Two Beats Ahead: What Musical Minds Teach Us About Innovation

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.

As someone working in the business side of the music industry with a creative mind, this book speaks to the soul, and sparked endless inspiration to frame the way I look at and plan my own career path. That being said, I think it would also be incredibly helpful for anyone in any industry looking to reinvigorate the way they look at business; taking the best of ours to apply to yours! Makes one proud to be a musician! Thank you for writing!

This book is perfect for any musician looking for opportunities, it has testimonials that can inspire any musician under any situation. The possibilities are endless - And this book, released in 2021, brings to the reader the best scenario of today's music business (and how to survive to it, exclusively after the pandemic).

Great read if you're interested in innovation! Great read if you're interesting in music! Fascinating stories in every chapter. You can tell the authors put their souls into this work. Well done!

What I like about the book:- The part related to music is very interesting especially the artists' stories- I learned a lot of new artists from different genres- It is great to have an interlude/sort of summary page after each chapter which includes musicians/songs to listen toWhat can be improved:- The business side of the book needs significant improvement. Adding cutting-edge business information (e.g. on innovation, etc) would strengthen the book.- Improve the parts written by Panos and Michel so that the book sounds more smoothly. There are many cases where Panos' writing (i.e. his experience at Berklee) seems disconnected from that of Michel (i.e. his experience at Ideo).- Add valuable and unique information related to musicians/artists. E.g. A famous Artist collaborating with a famous sports shoe brand that many people know about is not a powerful example.- Go more in-depth to understand the mindset of artists/musicians and includes those insights in the book. Much of the artists-related information were superficial. There is a ton of research on mindset to connect that to business.- Research more businesses cases that you refer to as an analogy to music terms (demo, remix, producing, collaboration, etc). This way, you can highlight the business part in a more convincing manner.- Improve the clarity of the book. There were many cases where I read a chapter and I ask myself: "What is this chapter about?, Is it about producing? demoing?"

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.ConclusionI’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.

It’s a bit like a collection of case studies ro promote Beats earphones, etc, bit forced