"This isn't the "try" league, this is the "get it done" league. And you know, eventually they're gonna find people who are going to get it done."These are unsettling words, especially to anyone who isn't getting "it" (their job) done, but Mr. Donaldson was, I believe, correct.
In major league baseball, or the highest-level of any profession, if you aren't "getting it done" – i.e., if you aren't doing your job at a satisfactory level – you will likely be demoted to the minor leagues (or equivalent thereof), or even out of a job entirely, irrespective of how hard you were trying.The "try" league refers to people who are not getting it done, but claim to be trying very hard (and perhaps they do try very hard!). I obviously can't claim to know exactly what Donaldson meant by this quote, but I think that his point was that the amount of effort you put into doing your job, or accomplishing a task of any kind, is irrelevant if you aren't succeeding. The only thing that matters is results, at least at the highest level of sports (and probably other professions as well). Saying you are trying hard when you are not producing the results expected of you can sound like an excuse.
Strangely enough, Donaldson's words are somewhat similar to something said by Yoda, in Star Wars, Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back:
"Try not. Do… or do not. There is no try."
Today's post will explore the relevance of this idea to composition, and more specifically:
• Does the idea of "get it done, or we'll find someone else to get it done for you!" apply to the world of professionalism composition?
• Does it apply to compositional training?
• Does the effort we put into a task matter if we aren't getting it done?
• Does it apply to compositional training?
• Does the effort we put into a task matter if we aren't getting it done?
The answer to the first question, is, in a word, yes. If you are a professional composer and not getting it done – i.e., not finishing compositions by deadlines, or perhaps not finishing them at all, or meeting a deadline but not producing the kind of piece you were commissioned to write, or the kind of music that the movie needs, in the case of a film composer, you will not last long in the profession.
It's not a completely Draconian world out there – if you have built a good reputation by consistently delivering high-quality compositions on time for years, being a day or two late with a project will probably not derail your career. But if you are late multiple times, then much of the good reputation you spent years earning will likely erode, which will eventually lead to fewer opportunities, and eventually, no opportunities at all.
So, yes, professional composers do need to find a way to "get it done," no matter how challenging this may be, or what their personal struggles might be.
If you are in the process of developing your compositional skills, however, different rules apply, at least to some extent. You are basically in the "learning how to get it done" league, which is hopefully more forgiving, unless you find yourself in the kind of vicious and heartless music school depicted in Whiplash, the 2014 film about the relationship between an ambitious jazz drumming student and a sadistic and abusive instructor.
Luckily, most music instructors are nurturing and genuinely care about the musical development of their students, at least in my experience, although I have had a few notable exceptions as teachers along the way.
At our university, and at many others, students who are unable to accomplish tasks due to personal struggles of any kind can request accommodations to avoid academic penalties. Valid excuses do matter, and are taken into consideration. The same may be true in many other professional environments as well.
But, even in the training process for aspiring composers, there are aspects of the "get it done" league that apply, such as:
- Finishing a composition.
- Doing the above by a deadline.
- Doing the above, and being satisfied that the composition is as good as you can make it in your current stage of development, and given your time constraints.
- Doing the above, and making sure that all score details and other matters of score presentation are logical, musical, clear, and as unambiguous as possible; also, doing the same for parts.
- Doing the above, and getting the score and parts to performers in plenty of time for them to learn it, assuming you want it to be performed in an upcoming concert.
- Doing the above, plus doing whatever it takes to address any concerns the performers (or commissioner) have, including modifying sections of the score if necessary. This is something I plan on writing a post about in the near future, by the way.
At times I have taken an absurd amount of time – in some cases, weeks – working and reworking the ending of a composition. The objective is always the same – come up with an ending that works best for that particular piece – because I never want people to think, after hearing my composition, what the hell just happened there at the end? It was all going pretty well up to the last minute or so! Or, perhaps more importantly, I don't want to think such thoughts when I hear my own piece in a concert.
There is plenty of justification for taking the time necessary to "get it right," not just in the ending, but in every section of your composition (I guess, if you want to keep using sports slogans, we can call this the "get it right" league), but, most of the time, composers face the challenge of both finding a way to both get it done, and get it right by a deadline.
Sometimes, however, the "get it right" part may need to be slightly compromised in order to meet a deadline.Put another way, we always want to get it right, but getting it right should never trump the objective of finishing by our deadline.
Why? There are many possible negative outcomes that may result if you "get it right" but miss your deadline, such as:
- The performers may not play your piece. This may not seem very likely, especially if the performers are friends, but, not only can it happen, I have personally experienced this, and I know of others who have as well. And it can be devastating.
- The performers may resent you, justifiably, for not giving them sufficient time to learn the piece well, which in turn can make them disinclined to ever play a piece of yours again.
- Your reputation will probably take a hit, particularly if writing for professionals.
- If it is a commission and you signed a contract to deliver the music by a certain date, you may not get paid (!).
If you are experiencing angst because, in order to finish by a deadline, the ending or another section is not as good as you would like, I feel your pain, but perhaps you can take comfort in this thought:
You can make further changes to the composition after the first performance, but, if you miss your deadline, the piece may not get a first performance, at least not by the musicians originally scheduled to perform it.
If you can find/create an opportunity for a second performance (which itself can be a challenge), aim to make that version of the piece the one with which you are fully satisfied.
When faced with a deadline, try to channel your inner Josh Donaldson, your inner Yoda, or, if you prefer, your inner Queen Elsa from Frozen (!), and let it go. (Sorry ☺️; I will herewith stop the slogans and catch-phrases, I promise!).
If, in order to meet a deadline, you had to "let it go" before reaching a point of complete satisfaction with your composition, just remember that you can get it back after the premiere and revise it further, if you wish.
Incidentally, I have no idea who first used the term "let it go" in a song, but a long time before 2013's Frozen, in 1980, John Lennon wrote I just had to let it go in a song called Watching the Wheels. The concept itself goes back millennia, and is associated with Buddhism, among other faith/philosophical traditions.
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31 comments:
As a lover of both sports and Star Wars, when I first glanced at this post and saw those quotes it immediately grabbed my attention. And I am glad that I did read the post because it gave me some things to think about moving forward with my compositions. I think the "get it done" league is a good mindset to have. As a new composer, I do really find it challenging to meet the deadline with something that I consider to be "good work". But for this next project, I will most definitely keep those tips in mind. Once you start now, it will help with future projects!
If I'm ever in the middle of a piece that I am either not sure of, or just unsatisfied with, instead of just stopping there on that one idea until I think of one myself, I play what I have so far for other people. Not just in our classes every week, but the people outside of the class and get their opinions and suggestions. In my opinion, that could be another tip for a new composer could use to be in the "get it done" league.
I think that composition has really helped me with staying on top of deadlines. I quickly realized that finishing the last third of a piece the day before is WAY less feasible than starting a history paper hours before its due date. There are so many small details that need to be addressed before the piece is done that have nothing to do with its content. Formatting and editing, as well as generating parts, take up a significant amount of time. Depending on the size of the ensemble, days need to be set aside just to format parts. And, having been on the composing and playing side of orchestration readings, I appreciate the value of a clean part. A student composer is bound to make a few mistakes here and there like an out of range note, a weird unidiomatic section, etc. (which is totally fine), but a messy or unclear part kind of conveys the sentiment that the composer cares more for their "vision" than for the performer(s) themselves. I would rather be 75% satisfied with a piece and 90% satisfied with the formatting than vice versa (90% with the piece and 75% with the formatting). You can always revise the piece if you are unsatisfied, but the players will be satisfied if the part is pristine. Getting parts out in time, addressing the concerns of the player, and staying on top of deadlines is definitely more important than getting the piece perfect.
Personally, I struggle with "getting it done" early in the composition process. There are so many compositional choices to make early on that it can be debilitating. I find it very challenging to charge full steam ahead when I don't have a clear idea of what I want from the piece. And that leads to a slow start on my end. I have had comp lessons where I the only work that I could show for the week was the scale or pitch-class sets I was going to use in a piece. C locrian is great, but not when that's all you obsess over for a week when there were other things that needed your attention. For me, I will be a better member of the "getting it done" league when I learn to not lose the musical forest for the trees.
I can definitely admit to struggling with deadlines. Often times I feel I'm writing something I just don't like or feel passionate about just to get it done. Often times though that's what's called for. I would say that I've gradually learned to "get it done" better over time. For the first composition assignment of the year, I felt the lack of motivation and inspiration to write, but nonetheless had to come up with something just to get it done. However, in my most recent composition I also felt the pressure to get it done, but I seriously worked hard at it, especially in the last week, where I would compose for sometimes 4-5 hours a day. I found that just simply putting in the work allowed for ideas and inspiration to naturally flow. You mentioned that to say that one was "trying" can often be used as an excuse, and I think that's true. I'm sure I probably used that excuse many times earlier on this term but not at all when composing for Gower Band, despite the fact that I tried much harder with my Gower Band piece. So I think that proves that we're always looking for excuses, but when you just put in the work and get it done, often times it yields fruitful results.
I think that "getting it done" is one of the most important rules of being a composer, and maybe even of life in general. As a university student, I have learned the importance of constantly juggling a rediculious number of deadlines, and have learned to deal with the "angst" that comes with it. Though deadlines can sometimes be limiting for composers (i.e, not giving them enough time to make a piece as great as it can possibly be) I think that, for me anyways, deadlines are always more beneficial than they are harmful. In my opinion, it is much more difficult to be finished or happy with something when I don't have a deadline, because I will just continue to work on it and never actually move on. I think with any kind of work, especially creative work, deadlines increase a person's productivity. If I have a strict deadline for a composition, I will start working on it far enough in advance, and on a relatively consistant schedule, so that I don't worry about running out of time. Not only does this mean I am more productive on a day-to-day basis, but it also means I have a more consistant interaction with my work so that I feel less bad about days where the creative juices aren't flowing quite as much. It also means I am looking back at the work I've done previously on a daily basis, so I can revise previous work as I continue to write new sections.
I think that the best strategy for getting any major piece of work done is working on it daily, and I think deadlines just help to inforce this idea. Without deadlines, I wouldn't feel that daily pressure. And without pressure, I find myself coming up with excuses to not do work regularly. I may procrastinate, and justify it by saying things like "I'm not feeling very creative today." Additionally, I often find it useful to create my own deadlines, if they aren't being created for me by someone else. Or if the deadline is so far in the future that I am not yet feeling any pressure, I may create smaller, more achievable deadlines to work my way up to the further and larger deadline. Sure, sometimes even this consistant daily work may not feel like enough, but I think that, as you said, there is definitley a point when one should value the importance of a deadline over the importance of their personal creative goals. Though it may not feel like it, if you have put in the appropriate time, the piece will probably be good enough for the person, concert, or assignment you are writing it for. And if you are not completely happy with the piece at the deadline, you may always go back and make changes after this first performance or submission, before the next performance or submission.
I found this blogpost to be an incredibly insightful look into the world of composition post-school. The quote "You can make further changes to the composition after the first performance, but, if you miss your deadline, the piece may not get a first performance, at least not by the musicians originally scheduled to perform it." Was really the part of this post that hit home the hardest for me. As someone who has been on both sides of this coin I can see why this is difficult from either perspective. The composer wants to put out a product that shows the best of what they do and creates a full and positive musical experience for an audience and the performers want enough time be able to do the same. This grey area of how much time that takes from both sides can be tricky to navigate. As I have begun to have my own pieces played I have seen that struggle and realized its potential to ruin a project. Because of the fact however that we are currently students and a lot of the time the people playing a student composition are fellow students who more often than not are close friends this is normally resolved in some fashion and people go the extra mile to get it done for each other. While this is good in a learning environment I see now how this does not translate to the professional world. I hadn't thought of it like this before and am glad that I had read this before I began a journey into the professional world of composition as I'd rather learn this lesson here instead of finding it out the hard way (which I'm sure may still happen regardless.)
Getting "it" done on time is super important no matter what context it may be. In music it is even more so critical because getting concerts and other types of events put together can be an extreme struggle as far as scheduling goes. Musicians are often very busy people, with personal projects and collaborations to fundraisers and volunteering it is important to complete tasks in a timely fashion. On top of that it is a somewhat competitive scene (to my knowledge) for composers in today's society to be heard and be appropriately credited for their media. So if a new composer were to create "good" (or more so the "correct") music for whatever it is the job requires while also doing so by the stated time due then said composer will give themselves the best, fighting chance to be noticed and recognized.
I can certainly remember events over the past few years where I was late when it came to having a composition prepared for a certain date. Evidently, it was very frustrating because a lot of what I was writing in a crunch could not pass as something I was proud to call my own. There have been times when I have presented a composition that I was not happy with just so that I could make sure that I made the deadline. In these cases, I would have something to show from my work period, but I counted on being able to go back and change mistakes/errors afterwards. That being said, I believe having deadlines can be very beneficial when it comes to composing. Having a composition due for a specific date makes me work as hard as I can in order to produce a work that I can be proud of in the end goal. Two things I find are important when it comes to having a deadline are consistency and time management. For me it is much more appropriate to spend a couple hours composing each day than several hours in one sitting. Doing this helps me prepare for the days in which my composing might not be done as efficiently as I might otherwise wish. In saying this however, sometimes I have had to compose several hours in a day just to make sure that I am able to have something presentable ready. Despite this, consistent composing throughout the weeks allows me to still stay on top of the work that I have to get done.
Very interesting. I struggle with this a lot. It is also hard cause some compositions just flow out of me like water and others require gruelling effort. It is hard to remain focused when working on a piece in the latter camp. I wish they were all water pieces but the truth is that even the gruelling ones end up pretty good if I just get them done. Just like an academic paper the anxiety I feel about starting it is usually abated by JUST DOING IT. There are many very smart and creative people who talk about process and so much of it just boils down to getting it done. Don't worry if it is good. Just keep writing/acting/dancing/painting. Develop a practice and sprint to the finish. I am going to try this on as a mantra for the coming weeks. Get er done, do or do not, just keep swimming.
That said I think it's healthy to be kind to yourself. You miss a deadline, it feels bad. Get the next one. You only have control over what's in front of you.
Very great food for thought Dr. Ross.
I don't know much about sports, but struggling to meet deadlines, and Star Wars, I can definitely relate with. I find myself spending an exorbitant amount of time on my compositions, but all this time spent doesn't always automatically translate into something I'm proud of. The idea of a "finished product" is elusive, and with out a deadline in sight, it may be that I could spend hours fretting over minute details, or re-working themes and especially endings, as you mentioned. For this reason I'm sometimes grateful for the idea of having a deadline, because it allows me to push as hard as I can, while remembering that there is an end in sight. While I may never view any of my compositions as perfect, (nor should anyone, I suppose), I think there's a lot to be said for the ability to do the best you can with the resources available and move on with your life. Having taken this composition course and learned for myself the great many difficulties associated with composing a piece of music, I've realized that constructing the melodies, rhythms, and any other necessary components makes up a small portion of the skills required to complete a piece of music. That stuff's just the fun part! The real difficulty is learning the mental fortitude required to tell yourself enough is enough, put your head down, and make sure you show up and "Get it Done".
I’ve heard this saying from many different teachers over the years phrased slightly differently each time. Every time you make a mistake in practicing, you need to do the same thing correctly many times in order to unlearn the mistake. This idea can be transferred to the realm of composing, and the idea of “getting it done”. If as composition students we continually miss deadlines for our projects, we are developing bad habits that will be hard to unlearn. If we don’t develop the skills required to finish projects on time as students, it will be much harder for us to succeed in a career later on. However, if we manage to regularly meet deadlines, we are teaching ourselves how to get work done. This doesn’t mean that it’s not okay for students to miss a couple deadlines over their educational career. School is a good place to make mistakes and to learn from them, but that doesn’t mean we should not all strive to finish work in a timely manner. To answer your question “does the effort we put into a task matter if we aren’t getting it done?”, my answer is yes. As a student, we might not always be able to finish things on time and that does not mean that we don’t learn anything from the process. By failing to finish something on time, we can reflect on the experience to better understand why we were unable to do so, and how to avoid it happening again. Sometimes it’s impossible to meet a deadline for reasons outside of our control and in those cases, we should never hold it against ourselves. While giving ourselves goals is important, it’s equally important not to be hyper-focused on “getting it done” at the expense of our own well-being.
I entirely agree with this. I find it the hardest thing to remember a lot of the time even if what you're writing is garbage its better then nothing at all. I have spent many hours just staring at a blank musescore screen thinking I don't know what would be the best way to start this piece, just to eventually after days just throw some notes in, that were not good, but eventually after finally getting started to was able to tweak into openings that I ended up really liking. What I found the most interesting in the post though was the idea of handing a piece in and even having it performed before you feel done with the piece but then finish it after for a second performance. I find this really motivating that even if I don't like the piece it doesn't really matter because I can still fix it and yeah maybe the first performance is only okay but the second could actually be pretty sick bro.
I always feel complicated and bipolarized with deadlines, especially when it comes to composition. As a novice composer, I could be discouraged and stuck by a smallest challenge encountered during any stage of the composition of my piece. By having a deadline, it pushes me to always keep going on the piece, which otherwise would very possibly be put aside. And many times I realized that it only takes me to sit there and concentrate on composing or researching the solution for a good hour and I will quickly find a way out and come up with some new ideas. However, I also hate deadlines as I can totally relate to the pain and frustration of not being totally satisfied with the end or any other passage/element of the piece and its score presentation due to a submission deadline.For my final project that I just submitted, I have no idea how to end it and what I crafted for the time left before the deadline I am really not happy with it. No wonder there were so many classical works which were left aside by the composers and were then completed and published years later. Liszt wrote 3 versions of what were eventually called the 12 Transcendental Etudes. He was constantly correcting them over the course of his life, as with many of his other works. I totally agree that today as a professional composer respecting the deadline is crucial. And I also agree with Pallas that the good presentation of the music is even more important than your own satisfaction of the music itself, as you need people to give the piece a first performance before you would improve it for a possible second performance. What I learnt from my final project is that I should reserve more time than what I estimate when it comes to composition. In other words, if I were a professional composer and had to submit a composition by a deadline, not only need I to work early, but I also need to reduce other works. In the academic world, that means that I need to take less courses, as they all have their respective deadlines. However composition does consume more time and energy, and I discovered that I can't compose when I am already exhausted by other work, at least not something that I'd be satisfied with.
It is interesting to think about how this applies to things outside of composition. For some things like composition, this seems like an accurate and logical mentality to have, but in other things trying can be important or valuable even if it doesn’t "get it done" or doesn’t meet a deadline.
Whether something contains value in trying to do it can be subjective. Some people might have different opinions on what things they think are beneficial, even if one does not meet the intended goal. We gain a lot of experience from trying new things, even if we don’t get the expected results.
I think Donaldon’s point of "the amount of effort you put into doing your job, or accomplishing a task of any kind, is irrelevant if you aren't succeeding" is a bit horrifying. I think it can be toxic to get too much into the mindset of something only having value if you "get it done" or achieve what you set out to do or what was expected of you. If you only do things that you know you can "get done" or achieve exactly what you want, then you might miss out on a lot in life because you think trying isn’t going to be enough to reach the end goal and so then you don’t try at all. This also means that you would miss out on a lot of growth, knowledge, and life experiences.
No one likes being stuck in the middle of a composition, with nowhere to go. But alas, sometimes, that's what happens. When creating, I've found that setting a deadline for myself helps me get to the finish line faster. However, is that really the finish line? Nope! Not at all! Because after that, it's re-writes! And more re-writes. And more re-writes. And...well, you get my point. When composing, I think it is important to do the best you can, and the *only* person who needs to be satisfied with your composition, no matter the confines, or the deadlines, or any of that stuff, is YOU!
Success is a very subjective thing, and I agree with Frank's comment about composing for your own satisfaction; indeed, certain contexts hold expectations, but when it comes to creative processes I am learning that within those contexts, you can balance what is required with space to discover/explore what you want and it doesn't have to really "be" anything (just as long as you give yourself the extra time and self-encouragement to do so). In this way, goals and deadlines become guidelines but the real content that you produce is your own form of success or "getting it done". It's important to try, because how else would cool new ideas be born? If it doesn't work out the first time, it isn't the end of the world - it's an experience to learn from, just like almost anything in life honestly. With composition, sometimes old ideas that didn't work in the past can grow into something really interesting - but if we limit ourselves by thinking we haven't "got it done" or whatever, that potential might escape us.
Sensational blog post! I love the connections to both baseball and Star Wars; though I’m not much of a baseball fan, I was (as I’m sure many people were) obsessed with the Jays during their miracle run in 2015. I’ve had this feeling a lot in MUS 3100 this year, especially being struck with COVID-19 in the final weeks of the semester while still having two assignments due. I was given some decently sage advice in grade 12 by my physics teacher, of all people (this was in relation to computer science, but I feel it works here): “the last 5% feels like the first 95%”. In composition I find this to be especially true as often my compositions begin as large creative bursts, after which I have very little motivation or inspiration to continue composing. Often I feel that I have to bull through the endings of my compositions in order to get them out in time for their deadlines, whatever they may be. I’m glad to see that I’m not the only person that feels this way, but at the same time it feels like an unideal solution. And yet, having an ending attached to a composition makes it SO MUCH EASIER to go back and change it; even if you want to entirely rewrite a portion of your composition, rewriting is significantly easier than adding music. Having work to fall back on if the rewrite doesn’t go well generally leads to less stress and more freedom when making said rewrites.
I definitely relate to struggling to meet deadlines. For me, I find that the hardest part is starting out, as it can take me a long time to come up with an initial idea that I like, and I may spend hours getting practically nothing done. One thing I've been trying to get better at is just getting something on the page, as it is far easier to make adjustments to something you don't like, rather than to just sit there staring blankly at the screen, waiting for your great idea to randomly appear. Even so, at my current stage of composing, I find it very easy to get stuck and not be able to make any progress, which makes me feel discouraged and then makes me more likely to procrastinate, which then leads to stress and probably more procrastination, which I am doing right now by writing this and not working on my final composition :/
I can relate to many of the comments here. It can be easy to get stuck in cycles of procrastination or with a composition you are not satisfied with. I think your point that composition studies are a time to “learn to get stuff done” is also important as, in my opinion, work ethic can be viewed as a skill that one can develop, just as we develop other areas of our composition work. Although I still have these struggles quite a bit, I feel that throughout my time in university, I have developed my ability to prioritize certain work and stay organized much better. I think striking a balance between the “Draconian” and complete liberty is another factor that affects your ability to “get stuff done” that is important to consider when doing your own work and setting expectations for those you work with. It’s okay to not be perfect but you must be able to complete satisfactory and punctual work if you want results in whatever area you are working in.
I totally agree with your comments on spending a lot of time on the ending of a piece. This has occurred to me, not only in musical composition but in writing and in the arts as well. When writing a paper, I get to the point when a conclusion paragraph is needed, but I'm usually unable to write one that I like until the third read-through/editorial process. In the visual arts community, it is often said that adding on too much towards the end will hinder the entire process, which has happened to me in artist adventures, both in the visual arts and in music. I often search for the feeling of completeness – you know, when you paint that last stroke or add that last note and can take a deep breath - but this sensation does not always come, and that's okay. The main objective is to get it done, and although you may not be 100% satisfied, sometimes other people will be. You just have the "let it go" and "get it done."
Even though I'm somehow almost always able to meet deadlines, it can be a struggle sometimes. I'm still in the process of learning how to get it done because, although I always submit my composition projects on time, I'm still trying to figure out how to both do so and be 100% satisfied with my work despite the time constraints. I remember when we did Project #2 and I only had two pages of content to present for the first round of presentations because I had been so bogged down with many other things (including a midterm) at the time. I technically got done what needed to be done at that point, but I still wanted to add things to it. I feel like I need to learn how to do that to satisfaction before the deadline.
This is a very interesting post, and one I can certainly relate to. I find myself to be quite a perfectionist, as I always finding myself taking longer to finish compositions because they are not "perfect". perfection is such a subjective term, having my compositions being perfect is just my perception of it. someone else could look at my composition that I consider unfinished or flawed, and they could consider it as perfect and complete. I am learning now to embrace the deadlines instead of pushing them to a later date, and just get it done. it is much better to have a bunch of complete compositions that you might not be 100% sold on, than have a bunch of unfinished comopositions that you're sleeping on forever.
While I am very new to composing my own music, I am all too familiar with many of the points and comments in this post about a "get it done" and "get it right" mindset. I have also often fallen victim to the "it is what it is" mindset, which can be nice if you're trying to live a carefree lifestyle, but it's maybe not the best when youve been cramming for an assignment deadline adn you just have to accept that what you have done is what you have done. I have somewhat experienced this with some of my compositions, but not to any extremes (yet). For one of the assignments this semester I had the whole piece composed on Thursday for a Monday presentation. I liked the piece and I still do, but I didn't love the ending. Kind of similar to what you mentioned about writing and re-writing an ending over and over, except it was almost the opposite for me. I sat at my computer and stared at the last page day after day, and nothing. Absolutely noting was coming to mind as to how to improve the ending. There were occasional bursts of inspiration, but they never really went anywhere. Sunday night, the day before my presentation, after days of trying to change the ending, I took a moment to reflect. I had been so stressed about meeting the deadline for my presentation that it was taking a physical toll on me. Then I thought to myself "why?" Why am I so stressed about this? The piece is finished and it has been for days. I then went into class the next day and presented the piece like normal. Will I go back and change the ending eventually? Sure, maybe. I just find it funny how I got so wrapped up in the "get it right" league that I forgot I was in the "get it done" league.
As both an athlete and a musician, reading the blog post about the "get it done" league effected me as I was able to connect to it. Drawing parallels between the worlds of professional sports and composition snd music, the post underscored the critical importance of results and meeting deadlines in both arenas.
As an athlete, I've experienced firsthand the pressure to perform and deliver results, playing basketball for my high school ball team, not as much pressure as the pros but the idea of needing to perform or simply show up to Pratice on time. Similarly, in the realm of music composition, music and school work where there's a constant push to meet deadlines and produce high quality work, regardless of the challenges faced along the way.
What struck me most about the post was its idea on the need for balance between perfectionism and practicality. While striving for excellence is good and sometimes needed, there's also a necessity to prioritize completing tasks on time. This resonated with me as I've encountered similar problems in both sports and music, where the pursuit of perfection can sometimes impede progress if not managed effectively.
Overall, the blog post served as a valuable reminder of the importance of balancing ambition with practicality, and the necessity of developing a mindset that prioritizes results and timely completion, both in the sports world and in the music world
I know nothing about sports or much about Star Wars, but I think both of these quotes make sense and are true in other contexts. Being at a point where the "try league" isn't good enough is terrifying. However, it's true I think in almost every career path. If you can't meet the standard expected of you, you fail. Pretty cutthroat if you ask me though. I think it's interesting how the only way you can get away with being in the "try league" is if you've already been in the "get it done league" in that field. So if you've “got it done” for a consistent amount of time. A slip-up or 2 will be okay.
I'm happily a part of the much more forgiving learning how-to-get-it-done group when it comes to composition. Prioritizing getting it done over getting it right is vital. But also sometimes terrifying (at least for me). This is something I've struggled with throughout this semester, but I've learned a lot from it. Learning when to stop aiming for perfection and just "get it done" is something I'm sure a lot of people can relate it. But having that mindest to get something finished is vital in everyday life.
Anyone who’s met me probably knows that deadlines are something I majorly struggle with. While I absolutely agree with the sentiment of this post, I think it is also key to have empathy and compassion for someone who may not be able to get something done by a deadline. Earlier this semester there was a professional deadline that I just knew I was unable to meet due to some circumstances in my personal life, and I was very stressed for the reasons outlined in the above post. I was worried that the people waiting on my delivery would be angry, and that the opportunity would be taken away from me. I wasn’t too far from imagining the world ending, envisioning my impending doom when the clock struck midnight and I hadn’t met the deadline. However, to my surprise, it was not like that. All the people that I was working with on this project were so extraordinary and understanding. Instead of getting mad like I was expecting, they immediately asked if there was anything they could do to help. We then worked together to create a new plan, and I was able to meet the new deadline that was set. In the end, by being honest about my circumstances and not putting my wellbeing into jeopardy by trying to churn something out by the deadline while juggling what I was dealing with, I was able to take care of myself during this time AND deliver a piece I was very happy with, both of which I am hugely thankful for. So basically, while I agree that it is very important to get a project done, it is also important to strike a balance between wellbeing and professionalism. Meeting a deadline is not worth it if it is at significant expense to your physical or mental health, and this is something I am trying to recognize in myself more to avoid burnout/illness as a composer and as a student. The line between wellbeing and professionalism is difficult to define, and it is definitely an interesting dialogue that I’d be interested to explore more!
Getting things done on time is a skill that takes far longer to learn than anyone really thinks it does. A lot of my peers and I have experienced a distinct shift in deadline strictness since making the transition into post-secondary education from high school, and the lackadaisical approach that a lot of my high school teachers employed when it came to deadlines was almost detrimental to my schooling as a whole. I think that if we were made more accustomed to stricter deadlines from an earlier point in our education, or even if the change in strictness came more slowly with each grade level, we would be much more prepared for the commonly used 'rigid' deadline system used in post-secondary schooling.
Something special about composition as a whole is regarding the 3rd point on this post's list of "being satisfied [...] given your time constraints." Being satisfied with the amount of work put into a project comes down to both self-perception as well as the actual raw amount of work completed. Once we can combine all three aspects of being familiar with deadlines, being fair in our self-imposed expectations, and putting in an acceptable amount of work towards our final project, we can then employ the 'get it done league' sentiment in a useful way. I think that when any of these fundamentals within the composition/deadline process are missing, that's when we are left with only the realm of the minor 'try' league, which isn't enough to take you to new heights when it comes to your own work.
I usually don't struggle with meeting deadlines because missing deadlines or being late (not just for assignments but 5 minutes late to something) is genuinely something that makes me uncomfortable and anxious (probably left over from business school and when I was in the Navy where there were much more severe consequences for not being punctual) to the point that I make sure I am never in situations where I am late or behind. My irrational fear/hatred of being late to appointments/classes, being behind on due dates, or feeling behind in the grander scheme of my work/career has served as a great motivator for me to be proactive with getting work done. There's no time like the present to get going on work/projects even if their timeline is far off in the distance.
I am also a big believer in a concept I learned in the tech business called minimum valuable product - which is exactly what it sounds like, there is great value in creating things that are good (say 80% of what you want), putting them out into the world, listening to feedback and iterating rather than working until you think your work is 100% of what you would want it to be.
Very important to deliver stuff before the deadlines! It will truly make your life and other peoples life's easier. For sure. Now, in composition, I think this can only apply to study (assignments, etc) and work, where you have to deliver the work with enough time for the performers to practice before the performance. Now, when it comes to self teaching and self learning, I think putting yourself deadlines is a little less important, as some times you just want to keep writing the same piece for as long as it takes, or just abandon it completely, and I think having a good balance and knowing to differentiate the professional world where deadlines are everything and the personal world where they are not is extremely important and a great skill to have.
Personally, I do not struggle with getting things done efficiently within a given amount of time, but I see a lot of people with this problem whether it be in a general sense or otherwise. Learning how to crunch out big projects can be challenging and not everyone is built for it, but I think that as musicians, having this skill is a must. Some of my peers and mentors have talked about their composer counterparts with me and how much work they do, what their daily goals/habits are, etc. One of them aims to compose 12 measures a day… at this point in my life, I can’t really do that without upsetting the balance that needs to be maintained elsewhere. I will say, however, that on days when I am unable to find time to write, I am working on how to improve my craft away from physically writing music by score studying, deep listening, researching compositional techniques, how to write for different instruments, etc. By doing these things, it helps you write music more efficiently. Yes, there will be times when writing a given piece is hard for various reasons but I am also a believer of not forcing creativity after not having a break for a while. Doing this just burns yourself out even more than you probably already are, which makes me wonder how are we supposed to find that balance between working enough to make a living at this (likely we would earning an income through other means as well) and not taking on so much to the point where you are literally in a prolonged state of burn out. Taking on too much is something I need to work on because although I want to get my name out there as much as possible, I am one person with a limit to how much time I have to do things when there’s a lot of things that I have to do with deadlines and finding a balance while knowing just how much you can take can be very challenging.
I agree that it is extremely important for composers to meet their deadlines in this industry, and the same goes for just about any professional creative. Especially in the case of being commissioned to write pieces for a client, the ones paying you have a right to receive your work on time just as much as you have a right to be paid for it. As always, maintaining good relationships with other people is crucial to being a successful artist. However, I do believe that we shouldn't push aside the need for our work to actually be good. I would argue that it doesn't matter how on-time your pieces are delivered to a client, if the pieces aren't actually good or appropriate. One should strive to find a balancing point, where their work is as good as it reasonably can be given the time constraints, while also ensuring that their work is finished and delivered according to the established deadlines.
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