What is it about music that is so conducive to healing and emotions? I've been wondering this and mostly just accept it. Some recent experiences have brought it home. I know how affected I am by music and see the affect on listeners and sometimes hear from them about being brought to tears or moved by my songs. Other times I hear from people how much they hate my music and me in general. Hey, at least they are listening and are usually from either Canada, Germany or France and hear it on YouTube. Go figure ha ha.
I listen to podcasts when I'm travelling the hundreds of miles to gigs. Recently I was listening to a Living Dialogue with Dr. Larry Dossey about the late scientist, Susumu Ohno, who took strands of DNA from humans and other species and assigned notes or musical values based on a really complex method which you can read about at: http://www.mimg.ucla.edu/faculty/miller_jh/gene2music/previouswork.html His wife is a violinist and performed the notes, which resembled a musical score. The result is something called DNA Music and when you listen to it knowing what it is you will be so struck with awe. The music sounds rhythmic and like a modern Bach or Mozart. It sounds like a Hang drum or celestial Harpsichord. Go to http://whozoo.org/mac/Music/samples.htm to listen. I've noticed things like melody and pitch are universal and people react to harmony and dissonance the same way across so many cultures. My main instruments, Voice, Hang drum and the Native Flute are all instruments that are exposed and expressive in direct ways.
Last weekend I was in Phoenix at the FarWest Folk Alliance conference where me and hundreds of other Folkies listened to tons of music and went to cool workshops about the music industry. All these people united in music was special. I did a showcase and overall felt flat and stale. I think when I am trying to impress industry people and be something more than I am at the moment I lose connection to that source of creation flowing through me and my Ego (the part of me who wants things) takes over and pushes the 'real' me out of the way. That is why doing concerts and informal performances are always so fun for me and the audience—I'm there for them and they are there to hear me. Oh well, I did it and heard some amazing music and met some fantastic people regardless.
I stayed an extra day with my musician friend Saggio and his wife Barbara. They live west of Phoenix in a Geodesic home. They were such gracious hosts and lead Healing Music Meditations one of which I was lucky enough to attend and offer some music of my own. The affect the music had on the attendees was very peaceful and healing I thought. Saggio and I played a lot of music on our combined 5 Hanghang, Native Flutes and the wonderful variety of instruments. Being amongst so much music I lost track of time and worries. What a retreat! I've heard it told that when we are being creative we are tapping directly into THE source and things like depression and pain can't enter our mind. I felt that lately and driving back to New Mexico I was blasting Coldplay and Snow Patrol and reconnecting with my own music in a new way.
Music is real and part of the now that I think Eckhart Tolle writes about. This weekend I'm playing at the 37th annual Renaissance Faire in my home town where they get about 35,000 visitors and as I play my Hang and Flutes I'll be aware that my music is part of something larger, innate and immediate. I'll remember to let it flow and get the hell out of the way……haha. See you all there! Check my Calendar for the performance times.
Here is a video I call Hang Heaven because being surrounded by 5 of them is pretty cool. It's a little improvised song on a couple of them.
Have a wonderful musical weekend Y'all!
Randy
Hang Heaven
