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Morgan Page Quick Tips

100+ ways to crack the creativity code and make better music – from GRAMMY nominated DJ/producer Morgan Page

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September 18, 2016September 18, 2016

The Secret To Beating Writer’s Block

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August 30, 2016August 30, 2016

The Most Important Rule In Music

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July 27, 2016July 30, 2016

Beyond the DAW – How VR Will Change Everything

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May 22, 2016May 22, 2016

Subtraction

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May 17, 2016May 19, 2016

Unlocking Nature’s Sonic Secrets

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April 11, 2016April 11, 2016

Better Living Through Sequencers

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March 21, 2016March 29, 2016

Learning Better

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Use a Manta-Ring to chain together narrow loop USB drives.. Much better than a metal key ring #mpquicktips #drives #accessories #usb #travel #djing #dj Hands down the best keyboard for your mobile studio - and it's wireless! The @CMEpro Xkey Air #mpquicktips #mobile #studio #keyboards #bluetooth Have you seen the new #MPQuicktips blog? There are now over 20 high quality in depth posts. Enjoy! Mpquicktips.com #MPQuicktips #technology #studio #gear #workflow Chaos Theory - 10 Ways to Declutter and Organize Your Creative Space: After making music for over 15 years, my studio has gone through tons of changes. I’ve gone from software, to hardware, and back to software again. I’ve gotten lost in gear lust and eventually pulled back to a more minimal setup. The technology is always changing, but what remains constant is a good workflow. Creativity needs an organized workplace in order to thrive. So here are my tips to declutter your workspace and allow those creative ideas to blossom: Remove Any Non-Essentials From Sight: Out of sight, out of mind. Move unused synths, trash outdated post-it notes, and organize any files piling up on your computer’s desktop. Make use of shortcuts and aliases to keep common tasks within reach on your computer (sample libraries, plugin directories). Set aside time for regular maintenance: clean up your files, remove unused apps and plugins, and schedule and refine backup automation. I use Carbon Copy Cloner for my backups. I currently do not recommend any computer cleaning software as most create more problems than they solve. Store it, Sell it, or Goodwill it: Take an honest look at your gear, especially if it’s within an arm’s reach. Do you have some rare synths you’ll use only occasionally? Use “active storage” and store them completely wired and ready for use – power, data, and audio cables. Moby uses an innovative shelving storage solution instead of stands to keep his synths, drum machines, and pedals ready for use. Running around to find 9V batteries and patching the audio inputs will disrupt your creative flow. Take care of this ahead of time so you don’t break the flow. If you never use a piece of gear, just remove it and store it for later use. I use SwirlyHooks to keep headphones and cable loops handy. Read more online at mpquicktips.com The Most Effective Tool: What makes something effective? Simplicity, ease of use, usefulness, adaptability to YOUR workflow, durability, and reliability. It must be easy to find and integrate into your creative process. It doesn’t matter how good a piece of software is – if it constantly crashes and doesn’t play nice with the rest of your tools, or if your analog hardware is constantly in the shop for repairs. One dysfunctional piece can break the entire chain of your process. Take a moment to review your workspace and find the weak points. Weed out the clutter and items that get in the way. Replace, sell, store, or donate unused hardware. Archive unused software. Uninstall apps that are collecting dust, and you’ll free up not only hard drive space, but psychic space better applied to your creative work https://mpquicktips.com/2015/05/23/the-most-effective-tool/ (link in bio) #mpquicktips #workflow #tools #workspace How do you create more hours in a day? The answer is time chunking. Make a list of things you can do with small chunks of time (micro-chunking – 15-30min). You can focus on macro-chunking (1 hr+) and larger tasks later. I keep this handy in Evernote (mark it as a favorite) to remind myself of things I can do while waiting for flights. Generally I’ll aim for left-brain activities because they don’t need the same continuous flow required for creative tasks. The key is to keep this list handy and build a habit around it. I save the creative tasks for when I can dedicate at least 1 or 2 hours minimum and turn off my phone. Here’s my actual list: Micro-chunking (15-30min): – Make to-do lists – main list, index card list – Clear out junk files, duplicates, old song versions, unused apps and plugins – Update plugins, if needed – Condense and organize favorite plugins – Update templates – Update presets and plugin chains – Set default presets – Organize sessions Read the full post: https://mpquicktips.com/2015/05/28/time-chunking-how-to-reclaim-lost-hours/ #mpquicktips #workflow #time #maintenance @evernote Five books that will change your life: 1. The Artist's Way by Julie Cameron The bible for many GRAMMY award winning artists, this book may get quasi-spiritual at times but the principles and lessons of morning pages and artist dates are essential. Follow these exercises for real world creative results 2. The Four Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss Extremely useful book for streamlining your time management and optimizing your day. Tim also does an incredible weekly podcast with guests like Rick Rubin and the head of Pixar Ed Catmull. 3. Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon Clever book with fresh ideas to approach your creative work. Kleon uses a playful approach to solve everyday creative dilemmas. 4. Mixing With Your Mind by Michael Paul Stavrou A secret book focused on mixing techniques, used copies go for nearly $500 on Amazon, but you can buy direct for $75. Rethink the way you mix records, and streamline complex tasks into simple steps. 5. The War of Art by Steven Pressfield Not the Art of War, but the War of Art! Pressfield motivates you to get your shit done and stop making excuses. Now get back to work. #mpquicktips #books #timferriss #austinkleon #juliacameron #learning #creativity #reference

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