Life for a Learning Tourist
I would like to discuss what I call being a "learning tourist".
Nearly four years ago I taught myself music from absolute scratch; I didn't know what a note was. Now I compose a lot of music electronically. I couldn't find a music teacher; I seem to be too old for their market. So I have taught myself by a mix of music books and experimentation. This has been a tough slog. Especially with doing it properly; I have taught myself how to make proper chords such as, keys, modes, triads, dominant 7ths and sus chords and all that good stuff.
Now I have decided to finish up making music. So I have decided to end by making a massive music project; I am making a 24 hour music stream. Yep. That's right. In effect 24 one hour albums to stream 24/7 on some platform. I am making good progress; I compose fast now. That will be it. Then I will teach myself something else from scratch and do that...for the first time last week I came up with the term "learning tourist" for this. That is, I do something for a few years to a high level. At least a high level for where I started. Then I make something huge at the end. Then I move on. In the post internet world this is possible with abundant learning materials. In fact there is so much that I have to curate.
So what do people think? Four year blocks of learning tourism: too long, too short or OK? If you became a learning tourist in this way what would you learn before moving on? Or do you hate the idea [thats fine] and think that people should study one thing for decades and get good at it?
Thank you
Nearly four years ago I taught myself music from absolute scratch; I didn't know what a note was. Now I compose a lot of music electronically. I couldn't find a music teacher; I seem to be too old for their market. So I have taught myself by a mix of music books and experimentation. This has been a tough slog. Especially with doing it properly; I have taught myself how to make proper chords such as, keys, modes, triads, dominant 7ths and sus chords and all that good stuff.
Now I have decided to finish up making music. So I have decided to end by making a massive music project; I am making a 24 hour music stream. Yep. That's right. In effect 24 one hour albums to stream 24/7 on some platform. I am making good progress; I compose fast now. That will be it. Then I will teach myself something else from scratch and do that...for the first time last week I came up with the term "learning tourist" for this. That is, I do something for a few years to a high level. At least a high level for where I started. Then I make something huge at the end. Then I move on. In the post internet world this is possible with abundant learning materials. In fact there is so much that I have to curate.
So what do people think? Four year blocks of learning tourism: too long, too short or OK? If you became a learning tourist in this way what would you learn before moving on? Or do you hate the idea [thats fine] and think that people should study one thing for decades and get good at it?
Thank you
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