Earlier this week, I unplugged. I deleted all the social media apps over my phone: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat… even YouTube. I set a vacation message on my email and even went so far as to delete the Gmail app from my phone. I reworked my website so that it centers my hiatus and The List. Now that I can simply enjoy the natural light pouring in, surrounded by houseplants and clean air, drinking fresh lemonade and sparkling water, I can say that the unplug is worth everything and more.
As I have gotten older, my creative practice has become less and less technological. You’d think it would be the opposite, especially considering the way students are taught to create music nowadays, with the rise of the digital audio workstation or other powerful applications like MaxMSP. The only applications I use in the act of composition are Finale, which I use for all my notation (and is comparatively less automated that its competitors like Sibelius or Dorico), and Canva, which I use for all my front matter and formatting my text-based and box notation scores. Otherwise, all my work is done with pencil, paper, and piano.
Unplugging has been good for me. The less time I spend staring into a screen, the more I feel like myself.