|
|
I've been a musician and a lover of music all of my life. In fact it has been one of my greatest loves. I've nearly always been inspired to listen to, play, write, perform, or produce music. But I can't say that I've always understood what it was that I was involved with and why. But as one who's made music for a living, I've always wanted to understand what it was that I was involved with and exactly how I was impacting those who were paying for the music I was making. Without knowing this, music can be a self-focused, isolated endeavor, and the maker of the music could miss enjoying the great effect they might be having on others. Of course, this is a concern for all who give their work efforts for a living (which really is almost everybody) as they enjoy the work efforts of others on their behalf in exchange.
So I've thought a lot over the years about the service that I was giving to others with music. For a good portion of my music career I was just riding on the energy of 'personal fun', and the fun I was sharing with those who I made music with and with the audience.
But the business side of me, as well as the psychology and spiritual sides, made me want an explanation as to the relationship between the music producer and the music consumer. I eventually found my answer in looking at what music does to me. So here is the simple explanation that I came up with of what the function of music is:
Music is something that when we give ourselves to it (that is, don't resist it or hold back), it transforms our experiential state.
And, of course, we give ourself to these transformations because they have a positive effect on us....for example: relax us, release stress, physical exercise (dancing), put us into pleasurable emotions, draw us closer to God, allow us to reflect on a certain emotional pattern or situation we are in, emotional release, meditation on beauty, a meditation in general that elevates our experience, disengage the mind, nostalgia (i.e. emotional snapshots from the past...and how our present life compares to them), change our biorhythm rate faster or slower, etc.....and the overall higher and healthier states that these all leave us in.
So, with this knowledge, it gives me a much greater pleasure to know that I'm elevating people with the music I create, which then of course makes it much more inspiring for me to do the sometimes hard work of making and marketing the music.
And, of course, music is not the only thing that transforms us. Other things are: books, television shows, movies, prayer, meditation, live events, speeches, Church, videos, newsletters, magazines, conversations, involvements, hobbies, exercise, social events, activities, family life, etc.
So, producers of and participants in all of these forms can feel good about these activities and their work in them (that is, if it's done with a caring for the emotional, mental and spiritual health of the eventual consumers and other participants).
|
|
An interesting side note to this phenomenon of 'giving ourselves to something and then being transformed' is: we can also be transformed in a negative direction if we give ourselves to the wrong things (e.g. TV shows, movies, activities, bonds with negative and toxic people, etc.).
Another interesting realization that comes out of this is: God is like music in that He is an ongoing experience of goodness, order and love....that exists in our heart and soul without our effort or creation. And either we let go to this experience and its Creator...or resist them. This is important to know because, when we create, we either create with our mind...or with our heart...or with our soul. Mind creations can be interesting, but only heart and soul creations can move another person. And we don't really author soul creations....we just lay back into them and let them express themselves. And of course this leads to the question: where do these soul creations that just happen to exist within us come from? This is extremely important to a soloist and writer, but also to any instrumentalist in that this is what determines the feeling and continuity that they will come across with. This question is what led me into a deep interest in psychology and spirituality. Now, 33 years later, I understand enough about this connection that I've written a book called "Why Are We Here?". In this sense, music's ultimate fascination is that it is a non-verbal thread that can lead us to the ultimate realities about life itself.
Another free article that concludes this connection between music and spirituality can be found at my web page: http://www.mp3.com/DennisMarcellino.
It includes great quotes by Albert Einstein and Leonardo Da Vinci. When you go there, click on the "Calendar" tab. Also, while you're there, you can hear and download music from my three commercially successful CDs for free.
|
|
