We were lucky to catch up with Cody Smith recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Cody, thank you so much for making time for us today. Let’s jump right into a question so many in our community are looking for answers to – how to overcome creativity blocks, writer’s block, etc. We’d love to hear your thoughts or any advice you might have.
Personally, I find that my creativity may come in waves. There will be periods of time where some new idea pops into my head seemingly every day, and I do my best to capitalize on those moments. At the very least, record a quick voice note with the idea. But then, it’s usually followed by months of the complete opposite. It’s always scary, you worry that you’ll never have a good idea again.
I think the best thing to do during those times is to just roll with it. Do something else. Indulge in a different hobby or activity. I just tell myself, it’s okay to go through a lull, it’s happened before and so far I’ve always been able to bounce back. Just don’t stress yourself out too much about it, take the time you need, and when the time is right, you’ll return to your craft with fresh perspectives and ideas.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I’m a part of a four-piece music group called Hellocentral, from Denver, Colorado.
We all grew up, and continue to have music being a huge part of our lives. Especially growing up, music gets you through so much, and it helps you realize your emotions. It can be a fun passive experience, but it can also be a cathartic and transformative experience.
Eventually, writing music became a new way to have that cathartic experience. Despite lots of material out there, there are still feelings, melodies, or emotions that I wish existed but don’t. Naturally, I try to fill that void with writing new stuff. I think that’s the best kind of music, the kind that is written to fill the void within somebody, or to help a person fully realize what they’re feeling. Hopefully, someone else out there is going through similar things and finds the music, and that’s why we do what we do. It helps ourselves, but we also hope it can help others.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I think it’s important to practice humility while still believing in yourself. Sometimes people will get caught up in needing recognition – and I get it – you pour your heart and soul into something and obsess over it, you would think others would or should appreciate that. And it can be frustrating if your hard work goes unnoticed.
But a great way to kill your passion is by measuring your worth beyond your own satisfaction. If you’re proud of what you’ve created, that’s all that matters. Of course, I wish I could be a millionaire with my music and as a creator you’re always second guessing yourself. Ultimately, though, you should believe in yourself first, and even if no one pays attention, you have to remind yourself that doesn’t matter, as long as you still feel the passion.
Sometimes the best things come to you when you give up caring what others think, and just do what you want.
What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?
In the last year, I self-produced our latest album. It was immensely challenging and I still know there are imperfections.
When we first started, though, I also self-produced our first EP. Not to be too hard on myself, but it essentially was trash. The songs were good but I was just struggling my way through recording things, pressing buttons until it sounded passable.
This time around, we really approached things with a more well-thought-out plan. I actually researched techniques and tips. I was still learning as I went, but comparing this latest release to the first one (which isn’t streaming anymore but I think it’s still on Bandcamp) it’s a world of difference. It feels really good to have a tangible example of our and my own growth.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/hellocentral
- Instagram: instagram.com/hellocentral
Image Credits
Photo 1 (The blue photo) Taken by Morgan Elizabeth https://www.instagram.com/morganelizabethmedia/ Photo 2 taken by Andy Riggs https://www.instagram.com/andy_dot_riggs/
