Whenever I present to groups about sound therapy or talk with people at trade fairs, I often get expressions of concern and questions about heavy metal music. These are valid concerns, so I decided to take a closer look. My closer look has provided some interesting insight.
Heavy metal music has been a personal journey for our family. Our son, Matt, is lead guitar in a heavy metal band. It is his favorite music. He is a fabulously talented guitarist. Matt is also an early indigo child and one of the wisest, old souls I know. If I need advice, I will often ask Matt. He is one of the kindest, compassionate, joyful and authentic people I know.
Heavy metal music touched our family in a very personal way when Matt entered grade 10 in high school. By the second term, Matt was suffering from a clinical depression. For him, it was a true dark night of the soul.
Medication and intervention were refused as he relied on his own inner wisdom and healer. From a very young age, this wise old soul has preferred to heal himself. Mind you, for a broken arm, he was taken to the hospital. The doctors were amazed at how quickly he healed.
What he found during this dark night of the soul was an expression of what he was going through in the form of heavy metal music. If he was feeling really angry, for example, he would play some really angry music, we would plug our ears, and shortly, he would emerge from his room calmer.
Now, Matt regularly shares with me videos on youtube of his favorite bands and performers. We gleefully share our wonder over the technical and musical accomplishments of some of these guitarists. I also share with him my concern over the content of some of the songs and its effect on him. As a classically trained musician and sound and energy healer, I had some serious reservations about this style of music.
Many people enthusiastically condemn heavy metal music. You may even be aware of a court case or two brought against a band concerning its influence over young people. I believe that labeling it "bad" and shoving it under the rug may not be the wisest thing to do.
Music and art are reflections of what is going on in the heart, mind and soul of humanity. With heavy metal music, I believe that we are staring right into our collective shadow. What is the content of this shadow? Death, anger, fear, illness, sex, repressed weakness, shortcomings and instincts. Welcome to heavy metal.
Each of us is a mixture of light (like compassion) and shadow (like dark angry thoughts). We like very much to avoid the shadow. The problem is that the more we avoid or repress it, the darker it becomes.
Sometimes we have to turn out all the lights and sit in the dark to understand the nature of the darkness. Sometimes that experience becomes the dark night of the soul where we confront our own shadow side.
Humanity as a whole is undergoing a shift in consciousness right now and part of this shift involves understanding and creating a relationship with our collective shadow. As an individual, some of the unconsciousness mind becomes conscious. As a species, some of our collective unconscious is becoming conscious and we are getting a good look. As a result, humanity is experiencing a collective dark night of the soul.
The great psychiatrist, Carl Jung wrote about the shadow and coined the term collective unconscious. One of the things he said was, "To confront a person with his shadow is to show him his own light." (Good and Evil in Analytical Psychology (1959). In Collected Works 10. Civilization in Transition, p. 872.)
He also said, "One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious." (The Philosophical Tree (1945). In Collected Works 13: Alchemical Studies, p. 335.)
The gift of heavy metal music is that it forces us to look at our collective shadow. We have been shoving it under the rug for millennia. It has grown deep and dark there. By bubbling up in music and art, it forces us to take a good look and make some choices about what we see.
Tampilkan postingan dengan label Benefits of Music. Tampilkan semua postingan
Tampilkan postingan dengan label Benefits of Music. Tampilkan semua postingan
Jumat, 28 Januari 2011
Kamis, 27 Januari 2011
How Does Music Influence Our Daily Life?
We are all aware that music and "atmosphere" go together. We might put on relaxing music for a quiet romantic dinner, but listen to something livelier while doing some physical work or exercise or when out socializing in larger groups. You might have heard of farmers who increase production by playing music to their animals. Recent studies showing that listening to fast music while driving increases the rate of car accidents and the Mozart Effect claims to increase intelligence. While some claims may be exaggerated, there is no denying that music can be suggestive and affect our state of mind. But the reason for this is very mysterious. Why should organized sounds affect us to such an extent that billions are spent annually making music? The main aspects of music which influence us can be summed up as:
Tempo & Rhythm
Pitch Melody and Harmony
Tempo and Rhythm and its combination has an immediate physical impact on our perceptions. The rhythm of an object suggests more or less frequent movement to qualify the repetitive nature of the underlying beat, even though the tempo of a piece of music might be slow and relaxed. A high frequency of notes can suggest a degree of contained excitement within that relaxed state. Music tends to have a steady tempo to it, often measured in beats per minute. Most of the music based on simple observation is in the range of 50-200 beats per minute, the same as the extreme range of our heartbeats. The music tempo of the piece of music roughly equates with the heartbeat associated with the corresponding state or emotions.
Ranging from 60-80 beats per minute is calm and relaxed, less than 60 often very relaxed, introspective or even depressed. 80-100 is moderately alert and interested otherwise 100 upward are increasingly lively excited or agitated. 80-120 is a common tempo, since we crave some degree of excitement from our entertainment. Since the heartbeat and the music tempo have a strong degree of suggestion, 120-160 is common in some energetic situations. Music suggests movement as it moves in time; and unconsciously we keep associating ourselves with the music while talking, walking, running, dancing, riding etc.
Pitch, Melody & Harmony
Pitch on its own affects our perception. It depends on how we perceived sounds and music providing a basic scale from” high= light, happy, carefree" to” low = dark, sad, ominous." We must find a large thing more threatening than a smaller one as part of our evolutionary heritage. In general bigger objects make deeper noises whether long column of air or long strings in a musical instrument, big chest, large animal footsteps, or large objects banging together. Conversely smaller instruments, short columns of air, short strings, small animals or objects make higher pitch noises. A Melody can be preferred if sounds are reasonably close together with a variety of nice harmonious intervals between them and a rhythm is similar to that of speech. A good melody (even if it doesn't have words) is often one that we could hum, sing or whistle. Generally melody consists of a linear sequence of tones. The notes should have durations which are not too short and not too long, and should not be in an extreme range or shouldn't have large awkward jumps between them. Although instrumental musical can stretch those boundaries a little, melodies in its way are very similar to sentences that our brains are designed to speak and listen to.
A good melody ( even if it doesn’t have words ) often is one that we could hum, sing or whistle. Even if they are reasonably close together with a variety of nice harmonious intervals between them, rhythms similar to that of speech can be preferred as a melodies. Generally a melody consists of a linear sequence of tones. The notes should have durations which are not too short and not too long, and should not be in an extreme range or shouldn’t have large awkward jumps between them. Although instrumental musical can stretch those boundaries a little, melodies are very similar to sentences that our brains are designed to speak and listen to.
Harmony is that when we combine tones with different pitches, even some that that seem to be close to the combination of notes is completely the natural set of different notes produced by something vibrating and easily demonstrated musically brass instruments. Those natural (without keys) instruments such as bugle, octaves, fifths and thirds produced are a series of notes. These notes are well placed together to make harmonious sounds like major chords. String instruments can be demonstrate the lowest notes of the harmonic series by playing the strongest harmonics of the strings which divide the length into fractions like halves, thirds, quarters, fifths, etc. These harmonics always present to varying degrees within all notes, and their proportions help to give sounds their unique color or tone.
Tempo & Rhythm
Pitch Melody and Harmony
Tempo and Rhythm and its combination has an immediate physical impact on our perceptions. The rhythm of an object suggests more or less frequent movement to qualify the repetitive nature of the underlying beat, even though the tempo of a piece of music might be slow and relaxed. A high frequency of notes can suggest a degree of contained excitement within that relaxed state. Music tends to have a steady tempo to it, often measured in beats per minute. Most of the music based on simple observation is in the range of 50-200 beats per minute, the same as the extreme range of our heartbeats. The music tempo of the piece of music roughly equates with the heartbeat associated with the corresponding state or emotions.
Ranging from 60-80 beats per minute is calm and relaxed, less than 60 often very relaxed, introspective or even depressed. 80-100 is moderately alert and interested otherwise 100 upward are increasingly lively excited or agitated. 80-120 is a common tempo, since we crave some degree of excitement from our entertainment. Since the heartbeat and the music tempo have a strong degree of suggestion, 120-160 is common in some energetic situations. Music suggests movement as it moves in time; and unconsciously we keep associating ourselves with the music while talking, walking, running, dancing, riding etc.
Pitch, Melody & Harmony
Pitch on its own affects our perception. It depends on how we perceived sounds and music providing a basic scale from” high= light, happy, carefree" to” low = dark, sad, ominous." We must find a large thing more threatening than a smaller one as part of our evolutionary heritage. In general bigger objects make deeper noises whether long column of air or long strings in a musical instrument, big chest, large animal footsteps, or large objects banging together. Conversely smaller instruments, short columns of air, short strings, small animals or objects make higher pitch noises. A Melody can be preferred if sounds are reasonably close together with a variety of nice harmonious intervals between them and a rhythm is similar to that of speech. A good melody (even if it doesn't have words) is often one that we could hum, sing or whistle. Generally melody consists of a linear sequence of tones. The notes should have durations which are not too short and not too long, and should not be in an extreme range or shouldn't have large awkward jumps between them. Although instrumental musical can stretch those boundaries a little, melodies in its way are very similar to sentences that our brains are designed to speak and listen to.
A good melody ( even if it doesn’t have words ) often is one that we could hum, sing or whistle. Even if they are reasonably close together with a variety of nice harmonious intervals between them, rhythms similar to that of speech can be preferred as a melodies. Generally a melody consists of a linear sequence of tones. The notes should have durations which are not too short and not too long, and should not be in an extreme range or shouldn’t have large awkward jumps between them. Although instrumental musical can stretch those boundaries a little, melodies are very similar to sentences that our brains are designed to speak and listen to.
Harmony is that when we combine tones with different pitches, even some that that seem to be close to the combination of notes is completely the natural set of different notes produced by something vibrating and easily demonstrated musically brass instruments. Those natural (without keys) instruments such as bugle, octaves, fifths and thirds produced are a series of notes. These notes are well placed together to make harmonious sounds like major chords. String instruments can be demonstrate the lowest notes of the harmonic series by playing the strongest harmonics of the strings which divide the length into fractions like halves, thirds, quarters, fifths, etc. These harmonics always present to varying degrees within all notes, and their proportions help to give sounds their unique color or tone.
Selasa, 03 November 2009
Benefits of Music,feel the efect for your self.find the Power of instrument Music
Music enchants children. Its magic reaches out to them even inside the womb. During the later parts of infancy, they almost always instinctively sway, bounce, or move their heads to its beat. Toddlers garble out nursery songs they hardly understand long before they can read, write, or talk coherently. And as they grow older, they learn how to make up songs.
As much as they love to listen, children love to create music. Whether it’s singing off-key, banging a rattle against the wall, or pounding on a toy piano, nothing can stop them from trying to imitate the different sounds of music.
Self-expression through music should be encouraged so kids may increase appreciation for it as they grow older. A way to do this is to provide musical instruments such as a tambourine or a toy piano. It’s also a good idea to play nursery songs in the background while a child is playing or drawing.
Musical Effects
Helping kids hold on to and increase their fondness of music will not only result in discovering talents. It will also bring positive effects to their well-being. Here are some key benefits that music can bring to children:
- Music encourages children to be more expressive. They can bang on their little drums when they’re mad or they can stroke the keys of their toy piano cheerfully when they’re happy.
- Music promotes self-esteem. When children realize that they can handle a musical instrument, sing a song aloud, or sway with the beat, they’ll feel proud of themselves and their abilities.
- Music gives knowledge. Constant exposure to music such as folk songs, praise music and nursery rhymes will make it easy for a child to understand values and feelings even before they begin to go to school. Parents should be ready to give answers when their children want song lyrics to be explained.
- Music inspires creativity. Because of what they hear, children may get inspired to explore other forms of art such as drawing or painting to further give life to a song. They may illustrate the complete cast of Old McDonald’s Farm or show how the Big Rock Candy Mountains appear in their minds. Because of the early exposure to a kid’s harp or a toy piano, a child may be motivated to write songs or compose music early on in life.
- Music develops communication skills. Getting better at the toy piano entails the same skills needed to learn how to read. Musical lyrics may help increase a child’s vocabulary. New ideas are learned through a song’s story line and kids can get better at articulating these ideas.
- Music helps children achieve goals. With the intent to master an instrument, a child learns the concept of staying focused to attain an objective. At an early age, they are already equipped with values that can help them become successful grown-ups.
But just like any other recreational means, music should not be imposed on your children. Teaching a child how to play a musical instrument or having him take part in voice lessons should not result in tantrums every time a session starts. Your child should love and enjoy musical activities in order for music to have a positive effect in your child’s life.
As much as they love to listen, children love to create music. Whether it’s singing off-key, banging a rattle against the wall, or pounding on a toy piano, nothing can stop them from trying to imitate the different sounds of music.
Self-expression through music should be encouraged so kids may increase appreciation for it as they grow older. A way to do this is to provide musical instruments such as a tambourine or a toy piano. It’s also a good idea to play nursery songs in the background while a child is playing or drawing.
Musical Effects
Helping kids hold on to and increase their fondness of music will not only result in discovering talents. It will also bring positive effects to their well-being. Here are some key benefits that music can bring to children:
- Music encourages children to be more expressive. They can bang on their little drums when they’re mad or they can stroke the keys of their toy piano cheerfully when they’re happy.
- Music promotes self-esteem. When children realize that they can handle a musical instrument, sing a song aloud, or sway with the beat, they’ll feel proud of themselves and their abilities.
- Music gives knowledge. Constant exposure to music such as folk songs, praise music and nursery rhymes will make it easy for a child to understand values and feelings even before they begin to go to school. Parents should be ready to give answers when their children want song lyrics to be explained.
- Music inspires creativity. Because of what they hear, children may get inspired to explore other forms of art such as drawing or painting to further give life to a song. They may illustrate the complete cast of Old McDonald’s Farm or show how the Big Rock Candy Mountains appear in their minds. Because of the early exposure to a kid’s harp or a toy piano, a child may be motivated to write songs or compose music early on in life.
- Music develops communication skills. Getting better at the toy piano entails the same skills needed to learn how to read. Musical lyrics may help increase a child’s vocabulary. New ideas are learned through a song’s story line and kids can get better at articulating these ideas.
- Music helps children achieve goals. With the intent to master an instrument, a child learns the concept of staying focused to attain an objective. At an early age, they are already equipped with values that can help them become successful grown-ups.
But just like any other recreational means, music should not be imposed on your children. Teaching a child how to play a musical instrument or having him take part in voice lessons should not result in tantrums every time a session starts. Your child should love and enjoy musical activities in order for music to have a positive effect in your child’s life.
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