Practicing Music in Revolutionary Times

Today I have some tools for you that may help you cut through the noise and distraction that swirls around you so you can find more time to practice and play music.

I read a lot and listen to interviews with people who seem to know what is going on in the world. The general consensus is that we are living in times of great upheaval and change. It’s a wild ride and will continue to be a wild ride, maybe forever…

It can be super exciting and exhausting at the same time. We all seem to be going nuts. Except for a few people here and there. Those are the people I am fascinated with and want to learn how they can use the internet in particular without surrendering their attention span over to the masters of click bait.

Just finding some unpolluted time to get your bearings and set a few very clear goals can seem like a carrot on a stick. I am writing this article on a laptop that has the internet disabled for the time being. I did this on purpose because I know I have an addictive personality and that I need to work on laptops as a major part of how I run my life and make a living.

A few nights ago I played a gig with a couple of incredible musicians and had a great time. I also blew a few things here and there that I wouldn’t have screwed up if I had been practicing more. Everything I can do as a musician that I feel great about came out of deep work sessions over the years. I have Cal Newport, author of the book “Deep Work” to thank for lighting a fire in me to find more ways to create these blocks of time. “Deep Work” is a great book and I highly recommend it.

I’m assuming that you want to find ways to cut down on the temptations and clutter that come at you from the internet. Step one is to become aware of how you keep getting sucked into games you can’t win. Step two is getting fed up enough to do something about it.

One of the questions I have been asking myself lately is: “who is in control of my mind right now?” If I am obsessing about the news and the latest political food fights, it ain’t me, babe.

So that is one tool I use – the question “who is in control of my mind right now?”

At the moment I am in control of my mind because I have it working on stringing these words together, and I am motivated to finish writing this draft. It is a good feeling. Noticing that this feels good is another blow for my own freedom from the cheap thrills of the National Enquirer headlines of news feeds and other “infotainment” traps.

The same happens with my music practice. I use some powerful tools on this laptop as part of my music practice, but the ever present possibility of jumping on Chrome to check email or news can wear on me.

Here is a new tool that I just discovered that could be useful for you: an app called “Freedom”. This app disables your internet connection completely or selectively. I have tried other apps for this purpose, but this one is so easy to use that it is actually fun.

Here is how I used this app this morning: I opened it up and clicked on a list of sites (mostly news) that I don’t want to think about and then selected an 8-hour session. For 8 hours I can’t open up those websites. Boom. One decision instead of countless “maybe I’ll just check” ___________ “just for a minute” mini decisions.

I want to work in an environment where concentrating on music is easier than going for a quick hit of mind candy.

Systems work better than willpower for me. If I don’t have chocolate in the house, it is too much trouble to go out and get it, so it drops out of my mind.

Two tools: a question and an app.

1. “Who is in control of my mind?”

2. A little butterfly icon at the top of my screen that I can click to end temptation for an hour or so. The Freedom app (or something else that does the same thing) to remove temptation structurally in your environment.

I hope you find ways to clear out space in you mind for the healing power of music.

Harpe Diem!