Beyond the Rules: Trusting Your Creative Instincts
There’s never been a noisier world when it comes to opinion. We’re constantly bombarded with viewpoints, often presented as fact. It’s amazing how much a slick YouTube video or polished blog post can shape our impressions.
As someone who makes creative decisions for a living, I’ve had to learn not to get too caught up in the endless stream of voices telling us what’s right or wrong. The truth is: we decide that for ourselves.
A large part of my music education was classical. I also studied theory and composition. I quickly learned that while the rules are worth knowing, they’re broken all the time, often by the very composers they’re based on.
Later, I moved into a jazz/improv-focused curriculum, and that only reinforced the idea that “rules” in music depend heavily on perspective.
We love things to be labelled, categorised, and defined. Studying past music styles like classical and jazz satisfies this urge. They come from the past, have been studied and analysed, and are conveniently boxed into patterns and theories. We accept them as “facts,” because they feel fixed.
But music doesn’t stay fixed. It moves forward.
Our job as modern composers is to acknowledge the past, but then make something new.
I’ll admit, it’s not always easy. Sometimes I hear music that pushes against everything I was taught, and I find myself irritated. Often, it’s because I sense the “rules” were broken out of naivety rather than intention. But honestly, maybe that shouldn’t matter.
When I come back to those same pieces with fresh ears, I often realise…it actually sounds great.
Take some contemporary film scores. Massive, layered, often impossible to recreate with a live orchestra alone. They might rely on samples, virtual instruments, or sheer digital excess… but they’re epic nonetheless.
I value my formal training deeply. But I’ve also learned that getting hung up on other people’s opinions (whether they’re from teachers, peers, or online influencers) can hold you back.
At some point, you have to trust your own ears. Your gut.
Staying in the lane might keep you safe. But it won’t take you anywhere new.
In my opinion, the best kind of creativity happens when you break the rules…..once you understand what they are.
In the end, creativity isn’t about following rules or rejecting them. it’s about knowing when they serve you, and when they don’t. Whether it’s classical counterpoint, jazz harmony, or cinematic sound design, every tool we learn is just that: a tool.
The real craft lies in deciding what to build with it. So listen, study and explore. But most of all, trust that your unique perspective is not only valid, it’s necessary.
