Sound Health - Advanced Brain Technologies

I recently ran across the web site Sound Health - Advanced Brain Technologies. Advanced Brain Technologies is a foundation created by Alex Doman and Brad Boyajian, for the purpose of advancing research, education, and development and access to neurotechnologies that will help people to realize their fullest potential. It is their belief that incorporating Sound Health into your life nourishes mind, body and soul. (Note from Andrew: No Shit!)

They have compiled a series of CDs designed to complement specific activities, such as Concentration, Productivity, Thinking. The music on the CDs are classical pieces, some from the Great Masters and some that were created just for this. Their research gave them the knowledge as to what types of music were effective with the individual activities.(Another note from Andrew: Talking of specific activities check out Sexercise) In addition to the Sound Health section of their work, they have other similar programs such as The Listening Program, BrainBuilder, Music for Babies, and Shelly’s My First Computer Game.

I like the fact that this web site seems to be very thorough; it discusses the research they did prior to forming the foundation, how the musical pieces are chosen for the various activities, and who the participating musicians would be. This is all particularly interesting to me since music2work2 was built on the same premise, that music is good for you and can be helpful in many ways. We spent many hours researching this idea before music2work2 got off the ground.

There are many similarities between Sound Health and music2work2. We both believe that instrumental music is more beneficial than music with lyrics and that the Classical genre is most fittingl. Looking at the notes that accompany each piece of music in the music2work2 catalog, you can see that music2work2 also recognizes the benefit of certain musical pieces with specific activities. In fact, I have been listening to 1218 while writing this post.

New week - Back on it....

[flickr]http://www.flickr.com/photos/mario_groleau/2919106407/[/flickr]Having fallen off the "Discipline Wagon" last week - this morning I climbed back on it; it feels good to get to 6:15 in the morning and already have an hour's practice under your belt.

This week is all about finger chops and mixing.  I cut both the piano and string parts for "Jeneric" on Friday morning - I need to add an organ part and possibly mix up the beat tracks a little but 'm pretty pleased with how it's turning out.  I have a tendency to spend too much creating new stuff and not enough on actually editing and mixing - so - this week it's all about the mix - I am promising myself that I am going to stay focused and get this piece finished by the end of this week.  Once that's done the newsletter can go out - Teaser post coming tomorrow.

Posted via email from Andrew McCluskey Photo Credit:  Mario Groleau (Président Club de photo Mauricien) / Flickr

Versatile Music

I have always liked music and enjoyed listening to it, but it has only been since becoming involved with music2work2 that I have become aware of the extent of the power of music. One of the wonderful things about music2work2 sessions is their versatility – they can be used in different ways........as background music to help you concentrate, music to help you relax, music to inspire you, music to make you feel good, music to help you heal.

After losing my dear dog, Cassie, listening to the music composed for her helped ease the pain and sadness I was feeling from her loss. The music changed the “video” that played in my mind when I thought of her. The image of her suffering and of her departing this life was replaced by one of her playing, enjoying life, bouncing along on her three legs, as if the fourth one was never even needed. Andrew was able to capture this image of her by working whatever magic he does using significant numbers for whomever the session is composed. This is a unique gift that he possesses.

I’ve just been listening again to the music that I watched Andrew compose and play when I was in LA. A couple of pieces were themes that have been in the works for a while, that he has been developing over time. The first tracks of several brand new sessions were also recorded. Composing music seems to come as naturally to him as breathing does to me. I am grateful to be one of the beneficiaries of such great talent and powerful music, and to be able to play a part in sharing it with the rest of the world.