I suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder; which is an anxiety based disorder that includes intrusive thoughts, repetitive behaviours, and general obsessions. Utilizing OCD to my advantage and learning how to wield it effectively allows me to focus hard and not miss any details in my life. Most consider it a downfall or an "issue," the key is to take a step out of the shadow of negatives and into the light. I find it to be a blessing as it allows me to achieve my maximum potential through extreme brain power. Yes there are odd side effects, but the key is to put a positive spin on everything. The following are some examples of what I deal with and how they can be of aid in my life. 

It gives me a touch of perfectionism. Things must be aligned, proper and respect the boundaries set in place. For example when working on school projects I will not be satisfied 'till things are 100% completed and done properly. I enjoy being proud of my completed works and feel embarrassed to share anything that hasn't had all my heart and soul poured into it.

I have an obsession over being clean and tidy. This leads to extreme organization and a spotless working environment.

I constantly check things repeatedly. You will find me looking around a lot at the floor, the ceiling, myself, others, my items etc. I'm constantly evaluating my surroundings and I take notes of every subtle movement. This ties back with perfectionism and placement. Things have to be in the right places or I begin to stress over them and proceed to fix them. I'm sure most of my classmates notice me take my glasses off and put them back on... over and over. This is because if they are not 100% comfortable I have to adjust them. It drives me absolutely insane having to constantly move them but I cannot help myself. Checking has led me to have an excellent sense of awareness and never forget the little things like leaving the door unlocked.

I count and arrange things obsessively. In elementary school they could not have the clocks up on the walls as I would always count every second and plan the next minute, half hour, hour, day etc. Always thinking of my next move and attempting to perceive what would occur around me next. It would drive me insane. Now I wear a watch and even though I check it almost every minute, I've gotten better at controlling my obsession. Counting has led me to never be late for anything. Period. As well as incredible planning and efficiency.

Now I'm not a washer like most assume because I have OCD. So I don't wash my hands like a mad man. Though I do hate contamination, and will proceed to clean myself off instantly if I get dirty. This is good as I rarely get sick, due to being clean.

I doubt things a lot. I'm afraid things won't be perfect or done correctly. When working on group projects at school you'll find me constantly question the quality of our work, rehearsing and attempting to improve it at all costs. Things have to go 100% smoothly or I start to get headaches.

Tapping and motions... this annoys those around me I know for a fact. I can't stay still so something has to be moving. However I move not because I want to but because I have a compulsion to. The more I move, the more I can focus my brain on the tasks. It helps clear my thoughts because if I don't move it's as if my brain gets clouded and I begin to battle a war within my mind. This can allow for extreme focus when necessary.

The last thing and most irritating for me is thought intrusion. There will be times where I am thinking about something and then a random thought pops in. Something I don't want to think about but it gets stuck. So I then have to fight the thought out of my mind and it can drive me insane. I've had horrible timing during tests with it. I will be doing math and write down a number, for example "7." Then when I move onto the next questions that "7" sticks with me and from there on in it finds its way into every equation for no reason. So I need to fight the thought and push it out. The only time this comes in handy is when I have to memorize or remember something.

So there you have it! I "suffer" from involuntary, seemingly uncontrollable thoughts, images and deal with impulses. But I've found ways to accept them and use them to my advantage.

Tools and software are necessities when producing content. I use a wide variety of them when producing music, designing and editing. I'll list the main tools and software I enjoy using and what their primary uses are for. I will also include tips on them in later blog posts, so stay tuned.

Software

FL Studio 11 + Plugins
This piece of software is a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). It is a complete software music production environment and has everything you need in one package to compose, arrange, record, edit, mix and master professional quality music. I've grown up using it and have become familiar with it over the last 10 or so years. Through it's updates over time it has become better and better and now is my favourite choice to produce music in. Some key plugins to note are Massive VST, Nexus, and Kontakt. These contain all kinds of instruments and samples to use in your music. Utilizing midi tools like the ones I list below, you can play keystrokes and this software will record them. Combining hand played melodies with samples and effects leads to full blown music. It is literally the fastest way to place music you can think of onto speakers.

Photoshop CS6
Photoshop is a raster graphics editor that has the abilities to edit and render complex photos. I use it primarily for editing photographs I take as well as graphic edits. I created my brand image within it, YouTube thumbnails and have even performed freelance work for others.

After Effects CS6
AE is a digital motion graphic, visual effects and compositing piece of software that I primarily use for creating videos. It has many possibilities and is a fun program to play around with and experiment within.

Virtual DJ Pro/Traktor 2
These two pieces of software share the same purpose. They are used to mix music, with the use of a DJ controller. I mention the one I personally use below under Tools.

Gyazo
This is my favourite way to share what I'm working on with friends or potential clients. It is similar to the snipping tool except once you select the area you want to screenshot and share, it automatically uploads online and provides a link to use.

Tools

M-Audio Oxygen 61 Midi Keyboard
Pressure sensitive keys, assignable knobs and sliders; all the things you hope for in a keyboard. The Oxygen 61 by M-Audio is my favourite keyboard to play music on and works flawlessly with FL Studio.

Akai MPK Mini
Perhaps the most versatile tool out there. It is an ultra-compact keyboard with 25 keys, 8 backlit MPC-style pads and 8 Q-Link knobs. Plus buttons for extra control. It is as small as a notebook and almost as light as one too. Great for producing music on the go or when you don't want to bust out the full scale piano. Plus the pads are great for laying out drum patterns.

Hercules DJ Controller
This is a great dj control surface for beginners. Has 2 decks, built in audio inputs, pressure sensitive jog wheels, sliders, faders, knobs etc. Essentially everything you'll ever need to DJ. An added bonus is how small it is.

Nikon D3100 DSLR
A DX format DSLR Nikon F-mount camera. Not the greatest camera you can buy in the present day, however it gets the job done successfully. Has HD video capabilities and all the main features you'd want in a camera like shutter speed settings, built-in pop up flash, interchangeable lens etc.

V-Moda Crossfade LP
Best headphones that will never break. Period.

There you have it! That's all the primary tools I enjoy using.

Frostixa. A name I have chosen to represent myself and be my brand image. It represents a window into the mind of a musician. It originated a couple years ago as a simple gamer tag for online games; a unique name for others to identify me easily. This came about due to "Frost" being my nickname at the time so the simple addition of "ixa" made it different and a word of its own. After I began to get interested in music production I decided it would be a fitting name to publish releases under.

Orchestral sounds have always given me shivers, especially the dark, bittersweet cello. The saddening soulful sound always seems to find a way to pierce my heart and mind. I seem to find myself lost within my own world when I hear it played. I've taken this feeling and mixed it with what I find to be the fastest growing genre of music; EDM (Electronic Dance Music). Electronic synthesizers and drums, combined with a softening, emotional orchestral base. Together they create an incredible, uplifting and motivational feeling. This is the sound I hope to perfect and share with the world.

Aside from being creative at a musical standpoint (both digitally and physically as I love piano etc.), I enjoy digital arts, photography and video editing. This blog is designed to be the stairway into my thought process. A window into my many works, inspirations, and aspirations. I hope to include tips, tricks and other informative facts that will also benefit the viewers who wish to stop by.

My life through a Creative Lens - Enjoy your stay.