The Importance of Music

Medical research has shown music to be an effective tool for therapy patients because of the effects it produces on the human body and psyche.  The field of music therapy relies on music to promote healing and well-being.  Those who practice and promote music therapy find the benefits of using music when treating cancer patients, ADHD youth and others.  Even hospitals are jumping on the bandwagon and using music to reach out to patients and help with pain management, stave off depression, promote movement and impart a sense of calmness.

 Music affects the human body and mind in some very powerful ways.  The following list outlines how music can benefit others in a medical setting:

·         Brain waves: music with a strong beat can stimulate brain waves to sync in time to the beat, the faster the beat the more sharper the contrast in brain wave activity.  Research has also found that a change in brain wave patterns can help the brain shift speeds more easily, which music produces long-term benefits to a person’s state of mind long after it has ended.

·         Breathing (respiration) and heart rate:  with alternations in the brain waves comes a change in the functions and awareness of the human body.  Governed by the central nervous system, things such as breathing and heart rate are noted by making changes to music a person is exposed to. Slower music directly results in a slowdown of heart and respiration rates. Music and music therapy can greatly benefit those who suffer from chronic stress; relaxation promotes a sense of well-being and makes a person feel better.

·         State of mind:  music can be used to create peace and a positive state of mind, keeping depression and anxiety away.  Music can help prevent the body from going into a stress response, which can wreak havoc on the entire body.

·         Other benefits: music therapy has also been found to impart many other benefits such as lowering blood pressure, boost the immune system, ease muscle tension, and many more. 

With the many proven benefits of music therapy, it is no surprise that researchers are now recognizing music for the important medical tool it is.  Music should never be discounted for the many beautiful things that can result from hearing a memorable and moving melody.  Loving music and appreciating the many wonderful things it can do for the body is growing in popularity and finally gaining the interest of medical professionals all over the world.

 

When you are listening to a popular tune on your car radio or home stereo and come across a song that truly speaks to your soul, how does it make you feel? Perhaps you are overcome with emotion as you sway gently to the music, finding yourself lost in thoughts of times gone by or perhaps you are reminiscing about your younger years. No matter what you are thinking, music means many things to many people. It can mean an emotional stirring as the singer reaches into your very heart and pulls the strings that bring overwhelming emotions to the surface.

Music is truly the tie that bind and brings out emotions we may have hidden or tried to deny. Some types of music bring about childhood memories, some people find it stirs up thoughts of a first dance or first kiss. Music can be a road to inner discovery and tap you into your inner subconscious on a level never before experienced. You can learn things about yourself you never knew before and when you hear that certain song perhaps it brings you a sense of peace, joy and inner harmony.

A certain type of music can be so intoxicating it sets the mood of the whole experience you are going through. Music is truly what bridges the world together and transcends culture, ethnicity, language and many other inane differences. When you find a tune that stirs your soul, you want to go out and share it with others and gauge how they react. You note their expression, their mood, their demeanor and how they respond. You want to see if the music that has taken over your being affects someone you love. In turn when you share music, you are inviting another person into your private world and letting them see a side of you that not many others may be able to see.

When sharing some of the most emotional parts of music, you are giving away a gift to someone else that they can never repay. Music is something that should be savored, enjoyed and shared, when you pass it along to others you are in essence spreading around and sharing joy with others. Music is a gift and you should never take it for granted, something that touches your heart and life so deeply should be treasured and cherished for a lifetime. It is a gift that costs nothing, but is priceless all at the same time.

Psychfolk Music is a Piece of History

Psychfolk music is a term not commonly known but one that should be. With album titles such as “Savage Life,” “Fun for Fairies,” “Coffee for my Captain,” or “I Conquered while Still in the Egg,” why not at least check it out?

Psychfolk usually leans toward acoustic instrumentation, but does incorporate other types of instrumentation. You will hear chanting or music from earlier times. Often times it is laced with world music influences. Psychfolk is often recognized for its trance-like sounds with rhythmic beats, interlaced with improvisational runs.

The lyrics of Psycfolk are concerned with subjects such as love, beauty, and the natural world and strive to evoke a higher state of mind. Reminiscent of the 1960’s with a folksy feel and the psychedelic rock beats, it is something to behold.

Pychfolk was particularly strong in the mid 60’s as a result of the British Invasion. It also was mixed with strong influences from the era, such as hippy music. Often times you can hear, if you listen closely, eastern instruments with little Irish riffs. Pychfolk is a mixture of so many different kinds of music it is hard to put into a nice little definition. Hearing is believing when it comes to Pyschfolk.

In the 1970’s Pychfolk began to fade from the scene as the artists transitioned naturally into more popular art forms. Many of the bands splintered, causing further distancing from their loyal followers. Pychfolk however had its place in history. It morphed into more traditional forms of rock, yet marginally held its position as folk music.

In the early 2000’s, Pychfolk began to make a comeback, only taking on new names for the old art form. Some called it the New Weird America of Freak Folk. Some of the bands that brought it back were The Dodos and Yeasayer.

If Psychfolk sounds intriguing, then you can find places online that will let you download entire albums in MP3 format for free or a nominal donation. If enjoyable, these sites ask that you contribute based on your enthusiasm for the music. Why not check them out. What an opportunity to take a musical walk down history, get tranced out and perhaps even enjoy a bit of musical history making a comeback.

What is a True Artist?

What is a true artist? That is a question with a varying answer depending on who you ask. Some people may define a true artist as simply a painter or sculptor, who uses their talent to create what we as a society call a classic form of art. Others may answer the question with another question: what do you consider to be art? Still others may shrug and say “I do not know. Anything, I guess.” None of these answers would be wrong or misguided. In fact, true art can encompass many things, and a true artist is one who produces that art. An artist may be a painter, a sculptor, a photographer. But what about the fashion designer who spends her days creating new and stylish clothing? Is she not an artist? Or what about the architect who devotes hours to making each of his buildings unique and useful? Is he not a true artist too? 

 

In fact, a true artist can be anyone who devotes time, energy, and skill into their preferred hobby or craft. There are many true artists in the world. For example, a musician is an artist when it comes to writing and performing musical lyrics. A pool player can be an artist when they turn playing a simple game of billiards into a beautiful work of art. Anyone can be a true artist if they follow their talent and put their heart into it. Art does not have to be a formal piece hung in a museum for people to admire. Art can be the scrapbook that you put together of your children and devoted you time and your love to its crafting. Art can be the wooden bookcase you built in your garage one spring weekend. 

 

What is a true artist? The answer to that question is everyone. Each person has the heart of an artist somewhere inside. Though many of us never tap that well of talent and skill, it exists. Maybe your art form is designing a company website or upgrading and personalizing your car until it is all your own. Anything can be an art form. And, yes, anyone can be a true artist. 

 

     What is a true artist? I am. You are. Your husband and wife and child and uncle and neighbor -- they all are true artists.

What is Psych Folk Music?

     For anyone who has lived through or studied the changing mentality that affected so much of everything in the 1960, it is easily understandable that a number of musical styles and sounds developed and then died away during this time. The 60s were the heyday of psychedelic drugs such as LSD and PCP, and these hallucinogens affected the type of music preferred by their users. 

      Psychedelic is a termed used for these specific types of things because the word refers to experiences of unknown types of thoughts, sounds and images, usually restricted to the mind. It offers a creative freedom of sorts. So, when referring to music, a genre called psychedelic rock was a style that was meant to recreate the interesting effects of the drugs. The surreal music made use of electric and slide guitars and concerts for the music featured imaginative effects and creative but bizarre backgrounds. In a time of such political and emotional turmoil, the mentality of peace and love over war also effected the psychedelic musical movement.

 

     When two popular styles of music, psychedelic rock and folk, were mixed together, a new creation came about. Psych Folk rose to popularity in the 60s and was greatly influenced by both American and British artists. A strong wave of Psych Folk hit the charts during the well known British Invasion. Psych Folk is an interesting mix of folk style song lyrics combined with the surreal musical effects of the psychedelic rock. The topics of Psych Folk, much like the popular topics of the time period, usually centered around nature, peace, love, and harmony as opposed to war and strife.

 

    Psych Folk remained popular through the decade, but began to lose listeners by the 70s when the public wanted a different sound. Many of the Psych Folk singers of the 60s worked to create a new image for themselves, and thus was born the genre of folk rock. In Britain, electric rock was the result of the revamping of Psych Folk. This new form of rock was the preferred genre of many well know bands, such as The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and The Byrds. The song stylings of these popular folk rock bands were greatly influenced by the Psych Folk bands that came before.

 

     In the 21^st century, the almost dead genre of Psych Folk found a revival as people began to turn their eyes toward all things retro. New Psych Folk bands have emerged and have found strong cult followings.

Heal Your Body and Your Spirit

We’ve often discussed the many ways that music can help to benefit the health and well being of the soul, and today we’re going to reiterate some of the information we’ve passed along about the physical and mental benefits that music can provide people suffering not only from common illness, but mental and emotional stresses as well. In fact, we believe that music and art can provide healing therapies that many traditional medicines often overlook. If you’re interested in learning more about how music and art therapy can help you, read on for more information.

You may find it interesting to note that art and music are both utilized in a wide variety of therapies. Professional therapists often use both music and art in their efforts to heal the human mind. Because the human mind such a complicated machine, the utilization of simple tools like music and art for healing proves fascinating to most.

If you're interested in learning more about the potential of music to heal your ailments, consider doing your own homework and your own research on the healing power of certain genres of music. You may believe that music therapy and music in healing is a hokey alternative choice to mainstream medicine. However, thanks to scientific evidence proving the success of music therapy, even the skeptics have to stop and take notice.

In order to reap the benefits music can offer in terms of health and well-being, one should select music that relieves tension and can help the body relaxed. In most cases, individuals who choose hard rock or heavy metal music do not reap healing benefits. However, individuals who select music of the more soothing genre find themselves with a noticeable relief of symptoms in a relatively short period of time. Typically, artists who promote peace and all-encompassing human ideals produce music that can be counted among the healthy.

It is argued that music can relieve levels of stress they are by improving symptoms and relieving subsequent elements elsewhere in the body. Either way, the key to finding healing through music is simple as selecting the right music.

Different Music and Emotions

There are different types of music available for your listening pleasure but did you know that different music lyrics have different meaning and effects on you as well as the person singing the song? The varieties of music as well as the meanings that are put into a song by the performer allow you to reach a certain level of inner discovery and sometimes emotional experiences. You can find yourself visualizing the description in the song as well as relating to the words that Pink or other artists may be singing. With the wonderful world of music you can experience emotions that may have been hidden deep within yourself or music that expresses your feelings that you may be having a hard time expressing yourself.

You will find there is an endless amount of music available that will meet your needs, feelings, and experiences for your daily life. Remove yourself from the society we live in and enter a world of emotion and gratification when you enjoy the variety of music that allows you to release yourself and get lost inside feelings. You will find yourself energized and a feeling of inner peace when you sit back and listen to the music of a professional artist who truly knows how to reach out to you and experience your feelings through lyrics in songs.

The songs you will find will help you express feelings of love to feelings of anger or hurt when you have problems expressing those feelings yourself. Music is a wonderful way to release all your stress and anxiety that comes with everyday lives and the people we encounter. Through music you will find the peace you search for and can take comfort in the fact that the singer and songwriter experience the same emotions you encounter. Music is one of the best ways to express your deepest and darkest feelings towards life or family or different individuals in your life.

The many levels of emotions you will find in music and the lyrics the singer expresses will offer you a certain amount of inner discovery that you cannot find through friends, books, or other forms of comfort. Through music you can be yourself and live in the music world that you can only dream of verses the world we live in today with the hurt, anger, and distress that is physically expressed in society today. Allow yourself to experience you have deep inside and find the peace you search for daily with the variety of music available to you.