My Creative Process with the Lyre: A Journey of Expression and Growth

Creating music with the lyre has become a deeply personal and reflective process for me. It’s not just about playing notes or following traditional rules—it’s about expressing emotions, documenting moments, and building a body of work that reflects my journey. While I don’t follow conventional paths as a musician, I’ve developed a system that works for me and aligns with my broader philosophy on life.

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Choosing Songs: The Emotions Guide Me

The songs I choose to learn are guided by the emotions I want to express. Sometimes, they’re tied to a specific time of year or an occasion, like a holiday or celebration. For example, I might find a melody that resonates with the spirit of a season and adapt it to suit my style.

Over time, my process has evolved. I now integrate these songs into larger projects or videos, adding more context and depth to my work. This shift has allowed me to recycle and expand on my creations, making each piece more meaningful. There’s no handbook for this—I’m learning as I go, and I’ve come to trust my instincts to guide me.

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Adapting and Personalizing

When I start learning a song, I usually begin with sheet music, tablature, or a tutorial. But I don’t stick rigidly to what’s provided. Instead, I simplify and adapt it to suit my emotions and style. I prefer slower, more contemplative pieces, which allow me to focus on capturing the melody and making it my own.

It’s not about mastering complexity—it’s about finding beauty in simplicity. By personalizing each song, I turn it into something unique, something that feels true to me.

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Creating, Recording, and Moving On

Here’s where my process becomes unconventional. Once I’ve learned and recorded a song, I often forget it. I don’t retain a repertoire of songs to perform on command. Instead, I celebrate the accomplishment of having documented that moment, knowing it’s now part of my body of work.

If I ever want to revisit a song, I can relearn it from my recording. This allows me to stay focused on creating new pieces and exploring new emotions, without feeling tied to what I’ve already done.

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A Body of Work That Lasts Forever

Each piece I create—whether it’s a song, a video, or even a blog post—becomes part of my collective accomplishments. It’s a permanent record of my thoughts, feelings, and creativity at a specific point in time. Even if it doesn’t gain widespread recognition, it holds intrinsic value as a reflection of who I am.

This approach mirrors my experience with university. I spent years earning my degree, integrating its core lessons into my life, and then moving forward. In the same way, my music and videos document emotions and ideas, which I can revisit whenever I want to reflect or reconnect with those moments.

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Living in the Moment and Moving Forward

My creative process is deeply tied to my philosophy on life: take things one step at a time, focus on the task at hand, and embrace the freedom to move on once it’s complete. I pour my energy into accomplishing something, celebrate it, and then let it become part of my history.

This approach allows me to channel my creativity into what moves me in the moment. It’s not about perfection or performance—it’s about expressing myself and building something meaningful, one piece at a time.

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Embracing Your Own Process

If you create in a similar way and feel insecure about not following traditional methods, I’d say this: do what works for you. There’s no handbook that dictates how creativity should function. Assess your own psychology, understand how you work best, and build a system that helps you become the best version of yourself.

Every creation is an accomplishment. It’s a testament to your growth, your expression, and your unique perspective. And that’s what makes it powerful.