Monday Drumday: Music as medicine

I have been making music of various kinds for many years and I find it makes me feel better. I saw this article today about the therapeutic benefits of music. I actually have a couple of the books it references.

I know people do various music therapies around things like yoga that may be more on the spiritual side, but I think that any kind of music can make you feel better if it lifts your mood and we each have our own tastes. I do think that actually playing music adds to the experience as you engage different parts of the brain as opposed to just listening. It is hard to be thinking of anything else when you are playing music. That is my kind of meditation. I have done a fair bit of accompanying other musicians and you need your full focus to track what they are doing as well as playing your part. Lately I have been drumming with our new band and I really have to concentrate on that. We have our first gig at the weekend. Stay tuned for a report on that. We have some other Hivers in the band who may post about it too.

I spend my day at work at a computer and tend not to have music on then. When I come home I want to just play. Today I found a backing track from the extensive library on Drumeo. It was called One-Bar Fills and that was ideal as it is an area I want to work on. You need to be able to switch between just keeping the beat and fun little elments to add interest. This is by no means a polished performance. You are just seeing me doing a little workout to try some ideas.

Life is all about getting a good balance. I have to work, but I have other activities to relax. I will watch TV, but I need other things that are less passive. Music fills that hole.

Rock on.