Forums - Theory / composition / technique
Subject: music as language
Original Message Date: 23-Apr-00 @ 04:03 PM - music as language
Peaceout
Message 21/44 09-May-00 @ 08:20 AM - RE: music as language
earlier posts to get a jump start or better
comprehension of what the heck I'm talking about).
Ok, anyone who proposes to write music specifically
engineered to tune the brain (likely alpha) waves of
the lsitener, should be careful. If you've read 'The
Battle for Your Mind by Dick Sutphen' which I linked to
in an earlier post, you will understand that these
techniques can be used for benign or malicious
purposes. God forbid televangelists figure out what
trance and raves do to people!!
Ok, 90% of your listeners will be experienced ravers.
They have experienced alpha states through going to
parties where the combined effects of over stimulation,
light and sound have already iniated an easy transition
from beta to alpha. Combined with the use of LSD or
just about any other drug, these people are unknowingly
becoming experienced alpha state travellers. Moving to
an alpha state is easier, the more it happens. Be
warned - excessive dwelling in an alpha state can
become permanent, even if it's through meditation or
music. We need all our states to be mentally healthy!
If you want proof of this 'ease of revisitation', just
look at the kids outside the rave - all they can hear
is the thud of bass and they're already getting happy
and relaxed. The mind is ready to get into a full alpha
state!
It should be noted that most promoters, DJs and
musicians have no idea what they're doing, they just
know that the music, beats and light create the desired
reactions.
Ok, the most obvious place to start experimenting is
with rythm:
Take your bass drum and count how many hits you have in
1 minute. Then divide it by 60 to get the hz (cycles
per second). Most of my tracks are about 2.5hz (welcome
to the delta state. Ever find some tracks make you
sleepy?). However - you can push this up higher with
other rythms, like hi-hats, or just a subtle modulated
drone in the background.
Next the less obvious: Notes themselves. Here's a table
listing the frequencies of the notes, assuming a is
440hz - http://oyt.oulu.fi/notfreq.html
However, We can create more subtle rythms by employing
modulation (not to be underestimated). By combining
notes, we can create a waver in a droning note that
will have the same effect as a pulse. This is very
powerful stuff, and you can accent peaks with your
percussion.
So what good is the melody if all you need is rythm?
Melody opens up the consious mind, keeps the interest
held while the rythms and drones go to work tuning the
brains own frequency, the firing of synapses. Once you
have the audience's attention, DON'T LET GO, or you
will break the trance. If the beat stops, breaking the
trance, the melody had better hold their conscious
attention.
I'm trying to find a link to a great trance theory site
I found once, that really explained the power of trance
quite well... my search engine is useless today.
Oh, here's the frequency ranges and characteristics of
the different states/ bandwidths:
BETA 13-40hz
Alertness, Concentration, Focus & Cognition
Alpha 7-12hz
Relaxation, Visualization, & Creativity
Theta 4-7hz
Intuition, Memory, Meditation & Vivid Visual Imagery
Delta 0-4hz
Deep Sleep, Healing & Detached Awarness
Ok, I'm tired of typing. I know this stuff seems
obvious, but if you experiment with it, you will find
that the reactions to your tracks will become extremely
favourable.
Hows about some feedback? Anyon
Message 22/44 09-May-00 @ 09:30 AM - RE: music as language
conversation away from philosphical wanderings. I
really want to start using much more of these
techniques in my own music, and hopefully other readers
are looking to do the same.
One thing I forgot to mention: the classic trance/
techno/ house sounds. When use use classic Nova or 303
sounds, there's a plethora of advantages.
I'll use an example. If you sample John Lennon playing
a chord on his guitar, you get a bunch of things. You
get the actually note(s) of the chord, you get the
recognition on behalf of an informed audience (they
recognize the chord, timbre, etc. as being familiar,
this is important), and you get all the passion John
put into that chord.
When you use classic sounds, especially sounds that
most people will have definitely heard in other tracks,
and have likely alpha'd in, you will be more likely to
induce an alpha state, because (as mentioned in my
previous post), the alpha state is often triggered by
familiar sounds, light, etc.
It would be harder to use all original or uncommon
sounds and induce an alpha state. It's not impossible,
but it will be harder. You probably won't get played as
much either...
Look at the top acts on Mp3.com or other site. 80% of
the top trance (I can't speak for other genres) use all
the same sounds. Often the actual composition is really
lacking any creativity, but what they have going is the
Message 23/44 09-May-00 @ 10:52 AM - RE: music as language
Message 24/44 10-May-00 @ 09:08 AM - RE: music as language
Message 25/44 11-May-00 @ 01:11 PM - RE: music as language
-justin
Message 26/44 12-May-00 @ 07:05 AM - RE: music as language
Message 27/44 12-May-00 @ 11:23 AM - RE: music as language
Message 28/44 14-May-00 @ 04:33 PM - RE: music as language
And hey, I am absolutely interested in this thread, best on dt right now, so lets continue, lets share all of our info.
Message 29/44 15-May-00 @ 06:24 PM - RE: music as language
Peaceout,
Peter
Message 30/44 25-May-00 @ 08:48 AM - Planetary Frequencies
notes combined create nodal points/ hz? I have a note
to hz conversion chart need be, and would be totally
interested in that info. I have known about this, but
haven't found anything solid to go on...
Regarding planetary resonances, I met a fellow once who
wrote music based on the resonant frequencies of
planets.
For instance, the earth has a resonant 10hz frequency
(called the Shuman Resonance). We don't notice it,
because we spend our entire lives immersed in it, as a
fish is immersed in water. We would probably notice
it's absence if we left the earth and went into low
orbit, or to another planet.
Anyways, this fellow writes music based on how the
universe sounded on a particular day - such as the day
arch Duke Ferdinand was shot (and started one of the
World Wars).
Obviously, 10hz is too low to hear, but could be
applied as a rythm or shifted up to a frequency we can
hear.
A track with a 150BPM bass kick has a 2.5hz pulse
created by the kick drum. This pulse is mid-delta
(brain wave) range, but is also a factor of 10
(2.5*4=10). 10hz is not only the earths r.f. but also
smack dab in the middle of the alpha (7-12) brain wave
range.
I better read the latest posts now.. I think I'm out of
touch with where this thread is g
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