Geffrey van der Bos

Manifesto of curiosity

2026-01-12T00:00:00Z

This manifesto is a declaration of my commitment to curiosity and the pursuit of knowledge.

Cognitive offloading is not an option. I refuse to rely on external tools to reduce mental effort or let them diminish the drive to seek answers.
I will avoid falling victim to digital amnesia. Technology is not used to simply store information; understanding is cultivated rather than knowing where to find it.
Knowledge is best built through active experience and reflection. Technology cannot be allowed to shortcut understanding by providing pre-packaged conclusions.
Intrinsic motivation is the priority. Learning is for the joy of discovery, embracing the ‘struggle’ and detours to obtain the result personally rather than letting AI generate it.
I won’t use technology solely for novel stimuli to relieve boredom; a deep desire to fill in gaps in knowledge is created instead.
I reject the false sense of mastery that happens when technology generates complex answers effortlessly. I prioritize actual engagement with the material over the illusion of understanding.
Human aversion to ambiguity is accepted. The goal is open-minded exploration, not the instant satisfaction technology tends to provide.
I will thrive in the accidental discoveries and tangential learning during manual research.
I will not rely on the technology black box, where conclusions are reached without knowing how. Curiosity about the underlying logic, reasoning, and mechanics of the solution prevails.
I am wary about narrowing, where technology and predictive models limit the scope to only the most probable answers.
I will not fall for the instant gratification loops: the reinforcement provided by immediate AI rewards, which conditions the brain to prefer quick answers over the slow.
The blank canvas is not something I fear. Starting a task from zero forces creative curiosity, whereas technology tends to fill that gap immediately, stifling the initial spark of invention.
My mental models of the world are what makes me me.

Productivity with background music

2026-01-12T00:00:00Z

I read each sentence twice until the wordy task description clicked. Then I wondered: is music hurting my understanding of what I read? Being a curious boy, I decided to investigate. I pulled up my trusty research tools and went to theory town. "How does background music impact my brain?" I asked in science speech. Unsurprisingly, there's a lot of research papers on this.

Mozart–Schmozart

You might have vaguely heard about the Mozart Effect.

Back in the 90s, it was a hypothesis that took the world by storm: listening to Mozart for just 10 minutes improved people's performance on spatial tasks! The conclusion was obvious. The snobs had won. Listening to classical music makes you smarter. Or so it seemed.

While initial studies sometimes replicated the effect, many others failed. Eventually, several review papers outright debunked the direct link between Mozart and enhanced spatial reasoning.

The idea of the Mozart Effect wasn't entirely a waste. It sparked curiosity about the broader impact of music on the brain.

the Arousal-Mood Hypothesis

After the Amadeus confusion, the research shifted focus. Scientists began exploring the “Arousal-Mood Hypothesis.”

This hypothesis suggests that music doesn't directly rewire your brain for specific tasks. Instead, it primarily influences your mood and arousal (how alert or calm you feel).

Up-tempo music tends to increase arousal, which can be helpful when you're feeling sluggish or doing repetitive tasks.
Slower tempos might make you calmer and may help with focus.
Music perceived as happy can boost positive mood and creativity.
Sad-sounding music might increase mind-wandering, which could be less ideal.

It seems there is a sweet spot: music too stimulating can be distracting, while too little may not have any effect.

More concentration and less comprehension?

The answer is simple, right? Just listen to the right energizing music and become a productivity beast!

Eh. Not so fast.

While music might sharpen focus, research suggests it can disrupt tasks that need deep reading, complex analysis, or critical thinking.

It does that by interfering with tasks that tap into the same brain resources needed to process the music itself.

Music Characteristic Cognitive Load Impact on Tasks Complex Music High Reduces available brainpower for the primary task. Simple/Predictable Music Low Less distracting, better for sustained focus. Music with Vocals High Disruptive for language-based tasks (reading, writing, studying) due to competing language processing. Unfamiliar Music Moderate to High Increases load as the brain attempts to process new patterns.

Sidenote: For those with musical training, subconsciously analyzing music might interfere with tasks like math or coding.

Choose wisely.

“It’s personal now”

Adding another layer of complexity, the "right" background sound is deeply personal. Music's impact is shaped by factors like your personality and neurodivergence.

For instance, some research suggests extroverts might benefit more from background music than introverts. How well you generally concentrate also influences music's effect on your performance.

Similarly, your baseline alertness plays a role. If you're already feeling focused, music might be more of an unnecessary distraction. If you're feeling sluggish, it might provide a needed boost.

Mentally drained? Music to the rescue

Research tells us that music offers a potential benefit related to productivity: combating mental fatigue.

While much research focuses on boosting performance, there's also evidence that music can help when your energy levels dip. For instance, music might alter your perception of effort, helping you push through and stay productive longer. It can reduce feelings of fatigue and sharpen mental clarity.

Binaural Beats: a special case

No discussion of music and productivity would be complete without mentioning binaural beats. Lots of research on that too. Although, nothing conclusive.

(Whether these sounds technically qualify as "music" is a fun debate for another time – read my article about defining music).

The idea is that listening to binaural beats can ‘sync your brainwaves’ to specific states, improving focus, relaxation, or memory. While some studies show modest effects, stay skeptical. Evidence supporting these claims is limited.

That doesn't mean they are not worth exploring, but don't expect miracles. If you find binaural beats work for you, great! Beat away!

Practical tips for using background music

So, how can you use background sound effectively?

Before hitting play on that “Focus Piano” playlist, consider these tips:

1. Match the music to your task

Task Type Recommended Music Type Purpose/Effect Deep focus & complex tasks (reading, writing, coding, studying) Simple, instrumental music with low complexity and predictable structure – or silence Minimizes distraction and supports sustained attention Repetitive, monotonous tasks or when fatigued Up-tempo, energizing music you know and enjoy Boosts energy and motivation Stress reduction (e.g., under deadlines) Slow, calming, simple music you find relaxing Lowers stress and promotes calm Brainstorming or creative thinking Moderately complex, positive-mood music Stimulates idea generation and creativity

2. General principles for using music

Principle Explanation Avoid lyrics for language-based tasks Lyrics engage language-processing areas, interfering with reading, writing, or complex thinking Simplicity and predictability aid focus Simple, repetitive structures are less distracting and promote concentration Familiarity and enjoyment matter Familiar, enjoyable music requires less conscious processing and better supports mood and motivation

3. Finding what works for you

Guideline Description Self-awareness & experimentation Monitor how different sounds affect focus and mood; actively test various types of music Allow adjustment and flexibility Give new music at least 5–10 minutes before judging; what works can vary day to day Approach scientific claims cautiously Evidence on effects like binaural beats is limited—trust your own experience and preferences

Trust your own experience and remember: your worth isn’t measured by your output.

Research I've used to write this article

I rely on my own analysis of research, using tools like ResearchRabbit and Asta to help in discovery. I use Zotero for managing research material and Obsidian for the knowledge management.

Angel, L. A., Polzella, D. J., & Elvers, G. C. (2010). Background Music and Cognitive Performance. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 110(3_suppl), 1059–1064. https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.110.C.1059-1064

Basu, S., & Banerjee, B. (2023). Potential of binaural beats intervention for improving memory and attention: Insights from meta-analysis and systematic review. Psychological Research, 87(4), 951–963. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-022-01706-7

Chabris, C. F. (1999). Prelude or requiem for the ‘Mozart effect’? Nature, 400(6747), 826–827. https://doi.org/10.1038/23608

Chaturvedi, V., Kaur, A. B., Varshney, V., Garg, A., Chhabra, G. S., & Kumar, M. (2022). Music mood and human emotion recognition based on physiological signals: A systematic review. Multimedia Systems, 28(1), 21–44. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00530-021-00786-6

Chee, Z. J., Chang, C. Y. M., Cheong, J. Y., Malek, F. H. B. A., Hussain, S., De Vries, M., & Bellato, A. (2024). The effects of music and auditory stimulation on autonomic arousal, cognition and attention: A systematic review. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 199, 112328. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2024.112328

Ding, C., Kim Geok, S., Sun, H., Roslan, S., Cao, S., & Zhao, Y. (2025). Does music counteract mental fatigue? A systematic review. PloS One, 20(1), e0316252. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0316252 Furnham, A., & Allass, K. (1999). The influence of musical distraction of varying complexity on the cognitive performance of extroverts and introverts. European Journal of Personality, 13(1), 27–38. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1099-0984(199901/02)13:1 <27::AID-PER318>3.0.CO;2-R

Garcia-Argibay, M., Santed, M. A., & Reales, J. M. (2019). Efficacy of binaural auditory beats in cognition, anxiety, and pain perception: A meta-analysis. Psychological Research, 83(2), 357–372. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-018-1066-8

Ingendoh, R. M., Posny, E. S., & Heine, A. (2023). Binaural beats to entrain the brain? A systematic review of the effects of binaural beat stimulation on brain oscillatory activity, and the implications for psychological research and intervention. PLOS ONE, 18(5), e0286023. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286023

Oberleiter, S., & Pietschnig, J. (2023). Unfounded authority, underpowered studies, and non-transparent reporting perpetuate the

Mozart effect myth: A multiverse meta-analysis. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 3175. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-30206-w Pietschnig, J., Voracek, M., & Formann, A. K. (2010). Mozart effect–Shmozart effect: A meta-analysis. Intelligence, 38(3), 314–323. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intell.2010.03.001

Rauscher, F. H., Shaw, G. L., & Ky, C. N. (1993). Music and spatial task performance. Nature, 365(6447), 611–611. https://doi.org/10.1038/365611a0

Rauscher, F. H., Shaw, G. L., & Ky, K. N. (1995). Listening to Mozart enhances spatial-temporal reasoning: Towards a neurophysiological basis. Neuroscience Letters, 185(1), 44–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-3940(94)11221-4

Román-Caballero, R., Vadillo, M. A., Trainor, L. J., & Lupiáñez, J. (2022). Please don’t stop the music: A meta-analysis of the cognitive and academic benefits of instrumental musical training in childhood and adolescence. Educational Research Review, 35, 100436. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2022.100436

Schellenberg, E. G. (2005). Music and Cognitive Abilities. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 14(6), 317–320. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0963-7214.2005.00389.x

Slevc, L. R., Davey, N. S., Buschkuehl, M., & Jaeggi, S. M. (2016). Tuning the mind: Exploring the connections between musical ability and executive functions. Cognition, 152, 199–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2016.03.017

Steele, K. M., Bass, K. E., & Crook, M. D. (1999). The mystery of the Mozart effect: Failure to replicate. Psychological Science, 10(4), 366–369. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9280.00169 Steele, K. M., Bella, S. D., Peretz, I., Dunlop, T., Dawe, L. A.,

Humphrey, G. K., Shannon, R. A., Kirby, J. L., & Olmstead, C. G. (1999). Prelude or requiem for the ‘Mozart effect’? Nature, 400(6747), 827–827. https://doi.org/10.1038/23611 Thompson, R. G., Moulin, C. J. A., Hayre, S., & Jones, R. W. (2005).

Music Enhances Category Fluency In Healthy Older Adults And Alzheimer’s Disease Patients. Experimental Aging Research, 31(1), 91–99. https://doi.org/10.1080/03610730590882819

Thompson, W. F., Schellenberg, E. G., & Husain, G. (2001). Arousal, Mood, and The Mozart Effect. Psychological Science, 12(3), 248–251. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9280.00345

Wang, S. (2023). The Effects of Music on Different Cognitive Performances. Journal of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, 8, 717–723. https://doi.org/10.54097/ehss.v8i.4341

Wilkins, J. (2018, April 25). Listening to music enhances spatial-temporal reasoning: Evidence for the “Mozart-Effect.” - ArtsEdSearch. https://www.artsedsearch.org/study/listening-to-music-enhances-spatial-temporal-reasoning-evidence-for-the-mozart-effect/

Wong, A. S., Moreno, M., Burns, S., & Woodruff, E. (2023). The effects of expressions of fear induced by background music on reading comprehension. Journal of Research in Reading, 46(2), 143–162. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9817.12418

Music with(out) dynamics

2026-01-09T00:00:00Z

I sat down on my comfy chair and put on Ne Obliviscaris their Urn album. "Something is off with my speakers", I thought a few minutes in. I tried adjusting the settings on my amp. Looked at the speaker position in the room. Nothing was off, yet it didn't sound right.

The music stuck to the speakers. The double bass was overpowering the guitars. The vocals should stay the same volume, no matter the instrumentation underneath. Right?

It wasn't the first time I noticed instruments getting quieter as more were introduced. It was distracting and took away the enjoyment. Then, I switched to their Exul album. It sounded better.

The feeling of music lacking the depth it needed, led me to investigate the Loudness War. I was familiar, but now I was also actively experiencing the consequences.

Ever since the rise of FM radio, (and it became really bad when CDs were introduced) engineers have been mixing records louder and flatter. And this loudness obsession really started to affect my overall music appreciation. Maybe because I listen differently? Perhaps my ears got more sensitive to it. Anyhow, it is incredibly frustrating.

Here is my plea for more dynamic range. Especially in extreme metal.

Dynamic range

Dynamic range is a group of three measurements:

Absolute dynamic range is the difference between the loudest peak and the quietest sound.
The signal-to-noise ratio is how much louder a signal is to the background noise.
And a measure on how much the peaks (like drum hits) seperate from the average loudness of the track, the peak-to-loudness ratio.

When I write ‘dynamic range’, I refer to a combination of these three measurements. This is usually expressed in decibel, so 60db indicates that the loudest sound in the mix is 60 decibels louder than the quietest sound.

The medium is important

The dynamic range is limited by the medium. Most vinyl has a range between the loudest undistorted level and the noise floor (surface noise) between 55–65 decibels (some prestine grooves might have ~70dB).

In digital audio, like CDs and streaming, it depends on the file's bit depth.

Format Bit Depth Dynamic Range Vinyl (standard LP) N/A 55–65 dB (up to 70 dB ideal outer grooves) CD Quality Digital 16-bit ~96 dB Studio/High-Res Digital 24-bit ~144 dB Streaming (lossy) 16-bit effective ~90–96 dB Streaming (lossless/hi-res) 16/24-bit ~96–144 dB

These are the theoretical 'dynamics' a medium can hold. Not the actual recording and mastering of an individual record.

Interesting sidenote: Digital audio is technically superior to vinyl in every measurable way—more range, less noise, and less distortion. However, the theoretical advantages of digital audio don't always translate into a superior listening experience, and a surprising factor comes into play: the limitations of vinyl. Overly compressed masters simply can’t be cut to vinyl without consequences. The needle would jump because the grooves would be too extreme. So to make a vinyl record, you need more dynamic versions of the record.

We like it loud, unfortunately

Perhaps we are ourselves to blame. We like a louder recording (initially). Our ears become more sensitive to bass and treble at higher volumes, making it sound better. Engineers exploit this by raising the average volume, simulating energy that isn't actually in the performance. At first, the louder version of the same track feels more exciting–even if they're technically worse.

And so, the obsession on loudness became worse. With the introduction of CDs, engineers were able to push beyond vinyl's limitations. Shortly thereafter, digital limiters were introduced. These allowed engineers to chop off the peaks precisely. With the peaks removed and the extra headroom the CD gives, the whole track could be pushed even louder. This whole practice led to 'brickwalling', where engineers would push the audio signals so far they'd look like solid blocks.

What a win!

In the meantime, radio also had to compress everything because of its own limitations. Labels started to send in these already-loud masters. And because you can't follow an exciting (read: loud) song with a quiet song (it'd bad for business!) every record was mixed louder than the previous. Thus the loudness war started. And sadly, it never really stopped.

The Loudness War no longer makes sense. We still do it. But it's the result of incompetence. Streaming platforms normalize audio by turning down tracks exceeding their target loudness, resulting in a uniform perceived loudness across the library. But here we are. Decision makers still crush the masters keeping all its distortion but losing its loudness advantage.

What over-compression sounds like

In over-compression, the higher frequencies are the first to suffer. Cymbals lose detail and start sounding 'static' instead of sparkly. You'll also recognise the 'ducking' effect when guitars and vocals dip in volume in time with the rest of the instruments.

Most of all, the small volume differences between hits and intonation are erased. Everything becomes more uniform, lifeless, and mechanical.

Example: Green Day’s Holiday

One of the best examples I could find is Green Day their American Idiot album. Compare the heavy compression on the original 2004 release of Green Day's Holiday with the remastered Deluxe version. (Disable your service their normalization for the best effect.) It's unbelievable.

On the 2004 version, the snare hits sound slammed, where the remasters let them ring out longer. The original's distorted guitar chords blend with no separation; the remasters reveal space between notes. The vocals also stay unnaturally loud in the compressed version, with no contrast between the shouted parts and the spoken segments. Overall, it is fatiguing to listen to several heavily-compressed songs. But not to the ones with a larger dynamic range.

Dynamics aren't optional in extreme metal

What puzzles me the most is the decision to compete in the Loudness War in extreme metal. The consequences of this war are especially damaging to genres where intricate instrumentation and dramatic shifts in volume are crucial to the artistic expression.

Destroying dynamic range was a technical fix for a marketing problem. A problem that no longer exists, especially not for music that isn’t chasing radio play.

Without dynamic range, that beautifully written section with its great build-up and pay-off falls flat. The emotional arc collapses. And it is the intricacies of the songwriting and instrumentation, the feeling of power and satisfaction when a quiet section builds into a crescendo of virtiosity, is why I listen to extreme metal in the first place! Why take that away from us?

Privacy and security

2025-11-04T00:00:00Z

⚠️ This article includes interactive elements. View the full experience on the site.

I’m growing more concerned about privacy and security. Every conglomerate trains their AI models on your information. Each tiny corner on the web is scraped. It's mental.

Everything

Ever since social media and the advertisement business model the internet turned dystopian. They've started tracking everything. Even the stuff you didn't know they were. They'll register who you message. And when. And how often. They'll track you across the internet from laptop to phone and back. You can hide that pack of sigarettes from your wife. But not from them.

They know what channels you're subscribed to. The newsletters you get. What media you consume. The things that get you riled. They recorded the stuff you’ve said.

Are we okay with this?

I have nothing to hide

“I have nothing to hide.” If I hear this effin’ cliché one more time, I'm going to write an essay about it! Oh.

From these things in this huge list, you've got nothing you rather kept to yourself?

Yeah. Scary. And we all act as if this is the most normal thing ever. Sure, you’ll have to trust some organisations. And we can’t do without in exchange for some luxeries. But this? This is madness.

What’s the worry?

“This information is collected. It’s scary but so what?”

I hear you. Let me share my concerns: The most frightening fact is that your information is stored in someone else their database. You’ve lost control over it. You don’t know what happens to it. It could be bought. It might leak. You don't even know it exists!

Sure, this information being available opens you up to identity fraud and targetted scams. Sounds dangerous, but you’re careful. No worries there.

However, your ideology and your political convictions are out in the open, too. And who you mingle with. The things you bought. Everything that is in the huge list above will be up for grabs at one point.

And there is where it gets dangerous.

Knowing this, a bank might not give you a loan. A potential employer might not want to take the risk hiring you. Decision are being made for you because of the information out there.

Are these examples illegal? Yes. Hopefully. Do the decision-makers care? Unlikely.

Consider the possibility that your actions become punishable by law. Do you trust today’s and tomorrow’s governments? Do you trust them not to blacklist you because you searched “VPN services”? No consequences of expressing your opinion on same-sex marriage? Making statements about a certain war?

Privacy is personal. It is the awareness that the more you give up, the better malicious actors can target you. Regardless that actor is your government or a terrorist group. Or when your government are the terrorists.

Think twice about what information you share with who. Who you trust. Whether it’s the company hired by your doctor to hold your medical records or the new app everybody uses.

How can you protect your freedom if you don’t protect your privacy?

All you need is 3 plain text files

2025-10-04T00:00:00Z

It's been years since you bought Things 3. You used it a lot. Then a bit less. Now, it's decoration on your Home Screen. You watched YouTubers glorify Notion. Databases, slash commands, and workflows galore! You were hooked, yet still got nothing done.

Then you read the essay. That was it! The truth! “Software companies are selling you access to your own data!”. Luckily, the essayist had the solution: plain text files in Obsidian.

You spend months finding the perfect plugins and themes. You’re still tinkering today, ashamed of the hours wasted. Regardless, you keep coming back to the same realisation: All you need are three files!

The holy trifecta: calendar.md, todo.md, and a journal file.

Mere text files on your desktop. Or wherever you’re storing them. Plop them in iCloud. Use Syncthing and get mad at Apple. Heck, use Git, you nerd.

Text files are goated.

Open them in any text editor. Use simple scripts to automate, extract, and transform them. As long as machines exist, the files will be readable.

No more lock-in for you, buddy. Enjoy the freedom.

Calendar

We’ll start with the calendar.md, based on calendar.txt. You can write a script to generate a few years worth of lines, or download a pre-filled file. Anyhow, it’ll look like this:

2025-11-17 w47 ma  11 Release +software @work.
2025-11-18 w47 di  
2025-11-19 w47 wo  10:30 Design. 14 Lunch with @Peter.
2025-11-20 w47 do  
2025-11-21 w47 vr  09:30 Launch new +initiative. 15 Retro.
2025-11-22 w47 za  
2025-11-22 w47 za  
2025-11-23 w47 zo  16-21 🍽️ Dinner with @mom
2025-11-24 w48 
2025-11-24 w48 ma  
2025-11-25 w48 di  Day in Amsterdam. 14 Check-in +corporateSite.
2025-11-26 w48 wo  
2025-11-27 w48 do  
2025-11-28 w48 vr  
2025-11-29 w48 za  +bd 
2025-11-30 w48 zo  
2025-12-01 w49  
2025-12-01 w49 ma  
2025-12-02 w49 di  15 Introduction with new PM.
2025-12-03 w49 wo  +hol 🛫 holiday. 14:30-16 AMS-COP.
2025-12-04 w49 do  +hol 🍹 holiday
2025-12-05 w49 vr  +hol 🍹 holiday. 12 Check-out 🛎️.
[..]
2027-10-13 w41 Wed  
2027-10-14 w41 Thu  
2027-10-15 w41 Fri  
2027-10-16 w41 Sat  
2027-10-17 w41 Sun  
[..]

Look at that. Your whole life’s planning in one astonishing list. Easily tagged and searched. No need to click around in an infuriating UI.

Find today’s date, add two spaces after the day abbreviations and type your event. Is it a whole day thing? Don’t add a timestamp. A dot denotes the end of the entry. Use plusses (+) for projects, use at symbols (@) for contexts. Adding these will allow you to easily filter lists.

That’s all there is to it.

Todo

Todo.md is the exact same as todo.txt. I just changed the extension to .md for compatibility reasons. The syntax is slightly more complex than calendar.md. But it isn’t rocket science.

Each line is a task. Tasks can have priorities ((A)), projects (+GarageSale), and contexts (@phone). The same concept as calendar.md. A task's creation date can follow the priority. If you find that useful. Completed tasks begin with an x and an optional completion date. (Sometimes, it’s helpful to see what you did when.) Other info can be added with a key:value format.

(A) Buy insoles for winter shoes
(A) Add windscreen fluid to car
(B) Reduce own risk on our health insurances due:2025-12-24
(C) Write cancellation letter to redacted service
Pay back taxes – calculate validity due:2026-01-06
Clean fridge glass panes 🧊
Learn out how it works after a bid on a house, with a notary etc.
Add updated [[workout plan]] to Liftin'
Finish branding concept for digital @work due:2025-12-01
Make a Kanban board in Jira 🤮 for @work items
Solve tech/design debt, create better versions of search result variants @work
x 2025-11-22 (A) put pork out of freezer in fridge for tomorrow

I use Apple Shortcuts to append new tasks easily. No need for fancy apps.

And yes. It looks messy after a while. Luckily there are syntax highlighters (1, 2, 3) around.

Journal

This one is often called the One Big Text File (OBTF). Each year, you create a file that’ll hold all your thoughts. Write anything underneath the day heading. Your deepest, darkest secrets. Nice happy moments. And that thing you can’t stop thinking about when you wake at 02:00. Here’s a made-up 2025.md:

## 2025-11-23
- Trying out a new Pomodoro timer app. Seems… fine. I think my focus is more influenced by music than by time.
- Started sketching out the layout for the musicology blog. 
    - Thinking a minimalist approach, lots of white space.
- Found a great article on the history of the electric guitar.
    - Adding it to my Zotero queue here: [[The history of the electric guitar]]
    - The [[electric guitar]] was developed in the early 20th century 
    - Significant advancements occurring in the 1930s
    - [[George Beauchamp]] created the first commercially successful model, known as the "Frying Pan." 
    
## 2025-11-24
- Piano practice went well! Managed to play through a simple exercise without too many mistakes. I think it's the posture. Next session I should keep this in mind.
- Experimenting with different CSS themes for Obsidian. Gruvbox is growing on me.
- Had a good conversation with Julia about the house hunting process. She's right, we need to be more critical of the properties we view.
    - Got a good tip on #buyingHouses, always bid at the last moment. This way, the broker can't instruct anyone else to overbid.

## 2025-11-25
- Spent way too long tweaking my Neovim config. It's a rabbit hole! But it feels good to have your own crafted editor.
- Thinking about the connection between [[music and memory]]. Why do songs evoke such strong memories? I should look into that. #curios
- Finally replied to Peter about [[his design project|Peters design project]]. Sounds interesting, but I'm already overloaded. Politely declined.

You’ll feel awkward the first few days. “What do I write!?” I'm telling you: trust the process. Eventually you will start noticing things just pop-up. You’ll write them down and the snowball starts rolling.

Oh, if you’re doing Zettelkasten, use this file too. Write down everything you learn. From concrete insights to intuitions. Anything you find interesting. When it warrants a stand-alone note, write it and tag it here. It’ll become your learning hub.

That’s all there is to it. Now, you’ll be able to find and filter through your life. Forever.

Introduction to music theory

2025-09-10T00:00:00Z

⚠️ This article includes interactive elements. View the full experience on the site.

Music theory isn't as complicated as you thought. I'm unsure whether it is snobbery or I've just never been taught 'the right way'. Regardless, here's how I made sense of it.

Melody and harmony in music starts with the distance between notes (interval). I am going to outright skip meter and rhythm for this introduction. But it is a fundamental aspect of music that I will cover in a future essay.

Find the ♠ note on the piano keys below. Now, locate the adjacent key (♥). This distance is called a semitone. Find the key next to that (♦). Two semitones make up a whole tone (♠ to ♦).

 ___________________________
|  | | | |  |  | | | | | |  |
|  | | | |  |  | | | | | |  | 
|  |♥| | |  |  | | | | | |  |
|  |_| |_|  |  |_| |_| |_|  | 
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   | 
| ♠ | ♦ |   |   |   |   |   | 
|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|

*Generate your own ascii piano at the end of this page.

Notes and their names

A common way to refer notes is by letters of the alphabet.

Find the C note by locating the white key to the left of the two-black-key group; that key is C (♠ on the keyboard above).

From there, the whole tone notes are C → D → E → F → G → A → B. Teachers often start from C because it is an easy reference point on the keyboard.

 _______________________________________
|  | | | |  |  | | | | | |  |  | | | |  |
|  | | | |  |  | | | | | |  |  | | | |  |
|  | | | |  |  | | | | | |  |  | | | |  |
|  |_| |_|  |  |_| |_| |_|  |  |_| |_|  |
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| C | D | E | F | G | A | B | C | D | E |
|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|

In between the tones there are sharps (♯) or flats (♭). They are the same pitch on a piano and which name you use depends on some rules I will not cover here.

Start with C and go up one semitone to C♯ (same as D♭). Go down a semitone from G you get G♭ (also F♯).

 ___________________________
|  | | | |  |  | | | | | |  |
|  D♭| | |  |  | | | | | |  |
|  C♯| | |  |  |G♭ | | | |  |
|  |_| |_|  |  |_| |_| |_|  |
| ↗ |   |   |   | ↖ |   |   |
| C |   |   |   | G |   |   |
|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|

Scales

Most Western music is based on groupings of fixed distances called musical scales. (And variations on scales called modes.) For example, a major scale is always in the fixed intervals of tone-tone-semitone-tone-tone-tone-semitone (1-1-½-1-1-1-½).

 C major scale     
 _______________________________________
|  | | | |  |  | | | | | |  |  | | | |  |
|  | | | |  |  | | | | | |  |  | | | |  |
|  | | | |  |  | | | | | |  |  | | | |  |
|  |_| |_|  |  |_| |_| |_|  |  |_| |_|  |
|   1   1   ½   1   1   1   ½   |   |   |
| o | • | • | • | • | • | • | o | • | • |
|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|

A scale covers an octave and then repeats; albeit in a pitch 12 semitones lower or higher. In the plain-text graphs, I use o to denote the starting note (also called the tonic, the key, root, or home). From the tonic, everything else is 'calculated'.

Composers use different scales to create different moods. Major scales might sound bright, happy, or stable. Minor scales sound sad, dark, or tense. Modes (scale variations) give distinct flavors:

Dorian feels jazzy/folk,
Phrygian sounds exotic or tense,
Lydian sounds dreamy.

Chords

Chords are groupings of notes that sound well together. We’ll use a common chord as example: the major triad. Triad meaning ‘three notes’.

Again, it’s all about the distance between notes. For a major triad:

The distance from the first to the second note is 4 semitones.
The distance from the second to the third note is 3 semitones.

Count them on the keys below.

 ___________________________
|  | | | |  |  | | | | | |  |
|  |1| |3|  |  |2| | | | |  | 
|  | | | |  |  | | | | | |  |
|  |_| |_|  |  |_| |_| |_|  | 
|   | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 |   |   | 
| o |   | • |   | • |   |   | 
|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|

Play the C, E and G notes together and you’ll hear a C major chord.

Of course, major triads are not the only chords. There’s also minor, diminished, and augmented chords. There are seventh chords, ninth chords, suspended chords, and extended chords. And combinations and weirdness in between. For the sake of simplicity I will not cover them.

Also, you can invert chords by putting the second or third note in the bass. A C is still a C wherever you play it.

Harmony and progression

Good sounding chords supporting a melody (a sequence of notes) is called harmony. Composers sequence chords (chord progressions) from the scale to create interesting harmonies.

We’re about to travel up and down the scale, so I’ll use Roman numerals to name the chords built on each scale 'note'.

Below an example of the C major scale and a more complex E harmonic minor scale. The casing (big or small letters) on the numerals indicate the quality of the chord.

Uppercase = major chord (4 semitones + 3 semitones).
Lowercase = minor chord (3 + 4)
° = diminished (3 semitones + 3 semitones).
+ = augmented (4 + 4). In general, all the chords should fit in the scales. There are exceptions like borrowed chords, but … simplicity.

C major scale
 ____________________________
|  | | | |  |  | | | | | |  |
|  | | | |  |  | | | | | |  |
|  | | | |  |  | | | | | |  | 
|  |_| |_|  |  |_| |_| |_|  | 
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| o | • | • | • | • | • | • |
|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|
  I  ii  iii IV   V  vi  vii°

E harmonic minor scale
                ii°                vii°
 _______________________________________
|  | | | |  |  | | | | | |  |  | | | |  |
|  | | | |  |  |•| | | | |  |  | | |•|  |
|  | | | |  |  | | | | | |  |  | | | |  |
|  |_| |_|  |  |_| |_| |_|  |  |_| |_|  |
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   | o |   | • | • | • | • |   |   |
|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|
          I      III+ iv  V  VI

Every place in the scale has a role.

I — tonic: home, stable.
ii and IV — subdominants: move away from home, prepare change.
V and vii° — dominants: create tension that wants to resolve back to I.

A common pattern, for example, is to go from tonic → subdominant → dominant → tonic.

Other common progressions are:

I – V – vi – IV : a pop staple.
ii – V – I : classic jazz cadence.
vi – IV – I – V : common pop ballad loop
I – vi – IV – V : 1950s progression; gentle movement with clear return.

Don’t feel limited by four chords, by the way. Or sticking to one scale the whole composition. Or the same key. Experiment. Make interesting music. Please, the world needs more interesting music!

Your practice

With these building blocks, you can now start composing music yourself.

Pick a note (key).
Choose a scale.
Choose a starting chord (I is safest).
Move to a chord that changes role (try I → IV).
Add a dominant (V).
Return to I and feel the resolution.
Repeat it or vary to make musical phrases.

That’s honestly all there is to it.

Things I simplified and outright skipped

We often stack additional notes (from the scale, like the third note) on top of triads to make more interesting chords.
Voice leading is moving each note from one chord to the next as smoothly as possible. Good voice leading makes progressions avoid jarring jumps.
I completely skipped rhythm and meter. But it is HUGE part of music. I assumed you already knew this.

There is so much more to learn about music.

A plain text piano generator

I adore plain text solutions. The longevity, ease of use, the ability to just jot it in my journal as I go. So, here's a ascii piano generator.

Why we are never satisfied

2025-08-01T00:00:00Z

Humans have a tendency to adapt to positive or negative life changes. Always returning to their baseline happiness.

This tendency—what Brickman and Campbell (1971) call hedonic adaptation—explains why the joy of a new purchase, promotion, or achievement often fades surprisingly quickly.

As I write this, I have this nagging thought that “I should move closer to a city; that’ll make me happier.” Knowing full well that once I’ve moved, I’d be hunting down the next thing that might make me happier.

Although the hedonic treadmill alone gives us a rather pessimistic outlook, recent research updated the model with some positives:

most individuals have a positive rather than neutral baseline,
set points vary between individuals based on personality factors,
people have multiple happiness set points across different life domains,
adaptation rates differ between individuals, and
people can learn skills to sustainably enhance well-being.

The last point offers hope and begs the question: what skills can I learn to overcome hedonic adaptation?

The sneaky power of our environment

First, before we start with modifying our own behavior, let’s look at our environment, which plays a huge role in hedonic adaptation.

In our modern world, we're surrounded by temptations, from perfectly placed snacks at the grocery store checkout to ads selling all kinds of products.

This "obesogenic environment," makes us susceptible to impulsive decisions. Because of the constant barrage of new temptations, we're continuously enticed into seeking that next “fleeting pleasure”.

This creates that vicious cycle of adaptation.

We buy something, get a temporary happiness boost, adapt to it, and then our visible and convenient environment presents the next thing we think we need to feel good again.

The good news is, we can use this same principle to our advantage.

Think of it this way: instead of relying on willpower to resist that roll of Oreos, what if you simply moved it out of sight? Or better yet, what if you placed a bowl of [anything healthier] in its place? (I do this replacing the notorious ‘car winegums’ with raisins.)

This doesn’t only apply to food.

Leave your phone at home when you’re going to the park (😱). Use Instagram their dumbed-down web version on the phone. Put your coke in the garage instead of on the dinner table. I don’t know. You do you.

This simple act of modifying your environment can significantly reduce the mental effort needed to make a better choice. The key here is to proactively change your surroundings so they don’t sabotage you from the get-go.

Taming the treadmill

Our minds are wired to take things for granted. The new car that brought us so much joy becomes just "the car." The comfortable, hard-earned home becomes just "home." This is the core of hedonic adaptation.

But we can fight back by consciously appreciating what we already have. This is where mindfulness and gratitude come in. And I hear you, “Ugh, this hippie shit again.” Yet, hear me out. Sure, the word "mindfulness" is a modern term, but the concept is ancient.

Ancient Buddhism (c. 5th Century BCE): Sati (Pali), Smriti (Sanskrit) or Sampajañña (Pali).
Early Christianity and Medieval Europe: Contemplative Prayer and Apatheia (Stoicism and Early Christianity).
19th and Early 20th Century Philosophy: Pure Consciousness
Late 20th Century (Post-1970s): Mindfulness.

It all comes down to ‘being in the moment’. Appreciating the current moment instead of craving for ‘future pleasure’ or past.

By practicing it, we train our minds (like a muscle) to notice the good things that are already here.

When you’re more mindful, you start to see that a lot of what you value is already in your life. This can reduce your impulsivity, making those future rewards—the "next thing" you're chasing—seem less valuable. So, next time you're enjoying something, try turning off your phone and really soaking it in (active listening to music is transformative, truly).

Gratitude practices take this a step further. Instead of just noticing, we're actively appreciating. Keeping a gratitude journal, for example, is a powerful way to shift your focus from what's missing to what's present.

You're not just writing a list; you’re systematically documenting the abundance in your life, whether it’s a good cup of coffee, a kind word from a colleague, or something adorable your dog did.

Studies show that these practices can lead to a lasting increase in happiness and a decrease in depressive symptoms. They help us break the cycle of constantly wanting more by showing us that we already have enough.

The self-control secret: it's not about denying pleasure

You might think that to get off the hedonic treadmill, you need to become a pleasure-denying robot (‘not a sexbot’).

That is false.

Research suggests that people with higher self-control actually get more enjoyment from their favorite activities.

How? Because they're not indulging on a whim. They’re being strategic.

Instead of fighting temptations with sheer willpower—which often leads to burnout—they use self-control and planning strategies. For instance, they might plan their purchases ahead of time or turn off their phone during a leisure activity.

This "proactive" approach is far more effective than trying to resist a craving in the moment.

You can get more skillful in this by becoming more aware of your emotions. When you feel a certain way—like boredom or sadness—that might trigger an impulsive decision (e.g. mastrubation–you know it), simply acknowledging that feeling can help you choose a different, more beneficial path.

So, instead of just numbing yourself with a mediocre series after a bad day, you could try planning a fun activity you know you'll genuinely enjoy. (Make a list of things you enjoy for occasions like this!)

You're not denying yourself pleasure; you're making a conscious choice to indulge in a way that feels more fulfilling and less like a quick fix.

The power of shaking things up

Our brains love novelty. The new, the surprising, the unexpected—these things grab our attention and give us a hit of happiness. But when we do the same thing over and over, that feeling fades.

This is where a variety and novelty approach comes in.

To prevent hedonic adaptation from taking hold, we need to introduce change into our lives, especially when it comes to the things we do for fun. Think about it: a surprise vacation will probably make you happier than taking the same trip to the same place every year. The same goes for smaller things, like trying a new restaurant or a new hobby.

One easy way to do this is to break up your consumption patterns. Instead of going to the same coffee shop every morning (what a luxery!), try that new tea place on the corner.

Or if you always listen to the same music, switch it up! I ask LLMs for a list of obscure music genres and their representative bands. Or explore the numerous of sub-gernes on Every Noise.

You can also try creating a rotation of enjoyable activities so you're not always doing the same thing. The goal is to keep things fresh, so the rewards don't diminish over time. This approach helps you get off that addictive cycle of needing more and more to feel good.

Finding the sweet spot between pleasure and purpose

Ultimately, getting off the hedonic treadmill isn't about avoiding pleasure; it's about not making pleasure your only goal.

We need to find a balance between two types of well-being:

Hedonic well-being—the pursuit of pleasure and positive emotions.
Eudaimonic well-being—the pursuit of meaning and purpose.

An overemphasis on either one can be a problem. Chasing pleasure alone leads us right back to the treadmill. But focusing only on purpose and meaning is draining if you're not enjoying the journey.

The real secret to lasting happiness is to integrate both.

For example, instead of just mindlessly clicking in the Youtube sink-hole (purely hedonic), you could watch a thought-provoking documentary that sparks your curiosity (hedonic + eudaimonic).

Or, you could volunteer for a cause you care about (eudaimonic) and then celebrate your hard work with a nice dinner (hedonic).

It’s about being intentional with your pursuits, recognizing that sustainable happiness comes not from maximizing one thing, but from thoughtfully weaving both pleasure and purpose into your daily life.

Defining music is surprisingly hard

2024-08-01T00:00:00Z

Everyone intuitively knows what music is. But when you ask them to define it… well, it is really hard to pin down one definitive answer. Philosophers and scientists have been racking their brains on this for ages.

Some have tried to boil it down to mere physics: organized sound. Other thinkers have been questioning the whole idea of a definition for music itself.

So, where does that leave us?

The challenges with defining music

We'll explore the main definitions of music, pinpoint the problems and challenges, and eventually come to a better way to think about this elusive concept.

One paper, “What is Music, Anyway?” by Andrew Bowie, points out something fundamental: We don’t agree on the thing we’re trying to define in the first place.

To illustrate this point, he brings up Wittgenstein’s idea of family resemblance.

Think about all the music across cultures and history. Is there one single element that it all shares?

Probably not.

Instead, he argues that it’s more about overlapping similarities across the concept ‘music’. Like members of a family might share similar features, yet there’s not one single feature everyone has.

If that’s the case, trying to find a rigid definition is probably doomed from the start. The boundaries aren’t fixed; they shift.

Bowie’s conclusion is that every dictionary definition of music is only an historical snapshot.

Consider the ancient Greek concept of mousikē; it included poetry, dance, drama, and even athletics. That’s quite different from the music we know now.

Thinkers like composers Edgard Varèse and Pierre Schaeffer attempted to define music in a more physical manner. They called it “organized sound” or “sound organized in time”.

Yet, the problem with reducing music to its physical properties is that it misses the artist’s intent, cultural meaning, or emotional impact.

Trying to find a rigid definition is probably doomed from the start

Levinson and Kania their definitions

The previous definitions might be relevant in some cases, yet it’s not the all-encompassing definition we’re looking for.

This leads us to more modern attempts, like Jerrold Levinson's and Andrew Kania’s proposals.

Jerrold Levinson's definitio is as follows:

Sounds temporally organized by a person for the purpose of enriching or intensifying experience through active engagement (e.g. listening, dancing, performing) with the sounds regarded primarily, or in significant measure, as sounds.

Stephen Davies argues that Levinson’s definition is limited, and too focused on Western concert music.

Music doesn’t always have the purpose of enriching experiences. Think of background music; many will still call muzak music.

“Happy birthday” is music, but its composer likely didn’t intend it to deeply enrich the singer’s experience.

Movie soundtracks, as well, are often intended for unconscious influence and not actively engaged.

And music can be used for many non-aesthetic purposes, too. Like the music on your alarm clock.

Another definition, this time by Andrew Kania is:

Music is (1) any event intentionally produced or organized (2) to be heard, and (3) either (a) to have some basic musical features, such as pitch or rhythm or (b) to be listened for such features.

It's comprehensive, yet there’s a lot this definition doesn’t include:

Military marching music is not primarily intended to be listened to.
Some people read scores silently and consider this a form of music.
Avant-garde or experimental music might avoid features such as pitch or rhythm. Some music relies on timbre, microtones, or textures.

It’s even hard to define what counts as a ‘basic musical feature’. Our Western view on ‘musical features’ might be completely different from other cultures.

Kania’s attempt seems to be too broad and too narrow, and overly reliant on intention. It also doesn’t account for cultural differences nor is it future-proof.

McKeon Green also has trouble with these interpretations. He argues that what we think music is changes constantly.

He continues arguing that its problematic that institutions, critics, journals, and the industry all decide what gets called music. But those decisions aren’t always based on clear rules.

So these are not fit for defining music properly, either.

What we think music ís, is inconsistent and changes over time.

Given these challenges, if finding one perfect definition is basically impossible, what’s the alternative?

Many definitions—not just one

Adrian Currie and Anton Killen suggests something called conceptual pluralism: the idea that there is no one right answer.

There might be several different, non-competing concepts of music.

The one you use depends on what you’re interested in.

Music could be defined by the experiences it gives.
It can be looked at in relation to cultural or social function.
Music as a cognitive trait (musicality) versus a cultural construct (music).
Ian Cross offers the concept of music based on musical practices, like scales and timbre.
It could looked at as an object for appreciation and artistic value.
Scientific research might even need a more practical definition, like how sounds are organized each millisecond.

All these perspectives on understanding what we call music seem totally valid.

Music can have many definitions, and these don't have to compete with one another

The question shouldn’t be What is music? It’s What do you mean by ‘music’ in this context?

Ultimately, accepting that there’s no single, all encompassing definition isn’t a lack of interest in finding out—it allows us to appreciate the diverse, ever-evolving landscape of organized sound.

Maybe the reason the music is so fascinating is that it’s hard to pin down exactly what it is.

Convert Spotify library to markdown

2024-07-12T00:00:00Z

⚠️ This article includes interactive elements. View the full experience on the site.

When my Spotify account glitched and my libary showed up empty, I became very aware of the fact my 'music collection' was vendor locked. To lose the 1200 (!) albums I've saved over the years, was frightening to say the least.

Luckily, under some regulations, Spotify is forced to have your information exportable. Grab it under the Download your data heading in your Spotify privacy settings.

After a few days, you'll receive a couple of .json files with your streaming history, playlists–and most interesting to me–a list of everything in your Spotify library.

I (or rather, ChatGPT and I) then wrote this Python script that can take in this YourLibrary.json and spit out individual Markdown files for every album in the list. With the artist name, album name and Spotify URI in the frontmatter.

import json
import os
import re

# create front matter and content for Markdown file
def create_markdown_content(artist, album, uri):
    front_matter = f"""---
artist: "{artist.replace('"', "'")}"
album: "{album.replace('"', "'")}"
uri: "{uri}"
---
"""
    return front_matter

# sanitize album names for use as filenames
def sanitize_album_name(album_name):
    # Replace periods at the start with an underscore, thanks Slipknot.
    if album_name.startswith('.'):
        album_name = '_' + album_name[1:]
    # Replace special characters with an underscore, for all normal album names
    album_name = re.sub(r'[\\/*?:"<>|,]', '_', album_name)
    return album_name

# export each album to an individual Markdown file
def export_albums_to_markdown(albums, folder):
    for album in albums:
        artist = album['artist']
        album_name = album['album']
        uri = album['uri']

        # Sanitize album name to be used as a filename
        safe_album_name = sanitize_album_name(album_name)

        # Create Markdown content
        content = create_markdown_content(artist, album_name, uri)

        file_name = os.path.join(folder, f"{safe_album_name}.md")

        # Write the markdown file
        with open(file_name, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as f:
            f.write(content)
        print(f"Exported: {file_name}")

if __name__ == '__main__':
    # Ask for the JSON file location
    json_file_path = input("Enter the path to YourLibrary.json: ")

    # Check if the 'albums' folder exists, create if not
    folder = 'albums'
    if not os.path.exists(folder):
        os.makedirs(folder)

    # Load and parse the JSON file
    try:
        with open(json_file_path, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as file:
            data = json.load(file)
        # Export albums to markdown in the 'albums' folder
        export_albums_to_markdown(data['albums'], folder)
    except FileNotFoundError:
        print(f"No file found at {json_file_path}. Please check the path and try again.")
    except json.JSONDecodeError:
        print(f"Error decoding JSON from file {json_file_path}. Please ensure it's a valid JSON file.")
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"An unexpected error occurred: {e}")

To download the coverart of each album, I have a script that is a bit more involved. It uses the Spotify API. Use the form in my site's footer to reach out and I can help you with that, if you like.