Persistent Dedication:

When I was younger I would sometimes sit and wonder how people like Bill Gates and Richard Branson had managed to achieve what they had achieved. What did they have that I seemed to lack? I couldn't figure it out. They were like super humans.  It wasn't until a couple of years ago when I discovered that Branson has dyslexia and didn't finish high school, and Gates was considered a nerd because of his fascination with computers. And then it all became clear. They are human just like the rest of us. But they used their passion, knowledge and most importantly their persistent dedication to get themselves to where they are now. 

My lecturer told showed us a video the other day about a female sound engineer who had won a Grammy award. He never told us this before hand but when the video was finished he asked us if we had noticed it. Most of us said no. He then proceeded to tell us that this lady had work as the maid in the studio when she came straight out of high school and went to work for the studio. She has no formal training in sound engineering. Yet there she sits in the video with a Grammy award behind her on a shelf. Once again, persistent dedication.

Where am I going with this?

There are times in our lives where we are unmotivated because we are not doing what we want to be doing. And a lot of the time this is because we are unwilling to take the risk of doing what we love and loving what we do. So we are never persistent in pursuing our dreams and we are never dedicated to achieving them. 

I look at all of these people who have so much money that they don't know what do with it all while those who need it most don't have the persistent dedication to go out and find away to become those wealthy people. As the old saying goes "Better the devil they know then the one they don't." I feel it shouldn't have to be that way.

In a nutshell. GO out there. Carpe diem. Live don't just be alive. Do NOT fear change, embrace it. Learn to have that persistent dedication that drives those who have it. 

Keep feeling the beat

'Til next time

Grant

Is this world too negative?

I am busy studying sound technology at college and this week one of the things we dealt with is how to treat and behave around a vocalist when you are to recording them. And the main thing that my lecturer kept emphasising is that you should never use negative criticism on the vocalist, well any band member but especially the vocalist, because it not only breaks them down but also ruins anymore takes that you are going to record of 

them in that session.

It got me thinking. Why does that only apply to them? Every day we speak to people and some people are always breaking people down and bringing negativity into people’s lives. Why is it only important when trying to make music that we uplift people or give them criticism in a positive way?

This life is too short to live negatively, to be cynical and to generally break people down or berate them.  As I have said before, inspired people living inspired lives inspire the world. How can people be inspired by the negativity forced upon them, the negative criticism they receive or the rude comments made about them?

And the media doesn’t help either. Negativity is everywhere.

We need to start treating each other better, using constructive criticism, laughing more, living more and most importantly loving more. We create the world we live in so let’s start making it a place that we actually want to live in.

Music provides an escape for some people from everything. In a way it makes proud me to say that but it also saddens me. Instead of having to use it as a release we should be using it as something to build us up. Instead saying“Oh, give me the beat boys and free my soul. I wanna get lost in your rock n roll and drift away.” we should be saying “Oh, give me the beat boys and uplift my soul. I wanna get lost in your rock n roll and live today.”

Keep feeling the beat

‘Til next time

Grant

What does Music do for you? 

When you surround yourself with music everyday like I do you start to see how it affects people. It shows you the diversity of human nature. It can even tell you about a person.Music is not just a bunch of lyrics that have been put to a beat that sounds good. It is something deeper, and more intense. Every word, every lyric is like a poem, reaching out to touch your emotions. Provoking your emotions. Trying to get you to feel something. Every instrument is there to capture your attention, appeal to your senses and draw you into a state of deeper meaning.

 How many people realize that?

 

I, for example, use music to express how I feel. Whether it is to show my emotional state or to compensate for my inability to express myself at that moment with my own words.

 The ability that music gives DJ’s is amazing. You will hardly ever find a talk show host getting the whole crowd to their feet, waving their arms like mad people. Unless of course there is music involved. DJ’s on the other hand almost always have people on their feet, going crazy. Why? Because their music is feel good music. It stimulates the feel good chemicals in your brain.

 I have been around music for so long now I start to see these things and actually take note of them. I start to pick up on the small things. That girl likes those songs, so she might be a very outgoing person. That guy likes that band, so he might be a very withdrawn person. But just like the art of reading body language it is never an exact science. There are so many variable that it could really mean anything.

So for me, as a student and lover of music, music is not only an inspiration but also a tool. It enables me to see and feel things that I would never have seen or felt otherwise.

What does it do for you?

I have another challenge. See which music best fits your personality and listen to it often. It could very well enable you to feel better about yourself and or circumstances.

 Keep feeling the beat.

 ‘Til next time.

 Grant 

“Muse”-ic

So as a young adult/old teenager I find myself becoming more and more fascinated with life and all things in it. One of the many topics that I often ponder while I sit alone in my room, listening to music, is how can I inspire the world and it’s very diverse population with my passion in music? As of yet I do not have the answer but it did help me answer a question which has been on my mind for a while now.

How can I relate music and inspiration to one another in my own mind?

And I think I have a way to do so. Musicality is a noun that means sensitivity to, knowledge of, or talent for music and is differentiated by either musical receptivity or musical creativity. The people who are sensitive to, have the knowledge of (even if there are only a few people in the world who don’t), and have a talent for music utilise music regularly. I, for example, cannot go a day without music for if I do I will surely go insane (well that’s my rationalisation for it). Those with musical receptivity are open to music and will listen to it (I know, I know. I’m stating the obvious here. Bear with me if you please.). Those with musical creativity will find a way for their music to reach out and touch others.

Inspiration is the same. Those who are sensitive to it, have the knowledge to use it, and have a talent for using it will ensure that they use it, even if only a little. The ones who have receptivity towards it will become inspired; they will listen to what they are being told and use what they have gleaned. Those who have inspirational creativity will always find ways to inspire people, whether it is for a day, a week, a month or for the rest of their lives. They will not let their light be dimmed. On the contrary, they will help illuminate the path of others.

Music inspires people as much as people inspire one another. Music and inspiration go hand-in-hand as much as cars and engines do.

So I challenge you dear reader. Go out in your day-to-day life and find your inspiracality (Excuse the use of the poetic licence.). Find the music for your soul; whether it is opera, classical music, rap, dubstep, heavy metal, it doesn’t matter. Surround yourself with people who inspire you. Live an inspired life. And always remember:

Inspired people living inspired lives inspire the world. ~ Grant Ewels

Keep feeling the beat.

‘Til next time.

Grant