Uploaded August 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
If you’re anything like most of my students, you have 50 things you want to learn and 100 creative projects on the go… 👀
(Hello, I can relate!)
A topic that came up recently in Learning Sound and Synthesis (my modular synthesis course) is “practice vs. play” — how do we balance open, free exploration on our instruments along with developing new skills & learning tools/techniques?
Over the years, I’ve personally tried things like 30 minutes of study with 30 minutes of open play—& to an extent, that works.
But sometimes it’s difficult to “switch modes,” (understandably!) & I know some folks feel like they’re either spending all their time studying technical concepts, or all their time “aimlessly” exploring & noodling.
Something I’ve really been enjoying lately is simply removing the barrier between practice / play altogether... & instead asking myself things like:
“how can I bring more playfulness & joy into studying this new module / tool / technique?”
- Improvise on a tricky passage & turn it into a game
- Use colorful markers & stickies to take notes
“how can I bring more intention and focus into this free improvisation / jam session?”
- Improvise openly but limiting yourself to 1 module, or 1 technique
- Create “rules” like only making SMALL moves, or changing everything each 30 seconds
For me, those tricky techniques & complicated concepts seem to always click with more ease when I’m exploring them from a more experimental, playful perspective...give it a try & see what emerges! If you have tricks of your own you find helpful, comment below 👇
HUGE shoutout to all the amazing folks in the Learning Sound & Synthesis course community for sparking thoughtful questions & conversations like these! ❤️🙌
The next round of my LSS class opens August for everyone on the waitlist!
If you want to join the waitlist to be notified when the doors open (AND to get a special Live Performance with Synths training for free when you enroll), go to the link in my bio!
PS: In this video I’m playing the @moogsynthesizers Messenger + @vongonelectronics Polyphrase!
If you’re anything like most of my students, you have 50 things you want to learn and 100 creative projects on the go… 👀
(Hello, I can relate!)
A topic that came up recently in Learning Sound and Synthesis (my modular synthesis course) is “practice vs. play” — how do we balance open, free exploration on our instruments along with developing new skills & learning tools/techniques?
Over the years, I’ve personally tried things like 30 minutes of study with 30 minutes of open play—& to an extent, that works.
But sometimes it’s difficult to “switch modes,” (understandably!) & I know some folks feel like they’re either spending all their time studying technical concepts, or all their time “aimlessly” exploring & noodling.
Something I’ve really been enjoying lately is simply removing the barrier between practice / play altogether... & instead asking myself things like:
“how can I bring more playfulness & joy into studying this new module / tool / technique?”
- Improvise on a tricky passage & turn it into a game
- Use colorful markers & stickies to take notes
“how can I bring more intention and focus into this free improvisation / jam session?”
- Improvise openly but limiting yourself to 1 module, or 1 technique
- Create “rules” like only making SMALL moves, or changing everything each 30 seconds
For me, those tricky techniques & complicated concepts seem to always click with more ease when I’m exploring them from a more experimental, playful perspective...give it a try & see what emerges! If you have tricks of your own you find helpful, comment below 👇
HUGE shoutout to all the amazing folks in the Learning Sound & Synthesis course community for sparking thoughtful questions & conversations like these! ❤️🙌
The next round of my LSS class opens August for everyone on the waitlist!
If you want to join the waitlist to be notified when the doors open (AND to get a special Live Performance with Synths training for free when you enroll), go to the link in my bio!
PS: In this video I’m playing the @moogsynthesizers Messenger + @vongonelectronics Polyphrase!
