How Do I Teach Myself To "feel" Music?

[Serge]

Hello everyone!

I started learning on my own about music a couple of years ago, in order to become rich and famous, as I thought I could teach myself making popular music that would make millions and FINALLY I'd be happy. Classic ego-driven motivation  .

Then, half a year ago I found out about self-actualization and started learning about it, but a really weird thing was happening in that period, as I can see it now. It wasn't the "higher me" who was studying self-actualization, but it was the ego. So, long story short, around a month ago, this "ego studying self-actualization" finally led me to a very strong depression, and, thanks to a discussion with a friend, for the first time in my life I could see the world totally differently. It was like my mind opened and I detached myself from my ego. It was mind blowing for me, though it lasted just for a couple of minutes. But I have a memory of that experience, and, step by step, I'm becoming more and more aware (it's so weird for me to use this word the way I use it now, because in the past the ego part of me thought it was something totally different ).

It really feels like I am born again and experience the world for the first time. It's just amazing. The way I saw things, and the way I start seeing them now... Beautiful!

So, to the point! As my motivation for becoming a musician was fame and money, now I realize that I almost never felt music. My focus always was on the number of youtube views of the song, people reactions in the comment section, maybe the production quality of the song, but really really rarely on the feeling, the emotion that a particular musical piece would give. It was like the mood of the song was the 100th important thing. And now I see that without a particular feeling in mind, it's almost impossible to make music.

I still want to learn to make music, and make a carreer out of it (this time with a higher-self motivation.... hopefully ). A part of me sees the beauty of music, and the way I could contribute to the world by doing it. I don't even mind becoming popular and rich. I am fine keeping those wishes, but I feel like my motivation behind them has changed. I don't want those things for myself anymore. I feel like I could create a image of "myself" that could contribute to the world. And, the most important thing is that I feel I'm not dependent on that anymore. I feel like there's a world of things I can do to live a beautiful life and my wish to be a musician is just something that is "natural" at the moment, so I go with it.

So (sorry for the whole story thing, but I felt like I needed to introduce you to these details), could you advise me some practices by which I could teach myself to feel music? I'm kind of lost on this one.

Edited October 28, 2017 by Serge

[Nahm]

@Serge I am so hearing what you are saying man. It’s paradoxical maybe- when you do the music only for you, for your liberation - that is communicated and felt by the listener, and it strikes a chord and they begin to see a path to their liberation. It’s so beautiful Serge. SO BEAUTIFUL. ❤️ Please, if you’re willing, share with me everything you write. I’m all ears.

[Nahm]

Do you feel like you’re right in the middle of the infinite love and the illusion of reality? Right where they meet, in the music? 

This song comes to mind. By referencing it, I know I’m tilting into the illusion, but...I feel like the lyrics are simple, and insubstantial....and then the wordless chorus - the simple sound that comes from the plight we all share, omg, it melts me every time. Just two humans in a room. No audience. And the laugh that come out of her at the end - nothing could have prevented that laugh. So beautiful.

 

 

[Max_V]

Close your eyes and savor every little detail that is hearable. 

All sound is music. It is subjective to say something is music and something is not.

Doesn’t matter if you listen to Slim Shady or classical piano, it all has that beautiful spark of creativity. Learn to pick that up when you listen. It will open up a world for you

[TimStr]

@Serge

Here's a key insight for you: The feeling isn't in the music, it's within yourself.
If you want to learn to "feel" the music, start feeling yourself more and start to observe how the music makes you feel. It is very much a learning = observation type of endeavour.

Here are some tips for how to pull that of:

• While listening to music, observe your physical body sensations and your emotions.
  Feeling bored, uncomfortable or disgusted are also emotions, you can tune into. If you feel nothing at all (at first), thats ok, tune into that. Use sound only! While music videos offer more sensual stimulation, they tend to put you in a very absorbed state. Headphones are great for this.c
• Go to concerts:
  Music, that happens right in front of you has some sort of special power. There is something about the in-the-momentness that amplifies the emotional qualities of that particular music. Get yourself to a concert, go to the very first row and allow yourself to be moved by the musicians.
• Dance!
  This one is huge! Allow the sound to move your body. You can do this in some sort of concert of club setting, but also alone at your place (where noone is watching you ). Some music is more suited for dancing than other and everyone has his own preferences here. E.g. my body moves best to percussive, non melodic , minimal techno. Find your own way to dance, there are no rights or wrongs here.
• Consider to listen to lots of different kinds of non-mainstream music:
  Most mainstream pop music is emotionally very dull and tends to stimulate your most basic human drive. Getting into other styles of music may take some time to develope a taste, but the emotional pallet you can discover here is vastly more rich, than in mainstream music. Here are some random examples of music, that I consider highly emotionally charged. Depending on your musical taste, this may also be an exercise for open mindedness. Don't worry, if you dislike some of the music, that's ok, I want to challange you. Remember the first tip of observing what you actually feel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R97hOKP-iUw&t=32s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIVrCZ5sNwE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNaUv_XYFGg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fktwPGCR7Yw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7KXq6RJ0PA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9INsERNFUo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2e21NOp69hM

 

Edited November 1, 2017 by TimStr

[AdamDiC]

You just sit down and be present. 

Drop all expectations for what you want out of the music.

Make your first note pierce the silence. Feel it. 

Don’t try to do anything. To sound like something, or to be good.

Whatever comes out is the music accept it and move with it.

THEN GO FUCKING CRAZY. SMASH THE KEYS, PULL THE STRINGS, SCREAM ITS ALL PART OF THE CELEBRATION. 

just realize that anything you do is music, feel it, enter it, and watch it grow, play with it then lay it to sleep.

 

[Girzo]

Look for the artists that "have it". See how they're doing they work. Model them and learn. There is a lot of courses made by professional, masterful musicians available on the interenet nowadays.

[Serge]

@Nahm Oh, thank you for your reply! Beautiful song too! For the first couple of times of listening to it I couldn't feel much, but after trying it a couple more times I could get a grasp of a bit of "Into The Wild" vibe, and I liked it!

@Max_V Yes, I can see what you mean. Creativity can be found everywhere. It's just hard for me right now to do so with music . Thanks!

@TimStr Thank you very much for your advice! I think I understand what you mean. Looking forward to apply it! And thanks for the musical pieces you've proposed me to familiarize with! You know, I think that it's possible to like every genre of music. I think it's our egos that create those classifications like "stupid music", "excellent music", "music for retards", "music for intelligent people". The reality is just that different music provides you with different emotions. And it's us labeling "good" and "bad" that creates those artificial demarcations. And by doing so we only lose.

@AdamDiC Thank you very much! "Drop all expectations for what you want out of the music." - felt the zen vibe while reading this advice .

@Girzo Yes! I've seen a couple of days a course where Hans Zimmer teaches his way of writing. I think I'm going to give it a try  . Thank you!