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The Creative Process: Something From Nothing? | Connor Campbell | TEDxOnondagaCommunityCollege


[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
thought I’d go right into a song for you
thought I’d go right into a song for you guys
guys
guys it’s called strangers
I thought I could sleep it off like a
I thought I could sleep it off like a ton of thousand times for now whiskey’s
ton of thousand times for now whiskey’s
ton of thousand times for now whiskey’s barely on my bed I’m still looking at
barely on my bed I’m still looking at
barely on my bed I’m still looking at well great out that door
well great out that door
well great out that door [Music]
[Music]
[Music] baby we both know Virgin Saints
baby we both know Virgin Saints
baby we both know Virgin Saints [Music]
[Music]
[Music] what happened to that
what happened to that
what happened to that [Music]
[Music]
[Music] still
[Music]
[Music] we made plays ever and always I didn’t
we made plays ever and always I didn’t
we made plays ever and always I didn’t think that nice always feel
[Music]
[Music] baby wait no smell just say it
baby wait no smell just say it
baby wait no smell just say it [Music]
[Music]
[Music] beat you that girl
[Music]
[Music] strangers now
[Music]
[Music] I realize I’m not that boy – and I’ve
I realize I’m not that boy – and I’ve
I realize I’m not that boy – and I’ve been
[Music]
[Music] still care for too much to pretend
[Music]
[Music] Rangers now were both strangers
Rangers now were both strangers
Rangers now were both strangers [Music]
thank you very much so I have no idea
thank you very much so I have no idea what I’m doing but hopefully I’ll figure
what I’m doing but hopefully I’ll figure
what I’m doing but hopefully I’ll figure it out as we go along that’s kind of the
it out as we go along that’s kind of the
it out as we go along that’s kind of the mindset that I always have when I sit
mindset that I always have when I sit
mindset that I always have when I sit down to write amuse write some music
down to write amuse write some music
down to write amuse write some music write a song do anything creative really
let me first take a moment to ask how
let me first take a moment to ask how you guys are doing great I want to thank
you guys are doing great I want to thank
you guys are doing great I want to thank you for sticking mostly to one syllable
you for sticking mostly to one syllable
you for sticking mostly to one syllable in that response tell-tale sign of a
in that response tell-tale sign of a
in that response tell-tale sign of a good audience responding that way and
good audience responding that way and
good audience responding that way and you guys are nailing it let me tell you
so when I was first asked to do this
so when I was first asked to do this amazing event and thank you for having
amazing event and thank you for having
amazing event and thank you for having me
me
me it was suggested that I talk about the
it was suggested that I talk about the
it was suggested that I talk about the creative process and I’m gonna do that
creative process and I’m gonna do that
creative process and I’m gonna do that but I kind of had a feeling of dread
but I kind of had a feeling of dread
but I kind of had a feeling of dread when I was first asked because I could
when I was first asked because I could
when I was first asked because I could just imagine some guy walking up to me
just imagine some guy walking up to me
just imagine some guy walking up to me at a party wanting to tell me about his
at a party wanting to tell me about his
at a party wanting to tell me about his creative process I’m picturing rainbow
creative process I’m picturing rainbow
creative process I’m picturing rainbow suspenders Lunz lists glasses so just
suspenders Lunz lists glasses so just
suspenders Lunz lists glasses so just allow me to first remove all pretense
allow me to first remove all pretense
allow me to first remove all pretense when I sit down to write a song it’s
when I sit down to write a song it’s
when I sit down to write a song it’s usually by myself with my guitar pad of
usually by myself with my guitar pad of
usually by myself with my guitar pad of paper alone in my apartment in my
paper alone in my apartment in my
paper alone in my apartment in my underwear and the dark save for the warm
underwear and the dark save for the warm
underwear and the dark save for the warm glow of my computer screen where I have
glow of my computer screen where I have
glow of my computer screen where I have a Google tab open so I can search what
a Google tab open so I can search what
a Google tab open so I can search what words rhyme with each other
words rhyme with each other
words rhyme with each other often I get distracted and just search
often I get distracted and just search
often I get distracted and just search random words because I get curious what
random words because I get curious what
random words because I get curious what rhymes with aardvark for instance not a
rhymes with aardvark for instance not a
rhymes with aardvark for instance not a whole lot it can be hard finding the
whole lot it can be hard finding the
whole lot it can be hard finding the inspiration to create basically anything
inspiration to create basically anything
inspiration to create basically anything I remember I was at a lecture by one of
I remember I was at a lecture by one of
I remember I was at a lecture by one of my favorite authors a few years ago Neil
my favorite authors a few years ago Neil
my favorite authors a few years ago Neil Gaiman during his Q&A session he was
Gaiman during his Q&A session he was
Gaiman during his Q&A session he was asked basically where he finds the
asked basically where he finds the
asked basically where he finds the inspiration to do all the things he does
inspiration to do all the things he does
inspiration to do all the things he does to write all the things he does he does
to write all the things he does he does
to write all the things he does he does novels screenplays comic books you name
novels screenplays comic books you name
novels screenplays comic books you name it he does it and his answer was he
it he does it and his answer was he
it he does it and his answer was he doesn’t always find inspiration
doesn’t always find inspiration
doesn’t always find inspiration sometimes you just need to sit down and
sometimes you just need to sit down and
sometimes you just need to sit down and start doing it when I was researching
start doing it when I was researching
start doing it when I was researching for this talk I listened to many
for this talk I listened to many
for this talk I listened to many podcasts watch other TED talks about
podcasts watch other TED talks about
podcasts watch other TED talks about other artists and creatives and I often
other artists and creatives and I often
other artists and creatives and I often heard the example or the comparison that
creating something kind of defies the
creating something kind of defies the laws of physics I believe it’s the first
laws of physics I believe it’s the first
laws of physics I believe it’s the first law of thermodynamics that says energy
law of thermodynamics that says energy
law of thermodynamics that says energy cannot be created or destroyed it simply
cannot be created or destroyed it simply
cannot be created or destroyed it simply changes and a lot of artists say that
changes and a lot of artists say that
changes and a lot of artists say that creating something means there was
creating something means there was
creating something means there was nothing before it you sit down to write
nothing before it you sit down to write
nothing before it you sit down to write a song you do a melody put chords
a song you do a melody put chords
a song you do a melody put chords together put words lyrics to the music
together put words lyrics to the music
together put words lyrics to the music and you have a song where five minutes
and you have a song where five minutes
and you have a song where five minutes ago an hour a couple days ago however
ago an hour a couple days ago however
ago an hour a couple days ago however long it takes to finish it there was
long it takes to finish it there was
long it takes to finish it there was nothing same if you’re painting you
nothing same if you’re painting you
nothing same if you’re painting you started with the blank canvas and by the
started with the blank canvas and by the
started with the blank canvas and by the time you’re done you have something
time you’re done you have something
time you’re done you have something amazing but I didn’t really always see
amazing but I didn’t really always see
amazing but I didn’t really always see it that way I think the art is informed
it that way I think the art is informed
it that way I think the art is informed by all of our experiences before us
by all of our experiences before us
by all of our experiences before us our whole life leading up to that moment
our whole life leading up to that moment
our whole life leading up to that moment for instance my first song called
for instance my first song called
for instance my first song called strangers I didn’t just sit down and
strangers I didn’t just sit down and
strangers I didn’t just sit down and decide to write depressing sappy love
decide to write depressing sappy love
decide to write depressing sappy love song I just happened to have already
song I just happened to have already
song I just happened to have already been depressed and sappy when I wrote it
and I was reminded of a story I heard I
and I was reminded of a story I heard I don’t know if it’s true it probably
don’t know if it’s true it probably
don’t know if it’s true it probably isn’t probably more of an urban legend
isn’t probably more of an urban legend
isn’t probably more of an urban legend about Pablo Picasso he was sitting at an
about Pablo Picasso he was sitting at an
about Pablo Picasso he was sitting at an outdoor cafe in his 60s when a fan
outdoor cafe in his 60s when a fan
outdoor cafe in his 60s when a fan recognized him walked up to him and
recognized him walked up to him and
recognized him walked up to him and asked if he could do a quick work for
asked if he could do a quick work for
asked if he could do a quick work for her so he did a quick little number on a
her so he did a quick little number on a
her so he did a quick little number on a napkin and then asked the woman for an
napkin and then asked the woman for an
napkin and then asked the woman for an unseemly amount of money for it to which
unseemly amount of money for it to which
unseemly amount of money for it to which obviously she gaffed she said how can
obviously she gaffed she said how can
obviously she gaffed she said how can you ask for that much when that only
you ask for that much when that only
you ask for that much when that only took you five minutes to create and
took you five minutes to create and
took you five minutes to create and Picasso’s response was that actually
Picasso’s response was that actually
Picasso’s response was that actually took me 40 years to create because that
took me 40 years to create because that
took me 40 years to create because that kind of goes back to my point our
kind of goes back to my point our
kind of goes back to my point our experience goes into every song every
experience goes into every song every
experience goes into every song every creative endeavor that we do it’s
creative endeavor that we do it’s
creative endeavor that we do it’s informed by our life at some form by our
informed by our life at some form by our
informed by our life at some form by our choices it’s informed by our mistakes
choices it’s informed by our mistakes
choices it’s informed by our mistakes our love our heartache our heart loss
and so I think that’s my general
and so I think that’s my general philosophy on creating I don’t have a
philosophy on creating I don’t have a
philosophy on creating I don’t have a lot of technical know-how or experience
lot of technical know-how or experience
lot of technical know-how or experience to impart on you I don’t think I’m the
to impart on you I don’t think I’m the
to impart on you I don’t think I’m the most qualified person to do that I’m not
most qualified person to do that I’m not
most qualified person to do that I’m not a music teacher I can tell you what I
a music teacher I can tell you what I
a music teacher I can tell you what I try to do and what works for me when I
try to do and what works for me when I
try to do and what works for me when I try to create something
try to create something
try to create something number one rule is be authentic be
number one rule is be authentic be
number one rule is be authentic be truthful to yourself don’t try to create
truthful to yourself don’t try to create
truthful to yourself don’t try to create something cool just try to create
something cool just try to create
something cool just try to create something that’s you it’ll probably be
something that’s you it’ll probably be
something that’s you it’ll probably be cool and the second thing I would say is
cool and the second thing I would say is
cool and the second thing I would say is don’t compare yourself to others I’m
don’t compare yourself to others I’m
don’t compare yourself to others I’m never gonna be the best guitarist I’m
never gonna be the best guitarist I’m
never gonna be the best guitarist I’m never gonna be the best vocalist I’m
never gonna be the best vocalist I’m
never gonna be the best vocalist I’m never going to be the best lyricist but
never going to be the best lyricist but
never going to be the best lyricist but my life and my experience is compiled
my life and my experience is compiled
my life and my experience is compiled together after that moment means I can
together after that moment means I can
together after that moment means I can do all those things and only the way
do all those things and only the way
do all those things and only the way that I can do them and it’s okay to be
that I can do them and it’s okay to be
that I can do them and it’s okay to be unsure of what you’re doing it’s okay to
unsure of what you’re doing it’s okay to
unsure of what you’re doing it’s okay to have doubt it’s okay to say to yourself
have doubt it’s okay to say to yourself
have doubt it’s okay to say to yourself I have no idea what I’m doing
I have no idea what I’m doing
I have no idea what I’m doing but hopefully I’ll figure it out as I go
but hopefully I’ll figure it out as I go
but hopefully I’ll figure it out as I go along so I have one more song for you
along so I have one more song for you
along so I have one more song for you guys
guys
guys it’s about aardvarks and card sharks not
it’s about aardvarks and card sharks not
it’s about aardvarks and card sharks not really this is song called I’ll be on my
really this is song called I’ll be on my
really this is song called I’ll be on my way thank you for listening
[Music]
[Music] I can hear it next to nothing
I can hear it next to nothing
I can hear it next to nothing I’m leaving with leaving max did a
I’m leaving with leaving max did a
I’m leaving with leaving max did a cocaine in my pocket
cocaine in my pocket
cocaine in my pocket and a ring they found this dig deeply of
and a ring they found this dig deeply of
and a ring they found this dig deeply of find a rockin fence and I just waiting
I’m too swayed and on a girl come around
I’m too swayed and on a girl come around [Music]
[Music]
[Music] I’m just asking for a minute
I’m just asking for a minute
I’m just asking for a minute no it’s all have must you saying just
no it’s all have must you saying just
no it’s all have must you saying just hear me out
I’ll be on my way
I’ll be on my way [Music]
not the only one that’s love is so deep
not the only one that’s love is so deep maybe I’m the one to catch you do the
maybe I’m the one to catch you do the
maybe I’m the one to catch you do the honker
honker
honker I know I know I went deep is where I
I know I know I went deep is where I
I know I know I went deep is where I caught you
caught you
caught you [Music]
[Music]
[Music] just asking for minute
just asking for minute
just asking for minute [Music]
[Music]
[Music] no I don’t have much to saving just hear
no I don’t have much to saving just hear
no I don’t have much to saving just hear me out now be on my
me out now be on my
me out now be on my [Music]
[Music]
[Music] and I don’t mean to seem so strong out
and I don’t mean to seem so strong out
and I don’t mean to seem so strong out call it love call it fear I don’t mean
call it love call it fear I don’t mean
call it love call it fear I don’t mean the seems so loud I’m just like
[Music]
[Music] just asking for minutes what’s all that
just asking for minutes what’s all that
just asking for minutes what’s all that much to say just hear me out
much to say just hear me out
much to say just hear me out nuh be on my way darling hear me out
nuh be on my way darling hear me out
nuh be on my way darling hear me out I’ll be on my way
I’ll be on my way
I’ll be on my way [Music]
now beyond Maui thank you so much for
now beyond Maui thank you so much for having me thank you very much
having me thank you very much
having me thank you very much [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
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