Intersections between different disciplines have been always part of my life. I can say I have performed at the intersections between technology, music, dramatic arts, writing, business, culture, painting and design.
Working at the intersection of disciplines gives you not only a different perspective, but also an advantage compared to people that are focused only on one thing. You could see it as a true think-out-of-the-box practice. You can take a step back, change and merge different context, ideas and meaning moving through the intersection. Furthermore, intersections are the areas where true innovation comes up, and I’m not only talking about tech innovation, I mean innovation in all areas, all disciplines.
Technology and computing is becoming ubiquitous. Technology is becoming an intrinsic part of almost everything we do. Music, filming, photography, design, writing and so many other disciplines can use technology to have wider distribution, have a more efficient production, and overall be better thanks to the tools, techniques and channels technology provides. At the same time, technology can become better by integrating art and other discipline’s techniques into it. The outcome? innovation. New ways of thinking, new ways of creating, new ways of reaching, new ways of building…you get the idea.
Starting this new year, one of my goals is to work a lot more on my music and my bass playing. I want to explore more paths to music and bass line creation. Thinking about it, I realized that I started playing bass at the same time I started studying computer sciences at the University of Costa Rica, more than a decade ago.
Music and Technology are one of the intersections I have been performing for quite a few years. However, over the years I did kept both a bit separated. Lately, I have been working to bring all disciplines (tech, music, writing, painting, design, business) a lot closer, so I can work on the intersections and produce more creative and innovative content.
I have been producing more content for my art blogs (art hobbies and writing), and trying to mix them up to facilitate the intersections I want to work on a lot more. A good example of this, is how my knowledge about technology, computers and in particular Windows 8, helped me to quickly put together a semi professional home recording studio to record and produce my bass lines. Actually, the intersection between technology and music allowed me to help my former band, Tercer Mono, to prepare for recording our first studio album. Another example was when I performed as an actor and narrator for a short documentary showcasing Costa Rica’s technology industry, which was produced by PROCOMER and showcased at Intel’s Innovation Centre.
The most recent example of work I have been creating on an intersection, is a series of bass samples featuring a multi-track bass line. I have been using Windows 8, Ableton and Saffire software/hardware to record and produce improvised samples, and then use the cloud to host and share the content. Here, technology has helped me to increase the productivity and reach of my music work. If you want to check out the outcome, listen to the samples in SoundCloud here.
I invite you to try it yourself. Just try to bring your profession and hobbies together. Maybe you have some old hobby or a side interest that might be a good fit with your current profession. Try to find ways to bring them together and create work out of it. I bet you will be surprise of what comes out of it!
Feel free to share your thoughts and experience here or leave your comments if you feel like it.
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