Post by Stephen on Jun 13, 2004 22:21:50 GMT -5
Effects of Sound
By Yaya Diallo
Throughout a musical apprenticeship, you need to be conscious that you are emitting sounds and that these sounds have an impact on people. You see it when you play music and people cry in response to some sounds and dance in response to others. If you play in a sloppy way, people will say, “Oh no, not that,” and they will behave more nervously. As you play, you see many things like this. You do not need anyone to tell you about it if you pay attention to what is happening.
In relation to music, human beings are strange animals. They go into a room, make some sounds they call music, and enjoy themselves moving around, which they call dancing. Just because of some noise they move. They cry, too, and get excited because of sounds. Some of them spend their time planning what kind of sounds to make. Others become so attached to only one kind of music that they refuse to listen to any other sort.
If such reactions to music are so evident to our eyes, how much more does music affect our health and minds. This kind of realization is not taught: you observe and live these things. When you are playing music, you need to be conscious of how you are affecting people. I have met many musicians in North America who want only to make a hit record, regardless of the value of the music on deeper levels. They are not aware of the subtle effects of music on deeper levels. They are not aware of the subtle effects of music on human well-being, but musicians should be aware of their role. They can build or destroy. They can produce tears, fatigue, excitement, or calm in people. None of my teachers in Fienso taught me about it with words; I learned this from experience. Playing music to benefit people was the fundamental value of our musical culture.
Discretion is a prime virtue for the musician. When the community does not want to hear music, he must stop playing. If, for example, his music were to disturb workers at their labors, that would be a violation of its reason for existing. Self-restraint is the watchword. Training aims to reduce the ego. Knowing how to produce sounds is only one aspect of musical training. Recognizing the reactions of people and of the visible and invisible worlds is a second aspect of even higher priority.
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“Effects of Sound” is an excerpt from Yaya Diallo’s book "The Healing Drum: African Wisdom Teachings,” Destiny Books, 1989, p. 97.
Note: Yaya Diallo’s traditional West African music can be listened to on New Music Canada, www.newmusiccanada.com/genres/artist.cfm?Band_id=7862.
Distribution: CD Baby www.cdbaby.com/all/onzourecords
Submitted by:
Onzou Records
www.onzou.com
By Yaya Diallo
Throughout a musical apprenticeship, you need to be conscious that you are emitting sounds and that these sounds have an impact on people. You see it when you play music and people cry in response to some sounds and dance in response to others. If you play in a sloppy way, people will say, “Oh no, not that,” and they will behave more nervously. As you play, you see many things like this. You do not need anyone to tell you about it if you pay attention to what is happening.
In relation to music, human beings are strange animals. They go into a room, make some sounds they call music, and enjoy themselves moving around, which they call dancing. Just because of some noise they move. They cry, too, and get excited because of sounds. Some of them spend their time planning what kind of sounds to make. Others become so attached to only one kind of music that they refuse to listen to any other sort.
If such reactions to music are so evident to our eyes, how much more does music affect our health and minds. This kind of realization is not taught: you observe and live these things. When you are playing music, you need to be conscious of how you are affecting people. I have met many musicians in North America who want only to make a hit record, regardless of the value of the music on deeper levels. They are not aware of the subtle effects of music on deeper levels. They are not aware of the subtle effects of music on human well-being, but musicians should be aware of their role. They can build or destroy. They can produce tears, fatigue, excitement, or calm in people. None of my teachers in Fienso taught me about it with words; I learned this from experience. Playing music to benefit people was the fundamental value of our musical culture.
Discretion is a prime virtue for the musician. When the community does not want to hear music, he must stop playing. If, for example, his music were to disturb workers at their labors, that would be a violation of its reason for existing. Self-restraint is the watchword. Training aims to reduce the ego. Knowing how to produce sounds is only one aspect of musical training. Recognizing the reactions of people and of the visible and invisible worlds is a second aspect of even higher priority.
---
“Effects of Sound” is an excerpt from Yaya Diallo’s book "The Healing Drum: African Wisdom Teachings,” Destiny Books, 1989, p. 97.
Note: Yaya Diallo’s traditional West African music can be listened to on New Music Canada, www.newmusiccanada.com/genres/artist.cfm?Band_id=7862.
Distribution: CD Baby www.cdbaby.com/all/onzourecords
Submitted by:
Onzou Records
www.onzou.com