One of the great myths about any creative endeavour is that 'creative people' sit and wait for inspiration to strike, and then by virtue of their remarkable genetic make-up, generate hugely original creative work in a few moments, before wowing the world and becoming wealthy and famous.

For those of us working in a creative field already, this is commonly revealed when people say something along the lines of 'oh that's fine for you, you're naturally musical...' - a phrase most often used by people who don't play, as a reason for not playing. The logic goes 'playing an instrument would be much harder for me than it is for you, because you were born musicial'.

All arguments about nature vs nurture aside, this statement always gets a big laugh when it's mentioned in the ear-shot of any member of my immediate family, who remember only too well my early attempts at recorder, violin and trumpet. If at that stage someone had told my mum I was a 'natural musician' I think she's have either collapsed in hysterics, or forced them to listen to me practice for a couple of hours before recanting.

No, the reality is clearly that whether or not there's such a thing as 'innate creativity', the vast majority of what it takes to work in a creative field is about getting on and doing it. We need to find - and teach - practical in-roads into the exercise of creativity. As has been said by various thinkers, creativity is a muscle that needs to be built up and exercised. It's not just a latent supernatural force that rests on the shoulders of geniuses.

In my work as a music teacher, I'm constantly providing students who consider themselves 'unmusical' with the tools to play music, to create music and to start making decisions about what they do and don't like. The act of creativity as a musician begins with playing two musical phrases, choosing which one you like and playing it again - that's the root of composition and improvisation. Which notes are in those first two phrases is entirely moot.

On a stringed instrument, learning the geometry of the fingerboard is the prelude to forming musical phrases. The notes within a particular key can be dissected in any number of mathematical ways and rhythms can be derived from any arbitrarily defined set of fractions, dividing a bar by 4, 8, 16 etc. Combine the notes and the rhythm and you've got yourselves a phrase. Play two, choose one as your favourite, play it again. You're being creative. It's a step - your ship is now moving, and the rudder of taste can start to steer you where you want to go.

You can take that first phrase and sing a response to it. Then go back to your instrument and work out the line you just sang - trial and error, find the notes, see how it works.

The point is, 'creativity' in music isn't some lofty place of inspiration reserved for orchestral composers and rock stars. It's a simple process that begins with simple shapes, muscle-memory training and just making decisions about what YOU like to listen to. No flashes in the sky, no fanfare. Just small steps towards the goal of making interesting music.

Can you think of other creative pursuits that can begin with the same kind of practical, simple steps? Please add them in the comments below (you do have to register with the creative choices site, but it'll only take a few seconds, and I'd love to hear your thoughts on this!)