Music & Emotions: Can Music Really Make You A Happier Person

How many times have you turned to music to uplift you even further in happy times, or sought the comfort of music when melancholy strikes?

Music affects us all. But only in recent times have scientists sought to explain and quantify the way music impacts us at an emotional level. Researching the links between melody and the mind indicates that listening to and playing music actually can alter how our brains, and therefore our bodies, function.

It seems that the healing power of music, over body and spirit, is only just starting to be understood, even though music therapy is not new. For many years therapists have been advocating the use of music in both listening and study for the reduction of anxiety and stress, the relief of pain. And music has also been recommended as an aid for positive change in mood and emotional states.

Michael DeBakey, who in 1966 became the first surgeon to successfully implant an artificial heart, is on record saying: "Creating and performing music promotes self-expression and provides self-gratification while giving pleasure to others. In medicine, increasing published reports demonstrate that music has a healing effect on patients."

Doctors now believe using music therapy in hospitals and nursing homes not only makes people feel better, but also makes them heal faster. And across the nation, medical experts are beginning to apply the new revelations about music's impact on the brain to treating patients.

In one study, researcher Michael Thaut and his team detailed how victims of stroke, cerebral palsy and Parkinson's disease who worked to music took bigger, more balanced strides than those whose therapy had no accompaniment.

Other researchers have found the sound of drums may influence how bodies work. Quoted in a 2001 article in USA Today, Suzanne Hasner, chairwoman of the music therapy department at Berklee College of Music in Boston, says even those with dementia or head injuries retain musical ability.

The article reported results of an experiment in which researchers from the Mind-Body Wellness Center in Meadville, Pa., tracked 111 cancer patients who played drums for 30 minutes a day. They found strengthened immune systems and increased levels of cancer-fighting cells in many of the patients.

"Deep in our long-term memory is this rehearsed music," Hasner says. "It is processed in the emotional part of the brain, the amygdala. Here is where you remember the music played at your wedding, the music of your first love, that first dance. Such things can still be remembered even in people with progressive diseases. It can be a window, a way to reach them."

The American Music Therapy Organization claims music therapy may allow for "emotional intimacy with families and caregivers, relaxation for the entire family, and meaningful time spent together in a positive, creative way".

Scientists have been making progress in its exploration into why music should have this effect. In 2001 Dr. Anne Blood and Robert Zatorre of McGill University in Montreal, used positron emission tomography, or PET scans, to find out if particular brain structures were stimulated by music.

In their study, Blood and Zatorre asked 10 musicians, five men and five women, to choose stirring music. The subjects were then given PET scans as they listened to four types of audio stimuli - the selected music, other music, general noise or silence. Each sequence was repeated three times in random order.

Blood said when the subjects heard the music that gave them "chills," the PET scans detected activity in the portions of the brain that are also stimulated by food and sex.

Just why humans developed such a biologically based appreciation of music is still not clear. The appreciation of food and the drive for sex evolved to help the survival of the species, but "music did not develop strictly for survival purposes," Blood told Associated Press at the time.

She also believes that because music activates the parts of the brain that make us happy, this suggests it can benefit our physical and mental well being.

This is good news for patients undergoing surgical operations who experience anxiety in anticipation of those procedures.

Polish researcher, Zbigniew Kucharski, at the Medical Academy of Warsaw, studied the effect of acoustic therapy for fear management in dental patients. During the period from October 2001 to May 2002, 38 dental patients aged between 16 and 60 years were observed. The patients received variations of acoustic therapy, a practice where music is received via headphones and also vibrators.

Dr Kucharski discovered the negative feelings decreased five-fold for patients who received 30 minutes of acoustic therapy both before and after their dental procedure. For the group that heard and felt music only prior to the operation, the fearful feelings reduced by a factor of 1.6 only.

For the last group (the control), which received acoustic therapy only during the operation, there was no change in the degree of fear felt.

A 1992 study identified music listening and relaxation instruction as an effective way to reduce pain and anxiety in women undergoing painful gynecological procedures. And other studies have proved music can reduce other 'negative' human emotions like fear, distress and depression.

Sheri Robb and a team of researchers published a report in the Journal of Music Therapy in 1992, outlining their findings that music assisted relaxation procedures (music listening, deep breathing and other exercises) effectively reduced anxiety in pediatric surgical patients on a burn unit.

"Music," says Esther Mok in the AORN Journal in February 2003, "is an easily administered, non-threatening, non-invasive, and inexpensive tool to calm preoperative anxiety."

So far, according to the same report, researchers cannot be certain why music has a calming affect on many medical patients. One school of thought believes music may reduce stress because it can help patients to relax and also lower blood pressure. Another researcher claims music allows the body's vibrations to synchronize with the rhythms of those around it. For instance, if an anxious patient with a racing heartbeat listens to slow music, his heart rate will slow down and synchronize with the music's rhythm.

Such results are still something of a mystery. The incredible ability that music has to affect and manipulate emotions and the brain is undeniable, and yet still largely inexplicable.

Aside from brain activity, the affect of music on hormone levels in the human body can also be quantified, and there is definite evidence that music can lower levels of cortisol in the body (associated with arousal and stress), and raise levels of melatonin (which can induce sleep). It can also precipitate the release of endorphins, the body's natural painkiller.

But how does music succeed in prompting emotions within us? And why are these emotions often so powerful? The simple answer is that no one knows yet. So far we can quantify some of the emotional responses caused by music, but we cannot yet explain them. But that's OK. I don't have to understand electricity to benefit from light when I switch on a lamp when I come into a room, and I don't have to understand why music can make me feel better emotionally. It just does - our Creator made us that way.

Korean pop rides "Gangnam Style" into U.S. music scene

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "Gangnam Style," the catchy Korean song by rapper Psy, may have danced its way into the American charts but the Korean pop industry isn't horsing around when it comes to capitalizing on the singer's phenomenal U.S. success.

With "Gangnam Style" topping the current Billboard Digital Songs chart and becoming the most-watched video on YouTube ever with more than 800 million views, fellow Korean pop, or K-pop, artists are positioning themselves for similar U.S. breakthroughs.

Korea's pop music industry is thriving. Over the past two years, a handful of K-pop acts including girl group 2NE1, boy band Super Junior and nine-piece band Girls Generation have embarked on mini-promotional tours around the United States to build their audience.

"Psy has opened doors and is shining a spotlight on K-pop. People are paying attention to what's being done there," Alina Moffat, general manager at YG Entertainment group, which manages Psy, told a recent entertainment industry conference in Los Angeles.

Psy's vibrant music video, featuring his invisible pony-riding dance, also featured K-pop artists Kim Hyun-a of girl band 4Minute, and Deasung and Seungri of boy band Big Bang, all of whom are attempting to crack the U.S. market.

"YouTube has really changed the awareness of K-pop. Both American kids and second-generation Korean American kids are discovering it," Kye Kyoungbon Koo, director of the Korea Creative Content Agency, told a panel at a Billboard and Hollywood Reporter conference in Los Angeles in October.

MARKETING THE NEXT BIG THING

For U.S. companies looking to invest, K-pop is being marketed as the next big thing, boasting young, stylish and influential artists who command devoted fan followings.

Moffat said car companies and mobile phone brands were among those being courted at KCON, a convention held in October in Irvine in Southern California that showcased K-pop artists.

"Kids are coming, they're engaged, they want to spend money and sponsors saw that," Moffat said.

Whether Psy or other K-pop artists can command a global following to rival Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber or Rihanna remains to be seen, but John Shim, senior producer at MTV World, believes it is the right genre to compete with pop music's biggest names.

"K-pop admittedly is a very niche genre but I also think it's the best equipped of Asian pop to cater to the U.S. audience," Shim told Reuters.

Psy has helped to break down language barriers, keeping "Gangnam Style" in its original Korean form instead of adapting it to English when it became an international hit.

The singer told Reuters he was persuaded to keep it that way by his manager Scooter Braun, the talent scout responsible for Justin Bieber's success, who signed Psy to his record label.

"I thought, 'Should I translate this or not?' because (the fans) have got to know what I'm talking about, and lyrics are a huge part," Psy said.

CHATTING IN ENGLISH

But industry executives say at least one member of each K-Pop group is usually taught to be fluent in conversational English.

"The investment in language is costly, but effective," said Ted Kim, president of South Korean music television channel Mnet. "It really matters that Psy can go on the Ellen DeGeneres TV show and have a conversation."

Psy said he was proud his song succeeded in Korean, but he now wants to branch out into English.

"'Gangnam Style' is not the sort of thing that's going to happen twice. I've definitely got to make something in English so I can communicate with my fans right now," the singer said.

In Korea, bands such as SM Entertainment's Super Junior and Girls Generation have became branding powerhouses, scoring endorsements ranging from cosmetics, fashion, video games, electronics and beverages.

In the United States, companies such as Samsung have already jumped on the K-pop train, sponsoring Korean boy band Big Bang's U.S. tour.

But while the genre is gaining steam in the charts, it has yet to spill into ticket sales for tours, according to Gary Bongiovanni, editor in chief at Pollstar.com, which tracks concert sales.

"Psy may be able to sell out arenas in Asia, but not yet here. For the American audience, he has to prove that he's more than a novelty act," Bongiovanni said.

"K-pop has to prove itself before large companies spend money on it," he added.

Stay In Harmony Longer With Excellent Guitar Strings

Presently it's so simple to learn to the simplest way to change guitar strings. We will learn it easily with assistance from Internet or professional guitar players. Learning how to modify guitar string is far much easier in comparison to playing it. In short we can say that swapping guitar string and the way how to change it is not a difficult job.

Having an outlined string changing process will help you change your strings faster, stay in tune even longer, and play with strings that last longer as you practice your guitar.

Realize what sort of Guitar You are Playing : There are usually three sorts of guitars that you'll find when needing to change strings. It isn't a very good idea to just swap one string as this will affect the standard of sound that comes out of any guitar.

The only exclusion to this principle is if you've recently modified all of your guitar strings inside a day to a week dependent on how much you practice your guitar. Change Your Strings One String at a Time : if you should happen to have got a fresh guitar than take a mental note as to how your strings look at the time.

We'll look at some of the crucial tips which may help you in discovering electric guitar playing talents in fast time.

The first thing you need to do is to pick the kind of teaching you want. It is possible to as an example, go and find out playing the guitar from a pro tutor. Or, you can join a Web music college and master it from there. You want to recollect , it really is something that's natural and would vanish with the passing of time. You shouldn't expect fast results when you are mastering electric guitar.

Making a point to schedule your time in such a way that you actually allow a specific time slot for your guitar practice. You're now going to arrange your strings by stretching them out. Move your right hand and put it at the Bridge of your guitar where the strings are strung. Squeeze / Pinch one string at a time, lifting up the guitar string until you hit the nut of the guitar.

By squeezing / pinching of the strings this could put your guitar strings untuned again.

Re-tune your own guitar and you'll find that your strings will stay in tune much better than if you had not prepped your strings formerly. A strategy to slow this method down is by cleaning down your strings with a soft fabric before and after your guitar training. You may get these guitar cloths at any guitar retailer.

As it is debated before that modifying guitar string typically depends on the proper way to change guitar strings because when changing the strings we wants perfection.If the 1 changing it do not know the way to change the strings, they'll ruin the guitar as well as the overall performance.

Source : http://www.amazines.com/Music/article_detail.cfm/2727795?articleid=2727795

RAP MUSIC AND ITS PLACE IN THE MUSIC WORLD

It is a musical style that has set aside all trends and clichés and emerged as the voice of an entire community of people united by roots and origin. Rap is the urban poetry of lyrical resistance, the power that unites and expresses the thoughts of music lovers in big cities. And that is what makes it so different from all the other musical genres. It doesn’t speak only to the mind and emotions, but speaks to the society as a whole and the environment that is all around people. Rap is neither tender like classical music, nor suave like country songs or glossy like the pop genre. It is harsh and built to convey the pain and emotion of situations, a style that simply embodies free expression of radical thoughts and the realities of the world that surround us.

In its simplest form, Rap is just a combination of speech and music. In fact, it would be better to say that rap is actually speech that has been laid on beats and rhythms. It falls into a sort of gray area when you try to place it as a part of speech or prose or poetry or song. Its roots can be traced back to Africa, long before hip hop even came into the picture. The ‘griot’ people of West Africa have been delivering their stories in this format for centuries, using drums and very few other instruments to provide a rhythm to their songs while Blues music finds its roots in the work songs and emotional expressions of slavery and the unmistakable influences of West African musical traditions.

But modern day rap is an integral part of the hip hop culture, with the two terms often being used interchangeably. It started being used as a part of the hip hop musical movement that was gaining momentum in the early 1970s. Veterans like DJ Cool Herc and Grand Master Flash were the first to use rap with the new style beats and rhythms that are now its signature style. In the parties in the Bronx, rap was introduced and gained popularity with the youth of the African American and Latino communities. Soon this style became a part of their identities. New rap songs started being churned out every day and the revolution that started took the music world by storm.

Today, rap and hip hop are one of the most popular musical genres in the current music scenario. Although, it did start out as an all-African American movement, rap is now listened to, followed and practiced by people around the world, despite of their ethnicities and roots. Latest rap songs and rap music videos are topping every chart and the movement has gifted the industry with many talented artists in the likes of Eminem, Jay Z, Dr. Dre, Rihanna and many many more.
It is a style that can be and is being used in fusion with other music genres like rock, pop etc. And as the staunch follower of the genre would say, Rap is not just a style of music. It truly is a frame of mind!

Congress Passes Bill Standardizing Airline Rules for Musical Instrument Storage

Traveling musicians got a big boost from Congress last month with the passage of a sweeping Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill that includes new universal standards for storing instruments in flight. Pending issuance of final regulations, the amended law will, among other things, allow travelers to carry aboard any instrument or related gear that can be safely stored in the cabin, rather than risk it being damaged in the plane’s cargo hold or during baggage handling.

Included as an amendment to section 403 (“Musical Instruments”) of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (H.R. 658), the bill provides airport personnel with specific guidelines for carry-on instruments — including when musicians may purchase a separate seat for an oversized or fragile instrument — as well as weight and size limits for storing a larger instrument in a plane’s cargo area.

Calling the amendment “great news for professional musicians throughout the U.S. and Canada,” American Federation of Musicians (AFM) President Ray Hair said that passage of the new rules would help end the confusion over musical instruments as carry-on baggage.

"BMI salutes the passage of the Airline Musical Instrument Carry On Luggage Act and is proud to have assisted in its passage,” said Fred Cannon, BMI Senior Vice President, Government Relations. “We would like to thank Hal Ponder, lobbyist for the American Federation of Musicians, who spearheaded the industry efforts on this bill. This legislation will assist all traveling musicians by allowing them to protect their instruments, knowing that there is a standardized national policy regarding how these instruments are handled by the airlines."

Just in Case
Under the new rules, travelers who want to avoid having their Stratocaster wind up under a pile of Samsonite will now get their wish. Guitar-sized instruments or smaller will be allowed on board at no extra charge, as long as the instrument can be safely stowed in a baggage compartment or under the passenger’s seat (hence, Strat carriers may want to consider using a gig bag rather than a Fender-sized hard case). Instruments that are too large to be safely stored overhead/under a seat but do not weigh in excess of 165 pounds (including case) may still be carried on board; however, the owner will have to purchase a separate seat in order to accommodate the instrument. Owners that want to transport larger instruments as checked baggage will be allowed to do so assuming the instrument weighs 165 pounds or less and the circumference of the instrument (with case) does not exceed 150 inches.

Professional music organizations including BMI and the AFM have been pressing lawmakers to adopt a single standard for air carriers in order to better serve musicians traveling with large, valuable and or sensitive vintage instruments. To date, airlines have maintained divergent policies governing in-flight instrument storage, and rule enforcement has often been inconsistent and arbitrary. Passengers report being denied carry-on privileges by the same carrier that had previously granted such access. These issues have sometimes resulted in missed flights and canceled engagements, according to musicians’ rights advocates.

Last year the Senate and House issued separate carry-on proposals for the reauthorization bill, with the Senate’s version allowing musicians to purchase a separate ticket for oversized instruments, while the House merely suggesting that instruments be stowed “in accordance with the requirements for carriage of carry-on baggage or cargo set forth by the Administrator.” In a subsequent conference committee, however, the House agreed to adopt the Senate’s language.

Before you run out and buy an adjoining seat for your favorite sitar, though, take note: the new FAA rules won’t go into effect until final regulations have been issued, which, according to the bill, will be “no later than two years after the date of enactment.”

How The Online Guitar Lessons Can Create A Sense Of Music

Music is liked by all no matter it is the young generation or the elderly people. Playing a musical instrument is not a child's play. It demands determination, dedication, patience and urge to learn each and everything about the instrument. Other than this, it is a fact that you need to keep on practicing if you want to become efficient in handling the instrument.

Every field has been advanced with the change of time and technology. We cannot name a single field that has not been affected by the changing world. Like all other fields, music has also been revolutionized. It has now become easier to learn music as technology has eased everything. These days, a large number of music schools are providing guitar lessons so that people can learn playing guitar online. You can select any music program by checking the price, market demand, teaching methodology, repute of teachers etc. It is believed that when you learn anything subject of music from the music producers, then you may get confused as it would be hard for you cope up with their rhythm as it may be different from that of the traditional beats. When you have got the facility of taking the guitar lessons online, then you need not to worry about anything as you will be provided with ease and flexibility of taking classes with trained music teachers. You can term these prospects as the live music resources. Students are also provided with the fee concession prospect for a specific time period. Such prospects can help the schools to gather more students. Music tools are used captivate the students to get into the soul of the music. The musical gadgets are very fascinating. These days, the trend of the online classes has got popularity in the young generation. No doubt, this has gifted many talented musical professionals to the music world who might be belonging to jazz, pop, classical and other types of music.

If you want to learn music online, then you need to subscribe with any of the music lesson websites to set the timings and number of sessions for learning. The students and teachers are able to save much of their time as learning and giving lessons online is a hassle free task. When we talk about the features of a guitar, it has 6 strings fixed on it. Music is produced by these strings by following the notes that are given by the music producer that produce a well organized and harmonized tone. Repetitive classes are offered to those students who are unable to grasp the lessons from the first class. In this way, they are able to carefully learn what they are taught. The students who learn music skills from the online sources later emerge as the professional music producers. The students who want to get well equipped with the music skills need to be aware of the live music information. These online sources can be much useful for the students who want to learn much in less time.

With Sirius Portable Satellite Radio You Can Have Your Music, News, Or Talk Radio Anywhere

Do you remember the days when it was almost impossible to be able to listen to a good mix of the music or other radio programming that you wanted anywhere and anytime? I do, and believe me if you value your news and talk radio the way that I do it is a time that you do not want to return to. In those days I spent more time flipping channels and between AM and FM to try and be able to access the content that I desired than I did listening. Since Sirius portable satellite radio entered the mix a few years ago this is no longer a problem.

I absolutely love being able to have instant access to news, music, or talk radio at any time. I personally use the Sirius Stiletto 2 which provides me with more features than I could ever use. This thing brings me all of the programming crystal clear no matter where I am. This Sirius portable satellite radio makes the trip from my house to my car to my job everyday.

The whole family enjoys the satellite radio when it is at home. My wife enjoys listening to Martha Stewart Radio, my kids love the Disney programming, and on the rare occasion that I get my hands on my Sirius portable satellite radio at home I get the news and talk radio that just is not available on the FM or AM dial.

This thing is also priceless on the commute. I spend at least 2 hours per day in my car on the way to and from work driving through mostly rural areas. If it were not for this Sirius radio I would have to change radio frequencies several times to find the programming that I want, if I could find it at all.

My favorite feature on this Sirius portable satellite radio is the built in mp3 player. Like most people I have my favorite talk radio hosts and newscasts that I feel like I have to hear everyday. With the Sirius Stiletto 2 I do not have to be by the radio when they are on. With this Sirius portable satellite radio I can record up to 100 hours of programming! So if I have to be in a meeting or doing honey dos I just set my Stiletto 2 to record my favorite programs so that I can come back and listen to them when it is convenient for me.

This Sirius portable satellite radio can be purchased in a package that includes the home or car installation kit or can be purchase as a stand alone unit. I personally have found it well worth my money to purchase the Stiletto 2 with the available car kit. I also added on the home kit to complete my ability to use this great satellite radio everywhere. There are also many other great accessories available for this receiver.

As you know there is a small monthly service fee to access the Sirius satellite radio network but I have found it well worth my investment. For the price of about one and one half lunches at McDonald's I am able to pick and choose between over one hundred channels that deliver content that you just cannot find on the AM FM radio consistently.

As this is a review I should point out the bad points of a Sirius portable satellite radio, but I honestly have no complaints with my device or service. I could not be more satisfied. If you are passionate about the quality of information or music that you receive on the radio this is the only way to go.