Producing music as an artist- the subconscious mind and it's pathways

I have been reading Michael Beinhorn's new book, "Unlocking Creativity- a producer's guide to making music and art" and I must say it is really speaking my language. Michael's language is short and to the point, however he does a great job as expressing his inner quirks and tells you how he thinks, which is something that I find to be relatable and quite insightful. His approach to music and producing stems form his passionate thinking of the process and after reading two chapters, I am starting to see and discover my own process a little bit clearer, and take note of some really game changing ideas.

One of the reason's I started Tap N Tune productions, was that I felt that I both heard and felt music different than anybody else, and to me that elicited a calling. Within that calling I realize an innate enjoyment of the music production world, especially the minutia which I found to be especially fascinating.  However before studying Audio engineering  and going to school, I didn't know the first place to start when approaching or tackling such a large desire!

For me I have always just wanted to create and make records that sound great. Engineering was a means to an end of sorts, a way of understanding the science and philosophy behind what sounds good and how to make that happen in the studio or in the live arena.  I now have a deeper appreciation for Audio engineering, and it's a aspect of continual growth and learning as I am continually applying new things I have learned and seeing pleasing results.


As an artist, I continually search for new and inspiring tones. As a producer I continually envision music that embraces new and inspiring tones. Music is more than just great musical ideas, it is the tone of those ideas, that sets the mood.

As I started to think about this, I thought about the use of imagination in discovery of new tones, and new contexts in which those tones can be set into.

It is amazing how our brains can be trained to store a minutia of details. Things that surrounds other things often slip past us, especially in music. The intangible emotional elements of music, as fleeting as they may seem, are actually quite ascertainable to that of our faculties, especially the imagination and the subconscious. What is forgotten about in the conscious mind, is often retained in the subconscious mind.

Lately, I am realizing the power of mindfulness as it relates to observation of the subconscious. In my contemplative world of meditation I have tapped the 'well" recently of my the imagination and my subconscious and it is delightfully bearing good gifts! In my mindfulness I am learning how to transfer the feelings associated with particular sounds, into the bank of conscious memory. Here I am discovering my invisible palate as it were.

As an artist/ music producer I am attempting to represent my subconscious feeling associated with a sound to a subjective experience in the real world through the means of manipulating a sound in order to accurately "re-experience" what I initially felt. I do this through applied knowledge of capturing and representing that sound through a recorded medium. (Audio Engineering)

The "art" of engineering/ music production however is much more intriguing, for it is the creative interpretation of what that sound should "sound" like. This is where creativity and imagination come into play.

Think about it for a minute. Imagination plays a vital role in art, especially visual art. Visual artists are recognized by their imaginative style or approach that distinguishes them. For example, Vincent Van Gouge is known for his landscapes and portrait paintings comprised of granular paint daubs that recreate the larger image when viewed from afar. His technique was uncommon in his day, yet proved to become the signature of his work as an imaginative artist. In the same way sound/audio can be granular like vincent's paint, or smooth like a brush stroke. It's all about the interpretation of the "image", and the expression of that image as sound.

Sound the way it relates to imagery is fascinating. One can imagine a sound in the same way one can imagine an image. If as a Producer I can image sounds in different/ new contexts, and apply what I know (science) in order to re-present that image through a recorded medium, then I will have made a piece of art. My continued efforts at attempting to represent those feelings/ impressions make me more familiarized with the process of the craft, and also help me find my pathways of creativity.

 I find that creative focus is essential to making good art. I am not so much concerned with the conscious realization of my tools, or techniques, as it relates to my craft, for it is the application of such tools and techniques that compel me to be creative. Often I will abandon traditional or routine applications of my tools, in order to arrive at new discovery of what is possible. That keeps the mind, open and fresh and waiting for the next "aha" moment.

Since the imagination plays a vital role in this freshness, I find that the key to staying lucid as artists is to stay in a fixed relaxed focus upon the result, and not get so concerned so much with the process employed that produces the result. If I can faithfully and accurately representing an image through the craft, then I have succeeded. The image is what is important, and the intial grasping of that image in your mind is sometimes the most pure moment of inspiration.

Art is about experiencing the invisible elements of life. The imagination is the bridge between the head and the heart, and is the key to unlocking the creativity of the subconscious mind that knows the deeper things.