Music and Your Body.

I have read an article that talks about Music therapy and music being a tool for good health.

Research has shown that music has a big effect on your body and psyche. In fact, there's a growing field of healthcare known as Music Therapy, which uses music to heal. Those who practice music therapy are are finding a benefit in music to help cancer patients, children with ADD, and others, even hospitals are beginning to use music and music therapy to help with pain management, to help ward off depression, to promote movement, to calm patients, to ease muscle tension, and for many other benefits that music and music therapy can bring. "This is not suprising, as music affects the body and mind in many powerful ways."

In the article they give you examples to explain the effectiveness of music therapy. Brain Waves: "Research has shown that music with a strong beat can stimulate brainwaves to resonate in sync with the beat, with faster beats bringing more concentration and alert thinking, and a slower tempo promoting a calm meditative state."

Breathing and Heart Rate: Music can create slower breathing, slower heart rate, and an activation of a relaxation response, among other things. Music therapy can help prevent chronic stress, promoting not only relaxation, but health.

State of Mind: Music can help bring a positive state of mind. Helping with depression, which brings many other benefits.

Other Benefits: Lowering blood pressure, boost immunity, ease muscle tension, and more. Music is a huge tool used in staying and becoming healthy!

For more information here is the link to the article:

http://stress.about.com/od/tensiontamers/a/music_therapy.htm?p=1

Music in the 21st Century.

The MP3 player has changed how we listen to music, how we consume music and how we produce music. Now anyone anywhere can get on the internet or even their phones and download music either from itunes or another downloading site. (legal or not).

Music in the 21st century has truly made music "global" You could also say this about youtube. Pretty much anywhere around the world you have the internet now. youtube is a global site and music is mass produced on youtube. It has become easy to get yourself out to the public with these new portals (i think thats what you call them).

With all these great and easy ways of getting music. The producers of the artist, for example sony, MGM, etc.. are going to have to adapt. They are scared that this simple and free way to produce music will make them not be able to pay the artists as much money, and this in turn will create less incentive for the artists, and lower quality and the music produced. They stay stick with itunes its a win/win situation both ways. It may be the right thing to do but for now it is too easy to get free music and people are going to continue to do it until it becomes a danger. For now they need to be promoting with the concerts, putting on shows. Finding new ways to make money.

Music is changing and so is the world. Hopefully with music becoming more global we can have a more unifying world!

The use of music in a film.

I just got done watching the film. "he's just not that into you." This is a movie filled with drama. But for the drama to be enhanced and shown this is where the music comes into play. When there is a new relationship starting certain music would come on. When the guy didn't know what to do when he was cheating on his wife and they were going through problems a different confused music would come on. the sad music when she called for divorce. the exciting music when Ben and jen decided to get back together. then the sounds of love when he finally asked her to marry him. The sounds of love when gigi found out that she was an exception.

The movie was enjoyable but it would have not been the same without the music. I believe you can say this about most or all films/ programs. It sets the mood, it creates the suspense. music and sounds to so much for the viewer that without it you feel almost lost. There needs to be correct music in correct situations. if the wrong music is on the wrong message will be prevailed because you chose the wrong music. you could have the best acting in the world but with the wrong music it is almost worthless. You have grown so accustom to music that it has to be there and it has to be the right music.

Encountering music at athletic events.

The music playing sets the mood for so many situations. We have talked about this in class. When I am at a sporting event I will listen to a certain type of music. When i am showing a horse i will listen to country. In the grocery store etc...

We associate certain songs with certain things. I am going to talk about the association of music with athletic events. I will start with the Boston Red Sox. they always sing sweet caroline at Fenway, and every single Sox fan associates Sweet caroline with Fenway and their favorite team. For the Florida gators they sing "We are the boys from ole florida" This brings the fans in and everyone sways back and forth. it is tradition and makes the fans feel apart of the teamFor the orlando magic the play the superman theme song when dwight howard makes a great play. the play this song because dwight howard is also known as superman. This makes me smile and laugh but sometimes i do think he is superhuman he is just a specimen. You will hear "We will rock you" at sporting events. It brings the fans into the game and makes them feel apart of the game.

In sporting events the music ads to the entertainment. That is what professional athletes are. They are performers. They are putting on a show to entertain us and the music enhances the entertainment. We have paid to be entertained. You will generally hear the new pop music. We get the halftime show where the bands come out and perform. You have the seventh inning stretch and sing take me out to the ball game. Sports is constant and will always be. and so is music.

My Top 5

"Viva la Vida" by Coldplay

This song brings me back to family vacations. My sister would make dvd's on our vacation and this would be the the theme song. i am a huge fan of the coldplay genre and enjoy listening to every single one of their songs. "Live the life!"

"Breakdown"by Jack Johnson

I was just really introduced to his music and i can't stop listening to it. His songs are great when you just want to go into chill mode. He also makes me think of hawaii and surfing and in the cold right now there is nothing i would rather be doing.

"Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac

Fleetwood Mac is what was playing in my house when i grew up, and still plays in the house today. It brings back great memories of growing up and running through the house. It makes me appreciate my family and i think of the great times we have had listening to these songs.

"Echo" by Carlin Lawroski

My sister was a songwriter and singer. She made an awesome CD and this was my favorite song on the playlist. She doesn't pursue this anymore but is still extremely talented. Me and my sister have a great relationship and i think of her every time i play it.

"Thriller" by Micheal Jackson

I have to give props to Micheal. The man may be a little wierd but he is unbelievably talented. The man and his songs can make you move. Great dance memories with this song. its a thriller.

The type of music i have strong negative feelings about.

I have strong negative feelings to any "screamo" music. It makes me angry. (I guess thats sort of the point.) I just want to destroy that whole genre of music. I try to be open to all music but this music i close myself off to. It is like devil worshipping music . I don't know, i have heard some buddies listen to it at schoo or before a game. I just say man why would you ever listen to that. I get pissed at them and then walk away. I don't know why, but i truly despise that music. They say "man you don't understand" and maybe i don't but I have nothing to say to them after they listen to screamo. I realize i am being extremely close minded but this music just gives me that attitude.

I don't like what the artists potray. I don't like the identity that goes with listening to that type of music. I don't like the whole production. I am not a fan of "screamo" music. I especially don't like the deep voice devil worshipping crap. Maybe i have listened to the wrong stuff, and because of that i will not listen to that type of music. But after what i heard, i have heard enough. Just writing this blog makes me angry about that kind of music.

In closing I want to say i respect all peoples view on music. If you enjoy screamo music that is great. Their is obviously something there, but its just not for me.

My thoughts on the buying and selling of music.

I have to admit I was a limewire kid. That is i guess an illegal site to download music for free. My sister a Belmont student would frown upon me and say i was stealing from the struggling artists. It wasnt until my computer was acting a little strange when i decided to turn things around. I got rid of my limewire and switched to downloading my songs from itunes. I believe itunes is the safe, fair way of downloading music. Do i think it is a big deal to downlaod a jay-z song for free, or am i stealing from him? I think he is doing just fine. but those artists that aren't as big then yes i think i am. That is my view of my own personal buying and downloading of music.

Now in the music industry what a business it is. The complications of this cut throat business are huge. You can see in the articles that we read. How everyone is out for themselves and even though the band brought on millions of dollars. They would have made out better working at a 7-11. I believe the complications of getting that big name contract dicourage so many great artists. I have seen this first hand going to nashville and seeing all the kids with so much talent who will never get seen. The music industry is truly a cut throat business, yet i am not knowledgable enough to tell them how to change. I believe the artists should benefit more.

Buy itunes its the good thing to do.

The experience of music in my daily life.

Music is the first thing i hear in the morning and the last thing i hear at night. During two-a days this past football season we would wake up to 'fishing in the dark" And every time i hear that song it brings me back.

Music can help you get in a great mood. You should wake up happy and expect to have a great day. Being happy creates others to be happy. So i guess you can say music brings happiness.

I was in a wedding over the break and i was told one of the first decisions that was made was the dj for the wedding. he was scheduled 6 months in advance. Music brings back memory music makes the body move and groove. Getting the correct dj and music for the night is crucial for how you will remember that great occasion.

I listen to music in my daily life in my car. I can ponder on things that are going on in my life and maybe take some of the things that are being sung and interpret them into my own life. I listen to music before one of my sports games and listen to the music and get that cocky confident attitude you need as an athlete to compete at a high level. If i am cooking a meal for a group or a date there is music to get you in a relaxed comfortable state. Music is a constant in my daily life.

Music is a total art form. I sure can't sing or play like some of these singers and musicians can. It takes determination and practice and thought (also God-given ability) to be as talented as these artists. They entertain us continuously and bring joy to our lives. I will end this blog by saying "Love is a song, Life is the music"

What is my music culture? How did i learn about the music i listen to ?

Growing up, there was always music playing in our house. When i was working or playing in the yard either the radio or a cd was always on. I was always in sports growing up as a kid as i still am today. When i was about 8 through 10 One of my travel teams would always jam out to tunes during our warm up and we were known for that. When i am on the baseball diamond or even in the car and i hear some of those songs and the memories immediately come back.

I would say that i listen to a lot of what my parents listen to. Its what i have listened to most of my life. I enjoy classic rock, I enjoy elton john. I enjoy christian music. I also have been introduced to a ton of new music that i truly do enjoy by my sister. My sister goes to Belmont University in nashville, tennessee, It is one of the top music schools in the nation. She is a singer and knows alot of people in the music industry.

I have to admit that i am probably a passive listener when it comes to music. I will listen to a song and really enjoy it or not like it at all. But alot of the times when people ask me who the artist is i really don't know. I have always been given cd's by my sister and kind of just gone with the flow. That is a huge reason why i took this class. To see what kind of artist sing what. Because i am tryin to make a conscious effort to know who sings what.

I also like what we said in class when we were talking about music as being an identity when a girl said " i believe there is music for every situation, In sports it is upbeat, when i do my horse show its country music i listen to." I totally agree with that statement. I believe every situation calls for certain types of music and that is why music is so beautiful.

What would life be without music? Think about that question