Now then, I want you to ponder for a moment on the subject of originality. Some people will tell you that you have to define yourself by current music standards, and they seem to want you to sound like everything else. This can be detrimental to your learning process as it will stunt your creative growth. It’s very important to create and think about how you can make things just a little bit different by adding your own unique style.

Now, on the other hand, some people will tell you that your music has to be 100% original. It’s often interesting the way in which they present this. Usually, what they mean is that if your music is in a different genre than theirs, then you must be a poser, simply doing what everyone else does. The fact is that pretty much anything you hear written by anybody is a compilation of ideas that have been used before.

What it comes down to is that, as with most things in life, a balance is needed. It’s important to always be creative and explore new ideas, but it is equally as important to respect and appreciate all of the creative effort that came before you, that has subtly influenced you along the way.

Always remember that these lessons are here to teach you tried and true methods of how to do your own thing. With each coming year new artists bring new sounds into the arena, some are good, some are bad. We’re all eager to hear what you will bring.