You and the World of Music
—Without music, life would be a mistake. —Friedrich Nietzche
Call it hyperbole, but music is a primal element of human nature. Perhaps it predates even language. The role it plays in our everyday lives and throughout history is as natural as life’s breath. It is the invisible friend accompanying us throughout time, an expression of the emotions we hold deep within our souls. How profound that we, as a species, are communicators in voice and tone, therefore first and foremost musical beings. As early as tribal chants and intonations, to ancient hymns, to symphonies and beyond, music is an integral part of who we are.
I believe most of us desire to leave our mark one day. To say, “My life has meaning, and I was here.” When looking back on history, it is the arts—books, theater, architecture, film, poetry and music—that remain, defining an era and reminding us of our human evolution. To be a part of that tapestry is a gift. We are all simply the conduits. Pablo Picasso says, “The artist is a receptacle for emotions that come from all over the place: from the sky, from the earth, from a scrap of paper, from a passing shape, from a spider’s web.”
We all need to raise our antennas and listen to the signals going off all around us. We need to understand what role we play in life, in order to help develop our artistry. In my books, Making Your Mark in Music and Five Star Music Makeover, I take both the approach of artist development, and personal discovery to help the reader navigate the rapids. There are exercises, and personality tests to help with self-examination. Each reader learns about himself or herself, as well as how they are perceived by others. Are you the best friend everyone confides in, or the partier, or the popular trendsetter, or the joker, or the outcast, perhaps even the political activist? What is natural for you in life and how can we use these to help manifest your process into creating music and art? Because I believe it is all an organic extension of who “you” are to begin with.
TEN WAYS TO START:
- Always Ask Yourself “What is important to me? What do I want to say?”
- Design A Creative Space: Make room for ideas
- Technology Fast: Take a at least an hour a day to unplug
- Collect: Write about what stands out, entices, angers, excites, or moves you.
- Raise Your Antenna: Pretend you are a camera and go through your daily routine as if you were to come home and playback what you observed that day.
- Explore Your Senses: Write in detail what it’s like to taste, touch, smell, hear and see.
- Learn from Example: Study/Read/Listen to other peoples work you love
- Give Yourself Complete Permission to Experiment. Create with complete abandon. If your inner critic comes to visit, give it a name you don’t like and write a rejection letter to him or her!
- Find a Trusted Mentor You Can Share Ideas With And Learn From.
- Make a Plan of Action: Set Realistic Goals and Deadlines for Yourself.
“Excerpt from the book, Five Star Music Makeover: The Independent Artist’s Guide for Singers, Songwriters, Bands, Producers, and Self-Publishers, by Coreen Sheehan, Eric Corne, Michael Eames and Bobby Borg. Specific excerpt by Anika Paris.” Also references from, Making Your Mark in Music, Stage Performance Secrets, Behind the Scenes of Artistic Development by Anika Paris.
Learn More About Anika Paris at www.anikaparismusic.com
Buy Anika Paris’ book, “Five Star Music Makeover” at www.backwingstore.com/products/five-star-music-makeover
Hear Anika Paris interviewed on The LIFE CHANGES Show here: https://lifechangesnetwork.com/making-your-mark-with-guest-anika-paris-and-musical-guests-everett-coast-on-life-changes-radio-show-394/
3 Comments
David Savage
Ms. Paris touches on so many good points here. I agree with her that music is an integral part of the fabric of our lives. It is capable of communicating emotions that may be otherwise left buried deep within oneself. I’m on the other coast, so I’m obviously unable to take a course taught by Ms.Paris. I have seen enough in this blog post to know I need to order Ms. Paris’ book tonight. Great blog! Thank you!
admin
Thank you David for your comment. I agree and trust you will get more of the same out of the book. And if our live broadcast of our show and interview tonight with Anika Paris is too late for you on the East Coast, we will have the audio posted in a week or so in the archived. You will find that audio here: https://lifechangesnetwork.com/making-your-mark-with-guest-anika-paris-and-musical-guests-everett-coast-on-life-changes-radio-show-394/
David
Thank you very much!