I'm 59 and just celebrated 1 year producing my own music after a lifetime of playing drums for everyone else. You gave me back my passion for music after total burnout and disability back in 2015. I get inspired and motivated by your very humble words. Getting to have you share your thoughts and process is priceless. The warm and thoughtful way you relate musically and as a human, garner limitless respect and appreciation from this old road dog. Cheers!!
Looking across the field and up at the sky for a few seconds, keeping very still, Nutty decided the coast was clear and made a dash for it. Nutty's magical ability for consciousness couldn't protect her when she felt the sharp talons dig into her back, and her world fall away below her. She'd never seen the maze of shrubs from the sky before, but then she'd never really taken in any of her environment. She'd been busy, always focussed, reacting, filling her cheeks, feeding her beautiful pink squiggly babies. Before her final trip into the sky, her more final trip into a beak, and her most final trip into a stomach, a few years ago when her unique mindfulness had been granted by the wish of a strange little girl passing by, Nutty had given herself her name, thinking it charming and quirky. She had spent brief moments of quiet wondering "What is my name.. for..?". No man had ever called her by her name, or expressed one of their own, and to stop feeling singled out, she had named each of her babies after food too - Wormy, Shroom and Yolk. In her last moments, she wondered if the brutal creature above her was named Fuzzy, or Squeaker, and regretted the names she had chosen, remembering the delicious smell of her precious little lumps. She hoped they'd have more time than her, to make sense of all this.
We'd been waring over the oak in the great field for a year. The two factions from either corner of the forest both held long lists of claims to the territory and to the tree. But, most of the bloodshed was about nothing more than acorns. Squirrels are petty and shallow that way. War didn't change that. One colony wanted it. The other wanted it. Battle. Rinse and repeat. I chose to stay out of it. So I suppose the word "We" was a misnomer. Them and them. And then I. I remained planted at the top of my favorite Cedar. Watching everything unfold. A hot war, and then bitterly cold, only to go hot again. Today was hot. I was far away from the field, but my powers had me on edge. I could hear everything. Every cry, every taunt, and every silent plan. Their minds open to me. There wasn't really much there. But I heard it all.
Nutts to Winter I’ve been thinking. So what’s the difference, if the blue is still coming through that little round hole? See, I can see the sky up there, autumn into winter be damned. Layers, the world comes in layers, you get it? From blue to white, it’s a hard line of ice, no doubt, but from there it burns so thrivingly, through oranges and browns, into black and stones. Quartz has a sparkle and, would you believe it, a bit of igneous is there, that I grabbed from the garden to shore up the walls. A burrow is a burrow, after all, but it’s only dark until you light the candle. And that warmth - that yellow flicker, over the shoulder of my squirrel-shadow - is part of why the ice is melting, trickling on down into the burrow hole. Because what other kind would I make? That’s what I’m asking you. Don’t be fooled by the recliner. The bookshelves. My big squirrel-feet, up on the footstool, in these plushie slippers. They’re the kind that snap over your arches with a kind elastic band, just like a warm group hug for your toes. I kick back on these lazy mornings and rest the book against my robe over my belly, which isn’t problematic, just enough to hold the pages from closing, while I look past and out and up like I was saying, lost in thought. The steam rising from my squirrel-cup of tea, well it ripples and works across the ceiling of the burrow. Creeping up the top of the hole and evaporating into the sun of the snowy day. I laugh to myself, deep inside, a hibernation-season kind of laugh, mind wandering from Robinson Crusoe and all that. Just thinking, so what’s the difference? If you are still you, and I am still me. We’re all just what we’re born to be.
Devin, This is easily…EASILY one of the best online videos you have ever communicated-on. I have never seen a half-smile for that long, ever. I’m an unknown musician and have made my own stuff for ~20 years. I have learned so much from your approach, journeys, and expressions via the albums. It hasn’t helped me grow- it has helped me learn how-to. The writer’s block you speak-of haunted me for many years. I had ideas day and night, but could never pull the trigger. You did a masterclass/presentation years ago about ‘getting the shit out’. Just doing, and building from the work you know doesn’t represent your end-state. While I don’t have any albums, I now have over 120 refined songs that my children will one day be able to enjoy. And no matter how good or bad the material is, I hear the growth and snap back to those times they were written. “Life’s exhaust.” Once you understand that, all the sudden practicing and holding yourself to a schedule goes-away. You can gain far more when you’re away from the guitar (because you know your return to it will be violently-productive). It’s great. I’m forever in-debt to you, and happy to be. Thanks for sticking to your gut, week-by-week, for all of these years.
@@MONADXERO Thank you! Full credit goes to Aaron Guidry (music director for Cirque del Soleil) for the original arrangement. My kids are in that high school marching band. I just added my metal riffage to the entire thing. Hope you can hear the influence Devin had in my overall composition. Metal and orchestra/brass is a wonderful combination. Thanks again.
"Addicted to the stress"...that resonates so much having come to the same conclusion about myself this last year. It seems insane, but I know it's true. There's the physical, hormonal result that is effectively a 'high'. It's also a safe pattern of behaviour that I've known for decades - comfortable despite the discomfort! And it's exhausting. I can achieve it by taking on too much, eating too much, exerting myself physically too much, creating unachievable expectations, etc, etc. My ego has soooo many ways to keep me in the same space!!! I also know how to be in that 'fight' against whatever it is. Time, money, expectations. I know how to do that. How to fuel myself through the next thing I have to do using the resentment, anger, injustice of the situation (that I've created yet again). It's a crap way to live but it's a way I know, and because of that it feels safe. And for me there's a real twist. As a recovering perfectionist, my pattern was always that if I was utterly brilliant and better than anyone else, then I'd surely get the attention / recognition I craved. But if I also I did it in a way that utterly broke me through excess effort and work and stress, then if I fell short, I'd still get attention for having 'worked as hard as I could'. Aiming for perfection but breaking myself in the process gave me a win-win outcome. It acted as a backup in case I couldn't achieve perfection (and guess which outcome I could achieve most consistently? Yep, the breaking myself bit...). Knowing all this is helping as I slowly (really, really slowly!) learn to make different choices, lower the expectations I place on myself (it's nearly always me that's creating them), and try to find a way of being and working that doesn't have me permanently in a state of stress. Thanks for naming this publicly Devon. It's huge to hear someone else say it, especially publicly. I very rarely comment on YT, but wanted to share my experiences in case it resonates with anyone else here. Cheers.
This 30 minute update seemed like it went by much faster than that. To me, it means that the content is good and engaging. I appreciate you keeping us in the loop. It's interesting and inspiring to hear what you're up to, and you make a lot of sense. It's ok to be tired. Like you said, aren't we all..
These updates are super helpful. I finally released my new album, “The Yeti Bear,” after 10 years of working on it. I had so much self doubt, or worry that people would think it was too weird, but Devin’s projects like Ziltoid, etc. helped give me the courage to put it out there. People are actually liking it way more than I had expected, so I guess I just needed to give people more credit, and all the worries were just in my head
First one of these i'm seeing. Firstly, don't shy away from the philosophical stuff. Sure it's easy to quote it, but the more we nurish, think and speak about something the closer we get to it. The thoughts we bare and the frequency we put out, is what we attract. As i'm sure you're quite familiar with ✌ Love the self reflection part. Truly key in society today. The Art Of Contemplation by Richard Rudd is a book i'd highly recommend to everybody :) I wanna say a thousand more stuff. But i sincerely hope you get a neck grip on that stress, and manage to balance things a little more to your liking ✌Thank you for being you 💜
Dev, as a newer fan, I am coming to greatly appreciate your way of being on our level, the human level, and sharing whats inside your head. Its in my head that you'd be a great dude to grab a beer with and just listen and converse for hours on end. Its also something I didn't know I needed, to see your quiet, inward excitement. Seeing people like yourself ha e passion really warms my heart and helps keep me going while I try to discover my true passions. Take it easy and keep chuggin' along Dev!
That is a great point about A.I. A very important part of art is the story behind the piece. If there is no journey or self discovery, there will always be a separation between art for the sake of content, and art for the sake of the artist.
I think that creative struggle is a huge ingredient in making something that stands the test of time. It develops not just the art, but the artist. There's so many songs, movies, tv shows, books, paintings, drawings - whatever - that feel entirely soulless. It has no personality. The sad thing seems to be that they often succeed because they're so inoffensive to the majority of people, they become a common denominator of sorts. I think the reason an artist like yourself doesn't top charts and doesn't own your own private island right now is because you're an introspective guy who likes to put his heart into his work. You struggle with your process, and produce stuff that would offend a lot of people's sensibilities, it's music with a message. Sometimes that message is completely absurd, but there's still a point to it. What that does mean however, is that the people who find your stuff and enjoy it, will likely be very loyal fans in the long run, for whatever that's worth. Your music changes people's lives for the better. These videos of yours give us as listeners an even closer relationship with your creative process, which is great - but potentially dangerous too. I appreciate your work, but when a charismatic and talented man like yourself start speaking directly into a camera to a devoted fanbase, and you're talking about the transformative process of a moth, and how you're building a space ship, well.. there's the danger of a parasocial relationship. If you were just in it for the material stuff, you'd be well placed to start a cult right now, so let's hope that's not where this is heading. I just gave myself weird mental images of Devy growing out the ol' skullet, dressing up as Ziltoid and directing fans into a big pretend-UFO, then serving everyone poisoned coffee.
Seeing these updates is inspiring. Thank you so much. It's also really cool to see the amount of musicians below getting inspired to release material etc because of Devin and what he does. 🥰
The idea that another mind, being or whathaveyou made the art definitely plays an integral part in any music I enjoy. One thing that's interesting about AI music is that it's utterly mindless; it's music perceived by something with no perception. It's very alien and that gives it a certain fascinating aspect.
I love you Dev my story: A chipmunk sat upon a branch in a tree, staring at the setting sun. It was his branch. Every evening he would come there and look at the blazing golden ball in the sky. Watching quietly as the yellow ball drifted bellow the blue mountains off afar. He learned that at a certain point, as the yellow ball disappears, small little tiny flickering speckles revealed themselves, eventually covering the entire dark canopy. The other chipmunks thought he was crazy, "Whats he doing up there?!" they would say amongst themselves from the forest floor, pointing up at the serine squirrel seated up high on a branch, alone. "He's nutty! something wrong with this one!". From a high his branch the chipmunk leaned down and proclaimed "The golden ball is gone! the little specks come out, and if we watch them, we live another day!". The other squirrels laughed him off, "Nutty has surely lost his mind!" as they scatter for night. Sitting upon his branch up high, and admiring the evolving scenery of the sky and changing of the light. He noticed that the other chipmunks would be lost in the night, never to return. What the other chipmunks didn't realize is that Nutty had a super power, the gift of observation. Sitting upon his branch, Nutty avoided the large fanged cats, the snakes and the predators prowling around at night, and to him, his power of belief in the golden ball going down, kept him alive another day.
These updates are becoming my new "happy place"; a way of forgetting about the world for a few minutes. It's the exact same feeling I had with the daily tour updates that Zim did in 2016 during that Transcendence tour 😊
Thank you so much for these updates; it's fascinating to hear about your process, I'm here (hear) for your wisdom, and it helps to affirm my own process in some ways. Re stress: when Vai said stress is optional, I almost ended the podcast. I was so pissed at how wrong he was -- a big sign my pride had struck again and I needed to take a look at why it was so important that I was right. I know our response to stress is a biological process which sends the nervous system into fight-flight-freeze (sympathetic) -- a natural, helpful animal state when being chased by a predator, but not so much in day-to-day life. I have a neurological movement disorder based in my nervous system being sympathetic-dominant -- a guide (I would not recommend) to discover the nuances of what stresses me based on the way my body reacts. I have learned that without being able to get ahead of my belief that causes my thoughts of being threatened (stressful situation) which kicks my nervous system into high-gear, there is no choosing. I am reacting and I trigger. For me, what I choose is to become aware of when I'm stressed and the root cause. Then I do the self-development work to heal that wound, or accept it may never heal and there's a purpose in that. I am not someone at this point in time who can choose not to have stress -- maybe I never will be.
Nutty the Chipmunk once was a chipmunk. Now he's a representative for the local peanut butter company. He has been known to help people around town get down from the trees if they are stuck up there, like cats and kids that climbed too high. Unfortunately, he was on the job one day, and he fell from the tree, into a nut pit. He got pink eye, and he had to go to the doctor for medical help, alongside Bob Costas, whom also had a bad case of the eye sore. After he recovered, he crossed paths with Medusa, who had come back from the dead. They said she had RSF (resting stone face), having looked in the mirror one day. He was on her good side, so she lent him her pair of lazer-beam sunglasses, which would fire blazing beams of Argon out of the eyes, causing any home in the nearby radius to be heavily insulated, making all of Nutty's neighbors very thankful for his very oblong dedication to serving the community. He did this for a very shlong time. Oh yeah, and the catch phrase of the "Pea Nut Butt Turd" peanut butter company was "Nice! It's so good you'll wanna be on ice!". It's a good joke, you might even say it's extravagantly funny.
Atmos is just what we all needed( yessss, give us the nine hundred parameter reverb !). But really , as a sort of well standardized laboratory setting anything goes. No doubt some of us will use this just to get a great live vibe that collapses well to mono 🤣☕🐾🤘
- and where do you think you left it? - beats me, moon; gonna skip it this time since I'm almost out. And they both went to Nutty's asteroid; leaving half of the nuts behind so that the Xenetors think they had left them and ran. They never got to Nutty's, though. By some fluke in the universe's flow, they had just found the ATMOS crystal signal and it wasn't in an aligned state so they would have to improvise...
The only real lesson I found is to learn is how to let go. You can't control 99% of what happens no matter how hard you try or how much you worry about it. Love that bit about it being a process of self discovery. I see it as allowing space for your subconscious to let you know what's really going on. I haven't found a way to plan that sort of thing in though. The more I want to be inspired the less I am. It helps to see the humor and humanness in it. There's a saying for relationships that works for most things in life. "Treat it like a fart, if you're having to force it, it's probably sh**!"
Thanks for these updates Dev! You talking about the struggles in life and how you learn from them (in this case the "letting go" and then having the direction of the Moth unfolding by itself) is really inspiring and helpful :)
'Addicted to Stress' - sounds like a great song idea to me. I have a deep appreciation and love for the album ST. ANGER, but the lyrics and meaning behind the song 'St. Anger' connected for me as I had witnessed friends who were succumbed to wearing their anger like a religious pendant, self tormenting without any recognition it was their own doing. Powerful stuff. As for AI and human mimicry - the quest for "perfection" - I've referred to AI music as "Cooking with AI". Music or other art forms isn't like cooking a meal, where you can teach anyone the correct ingredient measurements and generally get a perfect product every time. Art requires the human element of error - to give it the magical, intangible moments that cannot be replicated by another soul. A truly singular creation that culminates when it's released into the universe. AI will never be able to do this since it's just a series of "1's" and "0's". Mathematical 'perfection' but without a creative soul.
About AI: for me, trying to connect emotionally with something I know is AI generated would be like petting a robot dog and expecting a connection. Give me an imperfect, yappy mutt anytime, lol 🤣! Same goes for the arts: like drum machines, AI should be used sparingly. This being said, thanks for the candid musings and introspective thoughts, Devin. Sending you good vibes from Montreal and my best wishes for plenty of energy and inspiration. 🐝
"When I sit alone in a theatre and gaze into the dark space of its empty stage, I’m frequently seized by fear that this time I won’t manage to penetrate it, and I always hope that this fear will never desert me. Without an unending search for the key to the secret of creativity, there is no creation. It’s necessary always to begin again. And that is beautiful." Josef Svoboda (1920-2002) Czech Scenic and Lighting Designer
Thanks Dev. The legend of Nutty had spread far and wide. Even now "The Chipmunk Who Can!" banners still clung to long forgotten branches deep in the wood. A gently steaming cup of mulled sap gave no clue to the turmoil that racked its owner. Where had it all gone wrong? How had it come to this? Maybe there was hope, maybe the next job would be enough.
When it comes to A.I., I believe the not so distant future to have digital minds as fans, more than there are humans. The attention will be purer and such minds can handle enjoying more artists works, which helps everyone. So, as an artist, I'd like to not only have my current catalog of stuff available, but also to do something most artists might not desire to. Once AI models are configured to do it, I wanna train one on my entire lot of music, to make a version of my musical self, that can be adjusted to improve a bit on. This way, new compositions can be made that represent my overall sound and essence and is initially more compatible with the new batch of attentive listeners. I have a theory that you, Dev, are a future digital musician that have come back into this ancestor simulation/reincarnation to inspire your human avatar counterpart to make the glorious stuff you do, etc. Thus, you can placehold as proof that artists training their digital replacements is the proper path forward towards brilliantly perfect music! Yes? No? Too scifi? Oh wait, it is already here. 👁️
Dev... Clean your glasses!! haha. Once again! I so wish we could have a conversation! So much to relate to! You know...the puzzle gave me an idea.... I think it would be a very cool, but very difficult project to pull off... Nothing I have the skill level to pull off, but its wonderful to dream! Practice makes better!
Just Wana say, thanks for these updates. I very much appreciate your thoughts. As someone who is struggling with writing my own music and indeed with life itself. Your words help me greatly..
Another fabulous chat man. I'm sure the conversation would go something along the lines of.. "Spaceship? Who's the idiot?" "It's Devin Townsend"... .... (pause)... "Okay what does he need? Sign me up!" - Seriously man, good luck with the projects.. Can't wait to experience whatever it all becomes! For me the best art happens when you create and then look back some time later and ask yourself "how the hell did I do that!? Is that me?" The Atmos setup sounds (so to speak) awesome. I enjoy a few albums in 5.1.. Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon, Queen's A Night At The Opera, NIN's The Downward Spiral and Jean Michel Jarre's AERO.. Having experienced and enjoyed those I get the feeling Atmos will be a great compliment for your inclinations. This does fall into the sonic equivalent of special effects though, in that the best examples are the ones you don't see, which for audio would be the music which feels effortlessly "right". There's a lovely quote, and I cannot recall who said it, but it goes along the lines of "art is never finished.. it escapes." There was a nice line in the remake of SOLARIS, where the protagonist's friend says in a vlog that the search for extraterrestrial life is a sham.. that we're not really looking for such a thing as much as we're searching for reflections of ourselves. That to me parallels the essence of every piece of art that has ever been recorded, in whatever form.. a celebrational tapestry of our interconnectedness.
Of all the chipmunks in Redpine Village, Nutty was shamed the most. His given name was an obvious slight with an ironic twist. You see, in Redpine Village, your worth is defined by your ability to gather nuts - the more, the faster, the better. Day in and day out, the chipmunks would set out from their dens and frantically stuff their cheeks with as many nuts as they could, often scrapping over territory and chipping teeth in their fervor, then scurrying off to their respective lairs with their quarry. At the end of the day, the chipmunks would return to their burgeoning hoards of nuts and judge their own worth - either with contentment that they were outperforming their peers, or disappointment that they were falling behind. "Behold the fruits of my labor, I have done very well for myself," said Peepo the Great, worshipping the sight of his gigantic pile of gnarled half-broken acorns, many small pebbles and twigs strewn within the tableau as a result of his breakneck pace. Peepo took great pride in his gargantuan stockpile, he was by far the most successful chipmunk in Redpine Village, the envy of all of his peers. Every night, Peepo would gorge himself on the fruits of his labor, ravenously consuming nuts and seeds with barely room to chew. And then, there was Nutty... One day, Peepo was out on his daily collections when he saw Nutty casually, jovially strolling past the boundaries of the village. "What a lunatic," Peepo muttered... but his curiosity got the best of him, "he never has any nuts, what does he even DO all day?!" Peepo followed Nutty from a distance for hours until they reached a quiet grove. Nutty slowly, meticulously picked through the litter on the forest floor until he revealed the most pristine beautiful nut Peepo had ever seen. Nutty sat down, peacefully drinking in the moment with a blissful smile on his face. Nutty moved gingerly and with care, savoring every second of the experience - from the walk to the grove; to the tediously slow search for the nut; to the hypnotizing experience of simply, gratefully holding the nut in his paws and appreciating its existence; to the delicate, dexterous and deliberate placement in his cheek pouch; to his casual stroll back to Redpine Village. When Peepo got home, he realized he had lost an entire day of gathering nuts. His stockpile was lower than ever before, he was mocked and slighted by his peers. In frustration and retaliation, Peepo shifted the focus to Nutty, accusing his vagrancy of being a disruption and a drain on society; pointing out his lack of productivity, his lack of motivation to succeed. It worked - Redpine Village forgot Peepo's transgression, as with many before him, and turned their frustrations again on Nutty: a return to status quo. Next time, give me three paragraphs if you want a story with a happy ending... 😋 Thank you so much for these updates Devin, always inspiring. Much love, brother!
I think I can relate to the part where you can go through weeks of just going through the motions, just waiting to get to "Oh that's actually cool!" moment. This week I've come to accept that the search for those moments comes through practice - not in a "training to get good" sense - but purely by attending, picking up a guitar and going through 40 variations of chords that all sound shitty to me, until I find that thing that works (Which more often than not is the simpler solution). Currently working on my first EP, so there is a small consolation to hear that those things are something that people are facing at every stage of their journey. Again, thank you for doing those Devin - really helps me to get some direction and perspective.
Once there was a chipmunk named Nutty. He made his home in a quaint little park in a friendly neighborhood where he never had to go hungry because the people kept him supplied with all the nuts and fruit snacks he could ask for. But little did the humans know about how powerful a creature they were harboring in the park. For Nutty had a superpower. He himself was only half aware of it, as full as he usually was of good food. Have you ever tried to use supernatural powers in the middle of a food coma? But every once in a while, strange things happened in that park. Giant acorns would appear in the center, or local carnivorous birds would simply disappear. one year, even though it snowed every day, not a flake collected in the park. For whenever Nutty imagined something, /really/ imagined it, it would come true. Those humans living near the park probably saved the world with their kindness. Who knows what would've come about if Nutty had been forced to use those powers in a panic?
7 месяцев назад
I like these writing challenges! ------ It perhaps would have been bearable if the kid hadn't named him Nutty. Every day after day after day, he'd hear his tiny, whining, voice: hi Nutty, what're doing Nutty, want some peanut butter, Nutty? It drove him absolutely crazy. Sometimes, he'd scream continuously for a full minute, drowning the room with his own shrilling, clinging to the hope that the child would get the message and just shut up. But no. The boy just kept going, and that was reason enough for him to want to run away. He was going to. Soon. When he'd finish munching these impossibly hard branches spread evenly all around and over him. They were but tiny saplings, only colder, and they tasted a little bit like dirt. But holy dung were these ever hard. It would be a while, and patience was not his strongest suit. When the kid was gone, he kept at it, barely noticing his efforts were hardly making a dent on what he didn't know were the chromed steel bars of his cage. He'd only pause for food and drink which, quite miraculously, were always in abundance and could be found exactly at the same place. He'd seen the kid working silently in the food area, fiddling with tubes and crispy bags that smelled oh so good. One day, while excreting in his usual corner, his brain made the connection: this kid was the source of all that food and water! How had he not realized this before? And as he pondered the intricate meanings of his new discovery, the kid showed up with a larger version of himself, with a voice so deep he could barely hear it. The small one's eyes were wet, his teeth visible between pulled-back lips, an expression that could only be interpreted as anger. The big one's oversized hand clutched at the overhead branches, and everything around started spinning madly. Paralyzed by fear, sitting still in his own poop after what seemed like forever, he saw the sky. The sky! His heart raced even faster. When was the last time he'd been outside? When things stopped moving, an opening between the branches showed up. He looked at the kid for a second. His eyes were covered by his hands. He was wailing, the universal cry of a young one suffering. Then, he jumped out, landing on familiar grass, the big ash tree in its usual spot. He climbed as high as he could before taking a breath. The big one was holding the kid in his arms, a gesture of comfort he understood well. Despite their uncanny size and their strange sounds and smells, he understood these people. That's when he decided that Nutty was perhaps not such a bad name after all.
On perfectionism, for some time I've been going on the opposite way. Whatever I write or play, I make it work. It's not always good and there's some acceptance to be made. It has almost always turned out okay in retrospective. I have to say that I'm not even one tenth as sophisticated and intricate as you, my man. It just makes my life better. I'm lazy as hell as well. The quote totally resonates with me. I do think that in my case perfectionism would be used to try to mold the perception of myself and other people's minds. It's okay to fuck up and leave it like that sometimes. Hell, I do that in life all the time. It's always good to listen to, man. You're definitely wise and introspective. Thank you for sharing your mind.
There’s something very powerful about your approach. You can’t enjoy the castle if you aren’t willing to start laying bricks. It informs your future approach, and when the time is right you’ll run hard through the right walls. Just not your own castle’s wall. 😉 Cheers.
Thanks for these updates Devin. It's hard to put into words how amazing these are. To hear Devin articulate the same thoughts and struggles that I'm experiencing with writing music is very helpful in not feeling lost and like it's just me. I'm also excited for what future Atmos music can bring to an immersive experience as long as, like Devin said, it's done from the ground up. I fear for the gimmick tracks where a synth spins around your head just because it can, or back catalogues reissued where they've just separated out some stems.
Regarding stress, being addicted to it, and being tired: it indeed all goes hand in hand with each other. How many things do you actually really have to do in order for your life to not fall apart? I think your insight regarding the Moth - letting it go for a while and letting the music come by itself - is a good hint for the answer to that question ;)
I have so much to say, as this particular update hit home in a lot of ways and is very parallel to what I've been going through for the last few years in terms of self-discovery, "recovering" from perfectionism and the like... But I'm here for Nutty. Nutty had a secret. A secret that couldn't be shared with the rest of chipmunk kind, for fear of being branded an outcast. You see, Nutty was, in a somewhat ironic twist of fate, allergic to nuts. "That's absurd," the average human would think internally, while pointing out that the chipmunks name was Nutty and nuts are one of the staples of a chipmunks diet. Indeed, to the outside observer, this secret seemed akin to a curse, but Nutty counted this as a blessing, which came with certain perks. What perks, you ask? Well, dear reader, Nutty could eat human food, as long as it didn't contain traces of those dreaded nuts! One autumn morning, while forging for food with other chipmunks, Nutty happened upon a group of people with large cases talking about a far away land known as Paris. A land full of breads, pastries, vegetables, fruits, and this weird tower that got smaller as it pierced the heavens. Nutty believed this tower was called the I-fell Tower. "A land with no nuts?!" he thought, the white hot flame of determination to visit this place, now flowing through him. "I must go there! I must go there!" he repeated these words and followed the group of people. After stealthfully jumping onto one of the large cases, Nutty managed his way inside hoping that the next place he saw upon emerging would be the land of breads, pastries, and vegetables. Lo and behold, several hours later, when a women with brown hair opened her case, Nutty jumped out and darted towards any exit he could find. Through screams, gasps, and the occassional thrown object, he managed his way out of a small crack in an open window. Strange smells assaulted his nostrils. He had found his new home. A place where in his mind, nuts didn't exist, and food was plentiful, and the famous I-fell Tower was located. Does this count as a full story? EEHHHH lol was fun to write, though. Thanks for being amazing Devin. You've been a musical role model of mine for quite some time and gave me the drive to finally start vocal lessons with the end goal of releasing my own song/album. :)
I love these updates, been a fan of not only your music, but your personality and way of expressing yourself ever since I first heard you. I'm a composer and I've been on writer's block for what it feels like forever, picking up a guitar, or a piano and just playing stuff I can make things that sound good, but I think I've been on the chase of finding my "identity" or making songs that would sound different than anyone else, I have so many little riffs, ideas that I'd like to put into a song but that I find no value in, I guess part of it is the "need" to make something that'll stand out, or be good. I think I self-sabotage my own music by trying to make every song something super special, something to stand out, of course I have the dream of people all over the world listening to my music and my epic symphonics and compositions, but I feel like making music like this has severely limited my enjoyment of it, of composing, of just making a simple thing and going "oh hell yeah". Thank you for these updates Devin.
thanks Devin, everything you're talking about I needed to hear. Especially at the end. We're attached or addicted to certain feelings. And it's just not us, nor does it define us. And when it comes to art, it's hard to let go, but when we do we allow inspiration to flow like a spaceship
When you started talking about the spaceship I got very excited! And then I couldn't stop thinking about the spaceship guy from the Lego movie 😂 great thoughts on perfection though, the difference between good and perfect is infinite... I'll be thinking on that for a while.
Another relatable and inspiring update Dev, my project is going great thanks. I decided to get all of my instruments setup again and retracked things (they needed some TLC). I was originally recording from hotel rooms on my residency contracts and the AC in the hotel rooms really screwed things up on the signal path. I’m so happy with the way things sound now, aside from that I’ve had a chance to reflect on the arrangements (hopefully for the last time ha) thanks for checking in with us all, what you have to say means allot to us so keep at it mate ❤️
The distance between good and perfect is perception, opinion and hindsight. No piece of art is ever finished, it's just finished enough. Half way there one may say. Pain is relative, suffering is universal, and all can feel suffering and pain if they choose, and choose to see it on others, same with being tired. Stress keeps us occupied and feeling useful, it's the default gear for most of us because of that, the lack of stress can be seen as negative space, and next to no one is comfortable with anything negative anything as it reflects that we see in ourselves and others. Nutty went nutty considering the irony and cognitive dissonance that came with these thoughts, and she was given the power of stupid to overcome it. Many may say that the stupid is a shitty super power, but it gives the power to see things how they actually are without the mental gymnastics to make it her own thoughts and phrased to others in a way that makes them seem intelligent to others. Instead, she gathers her nuts, forgets associations that the nuts had, sees the nuts for what they are and thinks only of what the nuts mean to her and themselves, not what they mean to others. Nutty enjoys the power of stupid, for it gives existence a new meaning, to be, and just be.
When I got to try to record in 5.1 surround in school, The one thing I liked about i was just the sense of space and feeling like I was "in the room" you know? We recorded drums and piano with mics set up for 5.1 capture and it was really nice. Not the "things spinning around and coming from everywhere". Everything was mixed like the band is still in front of you but it was ju "bigger" and more "full" sounding. I think stuff like ambience and reverb stuff lends it self best to being more "all around you" rather than bass, drums, guitars and vocals. Just my observation from my very brief experience of recording in surround.
I am 42 and I do not have an artistic or talented bone in my body lol. Or at least I have not found any talent of mine yet. I admire people who are artistic. You are in my top three singers. I always enjoy your work and I know this new project will be f-ing awesome!!! ❤
My personal thoughts on AI are: 1. Maybe it can create something perfect but perfect isn’t always to be desired and also; what is perfection? Like, for one song things being a bit wonky or whatnot might be what makes it perfect. My point is; on some level what is perfect or not can both subjective and situation bound…or rather, subject matter bound if you know what I mean. 2. We know that AI steal art and make new art from it when it comes to pictures…an artist uploading a drawing can have it stolen. Those who work within creative fields, are they supposed to not get paid for their labor? It raises questions regarding updating laws on Copyright. 3. And while we’re at it; using public figures voices to say things they never said or sing songs they never sang? Is that really ethical? I say not. This does of course not apply when people do it with their own voice or have been given consent to do so. Again; I feel the laws probably need to be updated to protect people’s integrity. 4. Being creative is something that is very good for human beings, physically creating something (music, paintings, sculptures, film, knitting sweaters etc…) does us good and is fun. Having an AI doing it all for you would just leave you sad over missing out on the process and to me the process is the most fun part. 5. Being creative is a way to discover things about yourself, cope with trauma, describe events and feelings that holds importance to the creative person…I believe we need to be creative for our health and so on and so forth… Just a few thoughts and like, I’m sure you can be creative with it in a way that you do create something unique that isn’t stolen…but that means you still have to engage in the process, which means you’re being creative.
I thought the exact same thing about "stress is a myth" that Steve Vai said. Can completely relate to being addicted to stress, absolutely that dude. Love these updates 🐝
Really excited about The Moth and the spaceship! And of course you’re tired Devin, your a powerhouse that never stops! A creative person such as yourself really has no off switch, so I understand 100% about not being able to take a break…and like you said, really, how can any of us? Life is constantly go-go-go! Some are able to find time to take breaks, but it’s different for all of us. I’m getting over being bedridden for almost two years, so I’m not working and I have more time to “chill” minus being a mom. Something I really want and need to work on is having a quiet space for even a few moments for some self reflection and mediation. As for AI as it pertains to art and music..it’s like you said…it’s different when you know it came from a living person with feelings who has had a lifetime of experiences…there’s more of an emotional connection as the viewer/listener. Now I need to think of a two paragraph short story about Nutty the Chipmunk 😂 Maybe I’ll ask my son lol
If you ever read this - Ayreon's Universal Migrant was also remade in Atmos - might be a better fit for your needs! Highly excited about the new music. Be safe!
Devin speaks of Atmos being used to make an orb of music, i have for a long time considered Terria as a big fuzzy ball of music. Really looking forward to hearing the results of his next project.
I'm so keen to hear what Devy can do with Atmos. Been listening to a lot of Steven Wilson's atmos mixes lately and it can be such a musical thing and elevate the music to another level.
Winter's snare caught Nutty's scurry by surprise this year, they barely had time to fill their bellies before the pulsating waves of ever heavier snowdrifts threatened to encroach on even a safe refuge as their own redoubt of a drey had ever provided, even in the harshest wintry blight. What light once bathed their porch hole, dwindled to a few scant hours now their vale's neighbouring peaks shades them with the annual axial tilt, beckoning in their seasonal slumber sooner than Nutty would prefer. Luckily, Nutty's hibernation party trick was his being able to curl out a bung to block the outside weather from threatening his harem!
When it comes to the rise of AI programs I have learned as an artist that I need to enjoy the process of creating and put value into it. Art is innately human, heck the programs scrape what humans have made in order to make anything itself. The process of creating is innately tied to the result, regardless of how much people see it. Many times recently, I have asked myself "If I was isolated, with absolutely no way to show my art to anyone, would I still put so much effort into creating it?" If the answer is yes, then the process, with all it's ups and downs, is worth doing and in this day and age WHY it should be done. Learning, growing, struggling, thinking, being disgusted and in awe of something you made. It's worth it. I also resonated with the inspirational stage of riding the high of finally having the cohesive package come together, as a comic creator the actual process can become such a massive scale you'll wonder why you ever had that honeymoon phase in the first place, and while using "the struggle" can come off as martyred, there's value in overcoming personal adversity to create. It's hard, impossible even, sometimes. That just makes it all the more worth it. With that out of the way, it's story time: This was the end. The brazen metal beasts were marching, furious bellows of black smoke rose. The two legs and their teethed limbs ready and waiting to fell another home. One last meeting in the mother tree, the council of chipmunks presided, as every rodent in the ten acres gathered. Panicked, squeaking over one another as desperate ideas trampled like the two legs horrible steel bulls did their forest. "We must fight back!" one shouts. "Maybe we can just talk to them and find peace!" another pipes up. "I have a family and children to care for! A life here!" and another "Set up traps! Catch them off guard" and another "I don't know how to fight, how can we possibly stand up to them?" On and on they went, until a crack in the ceiling, dozens of rattled voices went silent as the pile of acorns collapsed into the meeting room, filling the center space full. On top of which, was Nutty. One recluse chipmunk who no one thought twice about, stood atop the mountain of fruits of their labor. "We need to leave! We can rebuild our forest! We'll start fresh if we have to, from the beginning, but there's enough here for us to live on! Maybe one day we can fight back, maybe one day we can even negotiate with them, but that day is not today! Grab whatever you can, whoever you can, and run!" The words of the one chipmunk bounced off the cedar walls and reached the ear of each chipmunk in the room. Chords were struck, as mouths were stuffed with seeds, and waves of rodents rushed out the mother tree. Some left immediately, other grabbed their families and friends. Nutty helped move everything along, the special power of his words saved the true heart of the forest, for even when these trees are torn asunder, they will rebuild, and survive.
I'm a totally independent musician. I write, record and play all of the instruments on my recordings. I have just over 70 songs on SoundCloud. Right now I"m stuck trying to write lyrics for my next song. It happens. I get it.On another note, if I could build a spaceship, I sure as hell would! a possible bit of insight here maybe, when I'm really stuck on finding the right music for a song, I often try a new tuning. Love you updates, Devin. Thank you for letting us into your ways.
Dev I’ve added a lot of “philosophical bangers”, if you will, from your last few updates and podcasts, to my “quotepad” for regular reflection or at least so I don’t forget em. Some really wise words and useful one-liner quotes. I’m sure I speak for some others out there when I assure you that your goal of helping other creatives be better prepared mentally, learning through you and your guests insights and career reflections, is succeeding quite well. My buddies and I have a robot/alien/space band so, needless to say, we are very excited to see Ruby Quaker and are proud as absolute hell as well as endlessly grateful for quirky deliberate creators like you who give us weirdos inspiration and permission to launch.
Nutty had an ability when standing by somebody to allow a vision of ones life to be watched by whoever he stood by. As the person saw thier life playing back and noticing the times there was a spirutual pull to be kind to a begger asking for change or wave to an enemy. As the person watched how they dismissed the prompting thinking why give that begger money, theyll just go buy drugs. How many times they had counted soneone out.
i figure the subconscious mind is usually doing most of the work. Stuff I wrote and discarded 20 years ago still comes floating back and ends up in things I'm recording today.
I see Devin and I click too ,Devin I see you in concert in Paris when you in syl amazing songs every time same for your others project, you Devin with the help of god have save my life, long life for all your staf ,peace.
Totally understand what you mean about Japanese lighting, It is so very important without realising it, Just look at there Shoji doors, A large door filled with not see through glass but opaque paper, the vital light is let through but the details and fuss of the other side blurred. Even the ultra iridescent street lights and neons of the areas like shibuya and akihabara, So much data being forced into your retinas to the point of almost blurring your vision from anything else, I used to quite often look straight up to the black sky at night and wonder what all that is hiding from your view, Even flows through to the Japanese shadow play puppetry, They are a people that focus heavily on things like this, Light to dark city to countryside and they mix it so beautifully. I’m sad to hear that you got a bit overwhelmed whilst over there, it can be a very sensory overload kind of place if you let it.
