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Two Beats Ahead: What Musical Minds Teach Us About Innovation
Discover what the musical mind has to teach us about innovation in this fascinating book, featuring interviews with Justin Timberlake, Pharrell Williams, T Bone Burnett, Gloria Estefan, Imogen Heap, and many more.
Musicians may just hold the keys to innovation in business. They don’t think like we do, and in the creative process, they don’t act like we do. It’s no coincidence that some of the world’s most respected creators are also entrepreneurs.
In Two Beats Ahead , Panos A. Panay, senior vice president for strategy at Berklee College of Music, and R. Michael Hendrix, global design director at IDEO, interview some of the nation’s top musicians and business leaders about how they approach innovation differently. They speak with hit maker Desmond Child about the importance of demoing and with industry legend Jimmy Iovine about listening and knowing your audience. Readers will learn the secrets of collaboration from Beyoncé and Pharrell Williams, about “daring to suck” from Justin Timberlake, about the power of reinvention from Gloria Estefan, and the importance of experimentation from Imogen Heap and Radiohead. And they’ll learn the value of finding and producing talent with T Bone Burnett and Hank Shocklee, cofounder of Public Enemy.
A window into these brilliant mindsets, this book equips any entrepreneur or innovative thinker with tools they can put into practice to thrive in an evolving world.
Musicians may just hold the keys to innovation in business. They don’t think like we do, and in the creative process, they don’t act like we do. It’s no coincidence that some of the world’s most respected creators are also entrepreneurs.
In Two Beats Ahead , Panos A. Panay, senior vice president for strategy at Berklee College of Music, and R. Michael Hendrix, global design director at IDEO, interview some of the nation’s top musicians and business leaders about how they approach innovation differently. They speak with hit maker Desmond Child about the importance of demoing and with industry legend Jimmy Iovine about listening and knowing your audience. Readers will learn the secrets of collaboration from Beyoncé and Pharrell Williams, about “daring to suck” from Justin Timberlake, about the power of reinvention from Gloria Estefan, and the importance of experimentation from Imogen Heap and Radiohead. And they’ll learn the value of finding and producing talent with T Bone Burnett and Hank Shocklee, cofounder of Public Enemy.
A window into these brilliant mindsets, this book equips any entrepreneur or innovative thinker with tools they can put into practice to thrive in an evolving world.
- GenresMusicBusinessNonfiction
256 pages, Hardcover
Published April 6, 2021
37 people are currently reading
1358 people want to read
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March 16, 2021
What has been missing from the canon of management books is, apparently, music. Panos Panay and Michael Hendrix have attempted to fill that gap with Two Beats Ahead. Musicians, in their eyes, are just as creative in business. Maybe more so.
They have filled their book with endless examples of musicians who have branched out or moved on altogether. Everyone knows of singers who have suddenly become fashion, makeup or sneaker designers. But the authors have found fund managers, psychologists, neuroscientists and educators as well. They have different approaches to business, something the book attempts to attribute to their music, i.e. their different kind of creativity. In interviews, they say things like: “The most exciting projects to me are the ones that incorporate unconscious thinking with superconscious tinkering.” That from Spencer Tweedy, drummer and luxury audio equipment maker.
I found the most insightful observations were about collaboration. Musicians are built to collaborate. They must learn their instrument, have stage experience, and accurately observe and absorb. They are the best listeners. They can meet up with any other musician on any stage, and they can perform together, creating new music instantly. Taking that training to business can yield a different kind of management.
The same principles apply to their hiring practices. They look for collaborators, where many other businesses look for potential superstars. Musicians seek people with broad experience and interests, not the laser-focus on one subject that has been drummed into college students for so long. To regular businesses, a generalist is all but useless. They want people who have done nothing but their specialty. They look for 30 year olds with a minimum of ten years’ experience in the same position elsewhere. But musicians say things like you should have one specialty that you have mastered, and a passion for some other subject that drives your creativity.
And what exactly is creativity? Here’s Brian Eno’s approach: “Gardening, he believes, is a more apt metaphor (than architecture) for creativity: ‘One is carefully constructing seeds, or finding seeds, carefully planting them and then letting them have their life. What this means, really, is a rethinking of one’s own position as a creator. You stop thinking of yourself as me, the controller, you the audience, and you start thinking of all of us as the audience, all of us as people enjoying the garden together. Gardener included.’”
Musicians’ process usually involves a demo, putting the kernel of the idea onto tape. Then all kinds of people, from management to musicians can play with it, change it, help it evolve into an exquisite expression of creativity. Everyone can contribute, and no one can dominate it. Otherwise, it is not collaboration, it is command and control. The antithesis of creative music.
Some, like Bob Crewe, work from a song title alone. They sweat over the title, and only then attempt to match it with complementary music and lyrics. It takes all kinds.
Charlie Parker has said that music is art, and art, unlike music, has no boundary lines. Looking at it that way, the permutations, combinations and extensions are endless, and the authors find that musicians see creativity today as vastly expanded and speedily expanding. And they don’t mean into business. They mean artistic achievement, as in crossover, sampling and remixing which have all been hugely democratized. So many more people have access to so many more tools that the whole business is no longer predictable. And not simply because of streaming. It can go anywhere now, and it is doing so, abandoning the verse and chorus model for pop music, for example, driven by musicians who have not had to limit themselves by strict rules and training.
One of the nice things about the book is the interlude following each chapter. Readers are encouraged to listen to selected music from the artists who featured in the adjoining chapter, giving life and flavor to what the authors have been saying about their music and their path to it and through it.
It’s nice that musicians can step outside themselves and succeed in other domains, but honestly, this is a story for every branch of everything. Farmers have gone into manufacturing, film stars into ecommerce, comedians into self-management, and everyone into finance. Sports stars are young when they retire, and attack new projects with their lifelong drive. Astronauts have gone into politics, comedians and reality-tv stars too. It is the nature of Homo sapiens to explore and grow. Musicians are no more adept at these jumps, as far as I can see. The book doesn’t venture beyond musicians in its talent analysis.
And the starving musician is not just a Hollywood construct.
Panos Panay is a recidivist entrepreneur, building several new arms onto the Berklee College of Music, where he has been VP of Global Strategy. Michael Hendrix comes from two decades at IDEO, helping companies think outside the box, achieving more with creativity. They met at a conference where Panay was speaking (he almost didn’t bother), and have been collaborating like good musicians do ever since. They say this book is their first album together. It is a fount of personality trivia for music buffs, because these two authors know everybody in the business.
David Wineberg
They have filled their book with endless examples of musicians who have branched out or moved on altogether. Everyone knows of singers who have suddenly become fashion, makeup or sneaker designers. But the authors have found fund managers, psychologists, neuroscientists and educators as well. They have different approaches to business, something the book attempts to attribute to their music, i.e. their different kind of creativity. In interviews, they say things like: “The most exciting projects to me are the ones that incorporate unconscious thinking with superconscious tinkering.” That from Spencer Tweedy, drummer and luxury audio equipment maker.
I found the most insightful observations were about collaboration. Musicians are built to collaborate. They must learn their instrument, have stage experience, and accurately observe and absorb. They are the best listeners. They can meet up with any other musician on any stage, and they can perform together, creating new music instantly. Taking that training to business can yield a different kind of management.
The same principles apply to their hiring practices. They look for collaborators, where many other businesses look for potential superstars. Musicians seek people with broad experience and interests, not the laser-focus on one subject that has been drummed into college students for so long. To regular businesses, a generalist is all but useless. They want people who have done nothing but their specialty. They look for 30 year olds with a minimum of ten years’ experience in the same position elsewhere. But musicians say things like you should have one specialty that you have mastered, and a passion for some other subject that drives your creativity.
And what exactly is creativity? Here’s Brian Eno’s approach: “Gardening, he believes, is a more apt metaphor (than architecture) for creativity: ‘One is carefully constructing seeds, or finding seeds, carefully planting them and then letting them have their life. What this means, really, is a rethinking of one’s own position as a creator. You stop thinking of yourself as me, the controller, you the audience, and you start thinking of all of us as the audience, all of us as people enjoying the garden together. Gardener included.’”
Musicians’ process usually involves a demo, putting the kernel of the idea onto tape. Then all kinds of people, from management to musicians can play with it, change it, help it evolve into an exquisite expression of creativity. Everyone can contribute, and no one can dominate it. Otherwise, it is not collaboration, it is command and control. The antithesis of creative music.
Some, like Bob Crewe, work from a song title alone. They sweat over the title, and only then attempt to match it with complementary music and lyrics. It takes all kinds.
Charlie Parker has said that music is art, and art, unlike music, has no boundary lines. Looking at it that way, the permutations, combinations and extensions are endless, and the authors find that musicians see creativity today as vastly expanded and speedily expanding. And they don’t mean into business. They mean artistic achievement, as in crossover, sampling and remixing which have all been hugely democratized. So many more people have access to so many more tools that the whole business is no longer predictable. And not simply because of streaming. It can go anywhere now, and it is doing so, abandoning the verse and chorus model for pop music, for example, driven by musicians who have not had to limit themselves by strict rules and training.
One of the nice things about the book is the interlude following each chapter. Readers are encouraged to listen to selected music from the artists who featured in the adjoining chapter, giving life and flavor to what the authors have been saying about their music and their path to it and through it.
It’s nice that musicians can step outside themselves and succeed in other domains, but honestly, this is a story for every branch of everything. Farmers have gone into manufacturing, film stars into ecommerce, comedians into self-management, and everyone into finance. Sports stars are young when they retire, and attack new projects with their lifelong drive. Astronauts have gone into politics, comedians and reality-tv stars too. It is the nature of Homo sapiens to explore and grow. Musicians are no more adept at these jumps, as far as I can see. The book doesn’t venture beyond musicians in its talent analysis.
And the starving musician is not just a Hollywood construct.
Panos Panay is a recidivist entrepreneur, building several new arms onto the Berklee College of Music, where he has been VP of Global Strategy. Michael Hendrix comes from two decades at IDEO, helping companies think outside the box, achieving more with creativity. They met at a conference where Panay was speaking (he almost didn’t bother), and have been collaborating like good musicians do ever since. They say this book is their first album together. It is a fount of personality trivia for music buffs, because these two authors know everybody in the business.
David Wineberg
August 3, 2021
Like a long form resume, filled with name dropping and an odd use of pronouns, switching back and forth between the third and first person. Could have been condensed into a pamphlet a fifth the size of the book.
April 20, 2021
Two Beats Ahead muestra una relación entre la innovación y su aplicación a lo largo de la historia musical, por cantantes y grupos que han revolucionado la música y la forma de componer. Al igual que las empresas, la música y la innovación manejan pasos para el desarrollo de la creatividad y lograr un producto final que conecte con el usuario y lo haga experimentar lo que el producto quiere cumplir, esto mismo hace la música, podemos aprender de estos ejemplos de innovación, creatividad musical y aplicarlo en los negocios y en nuestra vida. Al final de cada capítulo hay una lista de canciones y albums para comprender el capítulo con los ejemplos citados.
“A CEO of a company had better be able to go rock some beats at the local club down the street. And if he can’t do that, then he’s not using his full multidimensional capabilities, and he´s going to be beat out by somebody who does” Hank Shocklee.
“A CEO of a company had better be able to go rock some beats at the local club down the street. And if he can’t do that, then he’s not using his full multidimensional capabilities, and he´s going to be beat out by somebody who does” Hank Shocklee.
May 3, 2021
Excellent and accurate thesis. For too long we have treated the traditional leadership archtypes of athletes and warriors with disproportional respect; whereas in the modern era, the best leaders are collaborators, listeners, and creatives who add value, not throw force of personality, but in their innovative way of viewing and explaining the world. Two Beats Ahead is among the first in what will ideally be a cohort of leadership books that folks on artists, not athletes or soldiers.
I personally have served in the military and play lots of masculine sports, but I'm also a guitarist, vocalist, and pianist. I write poetry. I have personally found that the latter activities have helped me receive job offers; but its the former activities which influence my performance in the job.
I hope that more leadership books emerge emphasizing the creative, as opposed to the aggressive. It will do us all a whole lot of good!
I personally have served in the military and play lots of masculine sports, but I'm also a guitarist, vocalist, and pianist. I write poetry. I have personally found that the latter activities have helped me receive job offers; but its the former activities which influence my performance in the job.
I hope that more leadership books emerge emphasizing the creative, as opposed to the aggressive. It will do us all a whole lot of good!
November 24, 2020
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. These two fellas wrote a really spiffy book. It's mostly about innovation by musical minds, but it also reads a lot like a creative writing textbook due to the storytelling components, composition, and the like. A great many of the recommendations made by the authors are the same ones found in Wallace Stegner's book On Teaching and Writing Fiction. This is not a criticism, it just goes to show that when it comes to teaching creativity, the underlying ideations have remained the same throughout the decades.
That being said, don't think of this book as a textbook at all. It's a fascinating stream of consciousness exploration of creativity in innovation with a focus on how those with a musical background approach the subject. Polymaths play a huge role in this one, and just about everything is covered from the history of the Slinky (it's Slinky, it's Slinky, a fun and a wonderful toy... [Yes, I added this just so the ditty is stuck in someone else's head too]) to the focus on creative collaboration in the UAE. The STEM vs. STEAM debate came up, as did (of course) David Bowie, Freddie Mercury, and Justin Timberlake. The first thing that came to mind reading this was that I have a friend who would love this book. The second thing was that I loved this one. I use Post-it flags as a means of marking things in books that spark my own creativity. Total amount of stickies for this book? An entire color (I used yellow because it was exciting).
Of additional note - It may or may not have been intentional, but the fact that the ARC's back cover looked like it was cut with scissors instead of machine cut and the thin, almost newspaper feel of the pages really added to the book for me. It felt like someone worked to embody creativity before constraints. You may remember the feeling - sitting cross legged on the floor with a pair of scissors, some markers, the newspaper back when the comic section was substantial, and just going to town making something because you wanted to. That's the vibe this book gives off and it was further reinforced by the look and feel of the ARC. It was a nice touch, even though it may not have been intentional.
A second aside: How cool is it that there are playlists in this book? I've started putting them together and it's quite the experience!
That being said, don't think of this book as a textbook at all. It's a fascinating stream of consciousness exploration of creativity in innovation with a focus on how those with a musical background approach the subject. Polymaths play a huge role in this one, and just about everything is covered from the history of the Slinky (it's Slinky, it's Slinky, a fun and a wonderful toy... [Yes, I added this just so the ditty is stuck in someone else's head too]) to the focus on creative collaboration in the UAE. The STEM vs. STEAM debate came up, as did (of course) David Bowie, Freddie Mercury, and Justin Timberlake. The first thing that came to mind reading this was that I have a friend who would love this book. The second thing was that I loved this one. I use Post-it flags as a means of marking things in books that spark my own creativity. Total amount of stickies for this book? An entire color (I used yellow because it was exciting).
Of additional note - It may or may not have been intentional, but the fact that the ARC's back cover looked like it was cut with scissors instead of machine cut and the thin, almost newspaper feel of the pages really added to the book for me. It felt like someone worked to embody creativity before constraints. You may remember the feeling - sitting cross legged on the floor with a pair of scissors, some markers, the newspaper back when the comic section was substantial, and just going to town making something because you wanted to. That's the vibe this book gives off and it was further reinforced by the look and feel of the ARC. It was a nice touch, even though it may not have been intentional.
A second aside: How cool is it that there are playlists in this book? I've started putting them together and it's quite the experience!
April 28, 2021
One massive, over hyped fart of a book. If I could get my money back, I would.
January 31, 2022
The book Two Beats Ahead is not only a primer about the music business and the ways that innovations occur, but it can be looked at as a simple guidebook for life. It brings together ideas and thoughts from today’s music producers, entrepreneurs, and musicians. The interviews and short anecdotes connect the reader with the theme of each chapter, some conveniently titled after popular music terms like “demoing”, “producing”, and “remixing”, and by the end of each chapter they give you some songs to listen to and ponder.
Some of the lessons that they touch on in the book include the act of listening, experimentation, the importance of collaborating, creating a partnership with producers, creating something new vs. innovating, the use of your senses and how they perceive things, and how to pivot in order to change.
The one story that struck a chord with me was how using your senses help you perceive things. A great example from chapter eight was when Yoko Sen was in the hospital for a few months and heard medical devices chiming. She could tell that some of them were pinging a C note, where others were a high-pitched F sharp. The two clashed in her mind almost liked the infamous “devil’s interval” (listen to the song Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath for reference) and for some nurses caused them stress. Yoko thought, can you imagine if this is the last thing that you hear before you die? Her idea or sense was to come up with different sounds or soundscapes for the medical devices and medical facilities that would be more soothing. She never set out to become an entrepreneur, it was just something that she had to do.
Most of lessons that Panay and Hendrix try to instill upon the reader can be applied to everyday life. What I deduce from this book is that the authors were looking to provide a motivating and inspirational platform centered around the topic of innovation while taking the reader on a journey through the music industry and beyond, quite possibly to create a greater YOU. Many of the conversations that they had with the individuals in each chapter were inspired, and the background stories and factual information that they compiled they were kind enough to share links to in the Prelude.
Conclusion
I’ve read a number of books like this for individuals interested in business, investing, and who have a desire to be entrepreneurs, but not specifically from a music business standpoint or geared toward musicians. It was unique and would be an ideal read for any new musicians starting out, especially those who do not have the business accoutrement. The lessons and stories in the book Two Beats Ahead are educational and well worth reading.
On Spotify
On Twitter
Some of the lessons that they touch on in the book include the act of listening, experimentation, the importance of collaborating, creating a partnership with producers, creating something new vs. innovating, the use of your senses and how they perceive things, and how to pivot in order to change.
The one story that struck a chord with me was how using your senses help you perceive things. A great example from chapter eight was when Yoko Sen was in the hospital for a few months and heard medical devices chiming. She could tell that some of them were pinging a C note, where others were a high-pitched F sharp. The two clashed in her mind almost liked the infamous “devil’s interval” (listen to the song Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath for reference) and for some nurses caused them stress. Yoko thought, can you imagine if this is the last thing that you hear before you die? Her idea or sense was to come up with different sounds or soundscapes for the medical devices and medical facilities that would be more soothing. She never set out to become an entrepreneur, it was just something that she had to do.
Most of lessons that Panay and Hendrix try to instill upon the reader can be applied to everyday life. What I deduce from this book is that the authors were looking to provide a motivating and inspirational platform centered around the topic of innovation while taking the reader on a journey through the music industry and beyond, quite possibly to create a greater YOU. Many of the conversations that they had with the individuals in each chapter were inspired, and the background stories and factual information that they compiled they were kind enough to share links to in the Prelude.
Conclusion
I’ve read a number of books like this for individuals interested in business, investing, and who have a desire to be entrepreneurs, but not specifically from a music business standpoint or geared toward musicians. It was unique and would be an ideal read for any new musicians starting out, especially those who do not have the business accoutrement. The lessons and stories in the book Two Beats Ahead are educational and well worth reading.
On Spotify
On Twitter
April 6, 2021
Two Beats Ahead is an excellent read. It discusses the crossover between music and enterpreneurship among other similar and inspiring ideas. The authors are both currently involved in programs & businesses that are benefiting our global community by encouraging creative and collaborative thinking and empowering all kinds of people. I found the book easy to read and I enjoyed listening to the music recommended in between each chapter. The authors interview several musicians, producers and current influencers which adds depth to the ideas being presented. This is a great read in general and could be especially inspiring for musicians and people deciding what path to take next in their life and/or career.
April 20, 2021
Five stars for Two Beats Ahead. I've read plenty of business books in my 30 year career but few have held my attention and led me to scribble notes in the margins, pause to reflect and ponder the authors points quite like this one. Despite my total lack of music knowledge and skill, I found it totally relatable and would highly recommend to anyone in business – especially anyone thinking of starting a new venture or going into a creative field. Framed as a conversation, more than a "how to" book, it eloquently weaves a narrative of what we can learn from musical artists about innovation, and at the same time presents a deeper insight into what we can learn about ourselves in the pursuit of passion and creativity.
March 10, 2024
It's written a bit like a book report, but the authors clearly put a lot of effort and love into this book, which I appreciate. The music interludes are a creative addition as well. The main reason this book is not rated more highly is due to how the book is organized - the themes of each chapter sound nice but in practice are not sufficiently differentiated from one another to be memorable. The same content is rehashed over and over throughout, while at the same time it feels as if new characters, anecdotes, and ideas come up seemingly out of nowhere. You can really drop into the book on any page and be equally (dis)oriented. That said, there is a lot of good and thorough content here, so worth a read.
April 3, 2022
In one sense it is your typical business book talking about innovation, collaboration, and creativity. However, what sets this book apart is that the stories and anecdotes are told through music and the artists and producers that create it. This book connects the innovation and creativity in music as sources of inspiration for how businesses can change and adapt.
Two Beats Ahea is a refreshing business book in a saturated market stuck retelling the same stories of innovation and start-ups.
Two Beats Ahea is a refreshing business book in a saturated market stuck retelling the same stories of innovation and start-ups.
May 15, 2024
Interesting ideas, poorly written, and filled with name-dropping that I could not care less about. The author keeps jumping from one personal story to another without having organized their thoughts or thinking about what message they are trying to communicate. Just because a book has lots of stories with celebrities, it doesn't mean it would make an interesting read.
August 23, 2021
I cannot express concisely how much I enjoyed this book. If you read one book on innovation and leadership, this should be it! Particular useful for businesses wanting to understand how to embed a creativity mindset in their teams or artists trying to connect to the business world.
July 19, 2021
This was a fun book to read. Filled with interesting anecdotes and takes you through the creative process of many wonderful people. Best enjoyed with Spotify and a good set of speakers at hand.
June 6, 2022
Interesting!!
June 27, 2022
I didn't know the music that most of the book references so I was disappointed. It's an interesting subject, though.
July 11, 2022
Panay and Hendrix argue that musicians are great innovators and entrepreneurs. In this book, they presented nine reasons (presented in each individual chapters) as to why that was the case. However I felt that many of arguments made in those chapters overlap one another that if condensed this book will be way shorter and saves on paper. Also, somehow there is a lack of connection between reading one chapter to the next. That is a bit shameful because it spoiled my reading experience as a whole and actually reading each individual chapter randomly might be a good experience.
But, there are also some positive points from the book:
1) I think this book is pretty cool for a full sensory (audio and visual) experience because at the end of each chapters the authors will present a music playlist introduced in the chapter.
2) Gives musical knowledge and fun facts from the music industry
3) Some points made (ex: in Chapter 1, the authors emphasized that silence is part of the music and we need to listen to it) are pretty interesting and memorable
But, there are also some positive points from the book:
1) I think this book is pretty cool for a full sensory (audio and visual) experience because at the end of each chapters the authors will present a music playlist introduced in the chapter.
2) Gives musical knowledge and fun facts from the music industry
3) Some points made (ex: in Chapter 1, the authors emphasized that silence is part of the music and we need to listen to it) are pretty interesting and memorable
May 23, 2021
A great start to seed a needed conversation about the value of multiple disciplines (“technical” and “artistic”) in divergent and convergent thinking.
April 20, 2022
In Two Beats Ahead, Panay (Senior VP of Strategy, Berklee College of Music) and Hendrix (Global Design Director, IDEO) chronicle their conversations with musical superstars and entrepreneurs to demolish the notion of creative arts and business as being at odds with one another. In fact, they argue, the business world could gain a great deal from a solid hit of creativity and imagination.
Take Justin Timberlake, for example, who told Panay “I only have one rule in the studio… dare to suck”. Too often, we’re consumed with a perfect end-product that we don’t allow ourselves to dabble in a free-form brainstorm or sling undeveloped ideas around the room. This is especially true in the sciences where rigid methodology reigns supreme.
Musical minds also view experimentation and error in a much more positive light than other industries. For example, we learn that guitar distortion (think of that fuzzy, gritty tone from electric guitars) was a mistake; the result of Ike Turner’s guitarist using vacuum amplifiers after his glass ones broke in the van. Embracing experimentation also grants permission to build on what already exists. Sampling and remixing are prime examples of how to create new products without reinventing the wheel.
Two Beats Ahead is easily one of my favourite books of 2021 so far. It’s filled with fascinating musical trivia and conversations with legends. I enjoyed how each section focused on a different aspect of musical production such as listening, demoing, remixing, etc. Even if you're not a musician or entrepreneur, I think you’ll pick up a few enlightening tips that you can apply to your own industry or daily life.
Take Justin Timberlake, for example, who told Panay “I only have one rule in the studio… dare to suck”. Too often, we’re consumed with a perfect end-product that we don’t allow ourselves to dabble in a free-form brainstorm or sling undeveloped ideas around the room. This is especially true in the sciences where rigid methodology reigns supreme.
Musical minds also view experimentation and error in a much more positive light than other industries. For example, we learn that guitar distortion (think of that fuzzy, gritty tone from electric guitars) was a mistake; the result of Ike Turner’s guitarist using vacuum amplifiers after his glass ones broke in the van. Embracing experimentation also grants permission to build on what already exists. Sampling and remixing are prime examples of how to create new products without reinventing the wheel.
Two Beats Ahead is easily one of my favourite books of 2021 so far. It’s filled with fascinating musical trivia and conversations with legends. I enjoyed how each section focused on a different aspect of musical production such as listening, demoing, remixing, etc. Even if you're not a musician or entrepreneur, I think you’ll pick up a few enlightening tips that you can apply to your own industry or daily life.
May 11, 2022
Highly inspiring book on innovation via music. The author interviewed a number of musicians and artists --Kanye West, David Bowie -- on their special gifts that allowed for a certain mindfulness and creating original, provocative works. Many have branched out into different genres or even other interests. I have been told that musicians -- and music lovers -- have a special soul. This book confirms it.
Specific techniques -- elucidated in each chapter like "Demoing," "Collaboration" -- convey a specific type of mental discipline, allowing for quirks and experimentation. "Musical thinking" can be applied to a number of venues. Included at the end of each chapter are exemplary songs or albums, some of which I have bookmarked on YouTube. Even if they don't hone my business or practical skills, they at least enhance my musical appreciation.
August 27, 2024
interesting
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