brettworks

To enrich our music production we can work at two distinct paces: fast and slow. The initial moment of making is quick and intuitive as we run with what catches our attention—noticing a sound, improvising a part, tweaking a patch, drumming a loop, trying out an idea and recording it, capturing an evocative musical gesture. What happens next is slow and deliberate as we patiently explore the implications and potentials of our gesture. These two modes of working correspond to what psychologist Daniel Kahneman called Systems 1 and Systems 2 types of thinking: the first type jumping to conclusions based on limited evidence, the second proceeding by cautious reasoning. In sum, creating at varied paces brings to our composing workflow the advantages of different ways of knowing and feeling music that complement one another. Work fast, work slow is music production’s rubato: work fast to be unfettered and exuberant, then work slow to be controlled and measured.