Does minimalism spur creativity?

[Jbravo]

sometimes I wish I could go back in time to visit my younger self, taking a copy of fruityloops and Synth1 with me. The things I could have done and the fun I could have had with those humble tools. In fact I have the same thought every time I use Synth1, which is pretty much in every project

[VariKusBrainZ]

^
Microbrute is an excellent example of a minimalist but feature rich synth, love mine.
Lots of character and a filthy little bitch

[melomood]

I think you can be creative whether you use one brush or ten brushes...one canvas or three....or some old TV's and old mop handles....a bottle of spray paint....

[OzoneJunkie]

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[PurpleCatfishBettie]

we work with the tools we have...

[VariKusBrainZ]

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Why delete it, was a totally valid post that I agreed with, the method and tools will dictate the outcome......in many circumstances.

I couldn't replicate what I can do now with Magix Music Maker v1 and a bunch of samples from magazine CDs, was great fun though

[Bombadil]

In my case, most definitely. I used to get far more done with a 4 track (well, two 4 tracks), a few guitars, a DX7 (or, before that, an upright piano), a set of drums (that was replaced by a drum machine), a couple of dynamic Radio Shack mics, and so forth than I do now, with practically every tool I could ever want or need at my disposal.

Other factors include deadlines. I would go to my best friend's place a few hundred miles away for a month or 6 weeks, or he'd come to my place. A lot of the gear would be rented, so there was that, as well as the fact that we had 'real life' to get back to.

But he died in 2011. I live 3,700 miles away, anyway. Just before he died, he'd gotten a new iMac, Apogee Duet, Logic 8, and a decent condenser mic so that we could collaborate long-distance. We'd been BFF since kindergarten, and played/recorded music together since we were 14.

Still haven't gotten over that. I've realized a large part of the buzz of recording was the fact of us spending time together. Now, I don't have the drive to do it. Ironic, given the money I've put into gear, and the time I've taken to learn it. Almost like a Twilight Zone ending.

Having so many choices... is debilitating to me. Some people can assimilate all of the technology, and have a clear vision of what to do with it. I am not one of those people, unfortunately. And making new friends at my age is not easy.

[digitalboytn]

It is easier to be a minimalist when you choose that mindset and have enough capital to back it up....

When minimalism is forced upon people,it can often lead to poverty

[OzoneJunkie]

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Why delete it, was a totally valid post that I agreed with, the method and tools will dictate the outcome......in many circumstances.

I couldn't replicate what I can do now with Magix Music Maker v1 and a bunch of samples from magazine CDs, was great fun though

Thanks. I guess I deleted it because on some level I feel like I'm in a cycle that I perpetuate myself, even in just participating in such discussions. Not that these discussions aren't worthwhile, because to me they are, but perhaps too worthwhile.

I'm making concerted efforts to let go of my own attention towards stuff, and the purging of that stuff. As I said in the original post, on some level it's similar to hoarding, just on the other side of the coin. Minimalism can be addictive - it has been for me.

So, thanks for taking the time to read and reply - I should have left the post - and just tried to see if there was a edit history so I could restore it; there's not.

[jancivil]

It doesn't mean anything to me especially, except after a fairly long while of doing only very layered, orchestrated things I did decide to do two things from a soloist perspective on a release, where all or nearly all interest was located in a solo instrument. That isn't the same as 'records made with one synth' necessarily; which reminds me of 1981 when I had a Minimoog and a Teac 4-track. Which was pretty exciting compared to not having them. No, practically none of what I make was even possible at all at a time in the not-too-distant past, let alone with 'one synth' and I like having a palette. So the whole thing of 'having too much to choose from is unfocused and too distracting' and the idea a minimal setup is necessarily doing something, or really the notion of restricting oneself deliberately to 'spur creativity' by creating an [arbitrary] focus is not true for me at all.

[ghettosynth]

I don't think that there's a single solution to this. Yes, it can, no it doesn't necessarily. If your reason to be minimalist doesn't align with your limitations of creativity, then you may very well just be less creative/productive with less.

I like some of these albums, but, each has a sameness that I would expect with using just one synth. Still, it's some fuel for thought that is external and where minimalism has led to some success, for some definition of success.

https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/5-excell ... nthesizer/

[Terrafractyl]

I think that when it comes to creativity, making a hard and fast rule and then sticking to it forever is just about the worst thing you can do. Mix it up a bit I say!
Some days I will find limiting myself to be incredibly useful, or even more fun. but on the the other hand, I get a ton of idea's from playing around with and exploring new tools/Toys.
Actually I would say at least 75% of the things I actually finish, start that way, so I guess I'm usually a more is more kinda guy. but I try to mix it up a bit.

[Hink]

When I started with my Vantage Guitar, a Roland SH101,a Boss DR550 with a Tascam 4 track, I used to churn out 3 or 4 songs in a day. Now, surrounded by all the gear I could really want, I struggle to get a single verse worked out in the course of a year...so for me, yes, minimalism was far better for my creativity,

I was gonna say the exact same thing.
I had a Bass, drum machine, 4-track, mic and ESQ-1... wrote a shedload of stuff.
Too many options now, and the fact i use MIDI triggering synths, and don't commit to a render - just in case ...yeah, doesn't do much for the output. Out of the 1000 or so songs I've written since then, i've probably rendered less than 100... and released less than 10

but let's not forget then we had the issue of too many playbacks/records would kill a tape. Without that fear we lose a bit of motivation to lay down tracks quickly (at least this is how it works for me) and I know myself I say "I'll just save that and see if I can do better" until I have a few hundred more takes than I'm willing to admit.

[aciddose]

What spurs creativity is a reduced fastidiousness.

In other words what ruins creativity is when you are too damn picky about things and can't just accept them for what they are.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shibui

I'm not 100% in agreement with Wikipedia on this one, I'd say shibui is more about accepting things for their imperfections and finding beauty there in and of the imperfections themselves. In other words not specifically about "imperfections", but more a recognition of the concept of "perfection" and "imperfection" being entirely arbitrary and to some degree a rejection of those concepts leading to simply accepting things for exactly what they are. A revelation and recognition of the inherent beauty of the impermanent, infinitesimal moment.

( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabi-sabi )

So a simple hand-made bit of pottery or glassware has certain imperfections or flaws: this is what makes it interesting!



So it isn't the act of limiting yourself to a single instrument or set of tools that improves creativity, not even close. If anything such limitations directly limit your creative potential.

What opens up your creativity is accepting those limited tools and coming to a deeper understanding and respect for their flaws not just as flaws but as unique sources of beauty and inspiration.

Revelation:


https://soundcloud.com/xhip/wtfdude

[foosnark]

In other words what ruins creativity is when you are too damn picky about things and can't just accept them for what they are.

Yes.

So it isn't the act of limiting yourself to a single instrument or set of tools that improves creativity, not even close. If anything such limitations directly limit your creative potential.

To me, those limits can create a sort of challenge, a "problem" (which is not actually a problem) to be solved. It's a different sort of engagement that can get one unstuck, or just be a fun thing to try. But don't be inflexible about it. If the rule gets you started, but you reach the point where breaking it makes better music, break the damn rule -- it's already served its purpose.

What opens up your creativity is accepting those limited tools and coming to a deeper understanding and respect for their flaws not just as flaws but as unique sources of beauty and inspiration.