Instant creativity booster | A songwriting trick that will melt your brain

[@Bigger-Circuitry-Bigger-SOUND]

“ WHEN MY BRAIN AND FINGERS ARE MY ENEMY “ is the most wise quote about CREATIVITY … Knowledge can easily become ego, attachment and a trap that can prevent your individual creativity / taste to shine, thus you can not bring something new to the table just cliché using knowledge

[@berkut6313]

A cool brand new "oblique strategy"

[@trip-mode]

Helpful tip! It's insane to try the same thing and expect different results. It's sane to try something crazy when you're stuck. I like to rotate my keyboard/synth 180 degrees, amongst other things.

[@MrMe4444444]

I get inspired looking at Sabrina.

[@RobertFisher1969]

Little known fact: There have actually been some left-handed pianos built in the past. But being a lot more expensive, they never caught on the way left-handed guitars (somewhat) have. I sometimes think that now in the age of digital keyboards, left-handed keyboards could do better.

[@Northmusic1995]

Really cool idea! Almost like trying to ride a bike with reverse handle bars (with less chance of injury). :)

[@DoctorNemmo]

My man Espen knew what he was doing putting that album there :)

[@torarinvik4920]

That's actually quite ingenious. EDIT: Reminds me of weird alternate tunings on guitar.

[@matsfrommusic]

Brilliant, well done!

[@HenritheHorse]

And then you need to play through a reverse delay and reverb.

[@fremax6946]

Cool ! But Espen, you miss to add the Sabrina album front picture feature, that help to melt any brain in addition !

[@EspenKraft]

You'll see more of that in an upcoming video. ;-)

[@SeverityOne]

Ah yes, Sabrina Salerno. She mucked up her face with plastic surgery and fake blonde hair, but before that, she was indeed a very hot girl.

[@Shred_The_Weapon]

Wow, this harkens back to the ARP 2600. Its keyboard voltage could be inverted. One artist who utilized this function was Josef Zawinul of Weather Report who owned a pair of 2600s. I wonder if Joe owned a D-50 or 550 and did the same thing with it.

[@tjn0110]

I think no matter how good we get an instrument, it's important to find ways to approach it that render us like a beginner to activate that "figuring it out anew" part of our brain. 👍

[@eti313]

Alternatively, you can turn your keyboard around.

[@drsamurai009]

It's a bit awkward sounding, but I do something similar with my Yamaha Reface synths. They are small enough to sit on my lap that sometimes I'll set it on my lap backwards and strike some keys and chords and get inspired by what comes out from random playing. Even more so I've found with mini keys since I can stretch my hands into wild augmented and sus chords that come out of left field.

[@FLH3official]

A guy with Sabrina on his TX802 can't be totaly bad 😊 Other method: A MIDI effect with a script inverting the notes sent to the instruments (in Logic the preset "invert notes" in the MIDI scripter, but I guess you can find the equivalent in many other DAWs). Then you'll just have to replay Boys Boys Boyz in reverse.. Syop Syob Syob...

[@torarinvik4920]

LOL, Sabrina is the pinnacle of cheese. Guilty pleasure for sure!

[@niallmacdonald2710]

Interesting idea. I like and will try it. Thanks for that.

[@donkeyadaml.]

Great 👍👍 Happy New Year 😀 Greetings Adam 😎

[@-fretless]

great! but this only works up until espen kraft says no ...

[@BlixtenMarlowes]

I´m not Espen Kraft! This tip is brilliant! 🥰

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@projectmanolo]

Espectacular !!! that's reverse your mind ;) and it works !

[@varisonik]

It's like putting a capo on a synth

[@FoxerTails]

I've seen a lot of tricks for breaking music writers block but this one I feel is very innovative and not one I've seen before. It's both limiting but still familiar in a way that could really strike up inspiration even if by accident. I need to figure out a way I can do this in a DAW.

[@EspenKraft]

It's definitely something that has helped me out at times. Cheers :)

[@DestroyER82]

Thats awesome! Thanks for the tip.

[@DamienPaulLabonte]

huh! thats very cool!

[@nobel11]

Sorry. I was going to write a reply, but my brain melted. I had no idea the D50 could do this. Cheers, this is brilliant!

[@chaton51]

@@nobel11 d50 can do so much

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@jdmjesus6103]

Being left handed, i think I'll have to try this just to see how everyone else plays!

[@Pepijn_a.k.a._Akikaze]

I have never tried this but if I'm correct Joe Zawinul used this method on his Arp 2600. What I did try the other day was playing my PolyBrute 12 from the rear position, even harder to play but giving the same result.

[@ladyapp-titude]

Kind of like using alternate tunings on guitar. Joni Mitchell, etc.

[@kropjesla01]

anyone that uses Logic: it is fairly easy to use the midi-enviroment to do a keyboard reverse (use a midi transform)

[@9crutnacker985]

Interesting. Good for lefties? Just thought - if your synth software can't do this, sit the other side of the synth (or set it up so the keyboard is away from you).

[@attizzoso]

I use this trick just by playing keyboard from behind

[@amonster8mymother]

So I can finally play left handed.

[@jairkerker2821]

Joe Zawinul used to play a normal key accompaniment and an inverted bed for solo's.

[@whaleguy]

Is the Prophet X now your master keyboard in place of the Arturia?

[@EspenKraft]

The Arturia was sold 2 years ago.

[@mrdali67]

Wuts up with the gaffa on the side of the display ?😄

[@EspenKraft]

It doesn't really fit all that well as it was a prototype I got early. It looks a little scruffy but works 100% so I don't mind.

[@mrdali67]

@@EspenKraft I kinda guessed that it was a propably a display replacement that didn't fit 100% what a great fun idea of some random odd ball results 🥰

[@SenorTropiCat]

Genius idea, I'll definitely try it out! I guess it works the same with the D-50 also. But what is an evil safe room? :D probably it fits the reversed-key logic, because safe rooms shouldn't be evil :D

[@EspenKraft]

True, but if every instinct I ever had was wrong, then the opposite would have to be right. ;-)

[@strangehermitage2299]

Nah, just need a few of Sabrina's boys.

[@SeverityOne]

That's a rather nice display replacement for the D-550. Is it OLED or normal LED with backlight?

[@EspenKraft]

It's OLED yes.

[@form193]

what do you use as the recorder as you mentioned incase you want to catch some of the magic?

[@EspenKraft]

Just a Zoom H1 that records what's coming out of the speakers, acoustically.

[@jeffryarchambeau5441]

Kraft cheese!

[@amonster8mymother]

I'm actually left handed.

[@lassel1644]

Sabrina😂

[@UBERLADEN69]

No, I don’t think I will