with the greater community and universe. We didn't want to make music until we heard someone else playing music, right? Of course, we wouldn't even know what music is otherwise. Don't lose that impetus. Allow your curiosity to flourish and your creativity will flourish.
It's the opening show title names that keep me coming back 😂 loving all the content that comes out of this channel. As a struggling creative on a cycle of imposter syndrome relapses I find the content empowering and inspiring. Hard to say this of many places on the internet...🎉
11:32 The Art Spirit by Robert Henri is amazing. I lost count how many times I've read it. It's focused towards visual arts but I think many of its lessons are applicable to any creative medium
These are great suggestions, I'll add another one that I really love: Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman. It's similar to Essentialism but with an added dose of what to do with your existential dread.
Great videos, you have inspired me to make my own youtube videos, and right now working on my first solo album, hopefully will be released this year. Have read some of those books, and you are so right, they are great! Awesome video!
Since I started watching your videos, I got a growing feeling that you forged the formula for a content I really need. Everything works great - voice, script, topic, background music. Thank you, Cameron! You inspire me to get out there, and make something awesome.
Love you man! You are so multidimensional in so many ways... Artist, teacher/communicator, producer... (do you do voice work?) The book list looks great. - thank you! I studied electronic music in 78, in bands, music repair shop in SF... you know your stuff!
Dang, another video reinforcing how valuable you are to the creative folks out here in youtube land. I now have sone books to investigate! Thanks Cameron.
Fantastic segment, the title grabbed me right away. Thanks for sharing, I will check these books Although with the book title of “Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows”, I must start there. Thanks!
Thank you for sharing this! As a musician, I also read productivity books to inspire ideas that will motivate me to take action or take action that will motivate me. 😎
I had a strange period where after years, I was finally getting really good and loving the music I was making, my financial life took a downturn and I suddenly felt too guilty to spend time making music. I took off from music for a year, until my financial situation was better. Now that I’m back making music, I’m so behind where I was. I’m frustrated, don’t feel inspired, and cannot create anything I like. I regret taking that year off. I’m not giving up, I know it will take a lot of time to get back to where I was.
There's a reason you started and got good at music in the first place, my guy. When it sucks, like a lott, don't forget that you're doing it for the music and for yourself!
Good choices. One book I'd recommend is The Musician's Way: A Guide to Practice, Performance, and Wellness by Gerald Klickstein. It's intended audience is traditional instrumental or vocal musicians. And it sets out to help them form healthy and creative approaces and mindset in instrumental practice. But like all great books, it applies to almost any highly creative human act. My oddball book choice would be The Zen Teaching of Huang Po and the Transmission of Mind. Some of the key themes it discusses are escaping distractions in order to pay full attention to the important point. You could think of it like the radical great ancestor of modern books like Essentialism.
I think a key thing this list is missing is that reading good fiction is a subtle but equally potent lightning bolt to creative receptors in our brains. I’ve personally been chewing through Gravity’s Rainbow (and it’s companion book with relevant references and explanations to the plot) and I have never felt so effortlessly inspired and creatively invigorated by everything around me. Masterful works of narrative imagination - especially when deftly melded with very real events and themes from reality - change the way we view everything, and the subconscious manner in which it shapes our brains compulsions feels perhaps even more potent than prescriptive nonfiction
Yes, this makes a lot of sense. If you're stuck on your work, reading more ... about work ... can sometimes feel like the wrong thing. Reading really good fiction does help us get out of our own heads, gives us someone else's perspective on the world. Good poetry does this too!
I took a songwriting course in college, and one of the things the prof talked about a lot was that reading, in general, was so important for songwriting because it "fills your creative well".
These video’s are helpfull, relaxing, and such high quality! I even use them as some sort of asmr to be able to sleep! Thank you for creating! Happy to call myself a bucarooney! ❤
I love this video. I’ve been forced to step away from music due to life endeavors. However I’ve been filling that time with studying 50cent and Robert green. Reading the 48 laws of power and the 50th power. Such great reads and powerful lessons to learn in life. Reality is a difficult pill to swallow but I intend to see the world for what is it to have better control in all aspects of my life, including creativity.
This is a very interesting video. I feel like the list is very personal and in my case, the books that helped me the most, aren't necessarily related to music/creativity, but rather books that helped me overcome personal barriers. Books like "Outliers" - Malcom Gladwell: "Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life" - Wayne Dyer; and "Brain Rules" - John Medina, are books that profoundly changed my outlook on the world and helped me work around my own limitations. The biggest lesson out of all of these was "Nothing is set in stone, you can change and influence your reality to a larger degree than you realize"
I purchased The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows- it is amazing and 22 Pages in Maru Mori the man who gave Neruda a pair of socks and Neruda wrote Ode to My Socks...Neruda is one of me favorite poets and The Book of Questions is inspirational I have given this book to several people and they all come up with their favorite Question and they are all different in the choosing- If you have not read it you should put on your reading Bucket List!!!
Great video. I found "The Creative Act: A Way of Being" by Rick Rubin an absolutely amazing read - despite having no real interest in the music he's produced, it is a superb book that I will be re-reading for many years to come.
I think books like these are great, the main issue though I have with many of them though is they lean too much towards 'business' and the 'corporate world'. Essentialism did this I think - I enjoyed it until it started using every example from corporate companies, 'successful' CEO's etc
I'm back y'all! Go out and do you some book lernin' this week.
📢 Soundgym ► soundgym.co/?aff=9058
▼▼▼ The Books ▼▼▼
Essentialism: amzn.to/3KVMiuo
F**k It, Do What You Love: amzn.to/3LqEG4N
The Art Of Impossible: amzn.to/3V6SSDk
Show Your Work: amzn.to/3V51NVR
The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows: amzn.to/3L50qlf
I have the utmost respect for your musical skills and your character (still do, ofc) so i decided to give these books a go. I have to say that I'm deeply disappointed with The Art of Impossible.
Sentences like "[play is] the nature's way of instructing us in morality" indicate that the author has no issues with giving statements on things he either doesn't fully understand or he purposefully dumbs down to the point they are factually wrong; he kind of does the exact thing i hoped he wouldn't-little to no arguments, self referencing and "trust mes" buried in authority and scientific lingo.
The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows is brilliant-I've been a fan for a few years now!
Wonderful suggestions, thank you for this. Do you have an order to these if I wanted to read them all? Where would you start if you read them again?
Soundgym link is not working :
Thank you for this! Your videos make me continue to believe in myself even when it is extremely hard! I appreciate you and your work!
After watching this, every suggestion you have made is on my radar. I went through a similar thing you talk about regarding your last suggestion. It was Joseph Campbell’s “The Hero With a Thousand Faces”. It took forever to get through because I was not ready to process so many of the ideas. When I went away from it, and returned weeks or months later some learning or experiences I had been through allowed me to go deeper into it. It is one you might like.
How Music Works, by David Byrne, changed my perspective on a lot of things. Creativity, and what sound does to your head and how.
David Byrne is the Goat in his niche.
Talking heads guy?
Yes! This book really inspired me.
@@HankTVsuxyep that guy
One critic compared it to having your ears syringed. You just hear music differently after.
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert, Art & Fear, and The Tao of Pooh are all staples that have dramatically changed my approach to creativity and spirituality (which definitely go hand in hand). I still face blocks sometimes caused by fear, perfectionism, comparison, doubt, etc., but man I’ve really come a long way & am finding much more joy in my creative work these days, like I did when I was a kid again
Oblique Strategies is a deck of cards developed by Brian Eno. Each card has a short prompt to help overcome a creative hurdle. Something like, "make the melody the rhythm" or "emphasis the flaws". I've found it incredibly helpful with music, as it was designed, but also spookily insightful with any creative endeavor or life obstacle. I'm not woowoo, but it's as close as I'll get to tarot or whatever😅
Also my partner swears by The Artist's Way, by Julia Cameron.. maybe the only woman author in this thread, and it's been in print for decades.
It's also a free app (on android, at least).
I found them a mixed bag. Many are rather cryptic ("Cluster analysis") or generic to the point of meaninglessness ("Courage!"), and that gets annoying quickly. But there's one among them that's really genius in how it hits home: "How would you have done it?"
When I'm completely stuck (which is most of the time, lol), I can look at what's in front of me as if somebody else did it, and suddenly it becomes much easier to see what I do and don't like about the thing. It's a magic question to ask.
Tao Te Ching is so good for minimalism as well, which can also be applied to music pretty well to me. Trusting your intuition and not be misguided by fear while making stuff. Try something, don’t be afraid to suck at it :)
Another book I would suggest is Deep Work by Cal Newport. It's similar to Essentialism. It talks about the phenomenon of engaging in deep work, and how to get into "the flow" of deep work through removing all distractions and narrowing your focus to achieve significant results.
Ayy are you from Southa?
@@marozela Fede? Born and raised my guy. I'm in JHB. Wena?
@@mlamulinzimande aweee im Swati though dawg...born and raised in Manzini...I just peeped your and figured you're most likely Nguni
Yes, a life changing book for me. Another impactful one is "Four Thousand Weeks" written by Oliver Burkman. I hope you check it out and enjoy as much as i did.
Awesome book.
stop thinking in terms of outcomes, and just enjoy the experience of doing the thing you love. everything else is just gravy on the cake! oh yeah and remember what the Buddhists teach us: practice not having expectations :D
The creative: A way of being by Rick Rubin is a masterpiece of inspiration and practical advice
I’ve been loving my time with that book. It’s one of few books that have actually tickled my brain in just the right way.
I'm dying to read this book. But it's not available in my country.
You’re describing the instructions for being happy. Do what excites you the most to the best of your ability until you can take it no further. And no assumption as to what the outcome should be. Keep creating.
The Practice by Seth Godin…really anything by Seth Godin…gets me motivated and working.
There are very few TH-camrs that I watch their videos all the way through. You are one of them. Always insightful and enjoyable to watch. And even though I am a synth nerd, I feel like many of your videos have a lot to offer people of all creative areas.
I’ll be adding these books to my reading list. Thank you for making inspiring content!
Thanks for the recommendations.
I recommend Rick Ruben’s book The Creative Act
I read Essentialism last week and it’s completely changing my life
Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking - David Bayles, Ted Orland LOVE IT
such a healthy atmosphere comes out of this video, it's incredible! these kind of videos on book recommendations are some of my favorite videos, thank you so much for your sharing and your energy! can't wait to read them! :)
i have all of these but The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows just ordered it. Cam coming in clutch again
Man, of all the production channels I follow yours is without question my absolute favorite. It's great to get the tips, tricks, and technical bits for sure, but you're one of the very few that talks about the mental and philosophical side of making music and being a creative. I really love these ones. Thanks mustache man!
Books are the cheat codes for our life. While a video can present you with propositional knowledge visually tailored by its creator, books force you into mental participation where the words on the page are transformed by the readers imagination. Rather than just absorbing the information, you play with it. The knowledge and experience in it become unique to the reader.
Reading in general helps with creativity as well. I'm talking reading fiction.Reading fiction develops your ability to visualize (with all five senses) and Empathy, as you're inside the head and experience a world view people who aren't like you. Also, well researched fiction can help educate you on various topics, such as history and the inner workings of different professions. And this will make a deeper impact because it's in the context of connecting with living through these characters rather than being "informed" through standard textbook teaching. All of which augments creativity in all the mediums in billions of ways.
I know this might be so stupidly obvious to some, but it's still an important reminder to those who may not have thought about this before
I didn't mean to take away from the topic of Cameron's finely curated list though. These are brilliant books, and these latest videos are some of the most amazing videos ever
I stop reading a fiction book now I will continue thanks!
I wrote a song called Aubadoir based off the same word in the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows. It perfectly described this lonely feeling of being up at like 5am with the dark blue morning light beginning to creep in around the window. The track I was writing was kind of dark "etherealwave" and about insomnia, so it felt like a perfect fit.
I know that light all too well. Also insomniac😵💫😜
Books I read and that aided me in being creative:
Catching the Big Fish by David Lynch
The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp
TUTORIAL ON HOW YOU PROCESS YOUR VOICE WILL BE GREATLY GREATLY APPRECIATED...
... darn, reading... yeahhh.
I have you the hidden weapon, Mustasch Man, so where im going, i don't need books 😊
I wish my brain was at least just a tiny fraction normal functioning. Learning is really really reaaaally hard for my brain.
But i learned there a lot of books that can help you 👍
Because of how you explain and introduce this information.. I have now ordered 3 e-books just based on that. And I kind of know that it is valuable. Thanks man.
"...then a sight she'd never seen made her jump and say
"Look, a golden winged ship is passing my way"
And it really didn't have to stop. It just kept on going
And so castles made of sand Slips into the sea eventually"
That's a Hendrix lyric that comforts me for my lack of success as an artist.
I have seen it from close up and seen it pass me by.
So you find another way to define success for yourself, like
I brought up my kids well, I looked after my parents,
I never damaged anybody. I can feel happy some days.
This kind of content are why your channel stands out to me. The music world needs this kind of positive, thoughtful information to make is better. Thanks
less of a book suggestion and more of a literature suggestion: read more fiction. i cannot stress enough how informative fiction can be through it's storytelling, but also how great fiction novels are at sparking inspiration for a new creative project of your own
I'd add the new Rick Rubin book....its very inspiring and in little easy chunks.
Mastery by Robert Greene is also a great read for artist and career as a whole.
The interesting thing is that one should allow oneself to not do anything… the trick is not to feel guilty about it. If your flow is to just be with no goals and you are fine with that then you have reached your happy place. Other peoples active lives should not be a negative mirror to ones inactivity.
Personnally, I got a lot out of Zen in the art of archery. In its essence, it boils down to avoid to focus on a result but rather to focus entirely on the different aspects of the task at hand, one at a time with full attention.
Great suggestions, Cameron!
Your authenticity always shines through Cameron, and that means a whole lot in a sea of videos on this platform. Thankyou for showing your true self to us!
excellent suggestions! My reading has fell off lately- Im gonna take you up on a few of these suggestions. Creative fuel is always much appreciated.
That book list seem very powerful. Thanks
I took a screen shot & now I can click on the links from there...NICE!
Adam Savages "Every tool is a hammer " is a great read. Every time I picked up the book to started reading. I got the urge to put the book down and go create something. Loved it.
Came here to recommend this one. Great book.
Download samples of four of them and bought the last one straight out. Thanks for getting us inspired about finding inspiration!
Not really a book but a blog I have read weekly for literally years often based around creativity, writing, music, poetry, spirituality, human nature is the marginalian. Has a search bar too. Used to be called brainpickings. Has even helped me through some rough times. Also enjoy books published by the school of life. Easy quick reads and pick them up from time to time
Nice choices. One of my faves is "Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking" by David Bayles and Ted Orland. Cute dog.
Barking Up The Wrong Tree by Eric Barker
And thank you for this video! 🙏
great video! im 40% through essentialsim. lots of gems.
I've already finished Essentialism and Art of Impossible, and I want to thank you for mentioning them in the older video. Great read, very inspiring!
yeah the dictonary of obscure sorrows is amazing and the outlier
I've read Essentialism after you showed it in one of your videos and it has helped me stay focused on what's important through some very tough situations. It helped making difficult decisions a lot easier and getting my life back on track a lot quicker. It basically describes a lot of things I already thought and did, adds more principles to it and combines it into a way of living your life I can totally get behind. I'm now reading it a second time and I'm fully commited to becoming an essentialist.
Man.., i am lost of words. I love your videos. Never stop posting up vids like these!!
I love life lessons (the ones I've learnt for myself). So here's a couple that a relevant. 1. If you really want to do something you will do it. 2. There will always (and I mean always) be an excuse, so don't think, just do.
Thinking is one of the biggest motivation killers, so leave the thinking for the creative process and leave it out of the motivation process.
Just bought the @audible version dictionary of obscure sorrows. Thanks 🙏🏾 for the recommendation.
"vanity metrics" - great term. thanks for another deep one.
The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rickk Rubin
Great selection. You are going to be a really cool old guy, in your later years. I'm glad you posted this because it reminded me of a book that I need to read, but forgot the title. Thank you, mustache man! 🙏
I was gifted The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows a few years ago. I 100% corroborate everything you said about it. I will also add that it can sometimes be triggering if someone is going through an emotional struggle while perusing the pages.
This is good stuff... I've always found it hard to create because of that nagging fear that I'm not any good or can't make anything good. Even with positive feedback from others, it's hard to quiet those voices. What's worse, I procrastinate on my projects by buying more gear. As soon as I get that new compressor, or mic preamp, or better cables, or a different keyboard, I can finally get started. Anything that helps me get out of the headspace and back into making is welcome, thank you.
I'm currently reading "Chatter" by Ethan Kross that deals with your inner voice and how it can hold you back or completely cripple you. Definitely a good read for dealing with that.
Hi Jack, I sometimes simply pick a sound out of LABS from Spitfire, pick a few notes out and often it starts to form into something interesting. It's not the gear, it's the sounds that fall on our ears.
I should know, I've always been on a very tight budget, so much so that all of my sounds are from free sources and so are any plug-in devices I have. Go back to earlier stuff that you have done and compare the progress you have made. I bet some of it is funny because it was over complicated, waaaay too long or extremely niece. All the same good ideas are most likely there just a bit abused by lack of knowledge that you are now in possession of.
Self-doubt is a pain in the butt, don't give in to it and just enjoy creating instead of worrying.
Niece? I meant not quite there.
I would add the market mindset around the arts has been a detriment in that if one can't "monetize" why bother, but then we also now see rampant depression, loneliness, and a host of other issues that are known to lessen when people are creative in any way. The "outsider" the not-formally-trained are pushed further and further to the margins by the whole " I'm not an expert" belief.
Just want to say thank you for always going deep into the ideas you want to share with us. I'm sure I'm not the only one your videos resonate heavily with, but you've single-handedly gotten me out of several ruts in my musical creativity. I'll be sure to give each one of these books a read, thank you for the list!
I do see the benefits in reading. But I'm really not a book person. I rarely read anything other than TH-cam descriptions and the like. I do hope this video reaches the people who need it.
Wow I haven’t heard of most of these book. Really glad you shared them, thank you!!!
thank you literally 100% for soundgym absolute game changer
Cool, added a bunch of these to my Audible, thanks!
Cool! Ever thought about making a series on playing/practicing cinematic chord progressions for composers? I'd get it!
Oh dude, you're hitting the nail on the head on all of these recommendations. Essentialism is my desert island book 🙌
I really appreciate your frequent videos on the creative headspace. Thanks for sharing these recommendations!
Thanks for this video and the suggestions. It somehow struck a cord inside me.
IMO, best way to be an artist, you must live like an artists, gritty, on the edge, fringe. Then, Magic happens.
Doesn’t have to be drugs, parties, sex, it can be simply taking a chance by talking to someone you noticed and were curious about them, you never knows what can happen.
The advice on minimalism is to the heart, good luck fellow creators!
Literally was looking for how to get unstuck yesterday and this showed up on my feed today! Thank you @Venus Theory!!!
It's here and it didn't disappoint. Thank you!
Fuck it, do what you want - it's your life and it's short. So yeah, fuck it. Why would you not do what you like? I had many really shitty jobs, but always looked ahead trying to find a job I would love. July 1 I have my 25 year jubilee at the same job in IT, and I fucking love every day of it. Zero regret. I made my (one of them) hobby('s) my job. Don't settle for less, keep looking forward. You can do it too!
nice bro, this was a good video, yeah, success for me is writing a good song I like and waking up happy to want to work on it and finishing it, the rest is up to everyone else what they think about that. I've been in that sports statistical numbers game before in the past, racking up cool points in that perception game, but yeah, i know myself well enough to know that's just a spotlight, and you can only see a little bit in there metaphorically, long story short before I hit the TLDR, be the tide, allow it to rise and fall, its ok when you can surf, and its ok to just chill on the beach :)
Learning more in general has advanced me as a creative much more than practice. Practice is important, we need the skill necessary to effectively express ourselves, but becoming a fan of culture and generally making myself smarter and more educated has provided me more reference points to build on creatively and compare my work to. Doing this is how we can make effective, relevant, and impactful art. If we just focus on practice we're going to come off as ignorant and narcissistic. Think about how stupid it would be to practice guitar without knowing basic chords or how to use a pick. You'd be wasting your time. But, there's no limits to this. One must never stop learning and expanding their awareness, it gives them that much more new input to build on which allows new skills and creative discoveries to be cultivated extended from this increased awareness. Creativity is a constant collaboration with the greater community and universe. We didn't want to make music until we heard someone else playing music, right? Of course, we wouldn't even know what music is otherwise. Don't lose that impetus. Allow your curiosity to flourish and your creativity will flourish.
It's the opening show title names that keep me coming back 😂 loving all the content that comes out of this channel. As a struggling creative on a cycle of imposter syndrome relapses I find the content empowering and inspiring. Hard to say this of many places on the internet...🎉
11:32 The Art Spirit by Robert Henri is amazing. I lost count how many times I've read it. It's focused towards visual arts but I think many of its lessons are applicable to any creative medium
These are great suggestions, I'll add another one that I really love: Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman. It's similar to Essentialism but with an added dose of what to do with your existential dread.
Great videos, you have inspired me to make my own youtube videos, and right now working on my first solo album, hopefully will be released this year. Have read some of those books, and you are so right, they are great! Awesome video!
Since I started watching your videos, I got a growing feeling that you forged the formula for a content I really need.
Everything works great - voice, script, topic, background music.
Thank you, Cameron! You inspire me to get out there, and make something awesome.
Thanks for the tip Brick Top!!
I really enjoy your book reviews/recommendations!
I’ve read 1 of the 5 based on your recommendation.
Keep it up!
And thanks again!
Peace.
Love you man! You are so multidimensional in so many ways... Artist, teacher/communicator, producer... (do you do voice work?) The book list looks great. - thank you! I studied electronic music in 78, in bands, music repair shop in SF... you know your stuff!
Dang, another video reinforcing how valuable you are to the creative folks out here in youtube land. I now have sone books to investigate! Thanks Cameron.
Fantastic segment, the title grabbed me right away. Thanks for sharing, I will check these books
Although with the book title of “Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows”, I must start there. Thanks!
Thank you for sharing this! As a musician, I also read productivity books to inspire ideas that will motivate me to take action or take action that will motivate me. 😎
I had a strange period where after years, I was finally getting really good and loving the music I was making, my financial life took a downturn and I suddenly felt too guilty to spend time making music. I took off from music for a year, until my financial situation was better. Now that I’m back making music, I’m so behind where I was. I’m frustrated, don’t feel inspired, and cannot create anything I like. I regret taking that year off. I’m not giving up, I know it will take a lot of time to get back to where I was.
There's a reason you started and got good at music in the first place, my guy. When it sucks, like a lott, don't forget that you're doing it for the music and for yourself!
I feel you my friend!
Good choices. One book I'd recommend is The Musician's Way: A Guide to Practice, Performance, and Wellness by Gerald Klickstein. It's intended audience is traditional instrumental or vocal musicians. And it sets out to help them form healthy and creative approaces and mindset in instrumental practice. But like all great books, it applies to almost any highly creative human act. My oddball book choice would be The Zen Teaching of Huang Po and the Transmission of Mind. Some of the key themes it discusses are escaping distractions in order to pay full attention to the important point. You could think of it like the radical great ancestor of modern books like Essentialism.
I think this idea the first video of "artist recommending books to artists" where I genuinely want to read each one of the recommendations
I think a key thing this list is missing is that reading good fiction is a subtle but equally potent lightning bolt to creative receptors in our brains.
I’ve personally been chewing through Gravity’s Rainbow (and it’s companion book with relevant references and explanations to the plot) and I have never felt so effortlessly inspired and creatively invigorated by everything around me.
Masterful works of narrative imagination - especially when deftly melded with very real events and themes from reality - change the way we view everything, and the subconscious manner in which it shapes our brains compulsions feels perhaps even more potent than prescriptive nonfiction
agree, especially helpful for writing lyrics. learning to love the feel of good words helped me so much
Yes, this makes a lot of sense. If you're stuck on your work, reading more ... about work ... can sometimes feel like the wrong thing. Reading really good fiction does help us get out of our own heads, gives us someone else's perspective on the world. Good poetry does this too!
I took a songwriting course in college, and one of the things the prof talked about a lot was that reading, in general, was so important for songwriting because it "fills your creative well".
Thanks Camron. Excellent.
The dictionary of obscure sorrows is a badass book. Once read, never forgotten.
The art of creative thinking by Rod judkins is also great read!
Kae tempest "Connexion"
Love your work, thx for your amazing sharings!
Any Clarice Lispector book will bring an extremely incredible vision of life!
Hey man, I love your videos.
The lighting, shots, the script/content, the music ,your voice and humor. Oh and the mustache. Thank you 🙏
Please make a video on "enhanced reality"!!
I have the dictionary of obscure sorrows, its so cool! I've had a few song names inspired by entries in it
amazing video for musicians bracing the waters
These video’s are helpfull, relaxing, and such high quality! I even use them as some sort of asmr to be able to sleep! Thank you for creating! Happy to call myself a bucarooney! ❤
I love this video. I’ve been forced to step away from music due to life endeavors. However I’ve been filling that time with studying 50cent and Robert green. Reading the 48 laws of power and the 50th power. Such great reads and powerful lessons to learn in life. Reality is a difficult pill to swallow but I intend to see the world for what is it to have better control in all aspects of my life, including creativity.
This is a very interesting video. I feel like the list is very personal and in my case, the books that helped me the most, aren't necessarily related to music/creativity, but rather books that helped me overcome personal barriers. Books like "Outliers" - Malcom Gladwell: "Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life" - Wayne Dyer; and "Brain Rules" - John Medina, are books that profoundly changed my outlook on the world and helped me work around my own limitations. The biggest lesson out of all of these was "Nothing is set in stone, you can change and influence your reality to a larger degree than you realize"
Your DOG!!!!!😍😍😍😍
Thank you for this video.
I purchased The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows- it is amazing and 22 Pages in Maru Mori the man who gave Neruda a pair of socks and Neruda wrote Ode to My Socks...Neruda is one of me favorite poets and The Book of Questions is inspirational I have given this book to several people and they all come up with their favorite Question and they are all different in the choosing- If you have not read it you should put on your reading Bucket List!!!
Cameron, your work has been really really important and insightful for me! thanks and keep going.
Great recommendations, I bought a couple of the books from your list. Cheers!
Great video. I found "The Creative Act: A Way of Being" by Rick Rubin an absolutely amazing read - despite having no real interest in the music he's produced, it is a superb book that I will be re-reading for many years to come.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Rubin_production_discography
I think books like these are great, the main issue though I have with many of them though is they lean too much towards 'business' and the 'corporate world'. Essentialism did this I think - I enjoyed it until it started using every example from corporate companies, 'successful' CEO's etc