Creative Convos: Recent Episodes
Creative Convos
A podcast that delves into all things creative, from inspiration, productivity and process. Hosted by Josh (Curoblak) and Aaron.
In the past, it always felt like things never came easy, whether it was relationships or learning a new skill. In this episode, we reflect on our own experience and maybe find comfort in the idea that maybe it's okay if some things don't come easy.
Sometimes, we want to simply hang out and talk, so here's an episode of us just doing that. We talk about a range of things from meeting old friends to how musicians just really like old music. So get a snack and a drink, this is a long episode haha
Moving is never fun, especially when you are a recording musician that has a lot of gear. In this episode, Josh and Aaron talk list out their “desert island” recording gear.
There are so many great bands with great musicians but what if in an alternate universe an all-star band could be formed. In this episode, Josh and Aaron talk about who they would want to see in an all-star 90s to present day band, as well as their desert island albums.
New things can bring about fear and uncertainty to a lot of people, especially those that have been doing things a certain way for a period of time. In this episode, Josh reacts to a post by The Woke Salaryman about the importance of unlearning and relearning. Link to post: https://www.facebook.com/2250666538582187/posts/3138759366439562/?d=n
Some say everyone is creative but what type exactly? In this episode, we get Aaron to try a quiz made by Adobe, that is meant to tell you what creative type are you.
Link to quiz: https://mycreativetype.com/
Growing up, we all have certain life milestones we have in mind. The right age to get married, have kids etc. Often however reality speaks a different story and sometimes we don't hit those milestones when we think we should. In this episode, we talk about our experience with feeling behind and how we try to deal with it in our own personal lives.
We all face imposter syndrome at some point in our lives. In this episode, Aaron will try out a quiz that supposedly identifies your type of imposter syndrome.
Link to quiz: https://www.grammarly.com/blog/imposter-syndrome-quiz/
In this episode, we talk about how we feel about the idea of pop songs having so many songwriters write one song.
Life isn't easy and sometimes we can find ourselves wrestling with anxiety when it comes to career, visiting family during a pandemic or relationships. In the first episode of getting personal, we share our experience with anxiety and how we deal with them.
As creatives, it's easy to always be focused on the next project or where we want to see ourselves as far as our career and success. In this episode, we talk about what it means to strive for the better but to also appreciate the journey.
Being a Christian and an artist simultaneously can sometimes breed internal conflict, particularly when it comes to writing sad/negative songs. In this episode, we talk about our thoughts on the matter and how we deal with them.
We’ve all seen inspirational quotes about pursuing your passion but what if you don’t know what your passion is? More often than not, most people don’t really know what their passion is. In this episode, we talk about our take on not knowing your passion and some ways to start looking for said passion.
With 2021 coming to an end, we decided to reflect on what we had achieved creatively in 2021 as well as what we’re looking to improve in 2022.
What does rejection mean to you? Does it mean running? Hiding? Feeling sorry for yourself? In this episode, we talk about the types of rejection an artist can face and the different ways we can respond to and deal with rejection.
When you are pursuing something, what are you saying yes to? What are you saying no to?
In this episode, we talk about one of our favourite bands, Foo Fighters and the inspiration they’ve had on us as musicians and as songwriters.
Some people struggle with the idea of pursuing a meaningful passion while also having a vibrant social life. In this episode, we talk about how it doesn't have to be one or the other when in fact passion and life can have a positive impact on each other.
A question that we can find ourselves asking is, why do we spend so much time and effort doing certain things? In this episode, we delve into why we do the things we do despite the amount of time and work required.
In this episode, we talk about how most creative endeavours can fall under the two categories of either creating from scratch or working with something that already exists.
What comes to mind when writing an album? Or painting a picture? Do we automatically try to assemble certain ideas to form a coherent whole? In this episode, we dissect the many approaches to creating a piece of art that adheres to a certain theme.
Since the start of the Covid 19 pandemic, more and more people have had to learn how to collaborate virtually. In this episode, we talk about our experiences with collaborating virtually vs collaborating in person and the pros and cons.
In our creative journey, our progress can often be hindered or nurtured by a fixed or growth mindset. In this episode, inspired by the book ‘Mindset’ by Carol Dweck, we talk about how the fixed or growth mindset can be applied to the creative field and our experiences with both mindsets.
The process of writing lyrics is something that is very unique to every artist. In this episode, we talk about why we write lyrics and our own individual process.
Whether you're in the creative field or not, we all at some point will have to work with different kinds of people. In this episode, Aaron & Josh talk about their experiences with collaborating with other people and their approach to try to get the best outcome possible.
All too often creatives can fall into the idea that their latest work represents who they are. In this episode, Josh & Aaron discuss whether this is true or is your latest work simply a snapshot to a much bigger body of work.
Every creative has many influences, whether consciously or unconsciously. One of the challenges creatives face with regards to this is the chance of copying instead of just being influenced. In this episode, Josh & Aaron talk about their experience in not just copying but to take parts of their influences and make it their own.
In this episode, Aaron & Josh talk about their take on the posting content as well as Aaron picking Josh's brain on his approach to content creation and releasing music.
A lot of our favourite artists' lives are marred by a personal tragedy but have managed to use such times as fuel for inspiration. In this episode, Josh & Aaron talk about whether it is necessary to go through hardship to make great music or is it simply correlation but not causation.
With the vast number of songs released every year, the odds are you won't necessarily agree with the subject matter. In this episode, we talk about whether it is okay to listen to music where you don't agree with the artist's point of view.
In this episode, Josh and Aaron share individually the first song we ever wrote and the first song we thought was good.
In this episode, Aaron & Josh talk about their personal favourite movie soundtracks. From Star Wars to Jurassic Park, Lord of The Rings to Baby Driver just to name a few.
In any artistic endeavour, we all have an idea of what we want for the end result but we also want it to come naturally. In this episode we talk about how you can find a happy medium between having an artistic vision while also being open to the possibility of happy accidents.
In this day and age of Netflix, social media & streaming, being bored might seem to be a problem suited for a different time. In this episode, Josh & Aaron talk about our experiences with boredom and how it can be a fuel for creativity
In this age of social media, Instagram has been one of the leading platforms for creatives. We discuss how we each use the platform and how we feel about it as a whole.
Few people would doubt the influence that Linkin Park has had over the music of the early 2000s. In this episode, we talk about our favourite LP songs and their impact on our creative and personal lives.
We've all heard stories of people who have gone the extra mile when it came to making good art. In this episode we share some examples of artists who reflect this ethos.
Our creative journey can be hindered or enhanced depending on who comes along for the ride. In this episode, we discuss the benefits of choosing the right friends and how they can help you grow creatively.
In this bonus episode we talk some of our favourite Disney songs and how they have inspired us decades after. The music from classics such as The Lion King, Beauty & The Beast, Mulan, Hercules etc. have played such an integral part of our childhood memories growing up that the melodies still remain in our head years after.
Sometimes art can move a person to reveal a personal aspect of themselves that are not usually said in casual conversations. Today on the podcast, we talk about our experience with this and how being vulnerable in your art/music is one of the keys to connecting with other people.
Being a performer can a lot of the times feel similar to being like an athlete in the same way of how looking after oneself is critical to performing at the highest level. Inspired by the Joe Rogan podcast episode with Travis Barker (Blink 182), we talk about the things that we do to look after ourselves and the actions we take to ensure that we can perform at our best when on stage.
Simple vs technical, a topic that has been debated between musicians over which is more important. In this episode, we talk about our take on the topic and how maybe it's not a matter of just simple vs technical but rather there is a much important variable that makes a song great.
A very common thing that we all think about is the comparison of our current self vs where we want to be. Today on this episode, we talk about how certain things we had done in the past would later help shape us into the creatives we are today and how we can start implementing small things that will ultimately help us get closer to our desired future self.
In this bonus episode, Josh reacts to an.... interesting article that Aaron found.
Link to the article: https://ministrytodaymag.com/leadership/personal-character/20636-mark-driscoll-single-pastors
Often as creatives, there's always this battle of creating things that we are excited about vs what is popular or what people expect from us based on our previous work. Today on the podcast, we discuss our take on this struggle and whether or not there is a happy medium.
In this episode, we talk about how we're always trying to be creative and reflect on the question of "Do we create, just because we are afraid of the silence of doing nothing?"
Continuing from a previous episode on dealing with the inner critique, we as creatives have to also deal with the outer critique. This can range from friends, family, fans, haters, strangers etc. In this episode, we talk about how to respond to outer criticism.
"What happens when you're stuck on an idea and you're not sure how to fully develop it?" We talk about when to persist with an idea and when its time to leave it on the back burner.
Whether completing a school art project or writing your first song, everyone has to deal with an inner critic. On the podcast, we talk about how we deal with our inner critic and some strategies that you can implement.
Whether we realise it or not, we all believe that the more we spend on gear, the better we will be. In this episode, we talk about why that's not always the case and how it's important to focus on making great art instead.
"How do you write lyrics?" On this episode, we tackle this question by looking at our own lyric processes and how life events can help inspire song lyrics.
It's one thing to be vulnerable with your friends, it's another thing to be vulnerable with a bunch of strangers. In this episode, we talk about our experiences and the challenges of being vulnerable in one's art.
Ever heard a recording of your voice and wondered "Is that really me?" On today's bonus episode, we talk about our experiences in getting over the sound of our voice.
On today's podcast, we talk about our creative workspaces and how you can create your own creative space that can help streamline your creative process.
On this episode, we talk about our processes of refining an idea and knowing when an idea is fully fleshed out.
With the advent of modern technology, virtual guitar amplifiers have become more commonplace. In this episode, we talk about whether virtual amps have replaced the classic tube amplifier or do they still have a far way to go?
"Are you a stickler for detail or do you prefer the bigger picture?" Today we talk about the differences between micro and macro creatives and how both can be necessary for the creative process.
In this bonus episode, we talk about CCM and some of the popular artists in that genre.
"Finding Your Passion", a common phrase that everyone thinks about at some point in their life. Today on the podcast, we talk about our experiences in finding our passions and some ways that you can consider if you haven't found your passion yet.
Whether you are aware of it, everyone creates and consumes content. In this episode, Josh and Aaron talk about the balance and relationship between creating and consuming and how they affect each other
"What is inspiration? Where do you get it from? Who inspires you?" These are the things every creative gets asked at some point in their journey. In this episode, Josh and Aaron take a deep dive into their own experiences when faced with these questions.
From recording demos with Guitar Hero mics to releasing studio quality albums with affordable equipment, Josh & Aaron share their humble beginnings in the journey of audio production and how you don't need a million dollar setup to create high quality music.
It's a battle everyone faces on a daily basis. Josh & Aaron explore different ways to take on procrastination.
When forced into social isolation, what do you do? In this first episode, Josh & Aaron share some helpful ideas in getting the creative process started.