Rick Rubin, the legendary music producer and creative guru, has crafted a philosophy that transcends genres and disciplines, focusing on the universal essence of creativity. Through his work with a vast array of iconic artists and his insightful book, "The Creative Act: A Way of Being," Rubin has shared a wealth of wisdom on art, life, and the process of making something from nothing.

On the Nature of Creativity and Art

  1. "Creativity is a fundamental aspect of being human. It's our birthright. And it's for all of us."[1] - The Creative Act
  2. "To create is to bring something into existence that wasn't there before."[2][3] - The Creative Act
  3. "The object isn't to make art, it's to be in that wonderful state which makes art inevitable."[4] - The Creative Act
  4. "Look for what you notice but no one else sees."[4] - The Creative Act
  5. "The goal of art isn't to attain perfection. The goal is to share who we are. And how we see the world."[2][5] - The Creative Act
  6. "All art is a work in progress. It's helpful to see the piece we're working on as an experiment."[6] - The Creative Act
  7. "The ability to look deeply is the root of creativity. To see past the ordinary and mundane and get to what otherwise might be invisible."[7] - The Creative Act
  8. "We are born artists. And then society does its best to beat it out of us."[8] - A recurring theme in his philosophy.
  9. "Art is confrontation. It widens the audience's reality, allowing them to glimpse life through a different window."[2] - The Creative Act
  10. "Art without meaning is just decoration. The art is in the idea."[8] - A core tenet of his production style.

On the Creative Process

  1. "One of the best strategies is to lower the stakes."[4] - The Creative Act. This encourages playfulness and reduces the pressure of perfectionism.
  2. "Good habits create good art. The way we do anything is the way we do everything."[6] - The Creative Act
  3. "We never judge an idea based on the description of an idea. We always try it musically. It's a pretty important point."[9] - Interview with Zane Lowe. This emphasizes prototyping over theoretical debate.
  4. "If you have an idea you're excited about and you don't bring it to life, it's not uncommon for the idea to find its voice through another maker... because the idea's time has come."[3] - The Creative Act
  5. "Discipline and freedom seem like opposites. In reality, they are partners."[1][5] - The Creative Act
  6. "Failure is the information you need to get where you're going."[7] - The Creative Act
  7. "Sometimes disengagement is the best way to engage."[8] - The Creative Act, on the importance of rest and stepping away.
  8. "Don't give distractions any energy at all. Let them pass, like clouds parting around a mountain."[7] - The Creative Act
  9. "There's a tremendous power in using the least amount of information to get a point across."[10] - This reflects his minimalist production philosophy.
  10. "If I wanted to release 10 [songs for a completed album], I would be working on 30 to get to 10 to release. So everything's the 'best of.'"[11] - Interview with Tim Ferriss, on the power of overwriting and editing.

On Working with Artists

  1. "The goal is to create a setting where an artist can be completely vulnerable, and feel completely free to be themselves 100%... a safe place to be naked."[9] - Interview with Zane Lowe.
  2. "My job is to help artists be the best version of themselves." - A frequently stated goal in interviews.
  3. "I'm paid for the confidence that I have in my taste, and my ability to express what I feel has proven helpful for artists."[1] - Interview on what he brings to the studio.
  4. "Do you want to be right? Or do you want what's best for the work?"[8] - A question he poses to foster collaboration over ego.
  5. "He is kind of like a trusted therapist for these artists. He digs into the soul of those ideas and lets the essence show itself."[9] - A description of his process by others.
  6. He encourages artists to be true to themselves and express their genuine emotions, believing that authenticity resonates most deeply with audiences.[12]

On Mindset and Perception

  1. "As artists, we seek to restore our childlike perception: a more innocent state of wonder and appreciation."[2][6] - The Creative Act
  2. "The best art divides the audience. If everyone likes it, you probably haven't gone far enough."[2][5] - The Creative Act
  3. "We're not playing to win, we're playing to play. And ultimately, playing is fun. Perfectionism gets in the way of fun."[6] - The Creative Act
  4. "In the abundant mindset, the river never runs dry. Ideas are always coming through... If we live in a mindset of scarcity, we hoard great ideas."[5][6] - The Creative Act
  5. "The things we believe carry a charge regardless of whether they can be proven or not."[4] - The Creative Act
  6. "Success has nothing to do with variables outside yourself."[7] - The Creative Act
  7. "Average is nothing to aspire to. The goal is not to fit in."[2] - The Creative Act
  8. "We don't know what's going to make us happy. We're trying to fill something that maybe can't be filled through material or cultural success."[13] - Interview with Jay Shetty.
  9. "Whatever the result, we will receive useful information that will benefit the next experiment."[6] - The Creative Act, on viewing outcomes as learning opportunities.

On Listening and Awareness

  1. "The ability to look deeply is the root of creativity."[7] - The Creative Act
  2. "I think it just comes out of a love of doing it. Spending time with my eyes closed, listening to something—I did through my whole childhood."[14] - On how he became a better listener.
  3. "Awareness is not a state you force... It's something you actively allow to happen."[6] - The Creative Act
  4. His practice of Transcendental Meditation has played a "tremendous role" in his life, helping him to focus intently and "look very very deeply into something."[9]

On Philosophy and Life

  1. "I set out to write a book about what to do to make a great work of art. Instead, it revealed itself to be a book on how to be."[7] - On the scope of The Creative Act.
  2. "The universe never explains why."[7] - The Creative Act
  3. "We're all different and we're all imperfect, and the imperfections are what makes each of us and our work interesting."[2] - The Creative Act
  4. "Don't worry about the outcome... we can never predict the outcome."[13] - Interview with Jay Shetty.
  5. "In terms of priority, inspiration comes first. You come next. The audience comes last."[2][5] - The Creative Act
  6. "All that matters is that you are making something you love, to the best of your ability, here and now."[15] - The Creative Act
  7. "No matter what tools you use to create, the true instrument is you. And through you, the universe that surrounds us all comes into focus."[7][16] - The Creative Act
  8. "Sharing art is the price of making it. Exposing your vulnerability is the fee."[8]
  9. "Emotions are your source material."[8] - The Creative Act
  10. "Live with independent thought, try and test new ways that work for you based on your life, goals and beliefs."[17]
  11. "The artist's goal is to keep themselves pure and unattached."[2] - The Creative Act

Sources and Further Reading:

Sources

  1. wordpress.com
  2. learningmusicskills.com
  3. supersummary.com
  4. yocostudio.co.uk
  5. mysilkpath.com
  6. goodreads.com
  7. thecreativefactor.co
  8. wisdomquotes.com
  9. prototypr.io
  10. youtube.com
  11. coreywilkspsyd.com
  12. medium.com
  13. youtube.com
  14. conversationswithtyler.com
  15. goodreads.com
  16. soundslikeyoumusic.com
  17. medium.com