Bute Park was full of people today. It’s of no surprise as well because as warmer temperatures, longer days and the optimism of Spring comes, we are eagerly waving goodbye to what has been a difficult winter period.

From a work point of view, it’s been tougher to find the motivation to create, especially with endless Zoom meetings that drain you mentally.

I forced myself out of the house and with a good reason of attending a rehearsal. To interact with other creators in person, even if it was just for a moment was a welcome change.

Even if we can’t interact, dance or enjoy life in the way we should normally do, these little moments are key for the sake of our sanity.

If Pandemic burn down is getting to you, I encourage you to turn off the screens, step outside and take a new direction, and try and find a way to interact with someone else in person, even if only brief and at a distance.

We will be past all of this soon.

As software has developed, new trends appear in the culture, some of which are intentional and others which comes an unexpected byproduct.

Music notation is something that fascinates me. There is a beauty to reading a score and I love that in this day and age, you can follow scores to a wide range of works on YouTube.

When it comes to scoring your own work, there are few options, some paid and others free that allow you to get your music down. It’s more efficient and easy than writing by hand.

However, it’s easy to overlook many aspects of score writing and fall into traps. Stages sizes, margins, font, where certain symbols go, there whole books dedicated to getting it right. ‘Behind Bars’ by Elaine Gould is a go to for Sibelius users. There are endless discussions to be had about presenting your work to a standard that is publishable.

As skill is developed in music theory and composition, you want to get to a point where you’re directing the software to do what you want it to do.

Very often in the world of cinema, TV or theatre, a composer has to work with a director where communication can get quite abstract.

Music has very specific terminology and it can’t be expected for ever director to know exactly everything that a composer does.

But in order to achieve the collective goal of the sound that works as a theme, cue or underscore, the process of exploration, pitching and pinning down ideas takes place.

Sometimes, the director will offer a word or two that describes what they are after, it could be a type of sound or a mood. He could also give you a reference point of what he thinks can work to help you find what they have in mind.

Through empathy, an open mind and a willingness to engage in the journey of the process, you eventually land on the sound that can work for the project. It’s a fascinating type of collaboration.

The type of language and communication that forces a willingness to listen and explore possibility naturally happens in this instance, but I think it has every potential to work in other disciplines and professions as well.

I’ve been rewatching the Bourne trilogy this weekend.

The original three films got it so spot on in terms of creating a spy thriller. A great premise, great level of intrigue and well executed set pieces.

The films are focused and none of them surpass the two hour mark.

This is a great example of a film that executes something within it’s genre to the point that it defines what the genre is. You think of spy films, you think 007, MI and Bourne.

As creators, we can get lost in the sea of what our genre is. I do all the time and my love for a lot of eclecticism means that I’ve delivered work that is far reaching to many corners. It’s hard to send a clear message about what your work is when that happens.

Working within the axis of genre and creative liberty lies innovation, and it also allows to focus on on who our work is for.

I’m very good at creating for myself, I’ve done it for over a decade. Now I’m learning to create for others, with genre in mind, with intent for who else it could be for and with empathy.

Let’s where it takes us.

Revision is the obvious answer. Different types of a revision approaches are also highly recommended.

Behind revision and the retention of knowledge also is technique, the ability to understand what a question is specifically asking for and what you can do to make the answer crystal clear and meet the criteria of even the most jaded and grumpiest of examiners.

If you’ve put the hours in, you’ll reap the rewards, but finally it’s worth remembering that exercise, eating well and sleeping well all go a long way as well.

The little drips of progress along with choices that ensure your physically and mentally at your best is key to getting the best out of yourself during an exam or an exam season.

It all comes down to discipline and the choices you make.

Below is a video of the full score for a track I wrote with my band Kinky Wizzards.

It took me absolutely ages to put this together and figuring what the brothers were doing let alone myself in written notation was a head spinner! There are probably some discrepancies here and there, and the drums especially are more of a guide as there’s an improvisatory nature to them. I also provided a brass arrangement for a trio of horns that feature as well. It was however very rewarding to see the music in written form and I though I’d share it with you.

There is something very aesthetically pleasing about it and I may put together a book with all of the tracks notated one day.

I feel privileged to be able to go for a run a walk or cycle pretty much any time of day without being too conscious of the fact I may not be safe.

This is not the case for women in the U.K. and for far too long this has become normalised.

The acceptance now is that women should be protected whilst men needn’t concern themselves with the matter.

A lot of the answer lies in education. And government and schools have been pathetically incompetent when approaching this subject matter.

When the situation is this dark, the culture needs to shift and fast because women deserve to be able to live without fear.

We can all contribute and we can all learn. The issue is there for all of us to see and we can choose what to do about it next and ensuring that we do all we can to make each other feel safe at night is a start.

I made my debut solo album for myself.

It’s eclectic, weird, unconventional crossover progressive rock music that I wrote about my experiences. I wrote it because I needed to express myself artistically and musical creativity is part of my nature.

If anyone happens to find something, that’s resonating with them, that’s great and I’m really glad they are tuning in but it’s coincidental.

When I play music in other context, I have to employ some empathy. What is the purpose of the music I make, who is it serving. If it’s theatre or film, it needs to work as underscore, if it’s a performance in a pub, it needs to involve crowd pleasers. Cue Stereophonics when the Welsh pubs reopen.

Crowd pleasers can often bring an inner sense of conflict.

The artists who want to play their new stuff but the audience wants the hits.

The musician who took the gig but doesn’t believe in the music.

How much are you willing to compromise? Are you happy to be there in front of the crowd or is the lack of personal integrity too much to bare?

Professionalism lies in the ability to discern between creating work for yourself and for others but also knowing if and when your selling out and deciding whether the trade off is worth it for you showing up and performing.

Social media sure as hell feels like that at times.

The social dilemma confirmed it as well.

Whilst there is every possibility for connection to happen on the networks and as much as their CEOs will say that connection is key, the priority is the money whilst you become adverts to the advertisers whose algorithms mean they advertise back to you.

What is social media for otherwise? Is it to contribute, to send messages to people who want to hear it? Is it about learning and accessing accurate information?

Or is it about noise? Is it about your bias being confirmed? Is it about reaching your heightened emotions and cause reactions that are hatred and anger based? Is it about propelling yourself up as you get addicted to the unspoken drug that is approval?

Sounds exhausting.

And if it is, the remedy is to shut it off, go outside, breathe the air, read a book or create something.

You’re worth and experiences are of much more value than clicks and follows will ever give it credit for.

There needs to be an understanding why there is a day dedicated to women.

It’s because there is plenty of evidence to suggest the following:

That women get more response and credibility if they give themselves a male alias.

That women don’t get paid equally to men.

That women have standards held up against them that require them to be feminine first above anything else.

That signals have been placed deep within our systems and the culture give male people the benefit of the doubt whilst rejecting women.

I have been inspired by many great women who are artists, authors, musicians and teachers. Both men and women alike are responsible for a myriad of wonderful things but it’s been harder for the latter to gain recognition for it or a seat at the table.

As we move along in the 21st century, we need to continue doing what we can to make sure that individuals and systems treat everyone with dignity and respect.

Noting the issues that create the unfairness and judgement is the first step.

Taking action to ensure things are better is the next step.