It's very interesting because in the examples you described (music and programming at least), I sometimes feel limited by the tools I know.
I studied music theory for about 5 years more than 10 years ago and remember some of it. I like to compose music and sometimes like you said I'm really losing a lot of time/energy because I don't master the basics.
Yet some other times, I don't even think about music theory and let my inspiration go - and it's often better quality.
I find this effect to be true in programming as well. I find myself restricted by the frameworks I know and sometimes my mind can't think outside of it.
I studied music theory for about 5 years more than 10 years ago and remember some of it. I like to compose music and sometimes like you said I'm really losing a lot of time/energy because I don't master the basics. Yet some other times, I don't even think about music theory and let my inspiration go - and it's often better quality.
I find this effect to be true in programming as well. I find myself restricted by the frameworks I know and sometimes my mind can't think outside of it.