How To Master Music Production Through the Chariot of Your Mind

Heyo! I recently got back from NAMM 2020 in Anaheim California!

I thoroughly enjoyed the weather, especially since I was avoiding -30 blizzards back home.

Winnipeg = A frozen death hole in winter. It should be called Winterpeg. For Realz.

As you might know, NAMM (National Assembly Of Music Merchants) is a trade show of all things music in one giant convention center. I’m not kidding when I say enormous, over 100,000 people attend this thing with several thousands of exhibitors and merchants.

Throughout the weekend I saw all sorts of new gear: guitars, pedals, drums, recording devices, plugins, software, amplifiers, microphones, etc. I also made a bunch of new friends!

As cool as it was to see all these new products, nothing (thankfully) really tempted my G.A.S (gear acquisition syndrome). 

In this article, I’m going to talk about how G.A.S can be the symptom of a deeper underlying problem in your music productions.

Inside Out

As music producers, we’ll always be attracted to cool gear, the next best thing, revolutionary tech, which is, in essence, a very awesome thing. The problem starts when we begin seeking these things an answer to an internal problem.

Trust me, I’ve been there.

“If I just get X piece of gear, I’ll finally be ready to finish more music”. This is a very dangerous sentence!

Although we do need some fundamental pieces of equipment to create a functioning home studio, the bare necessities are few and relatively inexpensive.

The truth is music production, aside from understanding the tools we use and the technical concepts that accompany them, is mostly an internal battle.

What is the true thing holding you back from being creative?

It might be a lack of self-discipline, feeling unmotivated or constantly getting writer’s block. In essence, all of these struggles stem from the realm of the mind.

If you can learn to master your mind, it will be the single most influential factor in your music productions. Let’s dive a little deeper into what is the mind, and how it works.

The Master Mind

What is the master mind? Contrary to the common idea that it is simply what “thinks”, the mastermind (awakened Ego) is the observer of all of our senses. It thinks, feels, wills, perceives, etc.

It thinks thoughts, it feels feelings. It is the ultimate reality of the self, the I AM.

It is the master, it is YOU.

Knowing this, it is your goal to keep your mastermind as the governing authority of all your other senses. You must be the charioteer of all your human faculties.

Yes, this is deep.

For if you are not Master, you will be a Slave to another.

“The fundamental idea of new psychology is embodied in the symbol of the charioteer driving his fiery steeds under full control and with taut rein. The chariot represents the being of the man; the charioteer, the Ego; the reins, the will; the steeds, the mental states of feeling, emotion, desire, imagination, and the rest. Unless the reins be strong, they will not be sufficient to control the horses. Unless the charioteer is trained and vigilant, the horses will run away with the chariot and dash to pieces the driver in the general wreck.” — Theron Q. Dumont

Within this awareness of yourself, you have the power to become your own mental creator.

The Dimensions Of The Self

Continuing with our analogy of the charioteer and his horses. It’s important for you to understand the names and various personalities of your trusted steeds. They are:

The Will

Emotion

Thought

Perception

Attention

Let’s explore them!

1. The Will

Your will is your metaphysical “backbone”. It is your power to choose and exert conscious control over your actions and behaviors. Your will is your source of self-discipline, determination, and perseverance. It will (HAHA) guide you to set goals and continuously take action in the face of roadblocks and obstacles.

It’s tough to define exactly what the will is. It’s undoubtedly part of your identity rooted in desire. A mix of your ideas, beliefs, emotions, and drive.

It’s the power behind your overall responsibility, achieving your goals, your passion, your integrity and your ability to take action.

Synchronizing your will with your highest purpose, in unison towards your goals is an unstoppable force.

2. Emotion

Our emotions have a powerful, often subconscious impact on us — both positively and negatively. They influence the thoughts we have and the decisions we make. We’re always motivated to experience joy, delight, and achievement — and endlessly avoid fear, anger, and disappointment.

Some of the biggest obstacles we face in life are rooted in our resistance to experiencing negative emotions. Acknowledging and releasing these emotions is the only way to overcome the obstacles that are connected to them.

Practice gratitude. Focus on the gifts you have and be grateful for all the good in your life. This will help you maintain a positive perspective and avoid overly depressive feelings. Though sometimes we can’t always guide our feelings, in that case, you need to find a way to emotionally release.

Whether it’s working on music, talking with friends or family, or screaming in a pillow.. there’s no shame in emptying the bottle in a constructive way. Communicating or journaling your emotions is crucial to stay balanced.

3. Thought

What is thought? It is an apparatus of the mind. A lens, a codifier. A bio-computer that synthesizes memory. One that recalls the chemical signature of experiences. An interface mechanism of the mind. 

DAMN!

What does that mean in normal words? It means that thinking is a tool to be used to enhance your life, as opposed to being held back and controlled by them. 

You are not your thoughts.

Thinking the right kind of thoughts is a critical component of creating your desired results. If we constantly tell ourselves we can achieve something, we’ll start to believe it. The opposite is also true: if we constantly tell ourselves we can’t, we’ll believe that.

Your stream of consciousness should serve you.

You need to guide your thinking to embrace positivity! There’s nothing to gain from negative thinking, and everything to gain from positive thinking. Thought cannot see beyond itself.

The power of belief is huge. We need to master our mindset to get better results in life.

This can be achieved by becoming “the observer” of your thoughts and being in control of your reactionary thinking and behaviors.

Mindful practices such as meditation, affirmations, and breath-work can help you detach from negative self-talk and develop a successful state of mind.

4. Perception

Simply put, perception is how you interpret the “raw materials” of your sensory inputs. In other words, perception interprets the report of your sensations and translates it into a thought or idea.

You do not perceive all of your sensory inputs, in fact, we don’t even know all of our sensations.

For example, when you’re walking down a busy street, your eyes and ears register thousands of impressions, but how few of them awaken the attention of your mind? Unless you’re attracted to a specific impression, you’ll fail to perceive it.

As interesting as this is, it reveals an extremely powerful truth: You are the creator of your character and thoughts through your perceptions.

Knowing this we discover the importance of positive mentality or positive thinking.

Take the stand to be a human who is ruled from within. Assert a positive attitude. You are the one who creates meaning around situations and circumstances.

5. Attention

I would argue that attention is the hottest commodity in today’s world. Everything is trying to get your precious attention. From social media, advertising, notifications to social events, work and family.

It’s up to you to constantly be mindful of what grabs your attention and if it’s actually contributing to the life you want to live.

On the flip side, you also need to be able to harness focused attention. This parallels a growth mindset; one who embraces a constant state of learning. Remaining open-minded and training your mind to be silent.

Reality is a reflection of your perception, focus, and attention.

This is to not pre-describe a moment and be fully attentive to something. The void of acting from the knowledge we have acquired to experience the now.

With a firm inner authority towards all your steeds, you’ll together be on the fast track to your musical goals!

Interested in learning more? Click here to download your Mindset Map and discover your next steps in your musical journey.

My name is Alexandre Joyal. I help music creators achieve success with their music by teaching them how to produce themselves and adopt a creative mindset.