Arfie,

My current music therapy is similar to yours - I look for music that causes a good part of my brain to resonate, a song that reawakens in me the more optimistic elements of existence, the beauty, the light heartedness, the sweetness of life.

Instead of customizing the piece, I prefer to temporarily become the piece - to be lost in it. This works best for me when the music is complex and in a foreign language, and because I am a visual person I greatly prefer to have a music video (a la You Tube) to transport me in to this distant place.

it's picking up my guitar, cranking up the amp, and losing myself in the sounds like a whirling dervish.

drums are good for that too. instant gratification and release.

letting: Do you use recorded music for this? I love studying language through music. My current study is Mandarin. Can I share this week's love? If not, ignore this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z85k74FdPck

Mojo: whirl them dervishes! The whirling dervishes are one of my favorite pieces of folklore. Their descendants are not shabby, either. I find intense release in a cranked amp...

Sorry, letitbe. Danged auto correct....

I gave a speech on PTSD to a group at a church today, and used Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" as part of it. Next month I'm doing another talk, thanks to the self confidence I'm gaining from being here, and I'll use another musical piece with that one. Music helps express the inexpressable we trauma survivors communicate. It really works for me.

Ever since I was a little kid, one way I've identified my confused feelings was with a sort of built in jukebox I have. A song would come to me, and I'd realize it was giving clarity to the confusion. Funny, huh?

Then there's playing guitar myself, like mojopaw mentions. It's really beautiful how that works, too, at times.

Arfie,

Liked your link. My current preference is admittedly more contemporary, and has been Korean for the past 6+ months. I know this may not fit w/ many people's taste but it works for me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=gvWPiXndy5A&feature=endscreen

Thank you, letitbe. One reason I love studying language through music is that it opens my ears to music I would not otherwise listen to. You are right, I would not listen to this music in a known language. Too techno for my taste. But add in the linguistic bait and I am hooked. The script below the video looks Japanese... Are they singing Korean?

Alas, my Asian linguistics are still not developed enough for confidence in telling which branch of the tree I am on. My mandarin teacher assures me she has the same problem with "Roman" languages. To her, any language that uses the roman alphabet is, "Roman."

Arfie,

Much of Korean k-pop is marketed internationally, many MV's may have Japanese subtitles as default. some groups release each song in 3 different language versions - Korean, Japanese, and Mandarin. There are often very different MV's for the version intended for a different culture. These days the high profile groups are touring Asia, Europe, South America and USA. I have come across MV's with subtitles in Croatian.

Yeah, I love being able to relate to the emotional essence of the music w/out having any intellectual evaluation of the lyrics.

Very, very true about letting the music BE the language! I often wonder if words are any more than a political tool.

Then I read a great poem...

Thanks for the tasty tidbits, letitbe.

Oh, and fulfilling my bucket list wish and going to see Fleetwood Mac in concert last weekend-how could I forget? Major good music therapy! I sat on the Stevie Nicks side of the stage, too. Much whirling and twirling and singing along took place. Happy times.

well for me it is my whole life the day I got my trumpet I was ten it was my security blanket from a very abusive childhood and I had no idea I would beome a professonal travel the world become a band director I play my electronic drums now that I live in a town home I am 58 without music I would not be here,,, Music soothes the savage beast the school music program led me to an opportunity to go into the army as a musician,, and paid for a music colllege on and on and on played with great musicians got me to Japan I have never seen any of my inner city students who were angry or misfits not transform before my eyes when I got them into the drumline , I had many troubled children over the years in class so I was able to give them the same opportunity I got,, it saved me from a mentally ill though gifted mother a crazy childhood abuses unspeakable and you name it,, I got so much from it I would have to write a book to describe it ,, I recommend it to anyone , anyone can beat a drum or what ever turn on a radio I just believe the music can be found in anyone I remember teaching a child who thought he could not sing turn into a really fine vocalist ,, he had to let himself only be told he could,, we all have music in us I am not special I just got something I needed real bad and hung on for dear life ,, Happy music to all,, what ever way that works for you,,, bmw

Muji: it's about time you told us who played that concert last week. Here I have been fearing that you went to see "The Boss" and didn't even post an invite for us. Stevie Nicks is boss, too.

bmw: you are speaking my language. Since my speech therapist taught me to sing what I could not say, I kinda feel like I music is my first language and human is my second language. I wasn't housebroken early enough for band training, but I recall many hours sitting outside band room windows. I envy all the live tones in your life. To me, live tones are only loosely related to recorded tones. Meere reproductions. Like trying to capture an entire life in a video clip.

It's true what you say, arfie, about "singing what you can't say." In the Spanish world where I grew up they have what they call "lamentos" or songs of lament. Kind of like the idea of the "blues" here in the US, but Spanish "lamentos" have that minor key sound that's almost like a call to prayer from a minaret. I still will get my feelings out picking up my guitar and singing one of those every now and then. Great therapy.

I have been called, "The Queen of A minor." Works for me, Woody and many others.

"Way over yonder in the minor key
Ain't nobody that can sing like me
Ain't nobody that can sing like me" ~Woody Guthrie

Hay lamentos por todo el mundo. It is my ambition to have one for each of the world's languages. Wayay!

How kewl. The famous guitar intro to the song "Rhiannon" by Fleetwood Mac is in A minor!