The Use of Music As Metaphysical Means and Instrumentation.
Art has a profound influence on almost everybody. It inspires us and catches our eyes and imagination. In it’s more pure form it is found in poster shops and museums. But as a marketing tool it virtually has no rival with the exception of music that accompanies it most of the time. Art has a great niche in this world. Whoever has eyes can and does pay attention to it. With the advent of computers and also digital photography art has exploded and can found wherever we may look or maybe have to look influencing the decisions we make. In moving pictures we come into connecting with art as it is animated and sometime have a direct connection as the saying goes ‘glued to the screen’.
Music is obviously not entirely the same as visual art but also provides a direct connection with what he listen to or hear. The same pain or disgust over an obscene image is also sometimes made by songs or music that are abrasive to us and that we don’t like to hear. When we enjoy the music we listen to it sometimes transports us to another place- where, we cannot really know for sure.
Studies are now showing and have been for some time that music changes patterns in the brain. It has shown that listening to your favorite music generates brain activity that is like a boost to the system. Other studies show that classical music can help with memory. mood and retention in the brain.
What is also interesting is to know that the musical scale of notes used today where also the same going back hundreds or even thousands of years ago. Who came up with the exact notes? It is almost a miracle that the notes that are used today were used from the beginning of music mainly. There has been research that shows in Africa there are notes that are used that go in between the musical scale used in modern times giving an evermore abundance of sounds and tones. Though without the notes of the scale today, if it was not the standard, the result would be a cacophony.
in light of the title above of music having a metaphysical quality, it means to say at least two things. One is if you take for example the music of a music therapy disc, and if it is good, it can have an effect of one, being calming, yet music of that kind and new age music or sometimes ambient, trance, or experimental music even in a rock format, can and does have an effect on brain activity whether it is calming or entrancing or euphoric- any of those labels can do, however a lot of time what one experiences when they listen to something likable to them is an altered state even if it is only for the duration of the song. Where Art intrigues us, music becomes intriguing.
How does a note influence what we feel? We are mostly addicted to a degree to the five senses and don’t mind when it comes to the art or writing or music that we like and treasure.
There is always a fine line between engaging in the appreciation of the Arts and other times having a s sensory overload. There is a balance at play. Sometimes it can tip too much to either side, but usually we are free when to say we had enough or alternately to say I’d like more.
To round things off. One of the principles of music having a metaphysical or spiritual effect has been known throughout time. For society to remain and function in a healthy way the medium of music should not be abused. Perhaps because of the scale and structure of chords, the sound of harmony and melody keeps music to be more of a pure type of art. Of course it can be challenged, changed as in atonal music and some who experiment with noise. However more often than not the sound of harmony is chosen over cacophony more often. Though avante garde and atonal music is interesting and provides a new door, music that is pleasing the hear is more commonly accepted in most of the world. Like most art we must preserve that which is conducive to growth and evolution of the world. Whatever one prefers and likes to hear or to see or observe is up to themselves, but know that the scale and chords provide a unifying principle as a tool for the betterment of the world as the spectrum to the eye.