How to learn something new...the right way

I came across a blog this morning which I like a lot. After reading, I do agree the way he learn things do make me feel motivated and inspired to learn more new things in life!

In the blog, it says there are 10 ways to learn something new:
1. Love it
"Love" it! Yes, it is definitely the most fundamental thing to learn something new. I remembered how I hated some of my engineering subjects back in the uni and how I get so excited when it comes to my humanities subjects, namely: Japanese language and music technology. Well, you can probably guess the difference of those subjects in my results sheet. haha 

2. Read it
Study how other people "master" the game. How people get through all the hurdles to come to where they are now. I should probably start reading biographies of famous music produces around the world :) My favourite composer/producer for OST/BGM is Joe Hisaishi. ^ ^

3. Try it, but not too hard
At first, I don't quite agree to not trying hard, but looking back at how I started music production was actually during my leisure time, my de-stressing time while studying for my aeronautical subjects :P haha It was indeed something I look forward to, something that I didn't try too hard to push for results and I enjoyed the "process" instead of the "results". I trial and error so many times and y

4. Get a teacher
Oh well, that is very very true. I learn 10x faster with a teacher than without :) 

5. Study the history. Study the present
This part is kinda like practising my "analytical skills" gained from taking engineering during my uni-years. If you asked me if I've wasted my 4 years studying engineering, I would say no. I do learnt a lot in terms of how I analyse things, how I view things in life. Thanks to the overseas experience too, I see life differently.

6. Do easy projects first
When you are done with your very first project, though an easy one, you feel accomplished. You feel that you are capable of doing more :) That's when I started planning for more things in the future. I started off small, "A Cover A month", then upgraded slightly with more details on my mixing part etc...Yes, I am hoping that I can launch an album. A full length album. This might take years, but I know I will get there :)

7. Study what you did
Learning from your mistakes. That is very very true. Let's compare my very first song that I wrote (3-4 years back):

Let's analyse ;) sorry, so many mistakes that I spotted!
That amount of hiss sound on the piano track, the arrangement of the drums, no quantisation on the bass, maybe I can compress my vocal a little more, EQ it better. So many mistakes I spotted :') 

Now let's see what I have done just weeks ago:

Okay, this is the best I could give right now at this moment :) Maybe ten years later, when I read the blog and listen back to this, I might feel that it's shitty again.. hahaha

8. You are the average of the five people around you
Learning in a group is faster, hence I hope I can really form a band. A band with those who has visions same as mine :) Have chemistry working on a new song etc :) Looking forward to working with my future band members!

9. Do it a lot
Probably I should do "2 covers a month" next year instead of A cover A month :P hahaha joking..I'm focusing on producing higher quality covers these days, better audio, better video :)

10. Find your evil plan
Mmm...My evil plan? Can I be better than Joe Hisaishi one day? :P 


Cheers,
Jyi