[AudioAddiction]

Hi everyone,

I'm interested in learning more from peoples experiences about the positive influence that music has had in your life. You can share here or please PM me if you wish. I am wanting to write an article about music as therapy for my blog - http://audioaddictionaustralia.blogspot.com/

I have personally seen the difference that music can have on people. My mother is a volunteer for the Red Cross Music Group based on the Sunshine Coast (Australia). She has taken me along to some of the retirement homes that they visit and I can tell you some people can be completely transformed when they hear music from their era. My favourite was an elderly woman in an almost catatonic state standing up and dancing after years of no real interaction with anybody. It was simply amazing to see and the positive flow on helped her live out a more positive life.

It doesn't need to be this dramatic, it would be interesting to hear your stories nonetheless.


Thanks,

Tony

[decal]

Music is my daily therapy for all matters physical and mental. 

[BLWTX]

There is an actual profession on Music Therapy. My daughter is studying in a music conservatory and was at one time going to minor/major in Music Therapy. Here is a link to some FAQ's that you may be interested in for your blog.

http://www.musictherapy.org/faqs.html

[AudioAddiction]

Thanks for the link.  I've read a bit of this in the past.  Anybody else have anything to share?

[thunderbrick]

Music is my daily therapy for all matters physical and mental. 

+1!   

I am huge Public Radio fan, but it really worries me that so many NPR stations are going to "intelligent talk" programs, many of which seem to be  neurotic people contemplating their navels.  Satellite radio, as heard in my wife's car, is worse.

[emac]

As I sit here and listen to the "90's Megamix" by DJ Spinbad, a terrific mix that incorporates many of the recognizable tracks of that decade mixed w/ movie and pop culture snippets, I'll try to give my thoughts on this topic.  To me music does 3 things that are therapeutic.  First, music helps you get in touch with your emotions.  Even genres that not everyone appreciates, like metal or hip hop, connect with people on an emotional level.  Music is a safe way to connect with emotions on a primitive, at times subconscious, level.  Second, music helps people to connect.  People want to feel connected to others, and music provides a way to bring people together who would never have known about each other.  Finally, and this applies to more to music lovers and audiophiles more than the casual listener, music allows you a way to take a step back out of your otherwise hectic life to appreciate the beauty of art.  In this respect, music is like meditation.  It takes you out of the moment, immerses you in a different frame of thought, brings you on a journey, and makes you feel more complete once the journey is over. 

As for being an audiophile, I find that by improving my systems, it allows me to better connect w/ music that I love. 

[pardales]

As I sit here and listen to the "90's Megamix" by DJ Spinbad, a terrific mix that incorporates many of the recognizable tracks of that decade mixed w/ movie and pop culture snippets, I'll try to give my thoughts on this topic.  To me music does 3 things that are therapeutic.  First, music helps you get in touch with your emotions.  Even genres that not everyone appreciates, like metal or hip hop, connect with people on an emotional level.  Music is a safe way to connect with emotions on a primitive, at times subconscious, level.  Second, music helps people to connect.  People want to feel connected to others, and music provides a way to bring people together who would never have known about each other.  Finally, and this applies to more to music lovers and audiophiles more than the casual listener, music allows you a way to take a step back out of your otherwise hectic life to appreciate the beauty of art.  In this respect, music is like meditation.  It takes you out of the moment, immerses you in a different frame of thought, brings you on a journey, and makes you feel more complete once the journey is over. 

As for being an audiophile, I find that by improving my systems, it allows me to better connect w/ music that I love.

Very nicely, said. 

[Noseyears]

Music is like a drug...im always listening to it when im stressed and it makes me free my mind.

[FullRangeMan]

Hi,
In the 70 years Tangerine Dream music change my life forever and for better, mainly the album Phaedra.  Music is like the Breath of God to me.
http://www.amazon.com/Phaedra-Tangerine-Dream/dp/B00000DR5E
Another great music for therapy is the ambient music from Stere Roach, it is like a holografic 3D photo with dipole speakers (I never forget this listening experience, very impressive).
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dpopular&field-keywords=steve+roach&x=0&y=0
Regards,  Gustavo

[nonoise]

Music has a very calming, almost meditation effect on me. I tend to seek out music that literally moves me in that respect. I can get lost, so to speak, while listening: hearing every note and not aware of the time it took, as if in a revery.
Mood, inclination, and desired effect all play a role in what kind of listening session I'll experience. I find it very therapeutic.

[Duke]

From something I posted over in my forum:

My step-father, Stewart Morris, would have been an audiophile if he hadn't been a Scotsman first - meaning that, he hated spending money.  But my "aha" moment about the role of music came from listening to an opera CD with him over a modest system. 

My step-father was never one to show emotion; he always had superb self-control.  He was a warrior by profession and practice, a Marine Corps pilot who flew both helicopters and jets in combat many times, and a judo champion.  One could say he was stoic, logical, honorable, reliable, courageous, practical, and a gentleman - but never emotional.  Far more like Spock than like Kirk.  Anyway, he was also a fan of opera singer Cecelia Bartoli.  I gave him a Cecelia Bartoli CD for Christmas one year, and he and I sat and listened to the disc all the way through on an inexpensive system I had previously given him (had to pretend it was cheaper than it was or he wouldn't have accepted it; Fried Model Q speakers + NAD electroncis).  We sat and listened in stillness to every note.  Afterwards, I saw him quietly wipe a tear from each eye.  This stunned me - I had never seen that side of him before.  Not even a hint of it.  Slowly I realized that music (opera, to be precise) is where this man went to feel his emotions, which were normally off-limits for him.  As I thought about this, it occurred to me that this is how it is for many of us guys - music is where we go to feel our feelings, because we do not allow ourselves to go there in our normal everyday lives.  We are too busy being brave, or practical, or responsible.  In my opinion music is less likely to play this role for women, because they do not repress their emotions with such dedication. 

I think that's part of the reason why the music matters so much to so many of us.

(If you'd like to get a better feel for who he was, here's his obit:  http://obits.nola.com/obituaries/nola/obituary.aspx?n=stanley-stewart-morris&pid=143272330 ; the picture pretty much tells the story.)

*  *  *  *

The last time a piece of music moved me to that point was an album that my son made, called "Morpho".   Obviously I'm not an impartial observer, but this album took me into the life of this little clay person, Morpho, and it was like I connected with him and his world and understood him, all through music (no lyrics).  It was like spending an hour on a different dimension, or in a different universe.  My avatar is from the album cover.  This and other albums by my sons are what I listen to on long road trips, and ideas come to me that probably never would have otherwise.  I'm sure the fact that I know the artists pretty well is makes a difference.  So that brings up my second point:  The more we "know" the artist, the more something magical in the music can speak to us.  Whether we're a lifelong Michael Jackson fan or have kids with keyboards, knowing the creator of the music takes it to a much deeper level. 

[AudioAddiction]

Duke,

That is an outstanding post.  You have sumed up a lot of what I want to write about.

Thanks,

Tony

[Noseyears]

Have any of you listened "Enya" songs?
Pretty relaxing music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiFTXckh0zU&feature=related

[Mag]

Have any of you listened "Enya" songs?
Pretty relaxing music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiFTXckh0zU&feature=related

I have two Enya albums, her music is too mellow for my taste. I prefer David Arkenstone, Echoes of Egypt or Atlantis are good ones to start with if interested, but he has many more. Kitaro is also very good once you adjust to his Japanese style.

[Rocket_Ronny]

I had a customer tell me yesterday she had been looking for some healing music. One of our resellers who listens to our music continually recommended the Scripture Songs series to her. She told her it will change you for the better. She ordered some music and told me it truly has brought healing to her soul.

We have had people get the music for loved ones dealing with terminal illness and it has made a big impact on them as they face the biggest challenge, death.

A women called whose husband was being deployed to Iraq. They were all freaked out about it. Then while listening to Scripture Songs III in the car a calming spirit came over them all and they knew everything was going to work out. He took the music into Iraq on his laptop.

And there are a lot of other similar comments I have posted on the website. I read them every once in a while for clarity.

Rocket_bringing spiritual music to the masses_Ronny

[rollo]

+1!   

I am huge Public Radio fan, but it really worries me that so many NPR stations are going to "intelligent talk" programs, many of which seem to be  neurotic people contemplating their navels.  Satellite radio, as heard in my wife's car, is worse.

 +2 BTW the public stations now receive Gov't money and are REQIRED to offer these talk periods. Unfortunately it is not fair and balanced.
 

charles

[Noseyears]

I was researching more on the topic and i found this:

http://stress.about.com/od/tensiontamers/a/music_therapy.htm

Worth reading.