Tag: neuromusic

The neuroscience of music.

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Sobriety: 4 accurate facts about Breast Health & Booze

Sobriety: Breast Health and Booze.

TLDR: I’m on a sobriety mission and learning about how booze affects the breast health. Drinking alcohol can raise oestrogen levels in the blood. Breast tissue is sensitive to hormone fluctuations; some types of breast cancer are oestrogen dependent. Beer and wine both contain various non-alcoholic substances, as well as ethanol. Women working in the nightlife industry need to be especially vigilant about our mental and physical health.

Sobriety: Breast Health and Booze
Sobriety: 4 accurate facts about Breast Health & Booze 4

Alcohol and breast cancer

Let’s start off by stating the facts: when talking about breast heath and booze, we are really talking about breast cancer (BC). Statistically, BC is the big one when it comes to boobs. Of course there are other breast pathologies, but BC is the momma.

“Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer type in the WHO European Region, with 1579 women diagnosed every day. Alcohol consumption is one of the major modifiable risk factors for the disease, causing 7 of every 100 new breast cancer cases in the Region.” source: World Health Organization

Breast Health and Booze – The Four Fiends

Ethanol

Ethanol (CH3-CH2-OH or ethOH) is the molecule that makes it all happen. Ethanol is produced in the brewing process via the controlled fermentation of grains, grapes, roots, honey, or other sugar sources.

Alcohol Metabolism

When alcohol enters the digestive system, it is absorbed in the stomach and small intestine, then sent to the liver. An enzymatic reaction in the liver breaks down ethanol, forming a molecule called “acetaldehyde” (CH3-CH=O) Notice that the last Hydrogen has been taken away by the reaction? That is what the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase does.

Acetaldehyde, the breakdown product of ethanol, is carcinogenic. Acetaldehyde must be quickly broken down to another molecule, acetate, which is not carcinogenic.

Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)

The liver can handle about one “UNIT” of alcohol per hour. Drink any faster than that, and you elevate your Blood Alcohol Concentration. The BAC affects the degree to which alcohol enters different cells and tissues of the body.

BAC and breast health

This 2023 study of benign breast tissues in post-menopausal women found that increased alcohol use is associated with less connective tissue and milk duct tissue, and more fatty tissue. Fatty tissue in the breast can produce oestrogen. When oestrogen levels are high, the chance of getting breast cancer is raised. This also explains moobs and Bavarian barmaids.

Conclusion

Ethanol is a Grade-1 carcinogen and I now understand more clearly how drinking more than one unit in an hour affects breast health specifically. Yikes.

There is a “general consensus” that a unit of alcohol per day is safe. I have tried to stick to a unit a day on many occasions, but I always fail myself. In my case, being abstemious for a time seems the only “sure” option. Having said that, it is nice to think I can have a drink if I am out one evening and fancy it. After all, I am not a raging alcoholic (thank goodness). I just want to upgrade my life and make sure that I don’t lose focus for my creative projects.

Phytoestrogens

Phytoestrogens are oestrogen-like molecules that come from plants. Beer and wine both contain phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens are close enough in shape to our own endogenous oestrogen to mimc some of it’s biological function. they can bind to specialised cell receptors and by binding to the receptors on the cell, change the behaviour of the cell.

Breast tissue has two types of oestrogen receptors: ER⍺ and ERß. ER⍺ receptors are more associated with BC. So, if a phytoestrogen binds to either ⍺ or ß receptors, it will have a different biological effect.

Ginestein vs. 8-Prenylnaringenin

Some phytoestrogens are considered to be beneficial to women. Famously, Asian women have a lower prevalence of BC. We attribute this is to diet, signalling their traditionally high consumption of soy products.

Soy products contain a phytoestrogen called genistein. Our understanding of genistein is that is mainly binsd to the ERß receptors. It is also anti-inflammatory and being investigated as an anti-proliferative.

Hops, the flower that is used in beer brewing, contains a phytoestrogen called 8-Prenylnaringenin. It is said to be the most estrogenic phytoestrogen known, and is used in herbal medicine to help menopausal women cope with hot flashes and maintain bone density.

8-PN binds to ER⍺ receptors, which are the receptors associated with BC.

If 8-PN is good for bone density and vasomotor flushing, then a source of hops is a good thing, right? But, if it binds to the ER⍺ receptor, that could be bad. I am not totally clear on this point yet.

Non-alcoholic compounds in beer

Beer, and wine, contain a number of molecules apart from phytoestrogens that have the potential to support breast health. I knew this, but was not clear on what those molecules are. Now, I have a better idea, but will have to dig a bit deeper in coming posts.

“Clinical and pre-clinical evidence for the protective effects of moderate beer consumption against cardiovascular disease and other diseases has been accumulating since the 1990s, and the non-alcoholic compounds of beer likely exert most of the observed beneficial effects.” source: PubMed

Conclusion

I love the taste of beer! There are plenty of great non-alcoholic beers available. So, I will try to get the good stuff and avoid the bad. In an earlier period of abstinence, I discovered that NA beers in bottles or on tap taste way better than their canned brethren.

One of my favorites is the Höchster 0/0. Estrella de Galicia also make a very nice tap 0/0.

Weight Gain

Alcohol is more calorie dense than sugars, but a little less calorie dense than fat. It delivers 7 kilojoules (units of energy) per gram.

A “caña” here in Spain is about 200mL, and contains about 90 calories. If you drink two cañas, and eat some bar snacks, you can easily add a quarter of your daily caloric consumption. This can lead to weight gain.

Metabolic rate and alcohol use

Alcohol breakdown in the liver gets priority over everything else. So, when you are drinking, you are not breaking down fats or sugars. This can affect metabolism and over time contribute to the famous “beer belly” and podginess associated with heavy drinkers.

Breast health is definitely supported by maintaining ideal body weight. Non alcoholic beer still delivers a hefty caloric punch, but without the ethanol hit, it is undoubtedly easier to resist bar snacks and late-night feasting.

Conclusion

Beer or ice cream? It comes down to how strict you want to be, or you need to be. if you are active, and have a good body mass index, then a few treats are fine. If you’re overweight, or unable to move due to health or circumstance, I would probably try to avoid hyper-caloric anything and focus on foods with strong nutrient to calorie ratios.

Folate

Alcohol use leads to loss of folate, vitamin B9. BAC affects both folate absorption in the liver, and folate retention in the kidneys.

Lack of folate would contribute to breast health because it is needed to correctly replicate DNA and RNA, and also for the repair of DNA. Of course, this is not specific to breast cancer. All neoplastic diseases are related to DNA.

Folic Acid

Supplementing with folic acid is not the answer. It seems like taking supplements may actually increase the risk of cancer!

Conclusion:

In the UK, Berocca is a widely used hangover remedy. It contains quite high doses of B-vitamins. I guess that, in light of the research about folic acid supplementations and breast health, a better option is to avoid a hangover in the first place!

Summing up

Breast health is important! I worked in breast cancer rehabilitation for a number of years. Although this disease is highly prevalent in European populations, it is also highly treatable. Nowadays, over 80% of breast cancer patients survive ten years after treatment. However, I saw with my own eyes the physical and psychological effects of the treatments and I prefer to prevent rather than cure.

Nightlife, drinking, and health

In the nightlife industry, drinking is the norm. Look at poor old Avicii whose pancreas damn near exploded.

Anyone interested in the link between music, mind, and brain (neuromusic) should consider carefully the costs and benefits of imbibing.

Men and women process alcohol at different rates. Women using hormonal contraception may metabolize alcohol more slowly, leading to higher BAC and the tissue and cellular damage that potentially entails.

Women working in the nightlife industry must be especially careful of our physical and mental health. It is a very male-dominated industry. Drinking too much, too often, and trying to keep up with the boys can take its toll on a woman’s body and mind.

Apart from that, even getting safely home after a gig is a reason to not drink. Drinking and driving is pretty common around here, abut a much stricter BAC limit is coming into place this year.

If you work in nightlife, you will be on the road in the middle of the night along with every other lunatic on rum and coke. You need to keep your wits about you. Summer season is around the corner and one of my reasons to stop drinking is road safety. Hey, if I am squashed beneath a jackknifed lorry, I think my breast health might suffer. 😉

Are you are DJ and you’re wondering about sobriety? Drop me a line via my socials and let’s compare notes. 🩵💙

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Sobriety top 5: Finally ditching beer forever

Sobriety: Five reasons to ditch the beer forever.

TLDR: Here in Spain, drinking is normalised and sobriety is not. Working as a DJ, I am in an environment where drinking on the job is accepted. I exert control over what and how much I drink, but it is time to bid adieu to the beer. For my own self-respect, I am taking an extended break from alcohol, starting this May Day. I will blog the journey, starting with the health consequences of drinking on the eyes, the brain, the heart, the breasts, and the liver.

Sobriety - Five reasons to ditch the beer forever. Part One. Small decorative image.
Sobriety top 5: Finally ditching beer forever 9

Sobriety, power, and the changing of the season

Calling back my power

On this eve of Beltane, I am calling my power back to me. Beltane is the Celtic festival of the beginning of Summer. It is a liminal time, when the veil between the worlds is thin. If I lived in community, I might celebrate this night with ritual and a bonfire. As I am alone in my explorations, I offer these words as my gift to the Universe whose magnitude is incomprehensible, whose wisdom is boundless, and whose timing is impeccable.

My words are my promise to myself

My words are my promise to myself. The intention was already set many moons ago. Now is the time. I promise that, one day at a time, my life will be one of sobriety.

Watching Soft White Underbelly videos and #SoberTok, I saw how destructive alcohol can be.

Will my so-called social life die?

Fear of missing out (FOMO) is a common excuse for drinking more than we would like to. I have lived in Spain for twenty years, and it is a great place. But, living in a holiday town means a certain lack of mental stimulation. And if there is one thing that booze does well it is to make boring things seem fun 🤣.

So, my dearest here friends are mostly gay men. Which is fun, and frolicky. But the gay scene is notoriously substance heavy, we all know that. In fact, “About one-fourth of the LGBTQ+ community has moderate alcohol dependency, compared to 5%-10% of the general population…” says this article from the Baltimore Banner.

If I go teetotal will I lose my social life? Probably a little.

Soulful and Sober

We are mind, body, and soul. The mind is changeable, the body is mortal, but the soul is eternal. Connecting with the soul is the goal.

Sobriety is a vow I make to myself. I use my mind to unite my body and my soul.

The brain is a physical organ that is the seat of the mind. After studying the brain in my Neuromusic Masters, I have grown increasingly uncomfortable with my own mistreatment of this wondrous mass of neuron and synapse. Understanding one’s own mind brings a person closer to the soul.

My mind asks for alcohol. Not my body. I need to turn my mind to the matter or not drinking I must use ingenuity, willpower and creative thinking to catch my mind playing dirty tricks on me, lest I unwittingly find a glass of beer in my hand!

In good spirits

When the “Spirit” of (alcoholic) spirits takes hold, it can be either playful or mean. I am a happy drinker. But I am tired of the mean thoughts the next day. It stretches the limits of the mental and emotional control to have to constantly firefight the effects of “just one more”, always waking to think “did I drink two, or three? Or perhaps more…”

I want to awaken each morning “in better spirits”.

Video: The Spiritual Consequences of Alcohol Consumption

Periods of Sobriety

I have enjoyed three important periods of sobriety.

Straight edge

I had had a three-month “straight edge” period when I was 16. I was dating a SHARP skinhead, listening to Minor Threat and learning about anarchy. Being straightedge just came with the territory! We broke up and I thought “fuck it”, and started drinking at parties and nights out. I had a lot of fun.

Yoga

In 1999, the teachings of Sivananda yoga found me and supported me in my second period of abstinence. I was sober for about two years, until mid-2001. My mother was taken from us quite suddenly, by a devastating and untreatable brain tumour. This unleashed in me a “fuck it” avalanche, which led to meeting a charming Irish alcoholic who proceeded to make my life hell for four years. Did I drink? You betcha.

Motherhood

Motherhood gave me my third temperate period. I had the occasional drink, but was studying to be a yoga teacher, raising a child, and didn’t have many friends to tempt me 😉

And now…

It was menopause that made me drink again. I lost a lot of weight; beer was the best (and most entertaining) way to keep the weight on. This valedictory guzzle has lasted 8 years. I “only drank beer”, and I “never got drunk”. Which is true, but…

I noticed that days when I would say “night off” started to give way to the “fuck its” again. and soon enough I was only drinking beer and never getting drunk practically every night. Which is not the objective at all!

So the crossroads where I now stand is here: if I can’t control my drinking, why let my drinking control me? It is time to knock it on the head.

Blogging my sobriety journey

To support my journey, I am going to blog. I don’t mind making a TikTok or two, but I like the headspace of writing. I like to pause and think, conjure up nice sentences, and avoid repetitive vocabulary. In short, I like to write.

In the coming days and weeks, I am going to research, and write about, the effects of over-enthusiastic ethanol use. M questions are:

How does drinking alcohol affect the…

  • Eyes
  • Brain
  • Heart
  • Breasts
  • Liver
Sobriety: Alcohol gives you wings to fly, then takes away the sky.
Sobriety top 5: Finally ditching beer forever 10

See you soon

I hope. If you’re not some unhinged Internet looney, and you’re curious about the sobriety journey, say hi or join in the conversation on social media.

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Fractals, music & mind: 4 fascinating facts

Fractals, music, mind - entrain the brain for mindset gains.

TLDR: Fractals are repeating patterns that are found in Nature. They can be described mathematically. I wondered if this could be applied to music, so decided to investigate. Conclusion: interesting, but not sure.

Fractals, music and the mind
Fractals, music & mind: 4 fascinating facts 15

Introduction: your sonic accompaniment:

While you read, I invite you to listen to this gem of an album: Charanjit Sing’s “Ten Ragas to a Disco Beat”. Absolutely mind-blowing fractal aesthetic chills.

Fractals

The word “fractal” was coined in the year 1978. Robert Wolfe Brooks and J. Peter Matelski studied photographs of fractals found in nature and derived a mathematical equation. Two years later, Polish-born mathematician, Benoit Mandelbrot, used IBM computers to visualise the output of the algorithm. This is known as the “Mandelbrot Set”.

The central concept is that fractals “iterate” upon themselves. That is, the output of one “turn” of the algorithm becomes input for the next “turn.”

Four facts about fractals

  1. They are everywhere
pink romanesco fractal image
Fractals, music & mind: 4 fascinating facts 16

These fascinating repeating motifs are found almost everywhere in nature; they are infinitely reproducing and iterating patterns. Anyone who has ever used psychedelic substances will surely have seen the patterns. Mountain ranges and succulent plants, conch shells and vegetables (see left)…all allow us to marvel at the intricacy of their design and in so doing ponder whether there really is some higher rational order to this hot mess of the human Universe.

2. They are never-ending patterns

Fractals are self-similar. What that means is they are alike within themselves. What that means is that you can take a tiny part of a fractal, and it will be the same as a large part of the same fractal. Therefore, they are never-ending arrangements, no matter how big or how small they get.

To explain the mathematics simply, let’s consider compound interest: You invest €100 and earn €1. The next time interest is calculated, it’s based on the new balance of €101. So it increments a little more, because the initial input is now €101, not €100. Fractals work a bit like this.

3. They are algorithms that iterate.

If you use an algorithm to get an output “x,” and then use “x” as the starting value for the same algorithm, you have iterated. Let’s say the result is “y”. Another iteration using “y” as the starting point will give you the next result. Plug these results into something that can model them (like a computer program) and you may see the fractal pattern.

4. They are present in music.

Patterns of all sorts are present in music. Composers routinely create melodic motifs that repeat in different voices (instruments), velocities, and intensities. The leitmotif (guiding theme) is a recurring musical phrase or theme in a piece of music. The leitmotif iterates upon itself to build up a musical piece. This is especially noticeable in loop-based electronic music, and DJing, where repeating patterns are layered and filtered to create a track.

In the case of visual fractal patterns, the tools are 2-D or 3-D space (dimension) and color. In the case of music, the tools are sequences, rhythms, pitches and velocities.

Mandelbrot suggested that there exists a type of sound that remains unchanged in quality regardless of variations in playback speed. He referred to this sound as “scaling noise.”

Math, Music, Mind…

The mathematical basis of music is well established. When tuning to equal temperament, music frequencies inherently exhibit a binary nature. On a piano, if middle A is tuned at 440 Hz, then one octave down, the frequency of A is 220. One octave up, it’s 880 Hz. And so on. There is no deviation from this rule. Another frequency is either dissonant, or another note.

Except, there is a deviation. If you tune by octaves, you double or divide the note frequency by two to get the octave. But if you tune by fifths, the pattern is not so clear. The Pythagorean idea of “Music of the Spheres” , or Musica Universalis, says that the notes on a musical scale increase each time they go up an octave. So, in fact, there is a kind of mathematical iteration here.

Fractal Patterns in Music – Exploration and Experiment

This video gives a very complete description of how fractal patterns can be used in Ableton Live, or any DAW. Fractal theory perfectly complements electronic music. The magic of electronic music is in the precision of editing, both sounds and patterns. Iterations are only limited by your patience and the RAM in your workstation! However, artistic value and aesthetic cannot, and must not, be sacrificed for the sake of some mathematical concept!

This fascinating paper about fractals and music

By applying fractal tools in the study of music, researchers were surprised to discover that the self-similarity property, which is ubiquitous in nature, also exists in music. Such an observation may be regarded as the first step toward a further understanding of what music is and explaining how music simulates the harmony of nature.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/222531523_Multifractal_analyses_of_music_sequences

Fractals and Neuromusic

My question is: how does this relate to Neuromusic?

In earlier posts about Neuromusic I have explored the many and various powers of music. There is something mysterious about music, and about our relationship to music. The fact that there isn’t even an agreed definition of music is mind-blowing.

Music affects the brain in so many different ways. Music, and sound, are everywhere. Fractal patterns are everywhere. Gentle music with repeating, overlapping patterns could be used to entrain the brain for meditation, a neuromusical application par excellence.

Many genres of electronic music (especially psy-trance and trance) use repetitive iterating motifs. Dancing and music are known to change mood very quickly; this is another neuromusical application of this concept.

Binaural beats can be accompanied by fractal imagery to create surreal, seemingly deep and complex tools to focus the mind. The objective: cognitive enhancement.

Conclusion

It is interesting to research topics like this, and imagine how they might affect us in real life. I am not sure if fractals and neuromusic have a particularly tight relationship. But, there is surely some overlap. What do you think?

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Cue Creativity: transform to your true self in 12 steps

Manifesting Creativity cover image. Pink heart with wings on a black background.

Wellness practices are no longer niche. Fully integrated into everyday life, most people practice, or know that they ought to practice, some form of self-care such as movement, mindfulness, or self-motivation.

I have practiced and studied yoga and wellness for decades. All that time, I longed for creative fulfilment. I often felt like I was hitting a roadblock around creativity, especially around music production. Let me explain my wellness to creativity in this post. I will unpack my 12-step experience of finding a way to cue (activate) my creativity using my wellness practices.

Cue Creativity decorative image. Pink heart with wings on a black background.
Cue Creativity: transform to your true self in 12 steps 22

Creativity: The Cornerstone of Self Realisation

The deep work of yoga, meditation, and self-help is both wonderful and challenging. But, it is only a means to an end. The final purpose is: self-realisation.

The Why Behind the Wellness: find what you have inside

Why practice wellness?

People get to yoga when they are tired of suffering. This old adage is found in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, and in Buddhism’s Four Noble Truths. These traditions teach that it is the ignorance of one’s true nature (“avidya”) that is the true source of suffering. Their solution is spiritual: “vidya” (knowledge) that allows a person to unite with “Atman”, which is higher consciousness.

What’s your wellness goal?

This question is highly relevant given today’s global society and the preponderance of cultural appropriation. The conflict around embracing another culture’s spiritual traditions has antagonised me for decades. I don’t have the definitive answer. But, I am part of the cohort of yoga and meditation practitioners who do not feel the need to pray to anyone’s God, and whose only faith is the belief in the flow of the Energy. I am spiritual, but not a believer. Faith is believing in something without having proof. Spirituality is about feeling the energy of all that surrounds you and realising that it is feeling your energy, too.

If not faith, then what? Creative expression.

In the absence of faith, we have creativity. Creative endeavour is the “tao” (path) of non religious self-knowledge. It is unhindered by doctrine, and untethered from ritual. But, it is a powerful tool for the knowledge and manifestation of the Higher Self. It may appear individualistic, but creative pursuit is so hard, and so humbling, and takes so damn long, that it it connects artists to our souls via our striving and our failure. The highest form of self-realisation is creativity; the highest form of creativity is self-realisation.

The highest form of self-realisation is creativity.

The highest form of creativity is self-realisation.

creativity self realiation loop
Cue Creativity: transform to your true self in 12 steps 23

Finding your creative outlet

Childhood dreams

You were there all along, you know. All the dreams you held in your childhood heart; they never went away. Your childhood dreams may have lain hidden for decades while you ran a business, climbed the corporate ladder, and raised a family. They probably showed up in your dreams, your home decor, and your hobbies. But they were never given centre stage.

When working with clients, these childhood memories are some of the most important. Before we are schooled and moulded, we are timeless dreamers, experimenters and boundary pushers. We can become disconnected from this creative little kid during our householders years, but as we age, we can choose to reconnect with our inner artist and make manifest what we hold inside.

Glimpses and glimmers

Glimmers are little events that unexpectedly bring joy into daily life. When we engage, even lightly, in consciousness raising activities (silent meditation, deep breathing, contact with nature, emotional self-regulation), we are gifted with little glimmers. Life is constantly bestowing us with miracles, if only we remember to look-.

You may have been blessed with some moments of clarity during a yoga class, meditation, or ecstatic dance. And certainly those insights would have whispered to you from a deeper part of you. But, life didn’t leave you room for those frivolous artistic pursuits. Now, you are at the point where you want to integrate those glimmers and create something from them. Welcome!

The big reveal

And then, right on cue, and if you are lucky, you reach the age of 50. The brutal realisation that you have fewer years ahead of you than behind you shocks you awake.

That inner voice no longer accepts being silenced. It starts to talk to you in louder tones. It keeps you awake at night, it whispers that maybe there is indeed more to all this.

Eventually, you listen. And then, you start to create. You create FROM you, FOR you, and BECAUSE of you. You create to leave a trace. You create to leave a legacy. You create because it is just what you do. If you don’t create, you consume, and overconsumption leads us down a very different path, one that I won’t even talk about here.

The Late Bloomer

Capitalism tells us “time is money.” This is an outright lie. Time is not money. Time is life.

Rigidly believing in milestones and linear timelines can rob us of the time that we need to bloom as creatives. If we think that we are too old, or that we missed our one and only chance way back when we were seventeen, then we will never achieve our creativity peak.

Late bloomers are myriad in the arts and elsewhere. Late blooming women, freed from fertility, are almost duty-bound to create. The womb that is no longer preparing for procreation becomes a fertile guide and voice for wise women.

It took me 12 years to learn to produce music using Ableton Live. But I got there in the end!

As if on cue, you find you

The brutality of the midlife crisis is an energy that can be harnessed in order to live your best life. You either sink or swim. If you have been doing the deep work already, dive deeper. Put order to your story and connect the dots. As Bob Marley sang in Buffalo Soldier “If you know your history, then you will know where you are coming from, then you would not have to ask me, who the hell do I think I am.”

Creativity Coaching – the program I am working on – is my method to help you work out who the hell you think you are, using creativity. Stay tuned and sign up to my newsletter if you are curious to know more about Creativity Coaching.

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My 12 steps

Each person will have their version of the events, decisions, and twists of fate that get them from where they were to where they are now. My twelve steps were:

  • Living through a series of hard to process life events which left me with powerful feelings that were hard to express, and yet which sabotaged me at unexpected and unwelcome moments.
  • A need to put order to my intrusive thoughts and feelings so that I could feel calmer and have the world make sense. Finding yoga. Finding mind-body wellness work
  • Words and music flooded through me, at random times, unbidden. It could not be turned off even if I wanted to.  I consistently wrote poetry, prose, and songs.
  • Feeling more frustration at NOT making music than making music, but without recognition or recompense. Keep going even if my music got no applause and no pay. Resilience.
  • Through the deep work of yoga, slowly overcoming shyness, self criticism, and self-doubt.
  • Shaking, breathing, and humming trauma out of my body.
  • Learning to set healthy boundaries.
  • Valuing my time and focusing my efforts in order to improve all areas of my life, including my art.
  • “Music maker, any way” – recognising that many paths lead to the same goal.  If the singer-songwriter thing wasn’t going to fly, then DJing could.  Climbing down from preconceived ideas about what music to make and how.
  • Furthering my formal education in order to give myself a sense of sturdiness and knowledgeability.  Overcoming imposter syndrome. Studying music theory. Studying Neuromusic.
  • Finally having a breakthrough by consistently dedicating time to music production, asking for (and paying for) help with mixing and mastering, investing in the distribution platforms and subscriptions necessary to market my craft.
  • Recognising that I have, effectively, achieved the goal that I set out to conquer, so many years ago, and feeling so elated that I want to share it with anyone else who is longing for creative expression and not sure how to get there.

Your 12 steps

Your journey may be 12 steps long, or it may be 20. It is totally personal and completely unique. Believe in yourself, in your pursuit of purpose, and the power of your creative vision. If my words resonate with you, and you feel like connecting, drop me a line or give me a follow. If you think that you might like some help defining your purpose, of getting clarity about your journey, let me know. Take care, Rachel

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Sound Design for Electric Cars: 5 Powerful Pitches to Electrify Your Drive

Sound design for electric cars: powerful pitches to electrify your drive.
Sound design for electric cars.
Sound Design for Electric Cars: 5 Powerful Pitches to Electrify Your Drive 28

Sound Design for Electric Cars

What does your car sound like?

Electric and hybrid car sales are on the rise. More drivers are using cleaner technologies in their vehicles to help meet climate change goals and reduce pollution in cities. There are major differences between the old and the new cars. An important one that could be overlooked is how they sound.

Continuing from my previous post on sonic branding, I decided to explore the sound design of electric vehicles (EV). I have discovered that it’s not only about audio branding, which helps connect a brand to its users’ feelings. The noise of electric vehicles is important for safety. It affects both the drivers of these vehicles and the pedestrians they encounter.

There is a sonic familiarity with driving cars with internal combustion engines (ICE). The rumble of tires on the road, the whoosh of air beyond the windows, and the vibration of the engine. It is almost comforting, such is its intimacy and involvement in our everyday lives. I can still recall the sound and feel of my father’s Oldsmobile as it crushed ice and sand on the frozen streets of Canada.

Electric models have none of the roar and reverb of ICE cars. The earliest electric cars were found to be hazardous to pedestrians precisely because of their silence. As a result, car manufacturers have turned to sound designers to help them solve this problem.

VSP: Vehicle Sound for Pedestrians.

VSP was developed by Nissan. It is obligatory on all EV. There is a very comprehensive Wikipedia article about EV warning sounds.

Sound design: Case studies

Here is a selection of five case studies of electric car companies that have used sound in their vehicles.

Nissan

Man Made Music was commissioned by Nissan to create the sonic branding for their range of electric automobiles. Here is a fascinating video about the creative process.

Nissan prototyped EV way back in 1947! They have been making different models ever since.

Nissan was a pioneer in creating electric cars for modern living. From our first EV in 1947 to the new Nissan Ariya, from ice cream vans to robot co-pilots, our electric-powered lineup has changed with the times and drivers’ needs.

https://www.nissan-global.com/EN/STORIES/RELEASES/nissan-ev-history/

Renault

Jean Michel Jarre created the sound design behind Renault’s electric vehicles. Here is a video that gives us a glimpse behind the scenes.

Renault is the European EV market leader. In 2021, their electric vehicles were the most popular in Europe, accounting for almost 15% of all electric vehicles sold. With this being the case, the way those vehicles sound is vitally important! (https://www.renaultgroup.com/en/innovation-2/electric-vehicle/)

There is a fascinating breakdown of their sound design process in this article, “Renault, in tune with the sound.”

Toyota

According to some bloggers, Toyota is lagging in the EV game. The Prius was an early hybrid EV, with the first models hitting the Japanese market way back in 1997. They are, however, working on fuel-cell cars instead of battery-electric vehicles. All Toyota’s EV have sound design.

Tesla

Tesla cars also have a catalogue of noises. They also have what looks like an ass-kicking sound system!

Lexus

Lexus makes three types of luxury EV. They have been building EVs since 2015. Given their expertise in the luxury automotive industry, it comes as no surprise that their sound design follows suit, embodying the same level of refinement and excellence.

Lexus sound design was done by Man Made Music, as was Nissan’s. Lexus engineers created in-cabin sounds to convey the exhilaration of driving. Engineers matched sound frequencies to the vehicle’s speed and sound levels during dynamic actions such as acceleration. The underfloor battery reduces noise and the hood opening is sealed to prevent turbulent airflow noise.

The Lexus sonic logo, affectionately named The Open Door, brings together these two elements (Takumi Craft and Omotenashi) to express the highest level of luxury and hospitality through unique,organic instrumentation & breath

https://mademusicstudio.com/case-studies/lexus/

The Neuromusic of Sound Design for Electric Cars

Driving requires a great presence of mind and continual evaluation of everything going on around you. My driving instructor used to say “busy, busy eyes”. I think it could just as well be “busy, busy ears”!

Auditory Spatial Perception

The ears can locate sounds in three dimensions. Our ears provide information about the distance, direction, and movement of a sound source. This is called Auditory Spatial Perception. This takes place in the middle part of the encephalic trunk, or brain stem, the pons.

When we are driving, we are constantly listening to our surroundings. I am continuously aware of changes in the road surface, the wind direction and strength, and, of course, approaching vehicles. At the same time, ICE vehicles make characteristic sounds when accelerating, changing gears and braking. Creating a sound bank for EVs mimics familiar sounds for drivers and keeps them aware of the car’s operation.

Exhilaration

As the Lexus case study points out, there is an emotion associated with driving: exhilaration. Car manufacturers aim to focus on positive emotions such as joy and excitement, although negative emotions like fear and anxiety may also be present. The excitement of a road trip, the feeling of freedom, the happiness of driving…all these emotions are combined in the sound of the car. EVs will have to work with drivers’ historical emotional baggage to be fully accepted.

Sound and the perception of “work”

One of my pet theories is:

We perceive work via the noise it makes. We unconsciously associate silence with a lack of productivity.

Rachel Rose
sound design electric cars 5 sound design electric cars perception work
Sound Design for Electric Cars: 5 Powerful Pitches to Electrify Your Drive 29

Industrial Noise

I developed this theory in the mid-1990s while working as a Quality Control Inspector at an industrial bakery. We produced 10,000 loaves an hour. When those loaves left the ovens, they were at about 450º. The loaves would travel around the upper levels of the factory on rolling metal conveyor racks to cool them before slicing and bagging. Every wheel and every chain clanked and clattered.

The noise in that place was deafening. I wore ear protection, but most of the older workers were completely deaf. There was a silo for the flour. To keep it from caking to the inner edge of the silo, a huge metal hammer would hit the silo once every 45 seconds. I was offered well-paid work after that stint, but I refused. The noise made me crazy.

Office Noise

Later, when I was working in tech. I noticed that digital devices that were too silent were often assumed to be non-functioning. The buzzing sound of a cooling fan is interesting. Although it can be annoying in a crowded office where everyone is using computers, it also indicates that work is being done. If you have ever visited a server farm, you will have been stunned by the racket. Not only the servers but the Air Conditioning!

Take, also, the sound of typing. Hark back and remember what old keyboards sounded like. Travel even farther back in time, to the sound of typewriters and carriage returns. Those mechanical noises were an essential and fundamental part of office culture. That has all changed now. I am writing this post on a MacBook Pro. It is a stupendously quiet machine. The only sound I hear is my fingers typing, and I could probably adjust my typing style to make it quieter.

The “work ethic” and noise

The Industrial Revolution made machines a part of our lives. My family is from Yorkshire where steam engines installed in cotton and woolen mills generated huge prosperity. Before the steam loom was invented, weaving was done by hand in cottages. The pieces were then sold to the mills one by one. To house the huge coal-fired steam looms, great glowering red-brick mills were built, and weavers began to work in centralized factories. Can you imagine the noise??

Goodbye industrial noise!

Too quiet cars confound our perception of work. We need our EVs to make noise. But, we need noises that serve a purpose – like protecting pedestrians and confirming that a trunk is closed. What we don’t need is more machine noise! It is a blessedly creative stroke of luck that this noise can be created, calibrated, and filtered. What a joy that industrial noise is finally being eliminated!

Fuzzy Logic – The Future of Music is Traffic

I always like to finish my posts with something whimsical. Marta Santambroglio travelled to India to make an urban soundscape for EV. The result is quite lovely!

As cars become self-driving, passengers stuck in traffic could make music. “In terms of health and well-being, making music is documented to trigger more areas of our brain than any other known stimulus, because it requires coordination but also excites our reward centres,” Santambroglio says. “Such an approach would be revolutionary for traffic, a typical source of stress.”

She partnered with Delhi musicians to create library of local music samples from Indian instruments like the tabla and the shehani, a type of flute. She envisions adding these samples to each vehicle on the road, creating the possibility for on-street jamming.

https://www.fastcompany.com/3048481/the-cars-of-the-future-will-make-music-instead-of-noise

Conclusion

Continuing my studies in Neuromusic constantly ignites my curiosity to explore every corner and crevice of the vast realm of music and sound. What do you think about sound design for EV? Do you have an EV, and if so, do you like how it sounds?

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Music Tourism: Trip to the tune of a cool 11 billion annually

Music tourism: trip to the tune of 11 billion annually.
Music tourism: Trip to the tune of 11 billion annually
Music Tourism: Trip to the tune of a cool 11 billion annually 34

What is Music Tourism?

Music tourism involves travelling to a place to experience a live music event. A person, or group, may go solely for the event, or the music event may fit alongside other activities.

The importance of quantifying the value of music tourism cannot be overstated. Many people perceive music as an expense. If one stops and thinks about the cost of promoting cultural events, it sure can seem like a lot of money to spend. But, when one then calculates the ROI, what appeared to be an expense suddenly shows itself to be an investment.

The Value of Music Tourism

Future Market Insights predicts the music tourism market to grow to 14 billion USD annually by 2033. The value of the sector is currently estimated to be 11 billion USD.

Music tourism moves people – and money.

Live music is a “scarce” event. Supply and demand is the basis of capitalist economic theory. When there is scarcity, prices increase.. In real life, this means that people are willing to spend time and money on “once in a lifetime trips” to see and hear their favourite musicians play live.

The recent Taylor Swift “Eras” tour is a case in point. Swift made so much money from her tour that she could pay a 100,000 USD bonus to each of her truckers.

If you live in one of the 20 locales Swift, 33, performed at in the last five months, your city has likely seen a boost in revenue from the hundreds of thousands of attendees who traveled from near and far.

https://time.com/6307420/taylor-swift-eras-tour-money-economy/

Another case in point is Madonna’s “Celebration” tour, her latest jaunt around the globe, which Billboard estimates may generate upwards of 100 million USD. Pop stars of this caliber draw people from a huge radius. These fans fork out not only for tickets, but for food, accommodation, transportation, and souvenirs.

Classical music is also an enormous attraction. In countries like Italy or Germany, aficionados will spend significant sums for a seat. La Scala in Milan is known for its atmosphere and the exceptional quality of its performances. It is a must-visit destination for classical music tourists. But, to enjoy an opera at La Scala, fans must spend €165-210 for a single ticket.

Who’s Who in Music Tourism?

There are increasing numbers of projects dedicated to promoting destinations to music fans. Here is a small selection.

Music and Tourism: On The Road Again

Published in 2005 by Chris Gibson (Australia), this scholarly book is considered to be the first one about music and tourism. Describing music tourism as a “niche”, which it is, the authors look at the phenomenon from various viewpoints. Historical and contemporary analyses, financial and cultural, plus the politics of copying and identity. This looks like one that I ought to get my hands on.

Sound Diplomacy

This consultancy works with the economics of culture, music, leisure, hospitality, policy, planning, and placemaking.

Shain Shapiro is the main person here. He has just published his second book, “This Must Be The Place.”

Music Cities Events

Music Cities Events is a platform that aims to educate on the value of music. They organize events all around the globe. These conferences showcase music tourism, music policy and, of course, music cities.

TIIM – Turismo Amplificado

The Valencian government has created an initiative to promote music tourism. I will be in attendance at the Jornadas TIIM on 13 & 14 December 2023, in Valencia. Will you be there? Let’s connect!

Estaré en la Jornadas TIIM en Valencia el próximo 13 y 14 de diciembre. ¡Me encantaría conectar contigo!

Music “pilgrimages” to specific cities.

Places like New Orleans, Nashville, Seville, or Berlin are magnets for music lovers. Trips to these emblematic places are akin to pilgrimages; such is the passion that music arouses.

Each city has its allure for music enthusiasts, whether it resonates with the smooth sounds of jazz, the vibrant energy of rock and roll, the passionate rhythms of flamenco, or the pulsating beats of techno.

Carnival!

Famous street parties are found worldwide and most are raucous celebrations of music, dance, and color. Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil, has its famous samba parades. The Notting Hill Gate Carnival in London features soca and reggae music. The Cádiz “Carnavales”, in Southern Spain, features flamenco singing and dancing.

Music Festivals

These exemplify a form of music tourism. Music festivals abound in the summer months in both the northern and the southern hemispheres. Festivals can last from one day to over a week. Longer festivals require, logically, a bigger investment of both time and money. Whether festival goers are camping on-site or staying off-site, they will need to pay for travel, accommodation, food, and tickets. In Spain, the average person spends 300€ per festival, according to TIIM.

Decorative button with the RR logo
Music Tourism: Trip to the tune of a cool 11 billion annually 35

Holiday Entertainment

We have all been there: on holiday, in an unfamiliar place, and hungry or thirsty. How do we choose where to sit down? Google Maps or TripAdvisor can help, but even with these aids, we will use our specific criteria to choose. The music filtering (or blaring, depending on your taste) will determine to a large degree whether you sit down or walk on by.

Some people may save all year for their holiday, and they want to savor every moment of their much-deserved break. Investing in some form of musical entertainment is crucial for bar and restaurant owners as it greatly enhances the overall guest experience.

By the way, if you ever visit Benidorm, I DJ at the Caiman Beach Bar and the D-Vora Sky Bar. So make sure to come and say hello.

Finale

As I study Neuromusic more, I become increasingly fascinated by the connection between music and our daily lives. Music tourism matters – it moves people and it moves money.

After my visit to TIIM, I will give you an update. Watch this space. Meanwhile, keep on moving, don’t stop, no.

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Sonic Branding – powerful 360º trademark soundscape

Sonic branding - powerful 360º trademark soundscape.
Sonic branding - 360º trademark soundscape
Sonic Branding - powerful 360º trademark soundscape 40

What is it?

An all-round sound strategy

As my studies in Neuromusic continue, I find myself curious about an ever-widening array of music and sound-based disciplines. One that caught my eye is sonic branding.

This is a powerful, 360º strategy for a business! You could almost call it “surround sound!” 😉. By integrating unique and unforgettable auditory elements into their visual branding, companies have the power to significantly amplify their impact and create a lasting imprint on their audience’s minds.

Music awakens emotions in a deep and powerful way. Audio branding helps connect a brand to its users’ feelings. Think about it: A home decoration business will clearly have a different sound strategy than a techno nightclub. The former may wish to transmit security, safety, and comfort, whilst the latter would send out edgy, ecstatic vibes.

More than just a jingle

The use of sound in branding goes far beyond jingles. It includes UI/UX elements like in-app sounds when you press a button, accomplish a task, or open a new element.

I studied UX last year. I found it fascinating, and it has strongly informed my design work ever since. Good UX makes a brand stand out; excellent UX makes a brand succeed. Incorporating audio into UX is next-level marketing. A sound “sound strategy” could have a resounding impact on a business. (ba-da-boom)

Sonic Branding Hashtags

If you are interested in this field, here are some of the hashtags in use:

#music #musicbusiness #sonicbranding #sonicstrategy #soundbranding #soundstrategy

Sonic Branding Agencies

Stephen Arnold Music (Texas, USA)

SAM began working with branding and sound in 1993. They have worked with some of the biggest brands in the world. Specifically focusing on the link between sound and emotions, they use “the science of sound” to build brand recognition.

Good sonic branding stimulates an emotional response, but great sonic branding does more–it becomes rooted in the belief system.

Stephen Arnold Music

Audiant Labs (London, UK)

Working in the field of sonic branding since 1980, meet Audiant Labs. Its CEO and founder, Ruth Simmons, is called “The Godmother of Sync“. Her “soundlounge” project is a world leader in sync and sonic branding.

While sync is not exactly the same as sonic branding, there is some overlap between the two. Sound and music used in commercial settings (like TV shows, video games, or live events) become identified with the brand.

Think of the theme song from Friends. You probably don’t know the artists who recorded it, The Rembrandts. But if you lived through the 1990s, you’ll instantly think of the TV show when you hear the song. This is a sound strategy that paid off, both in terms of brand recognition, but also for the artists who wrote and played the song.

DLMDD (London, UK)

DLMDD won the Kyoto Global Design Award (2022) for their audio branding work with Singapore Airlines. The flowers of the SA Batik Motif were the starting point. Dominic Murcott created an instrument using the frequencies of the flowers’ colours. The symphony was created by Rohan de Livera. It is really quite amazing and inspiring to learn about this project!

There is a fascinating description of DLMDD’s creative process on the KGD website. And here is the “making of” of the sonic brand.

The Symphony of Flowers and the Batik Instrument

Sonhouse (Belgium)

Sonhouse is Here is Cédric Engels from Sonhouse giving a TED talk about Sonic Ecology.

If the sounds you produce are not better than silence, it’s noise, sound pollution.

Cédric Engels

UnMute Creative Sound Agency (Denmark)

This Copenhagen production studio offers one of the clearest sonic branding examples I’ve found so far. On their Instagram page, they share the sound palette they created for the charging network, clever.dk.

The new sonic identity embodies both innovation and sustainability and is mixing electronic elements with acoustic instruments and sounds from nature.

unMute Creative Sound Agency

Coda

The field of sound design and its connection to emotions captivates me. Having been a therapist (body worker and yoga teacher) for over twenty years, I know the emotional-vibrational anatomy well. As a self-taught musician, I connected with music via feelings and perception rather than learned theory. As a student of Neuromusic, I am knitting this all together.

If you find the field of sonic branding as bewitching as I do, please get in touch with me via my socials. I would love to connect.

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Stress and music: 60 BPM is best for rest.

Stress and music: 60 BPM is best for rest.
Stress and music: 60 BPM is best for rest. 43

Stress and Music: Introduction

Many people, maybe even you, suffer from an excess of nervous tension. You may be wondering what to do. Listening to your favourite song is enjoyable, but music you enjoy can also help manage those intrusive, anxious thoughts. If you have ever asked yourself “how does music help with stress“?, then read on. I will do my best to explain.

Types of Stress

Let’s start by understanding what stress is. We usually think of stress as something negative. “Distress“. However, stress can also be positive. “Eustress“. The right amount of pressure can motivate us to complete tasks and achieve goals. This lovely video by Anne-Laure Le Cunff will help you to understand the difference between distress and eustress. The takeaway: not all stress is bad. But, an excess of stress can have negative consequences.

In this post, I will focus on distress, or negative stress. My next post will look at the relationship between music and positive stress. So that you won’t miss a thing, why not bookmark my blog page?

How does music help with stress?

Music has long been known to have a positive impact on our emotions and overall well-being. It has the power to uplift our spirits, evoke memories, and even help us relax. Music can be a powerful tool to help us cope with the pressures of everyday life.

I am studying Neuromusic, so it is important for me to understand the scientific basis for music’s ability to help manage stress.

60 BPM is said to be the best for rest.

Heart rate and blood pressure

According to websites, a research paper from Stanford University suggests that a frequency of 60 BPM is ideal for relaxation and stress relief. I have not been able to find the source of that oft-repeated claim. I found a research paper from India that tried to answer the question “how does music help with stress” by comparing the effects of low and high BPM music on heart rate and blood pressure. The relationship between stress and music could be influenced by the connection between heart rate and blood pressure in the carotid artery.

There was a decrease in the mean of both the systolic and diastolic blood pressures of the subjects on listening to slow music, which was found to be statistically significant. This may be due to modulation of the cardiac autonomic nervous system by stimulation in the form of auditory input

https://www.ijpp.com/IJPP%20archives/2017_61_4/445-448.pdf

Other ways that music may help with stress

Release of Dopamine

Music reduces stress by triggering the release of chemicals in our brain that promote relaxation, like Dopamine.

Reduction in perception of pain

Physiological stress is associated with the release of various neurotransmitters. People with chronic stress suffer from negative emotions like worry, rancor, ire, or fear. Frequently, stressed out folks feel little or no joy and derive little pleasure from life.

A recent study found that listening to music can help to reduce how strongly we feel pain.

Promotes Calmness

Slow-tempo instrumental music, such as classical, ambient, or nature sounds, effectively promotes calmness and reduces anxiety.

Healthy distraction

Music also serves as a distraction from our stressors. Focusing on the melody, rhythm, and lyrics helps us forget about stress and find comfort in the music. Moreover, music can activate the body’s relaxation response, which helps counteract the physiological effects of stress. Also, attending live music events is inherently social, and we know that nurturing healthy social relationships is vital to our health.

Lower Blood Pressure and Heart Rate

It can lower our heart rate and blood pressure, as well as reduce muscle tension and promote deeper breathing.

Channel Emotions

Playing an instrument, singing, or dancing can also help reduce stress. Engaging in these activities can help channel our emotions and provide a creative outlet for self-expression.

Learning to play a musical instrument provides a peaceful retreat from the pressures of daily life. Therapeutic outcomes of playing music include better communication skills, improved emotional release, and decreased anxiety and agitation.1 Musical training promotes cognitive function, mental health, and a connection to others.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6368928/

Summing Up

Overall, incorporating music into our daily routine can play a significant role in managing stress. Music has the power to calm our minds and provide relief from life’s pressures. You can enjoy it in many ways, like making playlists, going to live concerts, or just taking a moment to listen to calming music.

The Most Relaxing Song?

Weightless by Marconi Union is meant to be the world’s most relaxing song. Have a listen and decide for yourself.

“British ambient band Marconi Union has drummed up the world’s most relaxing song: Weightless is 8 mins 10 sec. of aural bliss” – Time Magazine, Best Inventions of the Year.

Brain Massage with 8-D music

Get your headphones ready and listen to this clip. For me, it’s one of the most luxurious feelings ever, to have that sound moving around my head and stimulating my brain. Let me know if it does anything for you.

@lovemehealing

Massage your brain! This 8D music gets me everytime.. I love it! Find your headphones, sit and just listen! This is Somatic Healing at its finest 🥰… bilateral stimulation. #8d #bilateralstimulation #brainmassage #somatichealing #lovemehealing #adhd

♬ sonido original – KAYAKUS
Stress and music - 60 BPM is best for rest
Stress and music – 60 BPM is best for rest
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Compare Ethnomusicology and Folklore – 3 critical distinctions.

Compare ethnomusicology and folklore.
Compare Ethnomusicology and Folklore - 3 critical distinctions. 48

Ethnomusicology and Folklore

How do they differ?

Ethnomusicology and folklore share a lineage, but they are not the same thing.

A folklorist learns and plays a tune. The ethnomusicologist takes note of the melody, compiles details about its background, past, and surroundings, and subsequently includes it in a curated assortment of comparable or distinct tunes to be examined more extensively.

3 Difference between ethnomusicology and folklore

The three critical distinctions are:

  1. Ethnomusicology uses recording equipment to preserve, catalog and later analyze songs. It is an anthropological approach to music.
  2. Ethnomusicology studies non-Western music, or music originally composed without transcription. Folklore can include music from all cultures and countries, including Western folk songs.
  3. Folklore comprises music, dance, poetry, and other art forms. Ethnomusicology focuses only on music.

Definitions

What is ethnomusicology?

In an earlier post, I shared the Merriam-Webster definition:

1. The study of music that is outside the European art tradition 2: The study of music in a sociocultural context

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ethnomusicology

However, I now understand that it is specifically the academic study of music in an anthropological context. Béla Bartók is seen as the founder of the discipline, although the term did not exist when he was alive.

Starting in 1905, Bartók and his friend Zoltán Kodály collected more than 10,000 folk songs. They also analyzed the songs’ form and structure. Check out the title of Zodály’s 1907 thesis paper: “Strophic Construction in Hungarian Folksong“. Here is a further quote from Bartók that proves his study of ethno-music was academic in nature, not merely compilation:

“Thus, it became proven that the old scales that are no longer used in our art music have not lost their vitality. Their renewed application made possible a new kind of harmonic combination. The employment of the diatonic scale in this manner led to a liberation from the petrified major and minor systems with the end result that today every step of the chromatic 12-tone system can be freely utilized on its own.”

https://stringsmagazine.com/how-bela-bartok-redefined-classical-music/
Bartok recording folk music

Recording devices marked the beginning of musicology, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. The recording of music allows for its preservation and analysis, enhancing the study of music in an academic context.

Here is a charming photo of Bartók recording a singer on a wax cylinder gramophone.

The audio recorder enabled travelers to collect sounds in distant locations and bring them to specialists who analyzed and preserved them in museum-like settings using specialized equipment in ways that resembled the data and artifact collections of anthropologists.

https://www.britannica.com/science/anthropology/Ethnomusicology

What is folklore?

According to Merriam-Webster, folklore refers to traditional customs, tales, sayings, dances, or art forms preserved among a people.

Folklorists may collect, anthologize, perform, and record the material that they collect. But the nature of folklore is not academic. Collecting or compiling material can serve various purposes, such as preserving, appreciating, disseminating, or reiterating the material. But its nature is not to analyze and compare.

A folklorist like Vasily Trutovsky may use modern musical notation to transcribe the tune. A popular folk musician like Pete Seeger, whose father, Charles Seeger, was a founding member of the SEM used folk music to speak up for the masses.

Is one better than the other?

After grasping the three fundamental distinctions between ethnomusicology and folklore, an inevitable question arises: Is one superior to the other?

Compare ethnomusicology and folklore.

I am not expert enough to answer that. In my opinion, they are different enough to occupy separate spaces in the cultural context. While one may be more systematic and rigorous, the other is more organic and freewheeling. I think that this is like music itself. We admire symphony composers, but we also find joy in self-taught electronic musicians.

Ethnomusicology is an absolutely intriguing realm of study, one that captivates me. Nevertheless, it is crucial that in this journey of exploration, we keep sight of the sheer delight that accompanies the process of discovering, exchanging, and deciphering melodies.

If you like what you’ve just read, please consider sharing it. Thanks for your visit!

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Ethnomusicologists: of the 20th Century: Badass Béla Bartók & beyond.

Ethnomusicologists: of the 20th Century: Badass Béla Bartók & beyond.
Ethnomusicologists: of the 20th Century: Badass Béla Bartók & beyond. 52

Ethnomusicologists – what do they study, and why?

Ethnomusicologists study the anthropology of music. They study how music develops and evolves in non-Western cultures in order to better understand the culture of the people.

I talked about the general aspects of the discipline in my previous post on the anthropology of music, titled “Ethnomusicology: the mysterious evolution of language, music, and the human brain.”

The term “Ethnomusicology”

In 1950, Dutch musicologist Jaap Kunst coined the term “ethnomusicology,” combining two disciplines: musicology (the study of music) and ethnology (the comparative study of different cultures).

https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-ethnomusicology-4588480

Kunst published a paper in 1955 titled “Ethno-musicology: A study of its nature, problems, method, and notable figures, with a Bibliography.” However, in 1951, Alan Merriam had already used the term “Ethnomusicological” in the title of his doctoral thesis.

Whoever came first, prior to 1950, ethnomusicology was known as “comparative musicology”. Comparative musicology originated from early musicology studies. Guido Adler, of Austria, presented an essay in 1885 which laid out a basis for musicology.

Where is ethnomusicology studied?

Ethnomusicology is by nature a field study. This means that the researcher(s) must travel to the place whose music they are studying, in order to see it performed in situ.

However, there are a number of distinguished centers of higher learning where the scholarly study of ethnomusicology takes place. For the sake of simplicity, I will just leave a few links here. A more exhaustive list of centers of ethnomusicology can be found on the SEM website.

Ethnomusicology Centers

Who are the most famous ethnomusicologists?

(This is far from an exhaustive list…)

Béla Bartók

Béla Bartók: The Father of Ethnomusicology
Ethnomusicologists: of the 20th Century: Badass Béla Bartók & beyond. 53

Béla Bartók is considered by many to be the father of ethnomusicology. Béla Bartók was born in Hungary, and grew up during the final years of the Ottoman Empire (1299-1922). He was not only a skilled classical pianist, but also a passionate explorer of his homeland, embarking on challenging journeys to gather and preserve the rich tapestry of Hungarian folk songs.

As far as I am concerned, traipsing around Bohemia, Transylvania, and the Carpathian Mountains collecting folk songs is pretty badass. Go Béla!

Béla Bartók birthed the field of ethnomusicology as an academic discipline through his tireless pursuits of folk music, his exposition of the sound of the rural people, and his incorporation of folk-style into his own personal compositions. His work revealed to the world that folk music exists, is important, and stands as an independent academic discipline.

David Taylor Nelson :”Béla Bartók, the Father of Ethnomusicology” https://digitalcommons.cedarville.edu/musicalofferings/vol3/iss2/2

Jaap Kunst

Kunst has a typically interesting “ethnomusicologist” biography. He studied the violin as a youngster. After finishing Law School in the Netherlands, he grabbed his instrument and joined a string trio and set off for Java. As you do, when you’re a badass. He stayed there for about fifteen years. Upon his return to the Netherlands, he was recognized as an expert in his field. In 1950, he coined the term “ethnomusicology”.

Alan Merriam

Alan Merriam was an American ethnomusicologist. His 1964 book, “The Anthropology of Music”, is credited with uniting the academic study of anthropology with that of music.

Alan Merriam published his Doctoral Thesis (Anthropology) in 1951. Songs of the Afro-Bahian Cults: An Ethnomusicological Analysis. Here are some of the field recordings made by him and his wife Barbara Merriam. They traveled around central Belgian Congo (later Zaire, and now the Democratic Republic of Congo) with an early “portable” reel-to-reel magnetophone . If that is not badass, then I don’t know what is!

Barbara Merriam – the forgotten ethnomusicologist

Women are almost always often erased from history. Alan Merriam was accompanied by his wife, Barbara, on his travels in Africa. I have spent some time searching the Internet for any biographical information on Barbara, or even a photo. So far, I have not had any luck, but I am sure that she was one badass researcher. Watch this space.

Bruno Nettl

Bruno Nettl was a former President of the SEM. He studied Native American music, and established the musicology program at the University of Illinois. Nettl conducted fieldwork in both Iran (in 1966, and I bet that it was both groovy and badass) and southern India.

The Language WithoutMusic

Before I leave you, I shall share with you an interesting documentary, “The Language With No Word For Music”. I found it on Reddit.

Summing up

The more I read and research Ethnomusicology and ethnomusicologists, the more my ind boggles. It is truly an expansive and enormous field. I will keep on writing. If you like what you read, please let me know. A little encouragement goes a long way!

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