Ramsay Phillips' chords of life

Let's discover the tune in Ramsay Phillips' life, a Dubai-based contract administrator and a musician.

By day i am a contract administrator at a structural engineering consultancy. I look after the billing, timekeeping and other administrative duties. But by night I'm a musician. I play the guitar and I sing.

I find time to play regularly at Lime Jam open mic in Central Perk, Bert's Café, Café Céramique, Café Barbera and recently at The Loft.

I come from a family of music lovers in South Africa: my grandmother was a music teacher and I grew up surrounded by music. We weren't a wealthy family, but my parents always found a way for me to continue with guitar lessons, even when we were struggling financially.

My folks understood the value of music in a child's life. My parents divorced when I was about seven, and I suppose I needed an outlet. So I clung to music and made it my passion and expression. I got my first guitar when I was 10 and started playing seriously by 15.

Where there's a will, there's a way.

It's not easy to juggle your profession with your passion; for me the two are completely unrelated. I still want to give my best to both, but obviously my full-time job gets top priority right now. Sure, it's every musician's dream to go full-time, but we have to be realistic.

The cost of living in Dubai is the need for a sound income, and so gently settling into the music scene here is the key for me. Maybe one day I can turn my passion into a profession. For now, I need to remain flexible and be available in my free time to practise.

Because Dubai Lime have their open mics throughout the week, it gives me a chance to perform whenever I get some time off.

Music is a means of expression.

To connect with an audience, music should come straight from the heart. What makes music good is the artist's feelings. It makes all the difference when you can hear the artist's passion and emotion coming through.

Electronic music isn't music to me – I like to hear instruments being played with passion and voices singing good lyrics.

Music speaks a universal language, especially in Dubai. Dubai is a very cosmopolitan place, with different people cohabiting the city. Music helps people connect across cultural borders because it reaches the heart of a person. People who appreciate similar types of music will connect.

With a forum like

Dubai Lime you can hear performers of different nationalities singing in their native languages. It certainly connects the community and cultures! Music also speaks to the deeper side of a person.

I believe music expresses that which cannot be said about which it is impossible to stay silent.

He who sings scares away his woes. You always feel better when you get something off your chest, and music does that for me to some extent. I love to feel relaxed and calm. I sit somewhere with a notebook and pen, and devote some "alone time" to introspection. That's when I'm able to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of it all.

It's my way to connect my thoughts to paper. I am inspired while practising, although even a moving TV show can be a great source of inspiration. You never know when inspiration is going to strike!

Play the music, not the instrument.

Some people just have a natural talent for playing instruments. They have a sense of rhythm and a groove that's crucial. But some need to push a lot harder and may find it's a struggle to get going.

You have to feel what you're playing, not just hammer away at notes in a sequence. The groove of a song can be lost when someone plays without feeling, emotion and passion.

Like every other musician, I love to collect musical toys. My favourites include a Taylor 110 acoustic guitar, an Epiphone Sheraton electric guitar, an LR Baggs pickup, a Fender Hot Rod DeVille 60 Watt amplifier, a Fender Frontman 25 Watt amplifier, various pedals, a Korg electric piano and a little classical guitar.

I cherish these possessions, but apart from music, I also have important things in my life including my faith, wife, family and friends.

My life's philosophy is simple.

Be honest and have integrity in what you say and do. If you're a guy, then be a gentleman.

If you're a girl, be a lady. There are very few sincere people around these days, and it's refreshing to meet people who are. And finally, carpe diem!

Snapshots

My favourite photograph is of my wife Elena and me on our honeymoon. We were parasailing together; it was a special time for both of us.

My favourite musicians include The Counting Crows, Matchbox 20, The Dave Matthews Band, Stevie Ray Vaughan and John Mayer. I enjoy rock, folk, jazz, blues, soul and even pop. But rap, rave or techno? No thanks.