Tuesday, April 15, 2014

How To Keep Busy While Recovering: Music Soothes The Savage Beast

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/p/a-to-z-challenge-sign-uplist-2014.htmlMusic is one of those things that I believe truly speaks to my soul.  Different moods call for different music.  And like our moods affect the music we want, the music we listen to can also affect our moods.  I remember reading that it's helpful for babies to listen to calming, classical music when they are babies.  So I went out and got a Bach tape when my daughter was an infant and played it for her when she slept.  And she's an awesome kid, so obviously it worked :)

Music is an easy way to uplift your mood and help you feel better.  One of my favorite ways to listen to a variety of music according to my mood is through Pandora radio.  (I've already made small mentions of my Pandora listening here and here.)  I love how customizable it is, and that it's completely free!  I listen to it on my TV through my Roku box.  I also downloaded the app on my Kindle fire, but I don't usually use it too much on there.

Here are some of my favorite channels:

 

Bon Jovi

Plays mostly 80's bands with classic rock mixed in.  So in addition to Bon Jovi, I'll get bands like Poison, Aerosmith, Guns 'N Roses, and Queen.

Johann Sebastian Bach

Gives me classical Baroque era music.  Other than Bach, I'll get Pachelbel and Vivaldi and other composers that I am not too familiar with.  Sometimes I'll also get opera/ballet instrumentals like stuff from Carmina Burana and the Nutcracker.  I listen to this a lot as background music.  Since there are no words, I can't sing along...so I get less distracted.

John Williams

This channel was created by my son.  He loves all the orchestra music from Star Wars, and Pirates of the Caribbean.  This channel gives us a lot of classic movie instrumentals.  We like to listen to this during dinner sometimes.

Counting Crows

My newest creation is the Counting Crows channel.  My physical therapy office also plays music through Pandora.  Well, one day I commented about how good the music was that morning and asked what she had on.  It was the Counting Crows channel.   Other than Counting Crows, you'll hear Tom Petty, Bruce Sprinsteeen, U2, and Clapton.


The trick with Pandora is that when you first create a channel, you have to really sit there and do your like/dislikes.  If you do this for a couple of days, you will have the perfect channel.  I took a nice hot bath just a few weeks ago and put on my soothing, relaxing Bach channel and heard Pachelbel's Cannon in D three separate times within 45 minutes.  All different covers.  I call that a Pandora score!




Do you think music affects your mood?  What type of music soothes your soul?  What kind makes you happy? 

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12 comments:

  1. I agree about music speaking to soul. Music is a huge part of my daily life and can pull me out of a slump faster then anything else. I listen to such a wide variety of music. Different moods call for different artists and styles.

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    1. Music is a magical thing really...the way it can affect us is amazing. Thanks for visiting RockinMom...love the name btw :)

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  2. I got some stations...HA! I listen to old school Hip Hop when I write, there's also chant (the likes of Lent at Ephesus and the Dominican House of Studies), I have a Tori Amos station for when I'm feeling dark and angsty, then a Hector Lavoe station (salsa) when I need instant happy and reconnection with who I am. Like I said, I got some stations!
    :)

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    1. You certainly have a variety of stations! I can't listen to anything but classical if I need to write or concentrate...it's always been like that. I used to have to study in silence when I was younger.

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  3. I remember when Pachebel's Canon was recommended as THE music for childbirth. I wonder if it still is? I usually listen to classical when I write if I use music at all. I actually enjoy silence, just the ambient sounds out my window. I prefer my creative time to be spent sans lyrics.

    Great post, lots of thinking going on over here now!

    Julie Jordan Scott
    The Bold Writer from A to Z

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    1. I definitely can't have any lyrics if I'm trying to concentrate. I get too distracted and sing along :)

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  4. Following from Blogging AtoZ.
    I'm writing "Things My Husband Has Broken" A to Z at http://AMomsPointOfView.com
    Come by and check it out.

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    1. I've been enjoying your blog and all the things your poor husband has broken! LOL

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  5. Even i love Bon Jovi and POTC. Apart from that, bollywood item numbers can pep me up anytime.

    Hugs from India,
    http://sinhasat302.blogspot.in/

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    1. I can't say I enjoy bollywood music...but that's what makes the world go round...all different music for all different people. I'm not surprised you like Bon Jovi...they've "seen a million places and rocked them all" :D

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  6. Replies
    1. Don't you worry...I have many different Rock channels. I'm not Metallica deprived :)

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