Neurology of Flow States
Play a repeating part in a piece of music for three minutes and it will seem much longer, especially if it is difficult to play. Playing music really is work, and sometimes requires tedious exertion and/or intense concentration, especially if the music involves lots of variation in meter, tempo, and dynamics.
Network or system latency can have a similar effect on the perception of time, creating the effect of being slowed down when you want to move faster. It all has to do with how time feels or flows in context with certain stress points.
For me, improvisation has a neutral effect on the perception of time. Improvisation and "playing" can be two separate things: improvisation in music involves "playing" as the free-form execution of a sequence of rules--an algorithm. "Playing", as in "playing around with the possibilities" in an experimental way is also a kind of improv, and can more easily lead to a "flow" experience.
I had an instructor in a design course that said that Photoshop got him into flow states, which is something I have experienced while using design software. All types of flow experiences can lead to results, with or without preset algorithms or goals.
Play is the idea of shooting the arrow and painting the target around it, which is essentially a cunning way of improvising.
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