Note: This is a guest post from Kristoffer Carter of This Epic Life.
How much of our creativity is in our hands versus in our tools?
This question comes up for me more and more often as my arsenal of music gear gets intentionally downsized or pushed out of the house by more kids.
I am a former touring bassist, and now Dad and kriya yogi. Music gear has always been important to me. But meditation forces me to examine and pare down undesirable habits and unnecessary material goods. As a musician, my fear can sometimes be: “…but what if this guitar (or pedal) has my signature tone in it?”
On our best days we remember that our tone, our art, our work resides in us—in our hands, not in our tools.
Tools are important. They are a means of getting the job done. And certainly some jobs require more tools for specialized functions. (NASCAR pit mechanics & painters come to mind.)
But artists can become overly-reliant on their tools. Tennis players and golfers fidget with different rackets or clubs. Photographers believe the next lens will magically improve their photographs. And musicians are famous for masking insufficient talent beneath a mountain of gear.
But the best musicians I’ve ever played with can sound like themselves on any instrument. Their tone shines through from their soul because they have honed their craft.
He’s not a friend yet, but let’s consider U2’s The Edge.
In terms of playing style he’s incredibly minimal, yet also one of the most respected and successful guitarists in history. His parts are memorable because he uses just a few choice notes with layered effects.
In the documentary It Might Get Loud, Edge’s style is contrasted with other musicians.
In the opening scene you see Jack White welding together a ramshackle guitar. In the next, you have The Edge standing in a room with hundreds of pristine guitars, amps, and processors. Both are living legends, but they have very different approaches to how they leverage their tools in creating their art.
During one show in Barcelona during U2’s massive 360 tour, The Edge used 21 guitars and 4 amps for 24 songs.
But both he and his guitar tech credit only 1 amp as “the basis for his sound.” (It’s a 1964 Vox AC30 for any of you gearheads.)
What does Dallas Schoo, The Edge’s guitar tech for nearly 30 years, say is the true differentiator? “The Vox AC30 is the basis of Edge’s sound. Live, and in the studio—well, aside from what’s in his head and his hands, and the magic he brings to what he does.”
Pretty interesting, coming from the most tenured guitar tech for the largest touring production in history.
Edge, in the book “U2 at the End of the World” had a remarkable quote. It’s at the heart of what I feel so many creatives miss:
Notes actually do mean something. They have power. I think of notes as being expensive. You just don’t throw them around. I try to find the one’s that do the best job, and that’s what I use. I suppose I’m a minimalist instinctively. I don’t like to be inefficient if I can get away with it.
The stats, and his quote speak to the paradox that exists for many of us minimalist creatives.
Although he’s minimalist in notes, The Edge can’t cut corners on a multimillion-dollar show where people are paying thousands of dollars for some seats.
So how do we know when tools are improving our work, or when they are making us more inefficient instead?
As artists, we need to keep the quality of our work at the core of what we offer, and not the tools we use to get the job done.
Whenever a project makes me think I need more gear, I start mindlessly scrolling through Amazon or eBay for deals. I regain focus by asking myself a rather painful question:
“Am I shopping for more gear, or a better performance?”
Marketers love to hammer our pain points, then politely offer to hold our wallet while we writhe in our inadequacy.
It is not a marketer’s job to care about the quality of our work. They just want to sell us more tools.
It’s our job to care about our work, our art, or our tennis game. You want to become great, and develop a signature style? Find a few tools that are ergonomically correct, then start pursuing mastery—not in the pursuit of more gear, but in the honing of your craft.
Life and art rarely benefit from layering on more complexity.
As an aspiring writer I’ve stacked far too many empty moleskins in every corner of my house. That was, until I heard this lyric from Paul Simon in his song Hurricane Eye:
You want to be a writer? Don’t know how, or when? Find a quiet place, use a humble pen.
I can see now how trimming back the distractions and focusing on my craft has led to creating the art I always dreamed of. No new piece of gear or collection of fancy pens was going to ship my work. That was my job.
To focus on choosing better work over more tools, I have begun to embrace the following principles when it comes to my art:
1. Instead of choosing more tools, choose yourself. (tweet that)
2. Instead of investing money in the promise of better output, invest time, focus, and patience in creating your best impact. In my music, marriage, speaking career, distance running, and especially in my meditation practice I realize there are no shortcuts.
3. Tools can sometimes hack proficiency, but you can’t hack mastery. Period. There’s only showing up, and trying our best to do good work. Day after day, year after year.
4. Keep it stealth. Fill both sides of every page before upgrading your journal. Travel light to your writing retreats, trying to recapture simpler days before we had to stop constantly to recharge something. Don’t bail on a tool at the first sight of frustration, push through it. You may need a new tool, but maybe you just need to walk through the valley before reaching the mountaintop.
5. Whenever you find yourself needing an upgrade, ask: Do I really need more tools, or do I need more time to hone my craft? It’s important to address the root cause, instead of adding more complexity that will only delay the impact you’re trying to achieve.
6. Pare down to the essentials. Which of your basic tools create your most high-leverage output? There are some phenomenal photographers and cinematographers out there using only smart phones. Laptops may be our window to the universe, but a decent pen and a single moleskin can pull something distinctly more human out of us.
A true practitioner of yoga needs only a relatively quiet place to seek The Divine. Similarly, the artist in each of us may be desperately calling out for more space, not more gear.
***
Kristoffer Carter (“kc”) inspires visionary leaders to create their deepest possible impact through his work with This Epic Life. This week he launches Your Signature Impact.
Hi KC! I read this post last month, but I had to reread it a couple times yesterday. You see, yesterday I discovered the Hemingwrite – a device so fabulously hipster and twee and unitasking and expensive. Your post just saved me $400 on a digital typewriter that would no doubt be collecting dust on my shelf a month after my purchase. As you and many commenters pointed out, a tool doesn’t give me more time or discipline or energy. That comes from me. Thanks!
As an avid cyclist and in-progress minimalist, I could not agree more to this article. Thanks for putting into nice words what many of us think.
In cycling forums, I read how people go through painful (and often expensive) efforts to reduce a few grams in their bikes, or buy the latest models which they photograph extensively to show on the forums. Instead, it would be simpler (and cheaper) to just lose those grams on ourselves, and ride more instead of spending our free time looking for the latest gear online in order to improve performance!
Oh well. I just wanted to say “well said!”
Jimmy Page said once that 95% of a guitarist’s tone is in their hands. As another guitarist, I think this is true.
This is why we are able to know certain guitarists are on a track (think Clapton, Santana, Satriani, SRV) the first time we hear a song. Their style, and the way that they play is so honed and distinct.
Visiting via Jeff Goins blog. Expected to find a recommendation to pare down on gear. Surprise! Found myself reading the whole article and several of the comments. Very nice. Got me thinking about things, besides notes, that we could and perhaps should, think of as expensive.
What kind of system do you use to hang your guitars on the wall?
Ha! So glad you stuck around Julia. :) I was so nervous sending this pic of my office to Becoming Minimalist… wondering if people would judge how many axes I “need”. In all honestly, they all do provide very different functions, tones, etc.
I simply eBayed a $30 set of 6x wall mounts, and hung them into the wall studs. Painted them white first, to keep my zen vibe. haha
Thanks for asking.
kc
“you can’t hack mastery.” I completely agree with that. It’s easy to get caught up chasing the next upgrade or the next tactic. In reality, the difference between good and great usually comes down to mastery of the fundamentals.
Great post!
Thanks a lot KW… Mastery has been on my mind. hahah. No shortcuts, but we all kinda sorta wanna/need to get there with our limited time.
kc
Replace that overpriced Moleskine by a simple no brand sheet of paper, and I’m all with your minimalist ideals ;-)
Don’t get me wrong, when I decide to purchase I always choose quality over quantity. Stuff that lasts, & feels good in the hands. Also, I love supporting companies that care deeply about craft. Thanks for checking out Gerrit!
I love this, KC. It’s true, it’s humble and it’s a great reminder to all of us to focus on what matters.
In my experience, people turn to buying more stuff as a way to override their fear or lack of confidence in their skills. Newbies often think the better tool will do the trick, rather than accepting that it’s 1,000 more hours at the keyboard that will elevate their game.
I like to say that consumerism is the weakest form of creativity.
Buying stuff gives us a rush and a brief sense of power. Making or writing gives a WAY more satisfying and long-term rush. Don’t get me wrong, I love buying things. But I’m more careful now with my purchases and more investing in time spent making.
I love your point about getting clear on which tools help us achieve higher levels of impact. Thank you for sharing your love and wisdom on this point.
And, I know what to do with those empty Moleskines. If they’re still cluttering up your scene, you know where to find me. ;)
Cynthia! This: “consumerism is the weakest form of creativity.” Arguably better than my whole post. Should’ve called you for the title. You rule. Thanks for dropping this wisdom bomb.
kc
Hey, KC!
Solid, meaty ideas to chew on here! As a filmmaker and still photographer the temptation to add this week’s newest gear upgrade can be a temptation. But it’s one that I usually resist knowing that it’s the software located a couple of inches behind the camera we’re looking through that does the real work of creativity.
That said, my struggle, as a knowledge-whore or “know-ho” as I call myself, is to not purchase every new book on every subject area I have an interest in. I justify my addiction by wearing the label “life-learner”, but it’s an addiction none-the-less. Is there already a self-help book for people who buy too many books and courses? Maybe it should be a webinar? But, I digress…
I wrote a post on this topic for a trade association blog sometime back, but maybe it’s time I revisited the topic for myself, internally. Good brainfood you’ve harvested here, my man. Now to digest and apply it….
Excellent post!!
As another commenter remarked, I too have GAS (gear acquisition syndrome). It is my largest hurdle to becoming a true minimalist and I know exactly why. When I (or anyone) embarks on a new activity or even milestone, there is a period of gear acquisition during the Prelude to the activity (even if you’ve done the activity before). To quote a backpacker’s saying, “If it isn’t in your head, it better be in your bag.” In other words, until you have mastered the activity, you feel the necessity to have all the gear (or tools) to successfully get you to that point. Once you are a master, you know exactly what you need and which tools work best for you. As the level of experience and skill increases, the amount of tools and gear usually decreases. Thankfully, I have figured out how to overcome my GAS on the way to mastering any activity or skill, but it’s not easy. I’ve dubbed it the “Confusion of the Prelude” so I can better identify it and stop myself from shopping and acquiring. Thank you for bringing to light something that we all struggle with and certainly one of my biggest personal challenges with minimalism! Great tips, too!
These are definitely some great thoughts. Normally, I would consider myself the exact opposite of an artist. I am in college, studying to be a computer programmer. I think using logic, reason, math, and science. However, this post showed me that I, too, am an artist. When I am writing software, I am creating something.
While I love working with technology, I have not immersed myself in in. A lot of my friends and colleagues have all the latest gadgets and very expensive computers. I simply have one laptop that I use (not even a smart phone!). Sometimes I feel like I need all of top of the line “tools” to be better at writing code and working with technology. But I love how this posts shows me that it’s not about the tools that I have, it’s about improving my own skill.
You nailed it Alex… always be improving your skill, because that’s what The Greats do. And at some point you’ll be so great, that people will want to give you stuff, versus having to buy it anyway. But you’ll be so zen by that point that you’ll offer the polite decline.
Skill first, always.
kc
I only travel with a carryon bag and my house is relatively clutter free. But I do load up on information (and domain names)! For me, searching for the next “tool,” is a way to put off getting down to doing the actual work. Much like taking out a pile of research books was a way to put off writing my actual term paper (back in the day when students did that kind of thing!).
haha Debra, I do recall your obsession with hoarding domains. I think that’s comparable to me loading up on gear for years… We stockpile possibilities to make ourselves feel better. That “someday we’ll be in amazing shape if we have this stuff when we reach for it”.
Except, there is only now… when we could/should be creating our impact. Thanks for checking this out!
kc
Thank you for such an insightful article. I have been paring down and throwing off/out much of what is extraneous and even good to reach the core of my craft. I had to laugh when I read the part about endless internet searches for gear, since I just recently came to this same realization. The quest for the perfect gadget was distracting me from practicing and producing. I had confused the short reach of a dollar bill for the longer arm of hard work in my attempt to scratch the itch of mastery.
Dean this is Ninja Level: “… I had confused the short reach of a dollar bill for the longer arm of hard work in my attempt to scratch the itch of mastery.”
Just wow. It is THAT. Don’t let Joshua Becker see how you just encapsulated everything we were trying to convey in a few short words.
kc
This post was so timely and resonated so much with me – sat at my mac with Logic Pro running thinking ‘all I need is this plug in, that keyboard etc, – to make this sound so much better!’ Its all nonsense and as you rightly say designed to create angst and envy and a sense of emptiness unless we can acquire the latest gadget, gizmo. I listen to my four track recordings made twenty five years ago and realise they had a certain purity and indeed refreshing simplicity, borne out of urgency and necessity. Sergeant Pepper still sounds awesome, recorded with what today would be considered positively antique , your post applies to life in general just as much as the creative process, whatever form of self- expression you follow. Thank you Kristoffer for reminding me what really matters.
Howard, I so loved your comment… Thanks a lot brother. Can’t agree more on Sgt. Pepper. That is a staple on the record player around here. And four of my gurus are in the cover art! (George Harrison was hugely influenced by Paramahansa Yogananda).
It’s the meditation that forces me to pare down. So crucial, if we’re to let our WORK lead our impact…. and not the tools that help (us) create it.
This post speaks to me on so many levels. I journal daily and I started making my journals years ago. Recently I’ve been noticing so many beautiful journals in the stores and I constantly have to remind myself that I never filled all those journals that I bought years ago. Also, we are leaving for a roadtrip from Minnesota to Utah and I am thinking about how to downsize all the gear we usually bring along. Laptop, camera gear, guitar, tools, games for the kiddo. Why do we need all of that for just 9 days? Your post reminds me that it is not a waste of time to put some effort into thinking about minimizing. Thanks!
As a hobby musician with
g(ear)
a(quisation)
s(yndrom)
you’ve really nailed it for me. Although I’m trying the minimalist approach I’m stuck in the optimising loop. If I can sell this than I can buy that to optimise the minimal setup. Totally stupid thoughts that distract me from the real creation process but hard to get rid of.
Some of the best bands I see often show up with very little, or really crappy gear and proceed to blow doors out. Diakaiju played in my town not long ago and pulled what looked like junk out of their van. No PA, just drums amps and guitars. It was the best show I have seen this year. These guys have been on the road for 20 years and do over 100 shows a year. A testament to your point.
Hiiiii Alexxxander. hahaha. Brother’s been suffering from GAS for years. I feel you. My wife hates to see boxes show up from Sweetwater…amazing music supplier with raving fan service. That’s really what cured me of the gear thing. Realizing I can pick up my kid’s toy guitar and write the song I’m looking for, or using it to entertain company. No whammy bar necessary.
kc
Put me in water, and I’m good to go…that’s my ‘go to’ place. Seems I find my core there. I think it’s why I just moved to live by the Sea. No more ‘tools’ for now. I have enough. Just a place to allow them to shine from within … mmm….
…and I must work hard at not letting Apple make me feel ‘obsolete’ ;) LOL … I admit it though… I love my MacBookPro! Makes me ‘feel’ like a minimalist with all my tools in that little thing I can cart around. And it is so efficient… it’s a good tool :)
That said, I also admit, my real work … my art and my writing…. that happened with a pen, paper… and often a bath tub!
Tools … really, what I need as you said above, is more time with my self… my core… and a good tool can enhance the whole thing and make it shine… but it all starts at home with me … and that’s what also makes me happy … :)
Deep bow …
Loved this Elizabeth: “more time with my self… my core… and a good tool can enhance the whole thing and make it shine… but it all starts at home with me … ” Gonna let that lead me through the rest of my week. Namaste. Totally agree on the right computer machine. I’ve been blessed to have my company provide my machines, but looking for the most powerful, stealth gadget to impact the world has to be on the horizon. Less is more, darnit. :)
I love the question do I need more tools or more time. absolutely agree and greatly enjoyed the musical examples. As a photo this is a huge battle that I have won by not buying more but learning how to use what I own.
Love it Joanna. Thanks for checking out the article.
one of my all time ‘must do’ things is to travel with a pen and moleskin and write a book about my travels.
I can definitely relate to feeling like I need an update. I’ve had the same laptop since 2007 and my friends consistently tell me I need to upgrade. Instead, I need to focus on my time to hone my craft. Mahalo and Aloha!
Hey Daniel, I’ve noticed how brilliant Apple is with their marketing strategy around “forced obsolescence”. Within a year, their last model looks dated. Then they have a billion brand evangelists telling us we look old school if our MacBook isn’t an Air.
Nobody will give us grief about the moleskins brother. :)
I wish you many volumes of travelogues.
kc
Great food for thought. This brings to mind a friend who is constantly on the search for the next piece of gear to make him a better photographer. He has around $30k invested in equipment yet he still fails to make great images. Perhaps the desire to accumulate more tools is do with our own egos and the wish to look the part. Maybe we fall in love with the idea of buying the gear and believe that simply by owning it we will be better at our chosen activity? I recently sold my treadmill and other exercise equipment – I have 2 good legs and a lovely country road to walk along & a beach close by, I don’t need stuff to make me fitter or healthier.
Hey Julia! Yeah, we all have friends like that. Sometimes it’s us… Smart of you to recognize not needing the exercise gear. It’s not what makes us fit. It sure can feel “good” to buy for a minute or two tho! I’m so “on watch” with giant things like that trying to make their way into our house these days. haha. I blame Becoming Minimalist.
Seems like all our family wants to drop their stuff off, and I say “move it along!”
:)
kc
Impressive thoughts & article. Thank you
Thanks a lot Ties.
VERY nice piece! Thank you!
My question, while rhetorical, begs an answer. How is it that Edge can call himself a minimalist while using 21 different guitars for 24 songs? Did he change his pants, too, in between notes? I’m having a hard time with his claim of being a minimalist, but do wholeheartedly agree with his idea of notes being expensive. Words are also. And I’ve thrown around too many here.
Thanks again! <3
In direct answer to your question, The Edge used the term “minimalist” to refer to his music: “Notes actually do mean something. They have power. I think of notes as being expensive. You just don’t throw them around. I try to find the one’s that do the best job, and that’s what I use.”
The point of the illustration was that while The Edge does own (and use) a large collection of guitars during his performance, both he and his music tech point to his talent and one specific amp as the basis of his sound: “The Vox AC30 is the basis of Edge’s sound. Live, and in the studio—well, aside from what’s in his head and his hands, and the magic he brings to what he does.”
The art is not found in his collection of guitars, but in honing his talent.
Hey EmeraldCityGirl, thanks for weighing in Joshua. Yeah, it’s because of the size and scale of their tours that The Edge really can’t afford to be a minimalist with his live gear. The demands of the job at that level truly require an arsenal of guitars for different songs, sounds, and probably to minimize the risk of breaking strings. Wild to think about!
However, in terms of artistry, he’s definitely a minimalist. Such an interesting duality! Thanks for reading.
kc
This is such a unique way of looking at minimalism and the stuff we have. I have an 8 year old MacBook, that I have been lamenting about replacing for months now. I don’t actually need to replace it – it works just fine. But the allure of a new sleek machine is too strong to ignore. I think to myself, if I had a faster, better laptop, maybe I would write more or read more or work harder. Of course, as your article pointed out, a pen and paper is all you need to write. Thank you!
Hey there, thanks for reading the piece. It’s like I gave you $2K USD to read it, cuz that’s what we’re saving you from buying another MacBook. :)
Seriously, computers are tough. Sometimes they are so old and beat that they can slow us way down. But only you can answer that for yourself. If you’re looking for better work, or more time to write, the computer isn’t what’s going to do it.
That’s up to you. You got this. Much love, -kc
Thank you for your post. I agree that if someone is truly talented, they can make just about anything work! Fancy “tools” aren’t really needed. :) If you’ve ever watched “The Blues Brothers” you know exactly what I am talking about! lol
Points to Judy for the Blues Brothers reference! lol. “i need you….YOU…you.”
I once jammed with the drummer for the band Phish, who was using our drummer’s kit for a small club gig. The guy made those drums speak. It was incredible.
It’s totally in our hands. We need good quality tools, but the fewer the better. Much love
kc
Hi Kristoffer,
Thank you SO MUCH for sharing this thought. As artists, it can be so easy to procrastinate the work we need to do in ourselves (deep introspection and thought), for superficial, hollow things (better tools)!
This message encourages me to trust the giftings that are inside me, and to exercise them with confidence in who God created me to be. Tools can be useful, but they are about 1% of the equation. The rest is us!
Thanks again,
Justin
Hey Justin, really happy this resonated with you. Can tell you’re a spiritual cat (much like myself). The more we realize how singularly valuable we are, the less stuff we need to rock the house. :)
Read this quote today from my guru, and thought you’d dig it:
“Inspiration, creative power, and energy flow into you when you attune yourself to the Infinite Mind.” -Paramahansa Yogananda
:) -kc