Classical Music is Bad

If the best visual art to have in hospitals is art that is the most popular, then is it fair to say the same with music?

Is Pop music better for patients than Mozart?

Classical music represents "about 3 percent of total CD sales" according to an article in Andante. Therefore, it can easily be said that it is not popular.

Why make patients listen to music they don't like?

I thought would ask Amy Camie her thoughts on this. She is a classically trained musician and is actively involved in the use of music in healing.

This is her response:

First, here's a brief background on myself to offer a sense of context before I comment on the above text:

• I'm 42 years old - a harpist, wife and mother of two boys (ages 14 and 9). 

• Both of my parents were music teachers so I grew up in a house full of music.

• I began playing piano at age 5 and harp when I was 10.

• I'm classically trained and studied at Indiana University.

• I founded the Scientific Arts Foundation to develop research exploring the impact of creative expression on healing and my music is used around the world for relaxation and stress reduction.

• My "Vibrational Awareness" presentation offers insight into how sound, music and vibrations impact our body, mind, spirit, creative expression, relationships and overall health.

• And I'm VERY specific when it comes to language J

Let's start with Title:  Classical Music is Bad

From a vibrational perspective, 'Bad' does not exist. The word 'Bad' is a judgment of the mind and differs for each person based upon their individual experiences that were labeled 'bad' by others and incorporated into their belief system. 

For sake of this exploration, let's alter the title to read:
Classical Music Does Not Support A Patient's Healing Process.

Oops…there we go with the word, 'Healing'…which again, means different things for different people.  In this context, I'm using the word 'healing' to mean "that which a patient does to bring their physical, emotional, mental, spiritual and creative energies back into balance and harmony."

Now for the Text:
What is your definition of 'most popular' visual art?  Who decides what is 'most popular'?  This seems to be a faulty foundation from which to build your argument but let's continue…

Some of the recent research supports the use of images of nature in hospitals. Robert Ulrich, PhD found that heart-surgery patients assigned a landscape scene of trees and water reported less anxiety and needed fewer strong doses of pain drugs than a control group assigned no pictures.  And patients assigned an abstract picture had worsened outcomes compared to a control group.

This does not surprise me since nature in inherently balanced and through the concept of sympathetic resonance, our bodies are supported in regaining its sense of balance.

Here are brief statements/definitions from a 'Vibrational Awareness' perspective that will help clarify my perspective…

• Everything in the universe is vibrating energy: people, plants, color, things, wind, water, animals,etc.

• Everything has a frequency and although we cannot hear it most of us can 'feel' it…our moods are indicators of where we are vibrationally. For example: good mood = higher frequency / depressed mood = lower frequency healthy = feeling strong & balanced / sick = feeling weak & out of balance

• When two objects with the same frequency come into close proximity to one another, they begin to 'sympathetically resonate' or 'sing' together….when you strike one tuning fork and place another tuning fork of the same frequency next to it, the 2nd tuning fork will begin to 'sing' or resonate with the first one.  Since EVERYTHING has a frequency, and as human beings we have the ability to change and alter our frequencies (and we do, all the time), we are vibrationally impacted by everything and everyone around us through this concept of sympathetic resonance.  Unfortunately, most of us are completely unaware of how much we are being impacted by the people and things in our environment!!…but that's another discussion.

• Entrainment - the ability of one rhythmic vibration to change another less powerful rhythmic vibration into it's rhythmic pattern so both rhythmic vibrations match the first…in other words, both rhythms synchronize to the more powerful rhythmic vibration's pattern.

Note:  There's another whole concept we could follow as to how our body processes sensorial input and whether or not the rationalization of popular 'visual art' transfers to popular 'music' but that is not my field of expertise.  However, if you contact Deborah Burnett, ASID, she can explore that concept in depth. www.deborahburnett.com 


Let's move on to the next statement: 
Is Pop music better for patients than Mozart?

Again, I'm compelled to clarify the statement to read, based on the opening title:
Is familiar contemporary music better for patients than classical music?

For sake of discussion, let's agree that the body needs to enter into a state of relaxation in order to regain a sense of balance and harmony (in other words, 'get better').

When a patient listens to familiar contemporary music there are physiological as well as emotional responses happening within the body. There is not room here to go into all of the neurological/psychological /music therapy research…but it is out there for anyone interested in pursuing this line of exploration.

Since this type of music is 'familiar', meaning it's something we've heard over and over again, we have memories associated with each song.  Depending on when and with whom we first heard the song, those memories can elicit a variety of responses.  For example, if we first heard a song on our first date, then many of the emotions and feelings from that date are now associated or 'linked up in our brain' with that song.  So, when we hear the song again, our body experiences many of those same emotions from that first date…those memories are 'triggered' by the music.

The other aspect of familiar music is that it engages the beta wave frequencies in the brain.  These beta waves are associated with cognitive thinking, being alert and focused.  When we hear familiar music, our beta waves are actively thinking of when we first heard the song, remembering the person with whom we associate with that particular song, etc…all the memories, PLUS singing along with the words, which in and of itself promotes the release of a variety of chemicals within the body depending on the feelings associated with the words.

In addition, most contemporary popular music has a predominant drum or rhythm track along with bass guitar that 'entrains' our three primary rhythmic systems in the body- our breathing, heart rate and brainwaves.  *see above: Entrainment

Since the drum beat and bass guitar lines are probably not the same rhythmic patterns that support a state of relaxation, our body is forced out of its natural rhythmic patterns by the more powerful rhythmic vibrations within the music.  So, if a patient does choose to listen to contemporary pop music to support their healing process, my suggestion would be to keep the rhythmic track close to a healthy heartbeat and relaxed breathing tempo.  And, make sure the memories feel comfortable and loving.

Now let's look at Classical music.

To begin with, it has always bothered me that "Classical Music" seems to be this general term used to group a bunch of composers who lived within a specific period of time…as if all of their music is the same.  Well, it's not!!  Even the music therapy studies that state, 'classical music does…' mean nothing to me as a musician and an emerging researcher.  There are just too many variables involved in the creation of music to lump it all together into a specific genre - for example: intention, beyond intention/inspired, key, tempo, rhythm, meter, instrumentation, recording atmosphere, it all impacts how we experience the music.  That being said…

According to your statement, Classical music represents only 3% of CD sales.  This statistic could mean several things: 

• people don't feel confident or educated enough in classical music choices to know what to buy

• there are more 'pop radio stations' than classical radio stations so the public purchases what they have the opportunity to hear…they know what they're buying because they've heard it on the radio

• there could be a perception that classical music is for 'old people' and our culture doesn't want to feel old

• most CDs sales are from younger demographics…a New Zealand study found people who buy recorded music tend to be in the younger age groups, with two-thirds (67 percent) under 45

The fact that not many people listen to classical music could be advantageous to the body's healing process since this type of music is 'unfamiliar.'

When we listen to unfamiliar music, our brains don't have the mental 'hook-ups' or associations.  This allows the beta waves to lower allowing for alpha waves to increase.  Alpha waves are associated with relaxation and a sense of tranquility…it's that 'zone out', 'daydream' space we feel as our brains begin to calm and relax.  As beta waves drop and alpha waves increase, our brain relaxes, our breathing slows down and our heart rate slows…all three rhythmic systems 'entrain' with each other.  So, now the body is in a state a relaxation that supports the healing process.

Remember, however, that not all classical music is created equally…so, be conscious of variables such as tempo, rhythm, key (minor keys have a more 'reflective' feeling) and instrumentation.

So the question becomes…Do you want to 'reminisce and feel comfortable' with familiar music or 'relax' with unfamiliar music as you move through the healing process?

Chances are, a balance of both would be beneficial.  Be conscious, however, of the musical choices you're putting in your environment and remember that we 'hear' not only through our ears but also through our skin (our body's largest organ)…so EVERY aspect of our environment impacts our ability to maintain or regain a sense of inner balance and harmony. The emerging scientific field of Epigenetics - the study of how environmental factors can change gene function without altering DNA. - will continue to shed light on our fascination with the human capacity for healing.

Amy Camie, Harpist
Founder/Executive Director
Scientific Arts Foundation
St. Louis, MO
www.amycamie.com
www.scientificartsfoundation.org   

Note: I found six Music CDs by Amy on Amazon.com.

I also found 47 of her songs at the iTunes Store. You can preview them for free there. If you have iTunes installed on your computer, simply type "Amy Camie" into the search field.

 

Comments

[Elaine Poggi]

I have heard Amy play and I have two of her CDs. She is wonderful!

[Joe Cates]

ANYBODY that thinks that dumb screaming fool of a singer thinks she is better than mozart is a fool as well. Mozart is the 2nd most celebrated muscial genius of all time, next to beethoven. He wrote 626 compostions from when he was EIGHT years old til he was 38. That means by today standards he would have released a full new album of music every two weeks, from 8 years old. Go listen to his requiem performed by Amor Artis Choir. Eat your words. Only Beethoven and Bach could even be in the same level as mozart. That's just the typical ignorance of your modern pop culture society for you. If it does'nt have a good "beat" kids don't like it. No one has any appriciation for what is the most beautiful music on earth anymore. bah!