tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149734872012-01-30T15:45:20.006-08:00For the Creative Soul is a semi-weekly, semi-serious, but certainly indispensable tool for Christian musicians, Christian artists, Christian painters, Christian dancers, worship leaders, worship team members, Christian musicians, and more. Filled with inspiration, quotes, and perhaps a slightly different view from the norm, For the Creative Soul just might be the creative lift you need this week!Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.comBlogger381100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-64768974717847938752012-01-17T01:02:00.000-08:002012-01-17T01:08:07.653-08:00

Been a crazy start to the year and we're not even out of January yet?? You're not alone. My year last year was like that, and it set up the whole year in a crazy way. How we react to chaos in our lives is how we really use the creativity God has given us. See if this sounds familiar. It's Sunday morning, and half the band doesn't show up. You're standing there minutes before the service and

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-64873306341268057452012-01-03T01:48:00.000-08:002012-01-03T01:53:00.646-08:00

“Beethoven, Wagner, Bach, and Mozart settled down day after day to the job in hand. They didn't waste time waiting for inspiration.” - Ernest Newman “You’ll never make money as a musician (or artist, or dancer...), you need a real job.” - Every parent, ever. "What we really want to do is what we are really meant to do. When we do what we are meant to do, money comes to us, doors open for us,

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-13228320917186866722011-12-12T01:18:00.001-08:002011-12-12T01:29:18.147-08:00

The older I get, the more I am sure that one of the best ways to learn a skill - is slowly falling by the wayside. It's as old and true a way of teaching as organized school itself. Yet it's been lost somehow in our culture in the past 50 years. It's called Master and Apprentice. But do we do that now to learn a craft? Do we seek out a master songwriter, painter, recording engineer, or

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-52417651981358270422011-11-27T16:10:00.001-08:002011-11-27T16:39:17.553-08:00

Every day I have folks email me asking about how they can achieve their dreams. I try to encourage them the best I can, by opening a dialog, no matter what they want to do. Unlike some here in Nashville, I’ve never thought it was my job to deem who is “talented enough” and who isn’t. This isn’t American Idol, X Factor, or even America’s Got Talent. I simply try to help folks focused on

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-64418904723193681012011-11-14T01:30:00.001-08:002011-11-27T16:10:11.455-08:00

Release YOUR Kraken! We're entering what I usually call, the most wonderful time of the year. Pro and college football are getting interesting, college basketball is starting, (usually pro basketball too, but let's not go there), and the holidays are just about upon us. You'll be winding down the year, getting days off work, and generally find yourself with a little relaxing time on your

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-54335806428264392802011-10-30T22:22:00.000-07:002011-10-31T09:10:48.135-07:00

Ever feel like you have grand ideas, big plans, or talent to do something amazing? But then you start to think about how to get that idea or talent to the world and you start to realize the impossibility of even trying! I feel your pain. So did Mozart. So did Walt Disney. So did the Beatles. So did Steve Jobs. But you have an amazing wealth of tools these great creative wunderkinds

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-6989889671310616252011-10-18T09:23:00.001-07:002011-10-18T09:25:04.058-07:00

Today I was reflecting on contentment. (Yes, I reflect every now and then...ok I do it a lot. And its especially easy to do when you are sitting under a waterfall...) As creative types we strive for contentment in more ways than just 'happiness' and 'stuff'. Ok sometimes we want stuff like gear...but our goals as creatives often involve lofty things like 'legacy' and 'audience'. Words most folks

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-32477097262015871552011-10-17T07:03:00.001-07:002011-10-17T07:05:40.775-07:00

Looking for some quick inspiration? Take an hour or two and go to your favorite bookstore or library. Just peruse. I am always amazed at how God leads me to just the right book or passage at the right time. Doesn't even have to be a Christian book...sometimes its a business or inspirational text, and sometimes just a magazine. Or maybe just squirrel away some time with a book you already have in

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com0Caribe Royale All-Suite Hotel & Convention Center, 8101 World Center Drive, Orlando, FL, United States28.357548 -81.49185tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-35923139867132002782011-09-07T16:31:00.000-07:002011-09-07T16:32:15.012-07:00

I read this great quote in my devotions this week. For all of you who struggle trying to live creatively, yet feel defeated when the big break never seems to come. Or the doors just won't open. There just never seems to be time to pursue your creative dreams. "The fact is that a creative life is grounded on many, many small steps and very, very few large leaps." - Julia Cameron. It's about

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-58367629891994212562011-08-14T11:39:00.000-07:002011-10-30T22:31:32.114-07:00

You know sometimes we get caught up in this life, trying to be good adults (or teens, or kids), and we forget what creative beings God made us to be. And it's probably not our fault. We tend to model our life on those who have come before us, hoping for success as an adult. But what if those adults weren't doing us any favors? "It might be that as we grew up and looked to the adults around

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-3847060245458036282011-07-31T23:44:00.000-07:002011-10-30T22:31:41.175-07:00

I'll reveal the secret right here in the first paragraph. You don't have to scan down or read to the end (although you should…really...adorable picture at the end!). The secret to lasting success...is to just hang in there. And a collective roll of the eyes and sigh comes from the blog readers…but it's true. One of the reasons I continue to have work, I'm sure of it, is I am still around.

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-5992288792132582272011-07-11T21:40:00.000-07:002011-10-30T22:31:53.216-07:00

One of the main frustrations for creative artistic people, and this happens ALL during our ministries, is the times when things seem to slow down to a crawl. Either money is low, it seems people aren't listening or don't care, or you just don't feel like you have that fire to keep it going. Frustration creeps in and you hear that little voice suggesting you do something else. You don't need this

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-56521667809833512472011-06-30T09:24:00.000-07:002011-10-30T22:32:01.239-07:00

It's easy as an artist to feel less than contented. We work our day jobs waiting for that moment we can create something (or sometimes we steal a few minutes away and scribble down a song, or doodle on a pad!) The only thing that REALLY gets us feeling like we are ON is creative work. "Let us get a day at the page or the easel and we are suddenly sunny and user-friendly...Artists have an itch

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-76061407440905770842011-06-27T08:00:00.000-07:002011-10-30T22:32:08.907-07:00

Eric and Walt chatting about Creativity "People often ask me if I know the secret of success and it I could tell others how to make their dreams come true. My answer is yes, you do it by working." - Walt Disney Was there anyone more successful like, EVER! than Walt Disney at following his creative dreams? Think about the amazing far reach that Walt Disney has into our creative world. The

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-12165269390074747062011-06-14T00:39:00.000-07:002011-10-30T22:32:39.369-07:00

“Nothing ever comes to one, that is worth having, except as a result of hard work.” -  Booker T. Washington OK, so this just in: Taking your talents to South Beach is not an instant, easy answer to your dreams. As we have learned from even those who call themselves "the king", and "the chosen 1", there really is no easy path to success. But if you are anything like me (and I sincerely

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-5628057299576883592011-06-13T20:00:00.000-07:002011-06-13T20:02:08.111-07:00

Hey folks,  Take this survey and give us your thoughts on if (or even how) we should change this blog? http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LTFSXNX Thanks! EC

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-77287832062397154972011-05-31T00:03:00.000-07:002011-06-26T19:51:47.304-07:00

Here's a few things I've come up with these past few weeks in my various findings, musings, devotions, and wanderings... EC Muses... "Never make the blunder of trying to forecast the way God is going to answer your prayers." - Oswald Chambers .We all have creative ideas and big dreams, and sometimes we think we see the road before us. But really it's just our feeble attempt to control what God

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-63910039403039045572011-05-16T00:08:00.000-07:002011-06-26T19:53:21.642-07:00

Often times in my writing, I will just take a minute to rant. And this is one of those times. Some people just don’t get it. And you may be one of these people. Ah, you say you get it, or so say you want to get it. But when it comes right down to it, you just don’t. Or won’t. I preach quality pretty hard. I proselytize amazing daily. I shout from the mountaintop to live your dreams and completely

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-30073428987093357062011-05-01T22:40:00.000-07:002011-10-30T22:33:07.295-07:00

It’s our nature as artists to want community. We crave someone to like our art, or at least appreciate it. Those of us who feel God gave us this gift, and that He expects us to use it, are looking for a place to belong, a place to use these talents, and a stage to share them with the world. Enter the church. Or so we hope... I work with many kinds of artists. Players, singers,

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-70424090229797103572011-04-18T00:42:00.000-07:002011-10-30T22:32:55.948-07:00

I've tried (some of you would say unsuccessfully) to keep quiet about this in recent years. I'm not in a position to really do anything about, as I am not currently involved in a church position or am I even participating in the worship arts of churches I go to. But something has to be done about the state of modern worship in the contemporary church. There have been funny videos about it,

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-44360548644478095202011-04-03T23:41:00.000-07:002011-10-30T22:32:30.875-07:00

Boo Gestures & The Old College Try - Yay Excellence! "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." - Philippians 4:8 This was the message today at church. And I can't think of a more powerful word to show how God feels

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-34684633161206815142011-03-28T00:42:00.001-07:002011-10-30T22:33:18.637-07:00

OK. You've had all these years to become the creative genius you always dreamed you'd be. All these years to express your heart and would as an artist. To follow your dreams in ways other folks only dream of... But you did other things.  You listened when people said, "Aw don't major in music, you'll have to end up teaching snot nosed 3rd graders." So you didn't major in music and

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-76621837989086175772011-03-13T23:26:00.000-07:002011-06-05T23:05:52.742-07:00

The following is a short interview with a Christian artist I have been working with for many years named Dee Emeigh. Dee came to me many years ago wanting to work on her songs, and we developed a nice little single called "Window Boxes." A few years later, we worked on another song together, and she came to Nashville in the past year to do vocals. A school, teacher, Dee struggles to find time to

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-48056305194137942792011-03-06T23:58:00.000-08:002011-10-30T22:33:33.209-07:00

Ever feel like it is just over??? Like all your chances, all your dreams, all your opportunities are just done - kaput - finito! “When God closes one door, He opens another”. Don’t you just hate that cliche?  I say, when one door closes, go kick another bigger door down! Seriously! Go find a bigger, greater challenge than the one you just lost out on, GRAB it by the horns, and don’t let go

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-5572335881546504722011-02-20T22:37:00.000-08:002011-10-30T22:33:43.754-07:00

So, you've made this great music, or wrote a great book, or painted an amazing piece of art. You just KNOW that as soon as you get it front of people, that the phone will start ringing, the Facebook page will start growing, the Twitterati will begin twittering. It won't be long until the world will realize your genius! One small problem there, Ace. How will you get it in front of

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-69395035473350252362011-01-26T08:28:00.000-08:002011-10-30T22:33:54.484-07:00

I don't know about you, but I find after a vacation, an event that takes you away, or sometimes just a long weekend, I find myself aching to get back to my creative life. Ever have those times when you just want to do that thing that you know God gave you? But life intervened and you just had no choice but to step away from it and take care of things? Well, let's get back to it shall we?

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-80713620942802833182010-12-27T01:34:00.000-08:002011-06-05T23:09:00.277-07:00

“I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestioning ability of man to evaluate his life by a conscious endeavor” -  Henry David Thoreau This is the time for year when after all the presents have been opened, and the rush is over, that we begin to look both backward and forward. We take stock of the year just gone by, and see what we can improve for the new year. This is much more than

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-62277971043067444222010-12-20T22:50:00.000-08:002011-06-05T23:09:12.402-07:00

“There are no such things as limits to growth, because there are no limits to the human capacity for intelligence, imagination, and wonder” - Ronald Reagan “Most people are not really free. They are confined by the niche in the world that they carve out for themselves.They limit themselves to fewer possibilities by the narrowness of their vision.” - V. S. Naipaul "A man's gotta know his

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-6196268542287175762010-11-08T07:42:00.000-08:002011-06-05T23:09:26.383-07:00

(Creative folk, hang with me, I’m coming back to you after my short rant...) Warning: This blog entry contains explicit Christian themes and tones that some may find offensive and uncomfortable. Those under the age of 21 may want to ask a parent, guardian, or Sunday School teacher about some of the subject matter, as it may include potentially life-changing words like God, church, worship, and

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-23048894329795894272010-10-18T08:31:00.001-07:002011-06-05T23:09:39.387-07:00

"Intelligent people want to learn." - Proverbs 15:14 I had a great consult the other day with a young man from Kentucky who came to Nashville really wanting to make the next step in his development as a keyboard player and possibly producer. His excitement and desire to grow was palpable and infectious.  Teaching and coaching is quickly becoming about the favorite part of what I do. But I can't

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-90379187162514829402010-10-04T10:26:00.000-07:002011-06-05T23:09:52.692-07:00

I found a few new daily devotional books lately that I really love. They are called “Today is the Day” and they offer verses and quotes with each little day’s devotion. Pretty inspiring stuff. Each day’s devotion starts like this: “Today is the Day to...” It got me thinking about you artists out there.  Have you been fooling around with music for years, but would love to get serious with what God

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-35212817310151254982010-09-13T08:45:00.000-07:002011-06-05T23:10:05.208-07:00

Yes, I said do do.Which is what some of us feel like with what we THOUGHT was our ministry efforts. It was an easy to decision to decide to BE a Christian artist, but now that you’re actually trying to do it, and market it, and wondering why doors aren’t opening...well, it’s frustrating as...anything.A few years ago I realized what the difference is between one artist and another. Why people

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-55512372599845237502010-08-23T09:28:00.000-07:002011-06-05T23:10:18.336-07:00

My whole life as a creative person, I struggled with this malady (see if it sounds familiar). I would come up with great ideas (songs, albums, books, stories, videos, and more lately businesses and startup ideas), and I would even start them. Make lists of what I wanted to do...sometimes even start the process...But inevitably it would die on the operating table. An unfinished masterpiece. A

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-67237964395654925642010-07-12T00:16:00.001-07:002011-06-05T23:10:31.869-07:00

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans. "The moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-28093337410361350122010-06-27T22:21:00.000-07:002010-06-27T22:21:40.516-07:00

“Some say opportunity knocks only once, that is not true. Opportunity knocks all the time, but you have to be ready for it. If the chance comes, you must have the equipment to take advantage of it.” - Louis L'Amour (American writer, best-selling author, 1908-1988) So, here we are in the dog days of summer. Dang, it's hot. For us artists though, it's not the heat, it's the humility. We SAY we

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-46860457925737390142010-05-17T09:05:00.000-07:002010-05-17T09:05:14.580-07:00

Somewhere along the way, like children slowly losing the ability to dream being anything they want to be, you left your dream behind. Maybe you just meant to put it on hold. You had to set it aside for your spouse, your children, your job, or school. Maybe it just never seemed like a possibility 10-20 years ago the way the world was. Doors were closed. The internet was yet to bring artists to

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-64720481262805436472010-05-03T00:55:00.000-07:002010-05-03T00:55:04.564-07:00

Subtitled: The numbing sameness of what we used to call music. That sucking sound you hear is the vapid, current state of Christian music inside and outside of the church. A stunning and shocking lack of originality in an art form meant to praise, worship, or introduce to the world the amazing, infinite, omniscient God of the Universe. Sad huh? It’s been a recurring problem through the ages.

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14973487.post-52496830633419928202010-04-25T08:54:00.000-07:002010-04-25T08:55:47.948-07:00

It's sounds like a broken record when I talk about the arts in the church, but take a look at this video. THIS is preaching it. C'mon!

Eric Copelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17455115047714981740noreply@blogger.com0