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Tag Archives: Creativity
The 20th anniversary of my instructional video
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the release of my 1994 instructional video, The Guitar of Preston Reed: Expanding the Realm of Acoustic Playing on Homespun Tapes. (I can’t believe it’s been twenty years!) In the late 1980’s I … Continue reading
Posted in Composing, Creativity, Guitar, Learning, Music
Tagged Composing, Creativity, Guitar, learning, Music, Percussion, teaching
3 Comments
Let’s get bored
When I was in China last fall I watched a teenage girl on a Beijing subway say goodbye to a friend getting off at a stop. As soon as they had waved goodbye and the doors closed, the girl pulled … Continue reading
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Health and Well-Being, Neuro-science, Psychology, Technology, Thoughts, Uncategorized
Tagged boredom, Creativity, Culture, neuroscience, psychology, Technology, thoughts
209 Comments
When you are doing nothing, you are doing something
When I first finish a challenging creative project, I feel a sense of relief and euphoria. That feeling may last for a little while. But eventually it wears off…and I am left feeling exhausted. The truth is, the project has … Continue reading
Posted in Art, blogging, Creativity, Guitar, Music, Photography, Psychology, Thoughts, Uncategorized
Tagged Art, blogging, Creativity, Guitar, Music, photography, psychology
15 Comments
The anxiety of opportunity
This is an unusually big month. In addition to going into the studio several times to continue recording my next album and heading over to Ireland to play at a festival, I will be playing my first-ever hosted, internet live-on-air … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Creativity, Learning, Psychology, Thoughts
Tagged business, Creativity, learning, psychology, thoughts
9 Comments
The value of identifying your values
I was asked a few months ago by Pat Strother of Strother Communications to name my three core values as an artist, musician and composer. He was looking for a three-word distillation of the guiding principles that motivate me to … Continue reading
Posted in Composing, Creativity, Performing, Thoughts
Tagged Composing, Creativity, thoughts
10 Comments
Do you want to be original?
Somebody called me crazy in a guitar blog recently, referring to the integrated percussive guitar style I invented. It made me smile. I took it as a compliment. To me, “crazy” means things like refreshing, innovative, ahead of its time, … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Creativity, Guitar, Literature, Music, Thoughts
Tagged Art, Creativity, Guitar, Literature, Music
4 Comments
What is practicing?
I am often asked how I practice, what I practice, and how much time I spend practicing guitar. I always feel like answering: I don’t :^) This is not true of course. But what is true is, the practicing I … Continue reading
Posted in Composing, Creativity, Guitar, Music, Performing, Touring, Uncategorized
Tagged Composing, Creativity, Guitar, Music, performing, Touring
7 Comments
Moving forward requires making decisions
I am writing a tune at the moment. I have reached a point in the development of this tune where a decision must be made about what the tune is, what it is saying, and where it is going. I … Continue reading
Posted in Composing, Creativity, Guitar, Music
Tagged Composing, Creativity, Guitar, Music
6 Comments
The groove cloud
While teaching a guitar workshop this past weekend, I was reminded of a key factor in the performance of music: the connection between groove and memory. In order to teach “Tractor Pull”, one of my busier tunes, it was necessary … Continue reading
Posted in Composing, Creativity, Guitar, Music, Performing
Tagged Composing, Creativity, Guitar, Music, performing
2 Comments
Look for something surprising that works…
Wednesday, 16 June 2010 When writing music you don’t always want to do what either you or the listener expects to hear next. Your composition may be carefully worked out according to a plan, but you never want it to … Continue reading
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