Intentional | Audio Identity Blog

Great stuff on the power of music and sound in today’s Portland Oregonian:

As music-thanatologists, they have devoted their lives to those who are dying, ensuring that the end of life is filled with as much peace and beauty as possible. They have played at countless bedsides, using the harp and their voices to…help ease the transition between life and death…

Although music-thanatology has gained a steady following through the years in the medical community, with some hospitals going so far as to create staff positions for music-thanatologists, many people remain unaware of the field and its possibilities…

When playing for a patient who is dying, music-thanatologists offer music “prescriptively.” By that they mean that they do not come in with a set idea of what they will play — they do not perform — but instead, they discern, in each individual situation, what the patient needs — Is the patient having trouble breathing? Anxious? In desperate need of sleep? Processing difficult news? — and then offer music that seems to best alleviate those situations…

They watch the patient. They adjust their playing moment by moment, if necessary. They typically do not play familiar music. When they sing, you can’t always make out the words — sometimes it might simply be a series of syllables — and yet you can still understand the intent.

Amazing. Since these performers will host a public concert this weekend, it sounds like a few busy days, what with this, the March Fourth Marching Band and Joanna Newsom coming to town. (Fortunately not all at once: Trombones, meet my friends the Harps! Hmm.)

Getting back to the heady stuff, or at least pretending to: I’m intrigued by the strategy behind the work of some of these musicians; they adapt to each person’s need accordingly, rather than provide a one-size-fits-all approach, adjusting on the fly and ensuring that they’re effective. Talk about intentional audio.

Makes me wonder why music as therapy is traditionally seen as something for the critically ill. Why save outcome-oriented music for just when we’re sick or dying? That’s like saving all the bottled water only for the dehydrated, isn’t it?

So, the next natural item in this line of reasoning is a challenge: if music is therapy for the living as well (and I’m pretty sure we’d all agree on that), then what can you do for your brand to better leverage music, sound or voice in its communications, services, products or experiences?

I’ll get the brainstorm started in the comments section…see you over there.