I like when you talked about treating taste as a compass instead of a credential. The “Notice, Name, Translate, Make, Refine” framework turns something abstract into actual steps. Instead of just admiring great writing, this gives me a better way to study why it works and apply those choices to my own. This is a more useful way to think about influence and not simply try to imitate someone’s style. Thank you Idris Elijah for another excellent lesson!
Your topic today made me think about how easy it is to become a consumer instead of a creator. The line that really grabbed me was, “Admiration is not merely appreciation. It is an assignment.” I’d never thought about it that way before but it completely changes how I look at the things that inspire me. Instead of asking myself why I can’t make something like that, I’m going to find out what I can learn from it. Thank you Idris for another thought-provoking read!
I spend a lot of time listening to records that make me wonder “how did they do that?” I can see that the answer isn’t to chase their sound, it’s to figure out the creative decision underneath it. Maybe it’s the space between notes, the tension before the chorus or the emotion in a vocal take. That’s something I can actually practice in my own music and not just admire from a distance. I really enjoyed this issue Idris Elijah!
I like when you talked about treating taste as a compass instead of a credential. The “Notice, Name, Translate, Make, Refine” framework turns something abstract into actual steps. Instead of just admiring great writing, this gives me a better way to study why it works and apply those choices to my own. This is a more useful way to think about influence and not simply try to imitate someone’s style. Thank you Idris Elijah for another excellent lesson!
Your topic today made me think about how easy it is to become a consumer instead of a creator. The line that really grabbed me was, “Admiration is not merely appreciation. It is an assignment.” I’d never thought about it that way before but it completely changes how I look at the things that inspire me. Instead of asking myself why I can’t make something like that, I’m going to find out what I can learn from it. Thank you Idris for another thought-provoking read!
I spend a lot of time listening to records that make me wonder “how did they do that?” I can see that the answer isn’t to chase their sound, it’s to figure out the creative decision underneath it. Maybe it’s the space between notes, the tension before the chorus or the emotion in a vocal take. That’s something I can actually practice in my own music and not just admire from a distance. I really enjoyed this issue Idris Elijah!