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The Purposeful Use of Music |
It's hugely important to use music in a new, focused, and powerful way. Use music? Don't we just listen to music? No. No matter how seemingly undirected our thoughts are when we even casually play music at any time, we always have an intention behind it. We choose the music we listen to, even if ostensibly just for background and notwithstanding how seemingly innocuous such a choice seems. We don't always consciously know what that purpose is. And that's my point. Music can be used consciously and very purposefully, and it is extremely important-and helpful-to do so. This purposefulness must consider two principle aspects of music. First, it must take into account the physical properties of sound itself on the human nervous system, a field of study called psychoacoustics. Second, it must consider the intent of the performer and composer or songwriter, for music is also a carrier of intentionality, or, one might say, its consciousness. If we don't make our musical choices in a very aware way and with an appreciation of music's true power and influences, at best we won't take full advantage of it. At worst, we defeat our own best desires, sometimes with quite harmful consequences. The use of music, we discover, carries with it a significant responsibility. This is from "Purposeful Use of Music" by Lou, published in Snapshots, from Windsong Publishers. For the whole fascinating article, click on the link below to obtain it in a PDF file. |