Attention Practices by Music Production Tasks

Different creative tasks benefit from different attention qualities. These are suggestions only. It’s entirely possible a single task needs contrasting types of attention. The point is to sense those needs and limit a work session to that quality of attention. Rapidly changing attention and mindset is likely to be more frustrating and exhausting. Trust your intuition about what quality of attention serves each work session. Stop and re-focus when a session doesn’t feel easy anymore.

Prime

• Diffuse – Broad, spacious receptivity to creative possibilities
• Internal Focus – Tuning into your creative vision and intentions
• Evaluative – What samples, patches, presets, and instruments fit the vision
• Investigating – Honing in on influences, reference tracks, inspiration, constraints
• Conceptual – Choosing theory details (e.g., tempo) and guiding star for the song/album

Jam

• Divergent – Generating multiple possibilities, exploring freely
• Effortless – Natural flow, spontaneous action without self-consciousness
• Generative – Creating and producing without judgment
• Perplexed Mind – Finding every sound interesting and beautiful
• Present-Moment – Immediate experience with sound and feeling

Develop

• Investigating – Curious exploration of what emerged
• Focused – Being attentive to prior ideas
• Deliberate – Ensuring connection to what’s there
• Expert – Drawing on knowledge; adding harmony, call-response, progressions
• Divergent – Try many ways to build on ideas; don’t get stuck in one direction
• Generative – Create enough variations and parts to know there’s plenty to arrange

Arrange

• Convergent – Narrowing possibilities, making structural decisions
• Expert Mind – Leaning into knowledge about attention and emotion
• Evaluative – Judging what serves the song’s emotional arc
• Deliberate – Intentionally directing and sequencing the song’s movement

Refine

• Focused – Concentrated attention on specific elements
• External – What will listeners feel is “off”
• Expert – Identifying what can be improved
• Investigating – Curious exploration of each part
• Evaluative – Critical assessment while maintaining flow

Mix

• Diffuse – Attention on how all sounds fit together over time
• Present-Moment – Direct experience with sound
• Convergent – Deciding on appropriate frequencies, space, dynamics
• Conceptual – Identifying a solutions-oriented to-do list to limit work

Master

• Focused – Concentrated, precise technical work
• Expert Mind – Drawing on knowledge and experience
• Evaluative – Final quality assessment
• External – How will listeners’ environment affect perception
• Convergent – Finalizing the definitive version to meet specs/expectations

Share

• Diffuse – Broad awareness of context and response
• Accepting – Allowing the work to find its place
• External Focus – Attention to audience, context, timing
• Effortless – Authentic presentation with a light touch