Cover photo for Jack O'Hara

Making Tunes

Jack O'Hara
As a kid I used to get very hyper focused on building LEGO in an OCD like way. I'd find myself in that sweet spot of focus where I could build things from dawn to dusk.

And as an adult when people ask what’s being a software engineer like or if it’s a job that might suit them - I ask them did you like playing with LEGO as a kid? I feel like there’s a crossover between those two things. But then again… not everyone took LEGO so serious as a kid so it’s not a fantastic anecdote is it?

I’ve been mucking around with music production software for a few years now. Ableton is my weapon of choice and the near limitless creativity it unlocks blows my mind. Like LEGO and software engineering I experiment with various different pieces and sometimes I’ll encounter something that really itches my skull. And then my brain will latch onto it and suddenly I’ve spent 12 hours creating songs. I love that feeling. I love the intense focus and investment that comes along with that.

Unfortunately it’s not something you can reproduce every day. With music I find the more you try to reproduce that energy - the less likely it is you’ll find yourself in that zone.

Listen to this song I made recently while I was really in that zone.