Part Three: Process: Oblique Strategies. Oblique Strategies, the I Ching and Unusual Combinations. A practical approach to using experimental techniques to unlock writer’s block.

Oblique Strategies

Oblique Strategies, developed by Peter Schmidt and Brian Eno, is a deck of cards. A different idea is printed on each card. The user can consult with the deck to provide artistic direction at any point during process. It becomes incredibly useful when writer's block sets in or an artist may need an objective thought to become unstuck. Scoates (2013), in Brian Eno: Visual Music, described the cards as "idea generating tools and tactics designed to break routine thinking patterns" (pg. 95). It's important to remember that these were created by a visual artist, Schmidt, and a multi-medium artist, Eno, so the cards were not created specifically for musicians. They can provide creative guidance in any type of creative work. In the fourth part of this series, I will reveal my own homemade system that I use for creating unusual combinations of instruments and effects.

Eno discusses Oblique Strategies on BB6 with Jarvis Cocker 

Virtual online Oblique Strategies cards: http://stoney.sb.org/eno/oblique.html

Peter Schmidt (left) and Brian Eno (right) retrieved from http://bit.ly/1Eux8VN

References

BBC 6 Music. (2010). Jarvis Cocker and Brian Eno interview. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRc7MUybCsE

Eno, B., & Schmidt, P. (1978). Oblique strategies. Opal, London.       

Scoates, C. (2013). Brian Eno: Visual Music. Chronicle Books.