Life In Music

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Navigating the ups and downs of a life in music. Creativity, survival, meaning and happiness.

Harper James


    • Nov 3, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 10m AVG DURATION
    • 57 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Life In Music

    Bullshit Detector

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2024 9:50


    Meaning, Truth and Beauty dudes

    The Looking Glass: The One Thing You Need to Know About Reality (substack reading)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 27, 2024 15:42


    https://harperjames.substack.com/ Check out the essay on my substack. Sub for free or support me as a member.

    Nature Death and Art

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 27, 2024 14:31


    felt cute might delete later subscribe to my substack for deeper shit! https://harperjames.substack.com/

    "You" in the first and third person (Substack Essay)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2024 4:40


    click here for LINK TO ESSAY

    Labels V Streaming

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2024 29:29


    Some musings on where we are at with all this in the wake up UMG taking down cataloged from Tik Tok.

    God Has No Free Will

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2024 30:07


    Do we have free will? The answer is a little complicated but it does exist, just not in the way you think.

    Transcending Existentialism: Substack Essay

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2024 8:13


    This is a reading of my essay on "Transcending Existentialism and Postmodernism," published on my Substack here: https://harperjames.substack.com?utm_source=navbar&utm_medium=web&r=5bb64 It was one of the more popular posts and gets to the heart of my thinking on metaphysics; kind of my thesis.

    Dream Metaphor SUBSTACK COMPANION ESSAY

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2024 28:42


    A brief romp through non-dualist philosophies and metaphors for understanding it. Companion Episode to "Tree Metaphor & Dream Metaphor" https://harperjames.substack.com?utm_source=navbar&utm_medium=web&r=5bb64

    Transcending Existentialism and Postmodernism: Essay Companion

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2023 22:09


    You can find my substack here for original essay and audio of essay.

    Fear of Commitment

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2023 3:32


    Time is a zero sum game. Don't waste it hiding behind perfection.

    Art is Poop

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2023 14:51


    So focus on the process

    No such thing as a producer (micro episode. More coming soon)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2023 7:12


    Not my best episode but a few bread crumbs to keep you on the trail. We just have these titles so we can cram ourselves into these commodity boxes and be used more efficaciously by evil market forces. They mean less than nothing

    Dirty sinner

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2023 32:52


    Limitation Libations

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 14, 2023 33:42


    I salute you imperfect monster

    Something is Terribly Wrong

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 6, 2023 16:43


    It's not you it's it. Bonus vacation episode

    My Vibe

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 26, 2023 59:20


    my vibe around the whole thing. too vague?

    I Thought About it and I Know I'm Right

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 21, 2023 22:51


    Chill

    Reality is Real (it's a dream not a simulation)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2023 30:11


    Hopped up technobros want you to believe that there are two realities and they are the self appointed gate keepers. There is only one reality, the Matrix is a metaphor. This is not a drill.

    ATMOS, APPLE, SPACIAL

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2023 26:18


    Music in a digital rendering of a windowless r&d room in Silicon Valley

    Cultivating the Space to Allow Stuff to Emerge Through You

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2023 14:39


    Conscious, thought driven will is overrated in creative endeavors.

    It matters if it's good

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2023 3:34


    Don't be cynical there's no point

    It's arrogant and absurd to worry about humans achieving god like tech in our lifetime.

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 23, 2022 27:43


    Techtopian narratives are often pushed by scam artists posing as visionary capitalists. And they always underwhelm when you look closely. The uncanny valley is not a space we are destined to cross it's a space we get lost in.

    Manifesting and the Pit of Horror

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2022 2:59


    the pit of horror

    Music First, Music Second Careers

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2022 3:01


    Know your type

    music first second careers
    Yo Bro Wanna Collab

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2022 8:08


    How to make an ask without sounding like a sociopath

    The Matrix, Disembodiment and Creativity

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2022 2:11


    I get weird

    Stop Grinding So Much

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2021 12:55


    Set limits to the time you grind so you don't become a useless tool.

    Should You Be On TikTok (right now)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2021 8:54


    Probably not right now. But maybe later today. But for a specific reason. Namely our limited creative energy.

    Make Music Not Marketing

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2021 5:26


    Don't let your original desire be corrupted by everyone else's shitty take

    Plan not Backup Plan

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2021 4:03


    Don't have a back up plan, have a plan.

    What is Producing?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2020 13:24


    God help us all as I try and stumble my way through an answer.

    Your Voice is Your Record

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2020 4:52


    Your voice is at the center of the spiral. That is what every decisions should stem from when making a record. A good record is just a vantage point from which to connect with the artist's voice.

    It's Not Too Late, Silly

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2020 3:54


    If you're a musician and artist, it's not too late. If you're trying out for the next Disney show, yeah it might be too late.

    Creating From Space

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2020 5:56


    NOT OUTER SPACE FOOLZ!

    Failing

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2020 4:56


    Failing right is an exercise in self awareness.

    You Are Not A Number

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2020 7:27


    If you see your fans as numbers or your progress as numbers and yourself as a number then you insult your fans minimize your craft and dehumanize yourself and your numbers will go down. How's that?

    Patience

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2020 2:10


    Patience doesn't mean being ok with slow results or not pushing forward like an absolute beast. It just means having low anxiety between when a project starts and when it ends, no matter the duration. Impatience is simply a highly anxious state that is only assuaged by finishing something. So it's really a way of missing out and undercutting the process.

    Rolling With The Punches

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2020 4:41


    Work through it, whatever it is.

    When References Are Good

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2020 4:12


    For communication for abstract aesthetic ideas and for kicking your ass

    Take Care of the Low Places

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2020 4:52


    Basically take care of all the things that support your art before you barrel headlong into the work and trip over your own feet.

    The Danger of Using References in Production and Mixes

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2020 4:51


    Hey I’ve had too much coffee. References are a useful tool and sometimes the only way we can communicate abstract aesthetic ideas. But context is king and each sonic universe should have its own set of internal natural laws or physics that emerge from the vocalist and from the song—and we should do our best to respect and follow through on those “laws” (which real are just externalizations of our own true reactions, instincts and gut feelings). Try thinking about the wholistic energy of the record and makes changes based on listening to the work you’ve already done and coming up with a path forward. Don’t try and Frankenstein a hodgepodge of “referenced” sounds tougher and call it a record —and #fuckthesnaresound —in other words don’t use references as a way to give up on making your own record and doing the hard work of discovering your own sound. BAUM

    Handling Rejection, Criticism and Praise (in music and the arts)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2020 7:19


    I’ve found the only thing that insulated me from the highs and lows of people’s criticism and positive feedback is to develop self awareness of both my strengths and weaknesses, so that I’m not surprised and so that my opinion of my work for better or for worse is based on thoughtful self examination not hinged on a need for outside validation.

    First, Show Up

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 26, 2020 2:27


    If you're struggling with getting started the first and last step is to show up.

    Define Your Creative Identify Differently

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2020 3:54


    Instead of asking yourself "what do I want" ask "how can I help." The ways you can best serve the situation will define your most authentic self.

    Good Things Take Time

    Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2020 4:08


    It’s a lesson I just keep relearning. And it helps me to always think long term. It mitigates small disappointments and makes the success feel better. It also means that there’s room for creative development and change. Committing to the long haul gives you control over your path and makes things feel less random and more earned.

    Trust Your Own Opinion

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2020 1:45


    That's all we have in the end: our opinions and our trust in them. Even trusting someone else's opinion is a kind of choice. In the end it all comes back to us, so the only question is do we acknowledge our role in creating our art, our lives and our world, or do we look away in hopes someone else will make the creative choices for us?

    "Do or do not. There is no try" - Yoda

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2020 3:24


    What I think this really means. ‘Trying hard’ is often confused with strain and stress. If I can cultivate a better state of mind the doing gets better and the trying gets less. Today I tried really hard and didn’t get much done.

    Things Are Not As Technical As They Seem

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2020 3:08


    We’ve demystified the mystical so we can package it and sell it as a tutorial or a course. Learning is good. Sharing knowledge is good. Conversations are good. I always watch my friends talk about what they’re good at I constantly bug other musicians for help. I’ve learned and been given so much amazing information and wisdom by my colleagues. I am grateful. But The cult of the expert is less good. Everyone’s path is different and we have more of the answers than we think. YouTube is great for learning hotkeys and not as good for learning an art or deeper skill. In the end my bet is that you’ll be your own best teacher. I could be completely wrong

    What's The Difference Between Finding Your Sound and Using a Gimmick

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2020 3:03


    Finding your sound is about following your own creative instincts over a period of time and being open to where ever that takes you, rather than picking a box that you fit all of your work into.

    Don't Compare Your Work To Anyone Else's Work

    Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2020 4:08


    It’s not only because it will make you feel bad (although it certainly might). It’s because it will lead you down the wrong path. You can only ever be an A-rate version of yourself and you will only ever B the B-rate copy of something or someone else. The only way to escape unfavorable comparison is to avoid comparison altogether....maybe????? I honestly don’t own what I’m talking about.

    Asking Other People's Opinion About Your Unfinished Work

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2020 4:22


    Always ask people for their opinion on your music out of a genuine curiosity and respect for them as a tastemaker or artist —- never out of a place of insecurity or a need for reassurance or a quick fix of validation. (I learned this the hard way). The positive feedback can be just as distracting and confusing as the negative feedback if you aren’t really grounded when you get it and if isn’t coming from the right source or at the right time in your process. Some people are so grounded in what they do that weird feedback doesn’t set them off course but for many of us we need to shield the creative process a little and give it space develop on its own time according to its own internal rhythm.

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