Name of student

Course
Date
Contrary to some misconceptions that people hold, creativity is not something that one is
born with or that is associated with genetics. Instead, it is a skill that any individual can learn if
they make appropriate effort and expose themselves to the necessary learning programs.
Creativity is a critical issue in art as one needs to establish a distinct approach in music
development.
In “anatomy of a garage band” the narrator is speaking to all people who have a passion
for music and would like to become ‘lovejunkies’. Bob Struma (the author) might be a lover of
music himself because the manner in which he explains the concept of ‘lovejunkies’ illustrates a
deep passion for the art. The article makes music approachable because it attempts to explain the
motivations behind music creation and the love of music in a simplistic manner. In instances
when complex vocabularies are used the author ensures that he defines those vocabularies in a
simple manner in order to enable the reader to comprehend it. For instance, the author explains
terms like ‘lovejunkies’ and ‘a garage band’. The author is successful in making the concept of
‘a garage band’ approachable’. Primarily, the three things that are used to make the content
approachable are ‘simplification’, ‘structure’ and ‘process’. The author simplifies any part of the
content that a reader might find complex and fail to relate with. The author also employs a
structure that is divided into an introduction, body and conclusion. Third, the author employs a
process that involves development of a connection with the reader. For instance, there is a part
where the author refers to the reader as “my friend”.
To put the issue of music creation into perspective, one can look at the process that a real-
life musician – Alicia Keys – uses in her work. From the interview that is conducted with Alicia
Keys, the musician explains that she just fell in love with the piano. It was not a premeditated
issue but rather she felt that the piano was ‘just calling out’ to her. Alicia acknowledges that she
faced several challenges throughout her initial phases of her music career. In particular, she
asserts that it was a phase that was characterized by many battles. Most notable of those battles
was the manner in which other people judge the artist. There is also the need to keep up with new
trends and other dynamics in the industry. For instance, Alicia has in the past worked
individually but at one point she had to engage in collaboration with another artist. That is
illustrates in the ‘New York – Empire State of Mind’ song that she created with Jay Z.
In the interview, Alicia manages to break down the individual issues she is talking about
in a manner that one does not have to be a musician to understand. There are many instances in
the interview when she talks in a simplistic manner without including any complex music
concepts but rather, she delves into the influence of feelings (emotions) and outside influences in
her work. Some of the topics covered in the readings are manifested in the interview with Alicia
Keys and the article about ‘a garage band’. The class reading elaborates that “your process has a
set-up stage where you gather inspiration”. Alicia Keys explains that there is no specific
inspiration she can associate with her love for music and the piano but rather it was just
reflexive- she loved music, period. The ‘garage band’ article also illustrates consideration of
inspiration. The author mentions that lovejunkies are not motivated by fame or money but rather
their love for music is founded on an intrinsic desire to ‘jam’. Another quote from the readings is
“let the audience know one step is completed and the next has begun”. The same is manifested in
the interview because both Alicia and the interview ensure that transition from one topic to
another in an appropriate manner.