Thomas Brett
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Resonant Thoughts: Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s “The Bed of Procrustes” (2010)
“Knowledge is subtractive, not additive—what we subtract (reduction by what does not work, what not to do), not what we add (what to do).” “By setting oneself totally free of constraints, free of thoughts, free of this debilitating activity called work, free of efforts, elements hidden in the texture of reality start staring at you; Continue reading
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Brett’s Sound Picks: Loraine James’ “On the Lake Outside” (2021)
(Brett’s Sound Picks 2021)(Brett’s Sound Picks 2022) Continue reading
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Effects Are All About Affect
“I’ve found that quite a good trick is that if you feel like you’ve put too much reverb on something just add more.” – Clark When I’m composing, I’m playing or drumming on a keyboard controller, but mostly I’m looking at a screen and inhabiting the virtual world of DAW software, listening, trying to finesse whatever Continue reading
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Resonant Thoughts: Alan Belkin On Avoiding Squareness
“Avoiding Squareness […] contrapuntal thinking encourages overlap. The habit of always keeping interest alive in at least one part, even when another cadences, makes for more interesting phrasing, and mitigates squareness of construction.” – Alan Belkin, Principles of Counterpoint Continue reading
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Working Quickly, Working Slowly
There are two main ways I work, both of which have their upsides and downsides. The first way is relatively quick, uninterrupted, and takes place over a single session. If work on the music began around 10am, I might be done by 2pm. Not done done, but having decided upon most of the piece’s main Continue reading
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