Photo by Marino Thorlacius

I totally agree with Ólafur Arnalds on this: 

The beauty of live performance lies in its imperfections. Otherwise you can just be listening to a CD. The live situation is not the same as a studio situation so you shouldn't play like you're in a studio. . . . It needs to be human. That's why people come to concerts. That's why mistakes are okay, that's why surprises are okay and imperfection is super important live.

The energy and intimacy of a live performance is so far removed from that of listening to a CD or Spotify. It's strange that bands and artists choose to just replicate their studio recordings live on stage without making changes to reflect the new environment and undistracted attention of an audience. It's probably why I haven't been to a pop or rock gig in so long!

Ólafur is a fascinating guy, you can check out the full interview below.

Read: Ólafur Arnalds: Five Things I Learnt in my Twenties

Photo by Chuttersnap

If the title of this post attracted your attention, I recommend checking out this episode of the Freakonomics podcast of the same name. 

My biggest takeaway from listening to the episode was this quote from Bob Fisher on the importance of deliberate practice:

Instead of just practicing, you are focused; you’re engaged; it’s like a rubber band. You are constantly stretching the rubber band, and you don’t want to stretch it to the point that it breaks, but you want it to have continual pressure. In other words, you want to try and do things that you are not able to do at the present time.

If you want to get good at anything it takes a lot of focused practice. Practice that is directed on things just beyond your current level of ability. Start with one thing you want to improve at, and find a way of breaking it down into smaller, easier pieces. 

Here's Bob Fisher again:

People who continue to get better never allow themselves to go on automatic pilot; they’re continually breaking down the element they are trying to do and working on pieces and then putting it back together.

So whatever you're planning on improving at in 2017, bear this in mind.

Listen: "How to Become Great at Just About Anything" by Freakonomics Radio

How about the drums?

Lessons are suitable for all ages and abilities. They are built around the student's needs, covering various styles, techniques and coordination — which is always a fun challenge!

For more information on drum lessons click here. To book a lesson drop me an email, a Facebook message or give me a call on 07786 540941.

Sunrise

Every Wednesday I share five things I liked and think you might like too. Here are this week’s Five Things…

1. In case you didn't know this already. Our brains are weird. Exhibit A: The movie that doesn’t exist and the Redditors who think it does.
    
2. ... Weird, and incredible. Exhibit B: Brain's party noise filter revealed by recordings.
    
3. A great interview with Brian Eno. His thoughts on the importance of creativity in education really struck a chord with me.
    
4. As 2017 rapidly approaches, it's a good time to pause and reflect on the last year. This Wait But Why post might make you think a little differently about how you spend your time next year.
    
5. "We grow out of a lot as we grow up. One of the most unfortunate things we leave behind is a regular dose of change." I love this quote from Jason Fried and his ideas in this article. — Be More Productive. Take Time Off.

That's all for this week. If you enjoyed it, sign up to receive future posts or check out my previous Five Things posts.

Somewhere or nowhere

Every Wednesday I share five things I liked and think you might like too. Here are this week’s Five Things…

1. I've watched this three or four times despite the fact it makes me feel a little on edge! Cyclist Danny MacAskill explores the roof tops of Gran Canaria on his bike. The behind the scenes videos are worth watching too. 
    
2. I'm pretending this isn't true — The Best Music for Productivity? Silence.
    
3. An excellent long read on A.I., machine learning and the team behind the new, much-improved Google Translate — The Great A.I. Awakening.
    
4. Despite the ominous title, this article is well worth reading! Alain de Botton is one of my favourite writers, I can't get his voice out of my head as I read his words — Why You Will Marry the Wrong Person.
    
5. Whoever wrote Iggy Pop and the Stooges' rider has a great sense of humour and way too much time on there hands. 

That's all for this week. If you enjoyed it, sign up to receive future posts or check out my previous Five Things posts.