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Braintuning News Archives from ethnomusicologist Elizabeth Miles |
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Enjoy the Braintuning News archives. For the latest music-mind-body news you can use, visit The Braintuning Blog.
from your
mind-body-music correspondent Elizabeth Miles
Vol. 5, No. 1
from your mind-body-music correspondent Elizabeth Miles
You may have noted that the arrival of Braintuning News has started to track breaks in the academic calendar. This is not because you can't benefit from braintuning the rest of the year, but because my law school schedule currently sets the pace for all projects. In the spirit of making more of less time, this issue offers a few New Year's tune-ups you can implement year 'round.
In this issue:
. . . . .
A fresh year evokes the creative instinct Out with the old routine, in with the different, better, and new. Music, named for the muses of art and science, is a potent creative tool, and there's no time like now to harness its neurological power.
To bring any project to fruition, follow the four-step creative cycle -- brainstorm, incubate, formulate, and implement -- matched with music tailored to the task.
1. Brainstorm.
Every project can use a few cheeky ideas. Whether you're planning a research paper, a marketing campaign, an efficiency makeover, or a new living room look, a brainstorming session can bring out your best concepts -- and the right music can bootstrap the effort. Surprising sounds or unpredictable sequences force your brain cells to fire in new directions. It's like a refresh button for your thoughts.
Begin by writing down your goals or the problems you want to solve in a brief mission/problem statement. Then take a blank piece of paper, cue up a Create tune, and write down everything that comes to mind for the entire length of the track (more if you're on fire).
--> PICKS
* For a quick three-minute session, choose Fats Navarro and Tadd Dameron, Our Delight on the Complete Blue Note and Capitol Recordings (improvised bebop jazz).
* You'll find four minutes of rocket fuel in Debussy's Etude No. XI, Tune Your Brain with Debussy Create (classical-romantic piano).
* If you have ten minutes to spare, try Ry Cooder and V.M. Bhatt, A Meeting by the River on the album by the same name (slide guitar meets the South Indian vina); let your mind float during the opening sequence, then get busy as the music heats up.
2. Incubate.
Creativity experts agree that some of the best thinking takes place when you're not -- thinking, that is. Research shows that music can activate and condition subconscious processes, so your task now is to choose one CD to serve as your incubation soundtrack. Review your brainstorming list, put it away, then take ten to twenty minutes to listen and let the ideas percolate into the loam of your subconscious. Sit back, close your eyes, and immerse your mind in the sounds you hear. Let the music fill your head so conscious thoughts have no room to intrude. Surrender.
Play your incubation music repeatedly in the coming days while you drive, cook, wake up, walk, hang out with family or friends -- any time but work time. Write down insights that arrive during incubation, but don't try to force them.
--> PICKS
* Mona Golabek, The Romantic Hours (poetry matched to classical music)
* King Sunny Ade, Synchro System (Nigerian juju trance music)
3. Formulate.
Ready to write the draft or make the plan? A variety music mix can provide the motivation and mental endurance you need to get the first draft down. Use a multi-disc device to play a diverse collection of CDs on spiral or random. Let late Beatles segue to delta blues, breaking beats to Broadway tunes. A 5-CD rotation should provide ample time to reach eureka.
--> PICKS Your choice. Break stylistic bounds.
4. Implement.
The transition from idea to action requires communication between the right and left brain hemispheres. Because music is processed on both sides of the brain, listening activates the hemispheric connection (called the corpus callosum). Specifically, listening to highly structured music, which requires translating right brain perception into extensive left brain analysis, is a great primer for whole-brain thinking.
Start with a whole brain booster -- focused listening to complex music that makes the hemispheres cooperate.
--> PICKS
* Aaron Copland, Salon de Mexico (modern Latin-tinged classical)
* Mozart, Allegro from Symphony No. 39 in E-flat major on Tune Your Brain with Mozart Energize. For peak creative energy, use a portable player and take a brisk five-minute walk while you listen.
With your corpus callosum humming, shift to Baroque concerti (Corelli, Telemann, Vivaldi) or Mozart string quartets playing in the background. These will help keep you focused and your hemispheres harmonized as you work up your plan.
. . . . .
Losing weight is a perennial entry on new year priority lists, yet evidence shows that diet plans come and go without lasting effect -- except those that modify behaviors. Music can make that connection, providing new ways to manage your energy and moods and take the focus off food.
1. Audio snacks When energy drops, try a musical boost instead of the caloric kind. Keep headphones and Energizing tunes on hand for future snack attacks.
--> PICK Outkast, Hey Ya! on Speakerboxx/The Love Below (several other tracks on this disc will also do the trick)
2. Musical dessert Fill the 15 minute satiety signal lag between eating and feeling full with Uplifting music. The lower brain's hypothalamus is both your hunger center and the main spot for processing music's mood. Fill it with happy sounds and watch false hunger disappear.
--> PICKS
* Joss Stone, Super Duper Love on The Soul Sessions
* Christina Aguilera, Beautiful on Stripped
For more on music and weight management, see the June 2003 issue of Braintuning News
http//www.tuneyourbrain.com/news.htm
. . . . .
1. Cigarettes Instead of lighting up, take a 5-minute break with headphones and Uplifting music. No need to go out in the cold!
--> PICK Al Green's new album, I Can't Stop. What he can't stop Making great soul music and living clean.
2. Alcohol When you think you need a drink, try a deep relaxation session instead. Find a quiet spot, put on some Relaxing music, and sit or lie down comfortably. close your eyes and feel your head embraced by a warm glow as your brain waves slow into the alpha range. Continue for ten minutes.
--> PICK Mojave 3, Bluebird of Happiness on Spoon and Rafter
3. Anger or outbursts If you habitually zip your lips or instead wish that you had, let your feelings out more productively through non-verbal catharsis -- one of music's time-honored applications. Cleansing music conjures up emotions so you can set them free.
--> PICK Evanescence, Bring Me to Life on Fallen
. . . . .
In a busy world with so many tasks and television shows, it's easy to forget your live music fix. Don't miss the chance to boost your immunity, socialize, stop stress, and support your favorite artists Make a commitment to attend at least one live music event per month throughout 2004. Go buy a couple tickets now! Alternatively or also, join a choir or other music group with regular rehearsals.
. . . . .
Try one of the new online services to explore music you haven't heard before. Buy what you like to expand and enrich your collection.
--> PICK RealOne Rhapsody ($9.95 a month for unlimited streaming of all CDs in its catalog; friendly to dial-up connections, but cumbersome for buying tracks online). E-mail me your favorites!
. . . . .
Scientists have long noted that music and genes have similar structures. Now, with the Human Genome Project in place, what was once a smattering of music compositions based on genetic sequences has become a downright spate. In addition to the fun of hearing genes played out loud, researchers hope to use these DNA ditties to better understand genomic sequencing and the nature of gene mutation. Find out more here
http//www.whozoo.org/mac/Music/Sources.htm
--> PICKS
* Oxy Fugue 9, based on the gene sequence for the peace-and-love hormone oxytocin (http//larrylang.net/GenomeMusic/)
* A Thousand Apologies by David Lindsay, iconoclastic co-founder of music groups They Might Be Giants and the Klezmatics who attempted to copyright his own DNA ... and apparently upon colliding with the lawyers decided to create a copyrightable music composition instead (http//www.lazslo.com/athousandapologies.mov). Genes got rhythm!
. . . . .
MAKE A WISH
To complement your new year's resolutions, consider a cool new book A Wish Can Change Your Life How to Use the Ancient Wisdom of Kabbalah to Make Your Dreams Come True. This is a nifty read if you're interested in kabbalah, other world spirit traditions, or a creative journey toward your goals. It's written by my friends Steve Weinstein and Gahl Sasson and endorsed by the Dalai Lama himself. There's even a music CD to match.
. . . . .
LINKS
Tune Your Brain
* CDs
* Book
. . . . .
To open ears in the new year,
Elizabeth Miles
TUNE YOUR BRAIN: Using Music to Manage Your Mind, Body and Mood
Tune your brain. Be a better listener.
Copyright 2004 by Elizabeth Miles
You may copy or share this file for non-commercial purposes with attribution to the author.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
BRAINTUNING
NEWS
from your
mind-body-music correspondent Elizabeth Miles
June
2003: Listen Up to Age Less
volume 4 number 1
Braintuning News is back! In the past nine months I've finished my first year of law school and published a new book, a trick that required breaking out every tip up my sleeve and falling behind on reporting duties. One of those projects provides the topic for this issue. You'll be relieved to learn that I refer to aging less, not studying law (which, incidentally, can have the opposite effect).
April 2003 brought the publication of my book with Edward Schneider, M.D., AgeLess Take Control of Your Age and Stay Youthful for Life. AgeLess offers a plan for measuring your longevity quotient, or LQ, in six key areas, then using the New Rules of Aging Less to improve your scores. LQ is to your projected healthspan as IQ is to your smarts, with the critical difference that you can *change* your LQ. How's that for a summer project?
The AgeLess plan is based on daily lifestyle measures, many of which can be made easier with the addition of -- guess what? -- music. Get ready for a tuneful approach to hanging on to your youth.
In this issue
*Six New Rules of Aging Less and the music to help make them happen
1. Exercise: Sonic Fitness X 3
2. Nutrition: A Soundtrack for AgeLess Eating
3. Weight: Secrets of Lasting Weight Control
4. Sleep: Sweet Dreams of Youth
5. Engagement: Stress Less, Age Less
6. Hormones: Scuttle Your Supplements; Listen to THIS
*Who Owns Your CD Collection? The New Digital Lockdown
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1. EXERCISE SONIC FITNESS X 3
Old Rule Fitness = aerobic exercise.
New Rule of Aging Less Fitness = aerobic exercise + strength training + flexibility and balance work.
Time was when you measured your fitness by how far you could run -- but the latest research shows that to forestall the aging process, you need not just aerobic exercise but also strength training and flexibility and balance work. These three types of exercise require very different speeds, muscle response, and endurance. Matching your music to the movement can help you get the most out of each.
The right music has been found to help people exercise longer and harder and feel it less. The mechanisms at work appear to include an entraining effect on muscles (the same force that makes you dance in time to the beat); a reduction in stress signals such as secretion of lactic acid; and the mood boost that good tunes provide. The key is choosing only your favorite music and synchronizing its speed, measured in "beats per minute," with your moves -- for instance, footfalls when you run, rotations on the elliptical flyer, or lifting and lowering weights. (Stretching and balance work is a little different, as we'll shortly see.)
-->Braintuning Basic To count the beats per minute (BPM) in a piece of music, play your selection on a CD player with a clock that displays seconds. Tap your foot to the beat until you've got it, then count the number of taps in 60 seconds. (Shortcut Count for 30 seconds and multiply by two.)
*Aerobic exercise Look for music above the "heartbeat range" -- that is, about 100-160 BPM -- then target the speed to your particular activity.
112-135 BPM Walking, elliptical flyer, stair climber, step aerobics. PICK Barenaked Ladies, One Week
136-145 BPM Fast power walking, floor aerobics, cycling (approx. 70 RPM). PICK The Prodigy, Firestarter
145-160 BPM Jogging, very fast power walking, fast floor aerobics, cycling (70-80 RPM). PICK Fatboy Slim, The Rockafeller Skank
You can find all three Picks on a collection charmingly titled Jock Rock 2000. For the more cerebral listener, Tune Your Brain with Mozart Energize offers a sequence of workout-friendly music divided into these three BPM ranges. Exercise your body AND mind!
*Strength training Try lifting and lowering weights in time to music and experience the power of entrainment. This principle also applies to the movements of other resistance exercises such as bands and floor work. Look for moderate, heartbeat range speeds of about 80-96 BPM and experiment to find the pace that works for you.
PICKS Gipsy Kings, Un Amor on Gipsy Kings; 2Pac and Dr. Dre, California Love on MTV Party to Go Platinum Mix, which offers a range of other hip-hop grooves to explore.
*Stretching and balance work For exercises that emphasize long, held poses you want slow, relaxing music. Tunes that move at or below the heartbeat range (70-80 BPM and slower) can work on the brain and nervous system to reduce electrical activity in muscles, enhance your concentration, and enable you to hold positions longer.
PICKS For a smooth, surround-sound approach, try Sade, Best of Sade; or find focus in Ravi Shankar, Vision of Peace The Art of Ravi Shankar.
Make a tape or CD with three segments timed to your workout. Check out Chapter 3 of AgeLess for a high-LQ exercise program personalized to your tastes and goals, and all the New Exercise Rules of Aging Less.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2. NUTRITION A SOUNDTRACK FOR AGELESS EATING
Old Rule Eat the diet recommended by the USDA Food Guide Pyramid.
New Rule of Aging Less Follow the AgeLess Nutrition Pyramid.
The latest nutrition research suggests that the Food Guide Pyramid promoted by the USDA got it wrong when it comes to eating for health and longevity. AgeLess replaces the high-carbohydrate model with a pyramid that puts fruits and vegetables first, provides "good fats" from olive oil, nuts, and fish, and maximizes natural antioxidants.
-->The AgeLess Nutrition Pyramid is available at http//www.longevityquotient.com/?pageName=agelessNutritionPyramid.
The new AgeLess Pyramid looks a lot like the time-honored Mediterranean diet, which also calls for a relaxed, pleasurable approach to the table. Here are some ways to spice up your healthy diet with music
*Wire the kitchen.
As a general principle, the more time you spend in the kitchen and the less in line at the takeout counter, the better you feed your LQ. Make your kitchen a fun place to cook and congregate by adding a CD player or extension speakers from your stereo system. Stock a small rack with your favorite CDs for cooking and dining. PICK Put on the Big Night Soundtrack and cook Italian, with lots of tomatoes and a splash of olive oil to release their longevity-boosting lycopene.
*Turn off the TV and turn on Relaxing music.
Television can spur mindless eating, causing you to consume too much of the wrong foods too fast. Music, on the other hand, can slow the pace of eating, reduce stress, and increase your focus on the process and pleasure. But this is not the time for loud alternative rock. You want Relaxing music to dine by -- classic jazz, classical, acoustic rock or folk, or mellow electronica. PICK Get a French flavor with Yo-Yo Ma's latest, Paris La Belle Epoque; go Brit-pop with the new Everything But the Girl hits collection, Like the Deserts Miss the Rain; or dig into American jazz standards with Peter Cincotti's self-titled album. Use to accompany an AgeLess meal of seared salmon, spinach and lentil pilaf, and chocolate-covered strawberries.
*Enjoy an Energizing breakfast.
Do you tend to dash out the door without a healthy morning meal? Draw the whole household into the kitchen with happy, Uplifting music to set the tone for the day and increase the payoff of stopping for some multigrain cereal and fruit. PICK The Forbidden Broadway series will send you off with show tunes and a smile.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3. WEIGHT SECRETS OF LASTING WEIGHT CONTROL
Old Rule Count calories to lose weight.
New Rule of Aging Less For permanent weight loss, exercise.
First the good news A few extra pounds may save your life. The thinnest people don't live longest! -- but neither do those who suffer from obesity or are overweight with additional risk factors for heart disease. The best strategy for longevity is to maintain a stable weight within your healthy range.
-->To calculate your Weight LQ, go to http//www.longevityquotient.com/?pageName=longevity_quotient_quiz&quizCategory=5.
While there are many longevity-related reasons to think twice before going on a "diet," maintaining a healthy weight is crucial to your LQ, and the evidence suggests that the most effective move you can make in this endeavor is exercise. When the National Weight Control Registry studied the habits of the country's most successful weight maintainers, the leading factor was regular exercise, about an hour of moderate activity each day. In managing weight over the long term, movement may count the most.
Well-selected music is an exerciser's best friend. For high-LQ weight control, return to #1 and get to work on your workout soundtrack.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. SLEEP SWEET DREAMS OF YOUTH
Old Rule Fill your schedule and make up for lost sleep on the weekends.
New Rule of Aging Less Put a good night's sleep on your daily calendar.
A sleep debt may be aging you before your time. Sleep is one of the most undervalued assets in our action-packed lives, and this error could be lowering your LQ. Sleeping renews youth by stopping the stress cycle, replenishing human growth hormone supplies, boosting immunity, consolidating memory, and enhancing mental and physical performance.
Many busy people miss out on important sleep time because it takes too long to fall asleep in the first place. Relaxing music can help solve this problem by downshifting brain wave activity and slowing physiological systems to a somnolent state. Maximize your sleep-time ratio with this music strategy
*When bedtime rolls around, turn off the TV (tape or TiVo any must-see program) and turn on some Relaxing music that you can hear while you brush your teeth and complete your nightly routine. You might choose mid-range tunes for transition that have lyrics and a bit of a beat but move at around the heartbeat range (80 BPM) and sound soothing to you. PICKS Shivaree, Goodnight Moon and others on I Oughtta Give You a Shot (skip track 1); Montserrat Figueras, Ninna Nanna Lullabies 1450-2002; Planet Sleeps.
*Before you crawl in, switch to all-instrumental music without percussion below the heartbeat range, 70 BPM or slower. Whether reading for awhile or going straight to sleep, adjust the volume to a low level that's comforting but not stimulating. PICKS For smooth jazz fans, push play on Dave Koz, Golden Slumbers A Father's Lullaby; others might try Paul Baker, The Tranquil Harp Improvisations for Relaxation, Meditation, and Integration.
*Make sure your sleep time music has no sudden surprises. Collect a few consistently Relaxing CDs or create your own mix, perhaps experimenting with an "iso" sequence that gets gradually slower and simpler, or . Let the music play while you drift off to dreamland. PICK The Sleep sequence on Tune Your Brain with Mozart Relax.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5. ENGAGEMENT STRESS LESS, AGE LESS
Old Rule Avoid stress.
New Rule of Aging Less Respond successfully to stress.
The medical profession has now endorsed what most of us know by personal experience You can't *stop* stress. You can, however, prevent the aging effects of stress (and they are profound) by developing effective responses. A successful stress strategy is a linchpin of an AgeLess lifestyle, and music can play a key part.
When stress hits, Relaxing music can step in to reduce the production of toxic stress hormones, shift brain wave activity toward the calm alpha range, and reduce blood pressure, muscle tension, even sweat. Able to work directly on the nervous system and emotional centers in the brain, music may be one of the most effective natural stress treatments around.
To use music for AgeLess stress response, assemble several Relaxing CDs -- slow, positive music that clears your mind and makes you sink back into your chair -- and stock all your high-pressure spots the car, the office, the kitchen, the place where you pay the bills. Make sure you've got something to play them on. Use a portable player when you're mobile, and don't forget the CD player on your computer (use headphones if your office is hush-hush).
*Use background music for ongoing stress management during tense times or tasks. PICKS Sigur Ros, Sigur Ros; Tune Your Brain for Stress Relief Shifting Gears with Chopin and Other Piano Greats.
-->NOTE that stress-busting music need not be as slow or steady as sleep time music; you might find that some variety is actually more pleasing. Songs with lyrics are fine as long as they make you feel good.
*For a more intense treatment or when background music isn't an option, take a 3-minute stress break. Stop what you're doing, cue up one song, close your eyes, and lose yourself in the sound. Headphones can help focus the music's effects. PICK Lamya, East of Anywhere on Learning from Falling.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6. HORMONES: SCUTTLE YOUR SUPPLEMENTS; LISTEN TO THIS
Old Rule: Experiment freely with "fountain of youth" hormone supplements.
New Rule of Aging Less: Just say "no" to human growth hormone (HGH), DHEA, androstenedione, and melatonin.
Hormones are potent chemicals, and taking them as supplements can be hazardous to your health and longevity. You need only look at the medical community's recent reversal on estrogen replacement to see how even an extensively studied hormone can ultimately prove to pose more risks than benefits. To age less without putting your health on the line (an oxymoron to begin with), toss out your hormone supplements, delete the e-mail ads, and use music to achieve the youthful effects you seek.
*HGH 1) To naturally produce more HGH, get more sleep. See #4 above for your music strategy. 2) To conserve muscle mass and prevent fat accumulation without chemical help, get more exercise, both cardiovascular and strength training. Return to step 1, don workout clothes, and crank up the tunes.
-->Risks of taking HGH diabetes, carpal tunnel syndrome, impoverishment.
*DHEA 1) Boost energy with regular hits of Energizing music. Try a music break at your usual daily slump time. PICK The Roots, The Seed on Phrenology. 2) Heat up your love life by turning off the TV and turning on some sultry grooves. PICK Jill Scott, Who Is Jill Scott? 3) Lose the love handles with the aforementioned exercise/music plan. 4) Improve your mood with your favorite Uplifting tunes. PICK James Brown, Live at the Apollo. And remember that while music's power to motivate exercise, relax the body and mind, and change mood and alertness levels is well documented, DHEA's purported benefits are not.
-->Risks of taking DHEA breast or prostate cancer, unwanted hair growth, acne.
*Androstenedione There is little evidence to suggest that andro helps build big muscles and lots to suggest that it's a health hazard. So get to the gym and start lifting with the extra entrainment effect of music (see #1).
-->Risks of taking andro heart attack, prostate cancer, decreased good (HDL) cholesterol, male pattern baldness.
*Melatonin You make all the melatonin you need as you age. If you insist on mimicking its effects anyway, get plenty of sleep each night on a regular schedule by following the plan in #4.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Look for an excerpt from AgeLess in the current (June) issue of Prevention.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
WHO OWNS YOUR CD COLLECTION?
The New Digital Lockdown
I often recommend listening to music in a variety of places in your life -- but what if the CD you just bought will only play on your living room stereo and refuses to speak to your car player, computer, or Discman? Manufacturers are implementing copy protection technology that could restrict how you use your CD collection (and DVDs too), and currently, they're not required to tell you about it.
Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) recently introduced a bill to Congress that would require clear labeling on media that restricts consumer use with digital rights management technology. To find out more about the Digital Consumers Right-to-Know Act, visit
http//zdnet.com.com/2100-1105-994176.html
If you'd like to voice your support for the Act to your congressperson, you can do it here fast
http//action.eff.org/action/index.asp?step=2&item=2664
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Trying to get ready for summer but don't know where to start? The Braintuning News trilogy on using music to get organized is now available at
http//www.tuneyourbrain.com/news.htm.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LINKS
AgeLess
Explore the book, take the LQ quizzes, and discover all the New Rules of Aging Less.
http//www.longevityquotient.com
Tune Your Brain CDs
http//www.tuneyourbrain.com/cds.htm
Used CDs (that you hope aren't copy protected)
http//www.spun.com
To hear audio clips from any of the recordings in this issue, visit barnesandnoble.com.
http//music.barnesandnoble.com
NOTE We have new e-mail addresses! Please direct Braintuning News correspondence to news@tuneyourbrain.com and all other questions and comments to info@tuneyourbrain.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Have an ageless summer,
Elizabeth Miles
TUNE YOUR BRAIN Using Music to Manage Your Mind, Body and Mood
www.tuneyourbrain.com
Tune your brain. Be a better listener.
Copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Miles
You may copy or share this file for non-commercial purposes with attribution to the author.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
from your
mind-body-music correspondent Elizabeth Miles
Spring
2002: The Sound of Spring Cleaning
volume 3
number 1
Spring is here and it's time
to get clear! I've long been promising to align the life-changing tactics I
learned by co-authoring Organizing For Dummies with the music that can motivate
your efforts to get organized for good. This is the first of a two-part issue
fulfilling that pledge.
In this issue:
-
Set Great Goals
-
Bust Your Clutter
-
Links and Resources
SET GREAT GOALS
The best way to get what you
want out of life is to set goals, and springtime is a great time to get busy on
your hopes and dreams. The problem is, it's easy to feel blocked when thinking
about something as big as your life. Let music set you free.
1. Brainstorm Your
Mission (Why?)
Your mission is the
"why?" of your life. It's a heavy question, but you can break through
with a music-fueled brainstorm.
> Grab paper and pen and
put on some Create music (no lyrics in this case). While the music plays, keep
your pen moving as you write down the values you want to manifest in the coming
year -- achievement, friendship, financial security, spiritual development,
health, etc. -- and any related words, images, and phrases. Let every note you
hear become an idea on the page. Don't stop writing until the music ends. (You
can play the track on "repeat" if you prefer to have plenty of time.)
* Charlie Parker, Bloomdido
on Charlie Parker: Compact Jazz (Verve)
* Claude Debussy, Gradus ad
Parnassum on Tune Your Brain with Debussy: Create (Deutsche Grammophon)
* Zakir Hussein, Balinese
Fantasy on Trance Planet I (Triloka)
* Carl Maria von Weber,
Clarinet Concerto No. 2, movement III (various labels)
2. Prioritize and
Synthesize
Stop the music, circle your
top mission priorities for the year, and use them to write a mission statement.
--> PICK: Sweet silence.
3. Mindmap Your Goals
(What?)
Goals are the
"what?", concrete steps that enable you to realize your mission. While
a mission is an idea, goals are actions, like scenes in a movie. Music, which is
processed first on the visual right side of the brain, can help these pictures
take shape.
-->PICKS:
* Joseph Cantaloube, Bailero
from Chants d'Auvergne (various labels)
* Tan Dun, Yo Yo Ma,
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Score
* Erich Korngold, Violin
Concerto on Tune Your Brain: Music to Manage Your Mind, Body, and Mood (Deutsche
Grammophon)
* Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Yolanda
Anas on Inner Voyage (Blue Note)
4. Incubate Your Ideas
A lot of the best thinking
gets done while you don't think. Forgetting about your goals and letting them
incubate in your subconscious mind can help you formulate a plan for
achievement.
* Alicia Keys, Piano & I
on Songs in A Minor (J)
* Cat Stevens, Peace Train
on Greatest Hits (A&M)
* U2, Beautiful Day on All
That You Can't Leave Behind (Island)
* John Coltrane,
Acknowledgement on A Love Supreme (Verve)
* Ludwig von Beethoven,
"Appassionata" Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Andante con moto on Tune Your
Brain for Stress Relief (Deutsche Grammophon)
* Train, Drops of Jupiter on
Drops of Jupiter (Columbia)
5. Achieve Your Goals
(How?)
Now's the time to ask
"how?". Put a plan on paper to achieve the goals you've set.
> To create a plan to
achieve your goals, take out your mission-goal mindmap, play some Focus music
softly in the background, and write all the necessary steps and deadlines in
your daily planner, calendar, notebook, or computer file.
--> PICKS:
* Tune Your Brain with
Mozart: Focus (Deutsche Grammophon)
* Wes Montgomery, The
Incredible Jazz Guitar (Riverside)
* Vivaldi, The Four Seasons
(various labels)
* Franz Joseph Haydn, The
Philosopher's Symphony No. 22 in E flat major (various labels)
* Luigi Boccherini, Four
String Quartets (Denon)
Now go do it! Play your
theme song as needed throughout the year.
BUST YOUR CLUTTER
No matter how efficient you
are, unless you're Eileen Roth herself you know the truth: You've got clutter.
But! (Insert excuse here.) Clutter is a subtle toxin, a pervasive pollutant that
costs you time, money, space, health, performance, reputation, and
relationships. Clean it up, and the profits of enlightened living are yours.
My partner Eileen's
organizing practice is called Everything In Its Place, and PLACE (tm) holds the
five secret steps to clutter-busting success -- along with some well-chosen
tunes.
P - Purge
L - Like with like
A - Access
C - Contain
E - Evaluate
Your clutter-busting
soundtrack: Energizing and Uplifting music.
To launch your anti-clutter
campaign, take one room at a time. Select your most Energizing and Uplifting
tunes, and use a portable boombox or your stereo speakers to fill the space with
sound. Then:
> P: Purge everything you
no longer need or haven't used in a year
> L: Put Like things
together (think task centers)
> A: Locate items for
Access where you usually use them
> C: Contain items to
keep like with like and put them out of sight
> E: Evaluate, taking a
step back to see how you did and making adjustments to suit the way you live.
--> PICKS:
* Stevie Wonder, Original
Musiquarium I (Motown)
* Rocky Soundtrack (Capitol)
* Richard Wagner, Ride of
the Valkyries on Tune Your Brain: Music to Manage Your Mind, Body, and Mood
(Deutsche Grammophon)
* The Clash: London Calling
(Epic)
* Squirrel Nut Zippers,
Perennial Favorites (Mammoth)
* The Three Bs: The Beatles,
The Beach Boys, and James Brown
Braintuning Tip: Purging
clutter can be an emotional process. If you get stuck on emotions during the
purging stage, take a break with a Cleansing tune -- intense music that helps
you release your feelings. Then return to your Uplifting soundtrack and get back
to work.
--> PICKS: Hole, Gutless
on Live Through This; The Chemical Brothers, Block Rockin' Beats on Dig Your Own
Hole; Peter Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 5 in E minor op. 64, II on Tune Your Brain
with Tchaikovsky, Cleanse.
Coming up in a future issue
of Braintuning News: finding the muse to purge your files of the past and set
them up for the future, and how your favorite tunes can help you find the rhythm
in your days to manage time like a master at last.
To learn more about these
principles and all the tips you need to put your home, office, and schedule in
tip-top shape, check out Organizing For Dummies in
the bright yellow jacket. It will lighten your life!
"Take a music bath once
or twice a week for a few seasons, and you will find that it is to the soul what
the water bath is to the body."
-Oliver
Wendell Holmes, Jr., US Supreme Court Justice (1841-1935)
Joyous spring!
Elizabeth Miles
TUNE YOUR BRAIN: Using Music
to Manage Your Mind, Body and Mood
Berkley Books, Deutsche
Grammophon
www.TuneYourBrain.com
Tune Your Brain. It's
today's way to listen.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
from your
mind-body-music correspondent Elizabeth Miles
Spring
2002: The Sound of Spring Cleaning - Managing Info Flow
volume
3 number 1.2
With tax day just past, you
may have vowed NEVER to be so lax with your files and deadlines again. This
second part of spring's Braintuning News dedicated to using music to get
organized focuses on information flow. In part three, we'll take on time.
-
-
Purge Your Papers with W-A-S-T-E
-
File for the Future
-
News Flash: Muppet Speaks Out for Music on Capitol Hill
FILE DON'T PILE
We live in the Information
Age, and the inevitable result for most of us is overload. Whether your files
are so fat the drawers no longer close, or instead of files you've got their
anarchic vertical cousin -- piles -- you probably have more papers and
electronic data than you need. Maybe a lot more. Perhaps so many that if the
Fire Department came to call you'd be in big trouble, or a visit by the disk
space police would put you in the clinker.
Don't panic! Just make haste
to purge your piles or files with W-A-S-T-E (tm), Eileen Roth's trademark
process highlighted in our co-authored book Organizing For Dummies, then set up
a system of files for the future. All the while, focus your mind and extend your
endurance with a high-performance music program that makes organizing efficient
and fun.
PURGE YOUR PAPERS WITH
W-A-S-T-E
For each piece of paper you
possess or that crosses your path, ask yourself the five WASTE questions:
A - Again?
S - Somewhere else?
T - Toss?
E - Entire?
A - Again: Will I truly use
this information again in the near future?
S - Somewhere else: Can I
find this at the library, on the Internet, in a company file, or by calling a
colleague, friend, or agency funded by my tax dollars?
T - Toss: Would the world
end if I tossed this?
E - Entire: Do I need the
whole thing, or can I pull just a page or two or a few?
Purging is an endurance
exercise. Just as a varied soundtrack has been found to make people work out
longer and harder while feeling it less, a variety of contrasting tunes can keep
you on task and fast while you clean out your files and piles.
-- LOOK for motivating music
that's not too distracting or noisy.
-- LISTEN across artists and
styles.
-- LEARN how to keep the
volume moderate to prevent stress, but loud enough to keep you perking along.
* 5-CD rotation, hipster's
mix:
Macy Gray, The Id (Epic),
Taj Mahal, Senor Blues (Private Music), Wilco, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (Wilco),
Belle and Sebastian, Fold Your Hands, Child, You Walk Like a Peasant (Matador),
Cousteau, Cousteau (Palm Pictures)
* CD compilations:
Movie soundtracks (I like
The Full Monty, Moulin Rouge, I Am Sam), Tune Your Brain CDs for varied
classical selections (Debussy: Create, Mozart: Energize, and Stress Relief:
Shifting Gears with Chopin and More each offer a different view), or the many
compilations available within music genres (try Putumayo's Jamaica for a nice
assortment of reggae, or Capitol's Absolutely the Best of the '70s -- just like
it sounds).
* Take the 1-CD challenge:
Commit to purging your files
once a week for the length of a single CD. Make a date with yourself -- say, for
Friday morning at 11 -- and keep it. Experiment with your music picks and have
fun!
* Eclectic, commercial-free
music radio:
Try Morning Becomes
Eclectic, Weekend Becomes Eclectic, or Cafe LA from KCRW Los Angeles, all
available 24/7 at www.kcrw.org. (What's your favorite eclectic radio program?
Drop me a line!)
Attention
cyberpilers! These principles apply equally to electronic files. The next time
you find yourself scrolling through screen after screen of docs, txts, and jpgs,
give your mouse a break and throw those tired old files in the virtual trash!
FILE FOR THE FUTURE
Once you've disposed of the
deadweight, don't wait; set up a filing system for the future now. Here's what
you want to do in two steps: categorize and classify.
-> Business -
Administrative, Advertising, Clients, Financial, Insurance, Legal, Marketing,
Organizations, Sales, Vendors
-> Personal - Car,
Financial, Health, Real Estate, Travel
Keep personal and business
files separate, even if you work for yourself.
2. Classify: Decide how to
order your files within each category by one of the five most popular
classifying systems:
- Alphabetical
- Chronological
- Geographical
- Numerical
- Subject
To tune your brain for this
analytical task, choose Focus music with an Uplifting edge to keep the alpha
waves flowing along with good feelings for your organized future.
Braintuning Tip: Avoid lyrics. Your brain is already juggling loads of information, and words can get in the way.
--> PICKS:
* Monteverdi, Vespro della
Beata Vergene (Harmonia Mundi)
* Charles Gounod, Petite
Symphonie for Wind Instruments No. 1 (Chandos)
* Mozart and others, The
Fiddler of the Opera, Gil Shaham, violin, and Akira Aguchi, piano (Deutsche
Grammophon)
* Juan Baptista Pla, Catalan
Flute Music of the 18th Century, Jean-Pierre Rampal, flute (Sony Classical)
--> PICKS:
* Bikram Ghosh, Talking
Tabla (Music of the World)
* George Gershwin, Piano
Concerto in F, I (RCA Victor)
Organizing
For Dummies, by Eileen Roth with Elizabeth Miles, Hungry Minds Books
NEWS FLASH: MUPPET SPEAKS
OUT FOR MUSIC ON CAPITOL HILL
Sesame Street's moptop
muppet Elmo makes his political debut in support of music! This week, Elmo
appears before Congress to request federal funds for music education and
research on the music-brain connection in relation to the "No Child Left
Behind" education bill. Elmo is expected to describe how music makes him
feel and the ways in which it helps him remember things, concentrate, and learn
his ABCs. Go Elmo! No comments on puppet politics, please.
UPDATE: In response to the
last issue of Braintuning News on music to tackle home or office clutter, Nadia
of Los Angeles wrote to recommend The Art of War, a five-CD series from Wind
Records based on the classic book. "Very strong music, using march-like
rhythms to play the book's chapters -- Organizing for Success, Will to Win,
Planning Action, etc. Works for me!" Thanks, Nadia! The war on clutter is a
win-win campaign, and the peace you gain may bolster your prayers for the world.
Elizabeth Miles
TUNE YOUR BRAIN: Using Music
to Manage Your Mind, Body and Mood
www.TuneYourBrain.com
You may copy or share this file for non-commercial purposes with attribution to the author.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
from your
mind-body-music correspondent Elizabeth Miles
Spring
2002: The Sound of Spring Cleaning - Time On Your Side
volume 3
number 1.3
It's
May. How's your spring cleaning coming along?
-
Put Time on Your Side
-
Tune In to Time Management: A Sample Day
-
Links
PUT TIME ON YOUR SIDE
Got rhythm? The old Gershwin
tune sings about a concept that can put time on your side every day. Acting with
rhythms and routines that match your personal ebbs and flows maximizes
productivity. Music cues provide a great way to stay in the groove.
1. Identify your peaks.
You can predict when you'll
achieve your personal best in part by the time of day. Are you at your peak in
the morning, or do you really catch wind just before lunch, with the setting
sun, or in the midnight hour? Whether you have one daily high-performance slot
or an A period and a second-place B, your peaks are when you can really get
stuff done. Spend a few days tracking your energy levels and actual output, then
pick your peak time.
Use peak time to tackle the
most demanding tasks. DON'T answer your phone or read your e-mail during peak
time. DO close your door and tune into a soundtrack that supports your task --
Focus or Create music for mental work, Energizing or Uplifting music for those
of you in sales, sports, or physical labor.
* Josef Haydn, Trumpet
Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra in E Major (various labels). Bright,
inspiring, and among the first pieces composed for newfangled trumpets with
valves and keys, making this good background for breaking out of old bounds.
* Robert Schumann, Sonata
No. 2 for Violin and Piano (various labels). "The roots of a piece should
be covered up, so that only its blossom is perceived," said the composer --
a fine thought to keep in your ears while putting the finishing touches on any
piece of work.
* Tune Your Brain with
Mozart: Focus (Deutsche Grammophon). Offers IQ-boosters, an alpha wave sequence
for concentration, and beta wave tunes for fast work and new ideas.
2. Acknowledge your
valleys.
For every high there is a
low. Use your energy log to identify the troughs in your day, then take
advantage of these times for routine tasks such as mail, faxes, filling out
forms, paying bills, cooking and cleaning, and making non-critical phone calls.
Meanwhile, rise above the dip with a dose of Energizing or Uplifting music.
Braintuning Tip: Take a
one-song break to recharge at slump times. Use headphones if broadcast is not an
option.
* Macy Gray, Sexual
Revolution on The Id (Epic)
* Fatboy Slim, The
Rockafeller Skank on You've Come a Long Way, Baby (Astralwerks)
* Frank Sinatra, Get Happy
on Swing Easy! (Capitol)
3. Fight stress.
Stress robs you of time and
health. A sonic solution can help protect you from this ever-present thief.
--> PICKS
* Susana Baca, Eco de
Sombras (Luaka Bop)
* Norah Jones, Come Away
with Me (Blue Moon)
* Stress sequence on Tune
Your Brain with Mozart: Relax (Deutsche Grammophon)
TUNE IN TO TIME
MANAGEMENT: A SAMPLE DAY
7:00 am: YAWN.
Your sleepy brain and body
need a jumpstart. Do your part by playing an Energizing tune to power you out of
bed. Pick: Mozart, Overture to The Marriage of Figaro on Tune Your Brain with
Mozart: Energize (Deutsche Grammophon).
9:00 am: HELLO.
Peak time. Ignore your
e-mail, close the door, and take an hour with Focus music. Picks: See the list
in the previous section on peaks.
11:00 am: YOW!
You come out of a meeting
full of stress. Fight back with the right music -- a Relaxing track and a pair
of headphones. Picks: See the list in the previous section on stress.
2:00 pm: HUH?
Lunch was great but you find
you're still at work. Cue up a Create selection to connect different brain
regions and think outside the box. Pick: Jill Scott, One Is the Magic # on Who
Is Jill Scott? (Hidden Beach/Sony).
3:00 pm: BLAH.
You're so off-peak you're
barely breathing. Turn to your mail and telephone calls with Uplifting music for
resuscitation. Pick: Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grapelli, The Quintette of
the Hot Club of France (GNP Crescendo).
5:00 pm: KILL!
On the road with rage
flowing, spare your heart and arteries by venting to a Cleansing tune. Pick:
Kinky, Mas on Kinky (Nettwerk).
5:30 pm: DO IT.
As you head for the gym
feeling like a flat tube of toothpaste, motivate with an electric Energizing
tune. Pick: Smash Mouth, All Star on Astro Lounge (Interscope).
6:30 pm: AH.
At home, forego the TV for a
few minutes and recover from the day with some Healing music and whoever else is
home. Pick: Michael Stipe et al., Way You Dream on One Giant Leap (Palm
Pictures), or Willie Nelson, Rainbow Connection on Rainbow Connection (Island)
for a family singalong.
8:00 pm: REBOUND.
If you hit another peak, use
Focus or Create music to sculpt your productive environment. Pick: Select five
different CDs that you designate as creative cues just for this time slot and
play a different one each night. Swap your set when you get bored.
10:00 pm: LET GO.
Though your mind may still
be racing, tomorrow is another day and you need sleep. Turn off the TV and play
Relaxing music (no lyrics) while you get ready for bed. Dim the lights and let
the musical massage lull you off to dreamland. Pick: Hildegard von Bingen,
Voices of Angels (Delos).
Acting with rhythms and
routines is one step of Eileen's P-L-A-N (tm) system for effective time
management. See our book Organizing For Dummies
for more.
If you missed Part One
and/or Two of this issue and would like to receive one or both, send
me an e-mail.
"Time is on my
side."
- The Rolling Stones
'Til next time,
Elizabeth Miles
TUNE YOUR BRAIN: Using Music
to Manage Your Mind, Body and Mood
www.TuneYourBrain.com
Tune Your Brain. It's
today's way to listen.
You may copy or share this file for non-commercial purposes with attribution to the author.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
BRAINTUNING NEWS
from your mind-body-music correspondent Elizabeth Miles
Summer 2001: Music and Your Pleasure Zone
volume 2 number 3
Simple
pleasure is too rare. Every day, advances in technology and increasing economic
competition encourage us to forego feeling good in favor of more machines and
longer work days. We pay the price of progress with sensory deprivation -- but
as a source of private and social pleasure, body gratification, even narcotics
for the brain, music
can put you back in touch with your bliss.
This issue of Braintuning News celebrates summer by kicking off what will be an
occasional five-part series on music and sensual pleasure, covering
social events, private moments, dining, love, and cheap and legal thrills.
Enjoy!
(As always, feel free to forward this newsletter and point out that a free
subscription is just an e-mail away.)
Braintuning Basics: Music and Pleasure
Spotlight: Music for Social Events
Hot Tip: Music as a Memory Cue
Basking on the Beach: Tunes and Tunetiquette
Breaking news: Can Tune Your Brain Make You a
Scrabble Ace? "Word Freak" Says Yes
Braintuning Basics: Music and Pleasure
Doctors who study especially healthy people have found that they share an
expectation and appreciation of pleasure in their daily lives. Things like
playing the violin and cooking favorite meals seem to be powering the fittest
sector of the population. Fortunately, music is a pleasure you can enjoy
every day without risk to yourself or society -- and for the most part,
access to the sounds that make you feel good is unrestricted.
Here's a rundown of the possibilities for using music to maximize the payoff of
your playtime:
Socializing (this issue)
-
How music helps: Makes people talk more; sets a shared mood; boosts individual confidence; broadcasts fun to everyone.
-
Use braintuning techniques to: Entertain; entrain with others; prepare for a party; set your party's pace.
Private Pleasure
-
How music helps: Activates the primary sensory cortex in the parietal lobe to help you let loose and enjoy.
-
Use braintuning techniques to: Take a time out; reconnect to your sensual self; reward yourself after work or other efforts.
Food
-
How music helps: Slows the pace of eating; lifts mood; provides an "alternative pleasure modality."
-
Use braintuning techniques to: Deepen your appreciation of meals; enhance control over your daily diet; improve digestive health.
Love
-
How music helps: Alights emotional and pleasure centers in the limbic system; stimulates and soothes the autonomic nervous system; provides a shared rhythm.
-
Use braintuning techniques to: Feel more intimate; enhance arousal; pace and prolong performance; increase your mind-body pleasure.
Thrills
-
How music helps: Excites the nervous system; stimulates emotional response; activates reward circuits in the brain.
-
Use braintuning techniques to: Get a rush or pleasure fix; break bad habits; enjoy an anytime peak.
Spotlight:
Music for Socializing
It's difficult to unite a group of people in a single sensual experience (and in
some states, illegal) -- but with simple playback technology, you can give an
entire crowd a synchronous experience of musical pleasure. Depending upon
your choice, the music you play can boost your guests' mood or help them
destress; make people converse more excitedly or share more deeply; reinforce a
party theme; provide the beat for dancing; and most importantly, create a sense
of a special shared time and space. Whether planning your summer parties or
staging a social hour at the office, choose the right music and see how sound
can join people together with almost atomic power.
To make music a magical part of your social event:
MIX
AND MATCH. Variety is key to keeping the atmosphere
exciting and pleasure centers in the brain abuzz, while the right balance of familiar
tunes helps deepen the feeling of connection among people. Consider your
guest list and come up with a mix of moderately Relaxing and Uplifting tracks
that push neither end of the stimulus spectrum but keep turning the upbeat down
and vice versa. Old and new, rock and soul, jazz and world, covers and coveted
originals -- think different dimensions to put your party on a roll. Skip the
angsty poets unless it's late and you want everyone to stay and talk a lot and
drink all your liquor.
-
Picks: Suit your audience; here's a sample 5-CD mix: Soundtrack to Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (Warner Brothers); Train (the self-titled album on Columbia); Al Green, Greatest Hits (Capitol); The Buena Vista Social Club (Classic Records), Jimmy Cliff, The Harder They Come (Island).
-
Alternative approach: To establish a purely destressing environment that encourages intimate conversation, stick to strictly Relaxing music.
THEME
OVER LIGHTLY. By all means match the music to the food or party
theme: Balafon Marimba Ensemble for tropical cocktails (Shanachie); the Gipsy
Kings' Love and Liberte for tapas (Elektra); Telemann's Moveable Feast for a
European-style picnic in the grass (Archiv). But if you want your party to last
a long time and take on a life of its own, consider establishing the mood
with one CD in your theme played as an opener and then mixing in additional
genres and sounds to keep it all a fresh surprise.
FILL
'ER UP. Stock a multi-disc CD player and use the program,
spiral, or random function, or make tapes. Just as with refreshments, make
sure you don't run out of music. Calculate the expected length of your event
and assemble music for that time span plus an hour's cushion.
MODULATE. Set the volume at a medium level that is
comfortably present but doesn't make people raise their voices. (Exception:
dance parties. Pump up the volume and don't invite your parents.)
SAY
GOODNIGHT. When you're ready for guests to leave, switch
to slow, soothing instrumental music that will have them yawning and heading
for the door. Remember that tempting as it may be to drop your hint by letting
the music die, Relaxing music is a much warmer goodbye.
-
Pick: Tune Your Brain with Mozart: Relax (Deutsche Grammophon).
Hot
Tip: Music for Happy Memories
Music is a powerful memory cue that works on brain areas such as the
hypothalamus and temporal lobes to evoke images and emotions of events it once
accompanied, so use your favorites from happy summers past to set the tone for
a party, mood lift, or psych-up session.
-
Picks depend upon your age bracket and best summers; mine include anything by the Beatles, Motown compilations, and the soundtrack to The Harder They Come, mentioned above. A recent discovery is "Hooked on a Feeling" by Vonda Shepard on Songs from Ally McBeal -- a smash hit from the '70s updated for the sultry new millennium.
Beach
Bliss: Music for Basking
Music over headphones is a great getaway and self-indulgent pleasure, so round
out your day at the beach by packing a personal stereo and your favorite basking
tunes. If you're reading, go for instrumental music so you don't overload
your nicely relaxed brain with lyrics; even fluffy summer books can suffer from
verbal competition. Tip: Stash your player inside your beach bag to
protect it from the sun, position the bag close to your head, and run the
headphones out to your waiting ears.
-
Picks
-
Miles Davis and Gil Evans, Porgy and Bess (Columbia). Classic collaborators offer a definitive jazz version of Gershwin's Summertime and more.
-
Tune Your Brain for Stress Relief: Shifting Gears with Chopin and More (Deutsche Grammophon). Here's a sly way to stress-proof your year: Take this disc to the beach several times this summer and listen to the solo piano masterworks while you bliss out in the sand. Now your relaxation response is conditioned so you can use the music to transport your mind to a sun-kissed beach even in the middle of a hectic winter workday.
-
Baaba Maal, Missing You (Palm Pictures). It's the best of both worlds: Songs that don't distract you with their words, unless you speak Fulani (I think). The latest release by the renowned songster from Senegal offers rippling kora and hypnotic balafon to beam you far far away.
-
Georges Bizet, Symphony in C, second movement. Take a break from beach volleyball with this sinuous meditating melody framed by plucked strings cascading from above and a pillow of lush chords below.
-
-
Tunetiquette: You know how powerful and personal music can be, so don't let it come between you and other people. Practice proper playback etiquette:
-
Keep it to yourself. Your favorite tunes can be another person's noise pollution, so at a public place such as the beach don't impose your tastes on your neighbors by playing music out loud. This is the time for a personal stereo and headphones.
-
Stay in touch. If you're with one companion, ask permission before retreating between headphones. While music breaks can be a wonderful pacer to a long day a deux, timing is everything and it's rude to cue up unannounced.
-
Share. When hanging out in a group, private sound retreats can be sanity-savers but may also be perceived as antisocial -- so share the wealth by offering your player and music around to others. You might change the world of someone who's never grooved to Miles Davis under the August sun.
-
For more picks and info on music for fun in
the sun or pleasure anytime, see the Relax and Uplift chapters in Tune
Your Brain: Using Music to Manage Your Mind, Body and Mood (Berkley Books).
Tune
Your Brain CD Is Scrabble Expert's Ace in the Hole
Are you a Scrabble dabbler, or downright competitive about the quintessential
game of words? Take a tip from the new book by Wall Street Journal sports
reporter Stefan Fatsis. "Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius and
Obsession in the World of Competitive Scrabble Players" (Houghton Mifflin)
has just hit the streets complete with the braintuning secret of one of the
game's champion players. Fatsis reports that Scrabble savant Matt Graham's
pretournament regime includes some quality time with my CD Tune Your Brain with
Mozart: Focus (Deutsche Grammophon). It seems the cerebral athlete finds both
the alpha wave and beta wave sequences a boost to winning word assembly. Don't
tackle the tiles without it!
Sending
you a summer smile,
Elizabeth Miles
TUNE YOUR BRAIN: Using Music to Manage Your Mind, Body and
Mood
Berkley Books, Deutsche Grammophon
www.TuneYourBrain.com
Tune Your Brain. It's today's way to listen.
Copyright 2001 by Elizabeth Miles
You may copy or share this file for non-commercial purposes with attribution to the author.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
BRAINTUNING NEWS
from your mind-body-music correspondent Elizabeth Miles
April 2001: Stress-Beating IRS Issue
volume 2 number 2
If tax season and Wall Street don't have the heat rising under your collar...you're probably already dead, but there are also deadlines, traffic, to-do lists, blind dates, bosses, rolling blackouts and more poised to exert the mind-body pressure we call stress on your busy day. Here are some well-tested ways to beat stress with the sweet sound of music, courtesy of Tune Your Brain.
10 Ways to Listen More and Stress Less
1. Style a stress-reducing atmosphere.
Looking to lower blood pressure, reduce stress hormone levels, regulate brain waves, relax muscles, ease anxiety, and quiet that rumbling stomach? Simply
play Relaxing music in the background of any stressful situation. The sound waves of slow, soothing music become regulating electrical impulses in the body and brain to help beat stress, so tune out tension by cueing up a CD you can count on to be relaxing all the way through.
- PICKS: Tune Your Brain for Stress Relief: Shifting Gears with Chopin and Other Piano Greats (new! — see below for more info); Frank Morgan, You Must Believe in Spring; Sade, Lover's Rock; Keith Jarrett, Bach - The Well Tempered Clavier, Vol. 1.
2. Cue up when the going gets tough.
One track can make the difference when the tension is high. Take a few minutes out from your emergency to cue up a single Relaxing tune and do nothing but listen. Using the same piece each time stress strikes can help condition your relaxation response.
- PICKS: Michelle NDegeocello, "Grace" on Bitter; Brahms' Intermezzo Opus 117 on Tune Your Brain for Stress Relief; "Daydream" by Art Farmer on Everything to Live For: The Music of Billy Strayhorn; the first three Bill Evans songs on Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Conversations with Bill Evans.
3. Meditate musically.
Meditation has been medically proven to reduce the symptoms of stress, and music can help focus the mind and tune out distractions as you seek this enlightened state. Put on some Relaxing music (no lyrics unless you want to meditate on their meaning), sit or lie comfortably, take a few deep breaths, then turn your mind entirely to the music you hear. Think of sending the sound to the front of your head, feeling it fill your mind and warm your forehead from inside. Continue for 5 - 20 minutes.
- PICKS: Herbie Hancock playing the Ravel Piano Concerto followed by Embraceable You on Gershwin's World; the Deep Relaxation sequence on Tune Your Brain with Mozart: Relax; the Zen shakuhachi flute of Tadashi Tajima on Shingetsu; John Cage's Litany for the Whale; Lou Harrison, A Portrait.
4. Choose smart stress relief.
Sure, you want to take the edge off, but you don't want to lose your cutting edge
— so skip the super-simple relaxation music and head for the rich classical repertoire instead. Relaxing music with complex melodic and harmonic structure can subtly stimulate the mind while destressing the body to help you do your best.
- PICKS: the Alpha Wave sequence on Tune Your Brain with Mozart: Focus; the Stress sequence on Tune Your Brain with Mozart: Relax; anything on Tune Your Brain for Stress Relief.
5. Go mobile with music.
Whether you're hitting the freeway, flying the friendly skies, or riding the rails,
Relaxing music can help keep you calm during commutes and trips. For public situations, pack a portable stereo and headphones; for the car, I like to make tapes or custom CDs with favorite
anti-stress tunes to sing along with.
- On my list are Marvin Gaye, "Let's Get It On" (try to remember the variation on each phrase); anything by the Beatles; Bob Marley & the Wailers (it may be physiologically impossible to be mad while singing "Stir It Up"). Try the singalong strategy on the plane or train at your own risk.
6. Eat in peace.
Fast and food shouldn't go together, for the sake of your health or pleasure. Studies show that loud, fast music makes diners pick up the pace of consumption. Relaxing music, on the flip side, can slow the hand-to-mouth connection while also enhancing digestion, conversation, and satisfaction.
- Join atmosphere and destressing energy with a soft mealtime soundtrack of bossa nova, Baroque classics, or Nat King Cole. Go deliciously retro with Dances of the Renaissance; Frank Sinatra: The Columbia Years, 1943-1952 finds Blue Eyes sounding fine, mellow, and worthy of a swank dinner party.
7. Prepare for peak performance.
Take a tip from top athletes by rehearsing any important and stress-provoking event in your mind in advance; take a tip from me by accompanying your mental rehearsals with music as a memory cue. Got a big presentation, speech, performance, or game coming up? Practice to the same music for 10-20 minutes, 1-2 times per day
— then when you're on, replay the music in your head to provide the inner soundtrack for your "movie" of success.
- PICK: Choose a favorite tune with the mood you want to have at the moment and a melody you can easily hum to yourself.
8. Get wired for stress-free computer work.
Long hours at the keyboard can be both physically and mentally stressful, especially when a deadline looms, the system is buggy, or you're surfing the Internet over a slow connection. If you have a CD-ROM drive in your computer, install a pair of small desktop speakers and keep a binder or box of your favorite Relaxing discs on a bookshelf nearby. (A portable stereo can stand in if you don't have a CD drive.)
- Stick to instrumental music for focus; lyrics are fine for creative inspiration or dispatching tedious chores. Make it a rule to stand up and stretch at the end of each CD.
9. Detox to destress.
When you're angry or frustrated, try a Cleansing-Relaxing music "sandwich"
— one tune to vent followed by another to unwind.
- PICKS: (rock) Alanis Morissette, "You Oughta Know" on Jagged Little Pill - Dido, "Thankyou" on No Angel; (classical) Holst's Mars, The Bringer of War from Tune Your Brain - Liszt's Consolation No. 3 from Tune Your Brain for Stress Relief; (world) Terry Bozzio, Over and Under a Theme of Mark Isham's on The Big Bang - Kevin Nathaniel, Waza Azania on African Voices: Songs of Life.
10. Sleep sweetly.
Sleep is the ultimate destresser, but often the first thing to go during tense times. Relaxing music can help slow breathing, soften muscles, and ease brainwaves into the delta range to help you fall asleep even under stress. Beyond the basics of choosing something soft and slow, make sure your bedtime music doesn't have lyrics or lots of emotional effect, either of which can spark attention to keep you wide awake. Ideally, each selection should be slightly softer and slower than the one before to guide you through the natural downshift of falling asleep. Start the music while you're brushing your teeth to set the stage for a swift slip into dreamland.
- PICKS: The Sleep sequence on Tune Your Brain with Mozart: Relax (specially selected to provide the "iso" effect of downward-gradated stimulus); William Coulter and Barry Phillips, Simple Gifts: Instrumental Arrangements of Shaker Melodies; John McLaughlin Plays Bill Evans.
For more about using music to beat stress and a full discography of suggested recordings, see Chapter 2, "Relax" in my book
Tune Your Brain: Using Music to Manage Your Mind, Body and Mood (Berkley Books).
Braintuning Headlines
NEW STRESS-BUSTING RELEASE IN THE TUNE YOUR BRAIN SERIES!
Just in time for tax time, I'm delighted to announce the tenth release in the Tune Your Brain CD series.
Tune Your Brain for Stress Relief: Shifting Gears with Chopin and Other Piano
Greats is a collection of great solo piano works that I've sequenced specifically to address stress. But don't sweat the details. You can forget about the powerful medicinal effects while you revel in the music of Chopin, Beethoven, Bach, Brahms, Schumann, Mozart, Mendelssohn and Gershwin, in prized performances from famous Deutsche Grammophon artists such as Daniel Barenboim, Martha Argerich, Wilhelm Kempff, and Tamas Vasary. This sonic sunny beach comes complete with a booklet of my braintuning tips for putting the original stress solution to work in your life. Shift gears to the zone of peace!
Tune Your Brain for Stress Relief: Shifting Gears with Chopin and Other Piano
Greats (Deutsche Grammophon 289-471-377-2, April 2001)
MUSIC KEEPS KIDS OFF DRUGS
When a recent White House survey asked kids nationwide what keeps them away from illicit drugs, more than 25,000 replied
"music, family and sports," with music the No. 1 factor. (Runners-up: friendship, dancing, "me," basketball, computers, soccer and biking.)
HARVARD STUDY LINKS MUSIC AND ARTS EDUCATION WITH IMPROVED STUDENT PERFORMANCE
Fall 2000 brought the publication of Harvard¹s Project Zero "Reviewing Education and the Arts Project" (REAP), a comprehensive look at the arts and academic achievement. The bottom line appears to be that while most findings remain correlative rather than causative, students engaged in the arts do strikingly better across the range of academic arenas than others. Find out more from the Executive Summary, available online at
http://pzweb.harvard.edu/Research/REAP.htm
or explore the full report in The Journal of Aesthetic Education (University of Illinois Press) volume 34, numbers 34, Fall/Winter 2000.
DISCOUNTS FOR DUMMIES WHO WANT TO GET ORGANIZED (OR ANYTHING ELSE)
Those keeping score may recall that I'm the co-author (with organizational savant Eileen Roth) of the recent book Organizing for Dummies. Turns out the Dummies folks are currently celebrating their tenth anniversary, and Amazon.com is joining the party by
offering a $10 rebate on any two Dummies books purchased during April 2001. Do it by following this link:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/feature/-/151781/
Stay tuned to this newsletter for tips on using music to organize your life!
Peacefully yours,
Elizabeth Miles
TUNE
YOUR BRAIN: Using Music to Manage Your Mind, Body and Mood
Berkley Books, Deutsche Grammophon
www.TuneYourBrain.com
Tune Your Brain. It's today's way to listen.
Copyright 2001 by Elizabeth Miles
You may copy or share this file for non-commercial purposes with attribution to the author.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
