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Sound, Memory, and Festival Season

I love the transition into the warmer months, and changing out heavy coats and boots for jackets and flip-flops is always a welcome change for me. One of my favourite parts of the northern summer is knowing the festival season is on the way, and imagining all of the potential that lies ahead.

As the prospect of moderate sunburn, balmy nights, and attempting to shimmy like Mick Jagger through hordes of people beckons me for another year, I find myself thinking about how deeply music ties into memory. It’s not just about the songs we love – it’s about the way they hold onto our experiences. It’s funny how a sound or a song you haven’t thought about in years can instantly bring back a place, a feeling, and a version of yourself you might have forgotten.

These moments aren’t just nostalgia or a natural part of getting older – they’re a form of emotional time travel. And festivals, in all their chaotic glory, seem to generate these memories more powerfully than almost anything else.

It turns out, there are scientific reasons why these events are emotionally charged and feel so good when we partake in, and later reminisce about them. So, whether you’re working, performing at, or attending festivals this year, the chances are you’ll experience some of the benefits they have to offer.

The Festival Effect

Festivals offer more than just music – they create a full sensory experience. For many of us, they are the largest events of the entire year, and we can find ourselves suddenly surrounded by thousands of people, powerful lights, unpredictable weather, movement, and intense levels of sound.

All of this contributes to a kind of heightened awareness, which is a key factor in making memories stick. Dr. Daniel Levitin, a cognitive psychologist and author of the fascinating book This Is Your Brain on Music, explains:

“The more sensory input and emotional weight a moment has, the more deeply it gets encoded”. 

And it’s not just the big headline sets with all the bells and whistles that stay with you. There are numerous benefits to experiencing the smaller moments in these environments, which can contribute to the positive effects on both the body and mind.

Physical Effects

We know that music has a profound ability to foster connection among individuals, especially in group settings. Research shows that shared musical experiences enhance social bonds, promote empathy, and contribute to a sense of community.

When we engage in musical activities together, it can lead to increased feelings of closeness among the participants. We literally release endorphins and oxytocin in our bodies, which are the neurochemicals associated with pleasure and social bonding.

Another intriguing physical byproduct of festivals is synchronization. Synchronizing movements with others, like when we are singing and dancing in unison, can blur the lines between self and others, leading to a heightened sense of group identity. This phenomenon, often referred to as “self-other merging”, is believed to be a mechanism that’s enhanced by environments like music festivals.

Mental Health Benefits

As well as the physical, measurable effects, it’s also been proven that the collective experience of enjoying live performances fosters a sense of unity and belonging – it basically reduces feelings of loneliness while promoting psychological well-being. The improvements to the mental health of attendees in scientific studies show that festivals can also be hugely beneficial for our moods as well as our bodies.

In a practical sense, the combination of music, social interaction, and a break from the daily grind of our usual routine can of course, all contribute to these therapeutic effects felt in the body and mind, but ultimately, the magic really lies in the emotional and physical experiences we have in the moment.

Why Music Triggers Strong Memories

There’s a reason hearing a song from a past summer can take you back years in an instant. According to Dr. Amee Baird, a clinical neuropsychologist and author of Music and Dementia:

“Music can access autobiographical memories because of the way it engages both the emotional and memory centers of the brain.” 

The hippocampus (which deals with memory) and the amygdala (which processes emotion) both respond strongly to music, especially when we’re already emotionally activated, like at a festival.

Later on, those songs become tools. You might put on a playlist you made that summer and find yourself remembering things you hadn’t thought about in years. This phenomenon has been studied in Alzheimer’s patients, and it’s been discovered that even people with severe memory loss could recall events when they heard personally significant music.

And it’s not just about looking back – music also helps us carry something forward. Listening to past festival anthems can ground you when life feels unrecognisable, or energise you when you need a reminder of who you are.

The Music That Stays With Us

What’s striking is how long these sounds last. Long after the tents are packed up and your wellies are dry, the music remains. It plays quietly in the background of your life, showing up from time to time through the years that follow.

As musician and producer Brian Eno once said:

“Stop thinking about art works as objects, and start thinking about them as triggers for experiences.”

That’s exactly what festival music is. It’s not just entertainment – it’s a collection of emotional markers, each one tied to a moment in time when you felt something real.

Festival Season 2025

Every festival season offers us the chance to make more of these moments. Not in some grand, life-changing way, but in small, genuine ways that linger. If you’re heading to a festival or two this year, don’t just chase the perfect shot or main-stage setlist.

Let yourself notice the background sounds, the in-between sets, the weird little connections, synchronistic moments, and songs you wouldn’t have chosen on your own. Because years from now, it might be one of those that plays on unexpectedly and reminds you of who you were, and how alive it all felt.

The Importance of Eras

As the end of another year has rolled around again, I find myself contemplating the passing of time, the changing of the seasons, and thinking about the future. It’s fascinating to observe the patterns and cycles in both nature and society, and the transformations they bring.

Sometimes, when a new cycle is upon us, we hold on very tightly to the past, to “the good old days” of the way things were, and we can be reluctant to let go. It can feel difficult to embrace the unknown and accept a season is over when, in fact, the world has moved on, and it would be better for us to willingly go with the flow and find another way. When a metaphorical door closes to us, we can keep throwing our bodies up against it and trying to pick the lock, or we can map out a new path for ourselves where we innovate with what we now have. Historically, humans are innately good at finding ways to adapt, create, and start anew, particularly when it comes to the arts.

The ending of the old and the beginning of the new

Musical eras have always intrigued me, from the evolution of Western classical music from the Medieval era to the modern day to the many genres and movements created within 20th-century popular music. It’s truly a wonder to behold how humanity’s hive mind works.

While the trends, sounds, and techniques of any period will be influenced by the instruments/equipment available and their capabilities or limitations, the push for mastery and development has always been relentless. Whenever new instruments and technologies have appeared, new eras have followed.

The invention of the piano was key to moving us from the Baroque into the Classical era, and it’s hard to imagine a world where it does not feature heavily and beautifully across jazz, pop, rock, and numerous other genres. With the birth of a new instrument, a wave of new compositions and virtuoso performers came, and continues to come, hundreds of years later.

The never-ending cheating debate

The expansion of having more instruments to play with can seem like a logical step to having more creative possibilities, but what about when inventions mean there is the possibility of less work to do for humans? I would argue that when technological developments make life “easier”, there is the potential for that creative energy to be used elsewhere if we can figure out where to focus it and view these tools in a productive, helpful manner.

The rise of programmed synthesizer and drum machine patterns that exploded in the 1970s and 80s sparked fears that these methods would curb creativity and detract from the essence of musicianship. While the pushing of a few buttons is unquestionably less “artistic” than playing every note of a piece live with the carefully considered velocity, dynamics, and expression required, it’s not always “better” in real life – I’m not sure that I could find a real-life musician who would prefer to play an extended version of Donna Summer’s I Feel Love on acoustic instruments for the sake of so-called “authenticity”, and equally, we would be moving backwards. The now-classic anthem, created entirely on a Moog, was controversial at the time, yet is often attributed to being the inception of a new electronic disco sound that heavily influenced the transition into the 1980s.

Taking detours and embracing change

But how do we innovate when it feels like life is being made more difficult for us, when obstacles are put in our way, and our intended path for creativity is at odds with the intentions of others? We must embrace the detours, and think outside the box in order to make something even better than what we had previously planned. When movie scores for Westerns were a large-scale affair featuring entire orchestras and more, it would have seemed impossible to take on a composer role for a film in the genre that came with a comparatively minute budget. Ennio Morricone created a workaround solution by using an electric guitar as the driving melodic force, and working with a smaller, eclectic collection of instruments. By making these adaptations, he created Spaghetti Western music, and invented an entirely new and uber-cool sub-genre from the financial limitations he had.

Change can be scary and unpredictable, and moving into the unknown and pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone is inherently uncomfortable in its nature, whether we choose it, or whether it is thrust upon us. We know what safety lies on the “before” side of change, however, it is only on the other side that infinite possibilities exist. We can approach change with an attitude of fear, or we can welcome it.

Our ever-changing world

When I was younger, mobile phones used to charge by the letter and restrict the length of SMS text messages that it was possible to send. I used to fear that the character limitations would lead to a new wave of widespread illiteracy and a lack of expression. Looking around today at the end of 2024, the technological developments available at our fingertips have equipped us with more virtual assistants, spell checks, and messaging mediums than you can shake a stick at. I can write a digital letter, send audio and video, URLs, pictures, gifs, emojis, and any number of files and artificially created content in seconds, and send it in an SMS. My younger fears are alleviated, and there are fewer opportunities for errors and more opportunities for expression than ever before, thanks to the progress we have made in recent years utilising these tools.

The modern-day era of music is a tricky one to define in the same way as previous ones. We are more connected than ever before, with instantaneous access to the aforementioned links, audio, video, and URLs to almost all recorded music. Musical genres are more fluid in the digital age as a result, however, we still have movements in the popular sphere in the form of trends, sounds, and techniques, as we always have. While I’m an optimist, I’m also a realist, and admittedly hang onto some of my youthful fear when it comes to the present state of our arts “literacy” – music education in the UK has been nothing short of obliterated over the last 15 years, and the live music industry was struggling well before the 2020 pandemic. These changes have been rather difficult to observe, and remain largely unsolved.

There’s additionally a little bit of fear in the current climate when it comes to the implications of AI in music creation, whether it will put working musicians out of jobs, and whether it will take the place of performers and composers in recorded music. The Musicians’ Union has continued to tirelessly campaign for the consent and compensation of musicians whose work has been used to train AI models. The cynic in me worries we are closing the stable door after the horse has bolted once again, as though we have learned nothing from the streaming industry refusing to properly compensate musicians over 20 years after the inception of digital sales. I fear that if the robots can’t come up with a solution for us, we’ll be in exactly the same financial and ethical dilemma with the newest digital developments in another 20 years.

That being said, if we can find a way to hold on through the uncertain “w8 4 it 2 get beta” period, history has shown time and again that it is possible to utilise budget cuts and massive technological developments as tools and springboards for innovation. As long as the human spirit remains unbroken, people will create, and perhaps the next era will have even more potential for creativity as in times gone by.

What the next era may hold

Without change, there is no growth or development. As a collective, we have moved from unamplified to amplified, acoustic to electric, and analog into digital, tirelessly pushing the boundaries of what is possible. We can keep singing the same old song if we like, but if we never learn a new one, we are forever stuck in a place that no longer exists. I sometimes wonder what life would sound like if my favourite artists had quit after their first album, or had merely echoed their early style without evolving. What a waste it would have been, to be stuck in a state of inertia and deny the world of so much joy. There’s a famous quote by Robin Sharma I always find motivating that states, “Don’t live the same year 75 times and call it a life.” There’s so much opportunity to transmute and alchemise our experiences into something else, over and over, like the changing seasons. Perhaps running at these new eras with open arms is key to making sure our potential contributions don’t go to waste.

Unfinished Symphony To Swan Song: What The Future May Hold

Keeping up with technological developments can sometimes feel impossible, as the changes arrive bolder and faster than ever before. Living in 2024 has often crossed into the realm of watching childhood sci-fi become a reality for those of us past a certain age, and it brings with it a series of feats as well as quandaries.

When Tupac’s hologram “performed” at Coachella 2012, it was talked about for weeks – we re-watched and spoke about it around the proverbial water cooler time and again, and it’s astonishing looking back at just how many other technological developments have been implemented in the decade since, and the relentless pace at which these creations keep coming.

Get Back To The Future

The 2021 Peter Jackson documentary The Beatles: Get Back utilised de-mix technology, meaning that the musical parts could be isolated, re-built, and edited in high quality with modern-day digital methods, with an overall effect that hit like a person living in 1955 hearing Johnny B. Goode for the first time. By the end of 2023, the documentary team and the wizards at Abbey Road Studios had achieved the unlikely task of creating an all-new Beatles track – taking the starting point of a rough vintage demo recording of John’s vocals, and adding George’s guitar parts from a 1995 session, with Paul, Ringo, and an orchestral string ensemble recording in the present day. Bearing in mind that Lennon‘s demo was a 1978 tape recording of vocal and piano, it’s quite the leap to hear the 21st century final track of Now and Then. With a creation process that spanned five decades, the emergence of this technology meant that the group could turn the “Unfinished Symphony” into a Swan Song.

Paul McCartney spoke about the decision to go ahead with the track in the mini documentary that accompanied the song’s release, saying:

“George and Ringo came down to my studio. Nice day. Fabulous day,” recalls McCartney of the ’95 reunion. “We listened to the track. There’s John in his apartment in New York City, banging away at his piano, doing a little demo. Is it something we shouldn’t do? Every time I thought like that, I thought, ‘Wait a minute. Let’s say I had a chance to ask John, ‘Hey John, would you like us to finish this last song of yours?’ I’m telling you, I know the answer would’ve been: Yeah! he would’ve loved that.

Just a few short months after the release of Now and Then, the long-awaited version of Logic Pro 11 included the new “Stem Splitter” feature, bringing this de-mix technology into portable home studios of the world. The accessibility, low cost, and ease of use with such an advanced feature is astonishing, and it makes me wonder what possibilities lie ahead in the months and years to come.

Creatives And Computers

There have been many famous “Unfinished Symphonies” which have been completed by others. Mozart’s Requiem still remains shrouded in suspicion as to how much his faithful assistant Franz Xaver Süssmayr may have contributed to it, while the Queen album Made in Heaven was completed by the remaining three band members following Freddie Mercury’s passing. In the literary world, Eoin Colfer authored And Another Thing… which was the sixth and final installment of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy with the blessing of Douglas Adams’ widow Jane Belson, while David Lagercrantz did the same with Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Series.

While there’s no doubt that these well-loved creations were crafted in honour and admiration, we are currently living in times that pose the question of just exactly where the line is between a homage from a friend or superfan, and something more ethically ambiguous. YouTube announced last year the upcoming launch of their new text-to-music creation Dream Track – an AI voice & music cloning tool that will create music for YouTube Shorts “in the style” of collaborating artists including John Legend, Alec Benjamin, Charlie Puth, and Charli XCX. This technology comes from Google’s DeepMind and Lyria, a music generation model that will mean users simply choose one of the artists and enter a prompt. The result will be a 30-second track with lyrics in an AI-generated voice, along with music, all in the style of the chosen artist.

Looking at how quickly de-mix technology hit the shelves, I wonder how far away we are from being able to create entire albums in the style of our favourite artists, with just a few clicks from the couch? And just how easy will it be to hijack this technology and apply it to all artists and music, whether they have partnered/opted-in or not? Are we looking at a day pretty soon when it will be possible to prompt the technology to provide us with a new “Beatles” track, singing about our exact situation in the style of our choosing, and then repeat the process ad infinitum?

Individual use of this technology admittedly sounds intriguing, however, if altered and computer-generated images of figures such as Marilyn Monroe and Albert Einstein can freely be used in advertising campaigns in the present day, what are the implications for other uses of creative works in the “style” of an artist, but which are not officially created or owned by anybody?

From the era of Tupac’s resurgence into our current Deepfake confusion, it’s becoming harder to decipher just what is real anymore, therefore is there a possibility that we will soon hear the musical equivalent of this with the advent of programs such as Dream Track? Additionally, the question arises that if I’m so inclined, and decide to make enough tweaks and changes to my generated “Beatles” song to make it my own, record it, and release it – did its creation truly come from The Beatles, the program/company, or from me?

Looking Ahead

Experts in the technology field advise caution across the board when it comes to the use of new developments, as would be expected. One such expert, Ray Kurzweil, author of The Singularity Is Nearer says: “Exponential growth in technology means we must prepare for changes beyond our current imagination.” I appreciate his choice of words, as the discourse around the definition of imagination is always the most perplexing thing when it comes to the creative process, and is the frequent focus of current issues with generated content. Everyone from the ancient Greeks to the modern day has theorised on what the heck imagination actually is, what defines genius and originality, and even whether supernatural external forces exist and give people a hand.

Perhaps looking simply at the similarities between the way machine learning and the human brain both work with information is a good enough starting point. Our creative processing tools are certainly similar to computers in the way they are an amalgam of our retained knowledge, influences, preferences, and output intentions, the difference being they are merely wrapped in a human bow of neuroses and emotion. Many have argued that there is no such thing as true originality, and perhaps it’s fair to say the ancient philosophical dilemma has simply modernised and gone digital. There’s undoubtedly a cycle of human imagination broadening when technology provides us with more capabilities, and this spiralling dance of expansion is what Kurzweil has predicted for years – leading to the point of singularity he speaks of when the technology eventually surpasses us.

While the future is filled with potential that my mind cannot comprehend, it’s clear we are standing on the shoulders of giants, with easy access to more information and tools than ever before. Documentarian Peter Jackson has hinted that he has more footage tucked away, meaning there could be further unheard real Beatles songs to come, and of course, there are the infinite possibilities of whatever music cloning and generative tools lay ahead. It’s an exciting time to observe and be a part of, and I for one am optimistic about expanding the limits of our current capabilities.

Aligning Professional Paths With Our Values

Working in an unpredictable industry and an unstable economy can sometimes mean that we say “yes” to every job and gig that comes along, without much further introspection. When rent is due, the bills keep coming in, and taxes are relentless, it can be challenging to objectively look at the path we are on and honestly reflect upon whether we’ve lost our way.

I recently saw a quote with an analogy about understanding your worth, which said:

“A bottle of water is 50 cents at a supermarket. $2 at the gym. $3 at the movies and $6 on a plane. It’s the same bottle of water. The only thing that changed its value was the place. So, the next time you feel your worth is low, maybe you’re just at the wrong place”.

This brought up memories from many years ago; I had been reading a job advert, and as I made my way through the specifications and company values, I was surprised to see a long list of attributes that I considered to be my negative quirks and flaws. These traits were making my life increasingly difficult and hostile in the role I was in at the time, and I had started to view myself in a distorted way as a result. It was a real wake-up call that I’d become stuck in a harmful rut with my work and wasn’t where I wanted to be. Although it was difficult to acknowledge, it was a brutal reminder to go where you are celebrated, not tolerated.

The Impact of Environment

A 1984 study by Roger Ulrich discovered that hospital patients recovering in rooms with a view of nature recovered considerably better, and had a much higher survival rate than patients with a view of a brick wall. Subsequent research has found that creating safe conditions that include being within easy reach of the nurses physically and having access to a call button, having privacy and peace, as well as the view of nature, impacted recovery even more positively. Although this might seem obvious and intuitive if we apply these criteria to our working environments, these ideals can seem like a luxury when we are juggling multiple roles to get by, are seeing through the end of a contract, or are struggling to line up the next gig.

Workplace toxicity impacts both physical and mental health, and it’s well-documented by medical professionals. In the Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy, MD explains that “Chronic stress can lead to depression, heart disease, cancer, and other illnesses.” So, perhaps we should consider the environments in which we work and reside far more carefully, and view them as less of a luxury and more of a necessity.

Murthy’s framework outlines five essentials people require in the workplace, which are grounded in human needs, and are universal across industries and roles. While a toxic culture is defined by disrespect, non-inclusivity, unethical practices, cutthroat competition, and abuse, the inverse is outlined in the five essentials for workplace mental health and well-being.

Moving On 

Hatching an escape plan can take time when factoring in the nuances of our circumstances, such as how much or how little help we have in our network, and ways in which we might need to realign and heal from the impact of the toxicity. When appreciating the idiosyncrasies of a niche, tight-knit industry or of freelance work, there is often no one person or organisation available for support and advice. Lauren Florko Pd.D. recommends in Psychology Today that finding solace beyond the professional environment is a crucial first step. Florko writes:

“In extreme cases, where a toxic work environment persists, and internal resources are scarce, seek support outside of work. This can be found through career coaches, therapists, health practitioners, and/or spiritual or religious leaders. Creating a robust support system beyond the office can provide the necessary resilience to endure and, if needed, make a strategic exit.”

Acquiring the tools to move on successfully requires not only a fresh start in the external world but also inner work to find cognitive closure. Harvard Business Review recommends therapeutic exercises for processing the experience, implementing self-care in the form of forgiving your past self, and using the knowledge you now have to propel you forward:

“Self-compassion goes a long way to rebuild your confidence, as does taking your power back through constructive action that strengthens your sense of self. Put what you learned from your last role to good use by clearly communicating your boundaries and expectations.”

Aligning with Culture and Values

When we’re looking for our next client or role, aligning with culture and values is key to meeting our five essential needs as outlined by Murthy, but what does this mean, and what does it look like in reality?

Understanding your core values is integral to making the best choices in all areas of life. When we live in alignment with our values, we feel happy, and when we live out of alignment, this is when we struggle, because inwardly we know that something is wrong.

While we all hold many values, our core values are our most highly prioritised, top 5. It can be useful to go through a list and narrow down which are important to you.

 

When we have our core values, it then helps to look at how we can live by these values through our actions, and identify where we might be out of alignment, both personally and professionally. What do these values mean to you by your definition, on a micro and macro level, and are they specific instances, or more of an experiential sensation?

By following this process, we can become aware of where and what we would like to change in our lives and seek out those values in both our behaviours and in the actions of others. Being mindful of our core values when researching and meeting new clients, collaborators, and companies from the outset is useful for keeping us on the path we wish to follow.

Our core values may naturally move and change over time, however, if we keep them in mind as we go through life, it is much easier to notice when things are out of alignment sooner rather than later and adjust accordingly.

The Power Of Finding Your Voice

I recently stumbled across an interesting podcast episode about the power of voice, featuring world-renowned vocal coach Stewart Pearce. A fascinating guest and captivating speaker, Pearce’s celebrity clients have ranged all the way from Princess Diana to Margaret Thatcher, with a healthy dose of Oscar winners and accomplished theatre actors included in the middle.

One of the most intriguing things Pearce talked about, was women reclaiming the power of their voices in the aftermath of the #MeToo movement, and now living a very spiritual and esoteric lifestyle, he claimed that the next chapter of history was more likely than not going to be told by women, rather than the patriarchal model. While that next chapter can at times seem elusive and out of reach observing all the pain, injustice, and oppression in the world around us, we can but hope that it’s on the horizon.

Pearce’s conviction and allyship with women had me intrigued, and so I investigated further into his work. As a taster for his online course, The Magnetic Voice, Stewart offers a three-part masterclass, so of course I delved in.

In addition to his apparent classical, Shakespearean training, there were also somewhat spiritual and less formal elements ingrained into his teachings. The second masterclasses covered: how to create a great voice, your breath power and how to relax, discovering the centre of your authentic voice, acquiring gravitas and personal sovereignty, how to create presence, and evolving your magnetic voice.

I was quite taken by Pearce’s holistic approach to emotional elements of self-confidence and breath work, not just in a performative and vocal speaking/singing sense, but in what felt much more akin to spiritual and yogic practices. Of course, the practical side of breathing from the diaphragm, tone, range, speaking, and singing from the belly and the chest as opposed to the nose or the head were covered, which I was expecting going into the masterclasses. The inclusion of elements such as alignment, grounding, energy work, inner stillness and awareness to become present, also found their place, much to my surprise.

In looking at Pearce’s other works, discovering his 2020 book Diana The Voice of Change illuminated where his passion lay in all of this, and it was clear that sharing the exercises that had worked so well in coaching the Princess during her final years, was a large part of his women’s empowerment mission:

“Diana The Voice of Change is a call to action for women everywhere, for it begins and ends with love. The essence of this book urges the heart of each woman or man to awaken, to heal any breakage within, and so commit to a flow of empathy as an opening impulse for the mighty voice of change. It was Diana’s greatest desire that through her example each woman or man of the world could find their own authentic voice, expressing their own unique purpose, liberating love to transcend enmity. Diana believed that wherever tyranny existed it would be freed by grace, that wherever cruelty existed it would be freed by bravery, and that wherever the voice of oppression occurred it would be freed by the voice of kindness. In this, Diana was a trailblazer!”

 

The Farlex dictionary defines the idiom of “finding your voice” as:

  1. To find one’s distinctive style or vision of artistic expression.
  2. To regain the ability to speak, especially after something frightening or startling has happened.

The parallels in Pearce’s work between finding your voice and building a strong voice are quite significant. Both are equally important for the transformation of self-discovery, growth, and empowerment. Both entail developing confidence, authenticity, and resilience in expressing oneself and making a meaningful impact in the world, particularly for women.

Speaking authentically, powerfully, and magnetically can certainly be helped with vocal training, mindfulness, breathing exercises, and practicing performance techniques, but is that enough? It became apparent to me that Pearce’s message of “our voices reflect the core of our being” means that we also therefore have to do some work on the core of our being.

Perhaps this inner training and reflection is what will accelerate the confidence in more of us to find our authentic voices, especially as women in a world that isn’t working as well as it should. And in doing so, maybe Pearce’s prediction that the next chapter will be told by the feminine is looking more likely.

Orchestrating Success

A Symphony Of Self-Care, Career Goals, And Confidence For The New Year

As 2024 gets underway, the time for reflection and embarking on New Year’s resolutions is upon us. Whether our hopes and dreams for the next 12 months consist of overhauling many parts of our lives or maintaining and building on things that are already working. There are three main areas that can often benefit from a life audit.

Harmonising Self-Care For A Resonant Year

We hear the term “self-care” so much nowadays, but don’t always understand or apply it to our busy daily lives. If we think about ourselves with the same attitude we would give to an instrument or a piece of equipment, it can be surprising to observe the ways in which we neglect to maintain or tune up as often as we need. We know that cleaning our gear, changing our strings, and PAT testing our electronics is non-negotiable and that without these regular checks, we run the risk of poor performance at best, and a breakdown at worst.

Working to assess any repairs that are needed in ourselves or in our lives can give us direction on what we need to care for – in other words, understanding what is working and what is not. Where are the loose connections, broken parts, and out-of-tune bits in our physical and emotional lives? It can help us to reflect on whether these are things we need to fix or replace, or perhaps get rid of altogether.

 

Motivational guru Tony Robbins describes self-care as “regularly doing things for yourself that make you feel good”, and recommends scheduling it in so that it becomes a part of your regular routine. If we make a frequent habit of testing what’s working and reflecting on what makes us feel good, we can find a reliable baseline for fixing the cracks and eliminating the glitches before they become overpowering.

Composing Career Goals For A Melodious Journey

Setting career goals can sometimes feel as overwhelming or conversely, as exciting as writing a symphony – a delicate interplay of notes, movements, and rhythms that shape your professional narrative. What do you want the symphony to sound like, to convey, and what would you like the order of notes to be?

 

 

As Zig Ziglar wisely observed, “A goal properly set is halfway reached”. Each career goal is a note in the symphony of your life. Just as a composer carefully selects notes, choose goals that contribute meaningfully to your career narrative, and take the lead. There may have been dissonance, and movements that are slow and sad, however ultimately, we are the maestros able to compose the next part in contrast, one note at a time.

 

In addition to making SMART goals, the experts at verywellmind recommend asking yourself how motivated you are, reflecting on why your goals are important to you, setting a positive tone, and focusing on the process, not the outcome.

Without clear goals and intention, the possibilities are vast – it can feel as though we are sitting with our hands in front of 88 piano keys, with any one or more of them as a viable option. By narrowing down what notes you want to play, and holding the intention of enjoying the time spent composing, our energy becomes better directed, and our time well-spent.

Confidence Building for a Flourishing Performance

The first time we do something, it’s very rarely perfect or great. This is why we practice, and why we strive for our 10,000 hours to master our skills and build our muscle memory. We learn different permutations, troubleshooting, and problem-solving. Whether we are playing an instrument, working with technology, or just our bodies, the repetition of doing something well is the same.

Brian Tracy encourages consistent practice, noting that “The key to success is action.” Building confidence can be paradoxical – it takes confidence to start something new, to do something for the first time, or to try things outside of our comfort zone. By taking the leap, we build more confidence in ourselves and our abilities. By incorporating practice and repetition as we would if we were learning a new instrument, we get better, we grow more confident in ourselves, and we become less fearful of the unknown.

Buddhist Monk and mindfulness extraordinaire Thich Nhat Hanh put it best when he said: “Fearlessness is not only possible, it is the ultimate joy. When you touch non-fear, you are free”.

As we step into the new year, remember that self-care, career goal-setting, and confidence-building are the notes that form the symphony of your success. Tune up your mind, body, and spirit like you would your equipment, decide what your masterpiece will be in 2024, and work on composing it day by day.

 

The Importance Of Celebrating Ourselves And Others

 

A regular feature of our modern world sees us finishing one gig or project and moving straight onto the next without pause – let alone celebration. Sometimes we can be so busy and forward-focused that it doesn’t even occur to us to take a beat and reflect on our accomplishments.

I was recently catching up with a girlfriend, and we were bringing each other up to speed with our life and work situations when it hit me just how easily we were downplaying our efforts, heavily focusing on the things we still wish to improve, and our future goals. While both of us embrace a healthy dose of British self-deprecating humour, this was a lot – my friend, a respected academic, was juggling two full-time roles while running a regular series of live events, maintaining a relationship and a household, and being a buddy to me. I was staggered that I was having to point out her victories, and she mine.

 

Reflecting On Positive Outcomes

As we noted this and the conversation progressed, my friend brought up the CARL framework of reflection. This model is very often used in recruitment settings and can be used to recall the positives, engage, and find meaning from our situations. CARL stands for:

While seemingly simple on the surface, it’s an effective tool for combing through life’s experiences with a more optimistic and deterministic head. As I spent the next few days re-evaluating, I felt perhaps it wasn’t enough to just reflect, but there’s also a need to celebrate what we’ve learnt and accomplished.

At this time, I heard a podcast featuring tennis legend Novak Djokovic, where he noted that when something bad happens, we cry for a month, but when something good happens, we celebrate maybe for one night, and then simply move on. Djokovic’s observation stuck with me and led me to observe the wild disparity between how much time and energy we assign to each reaction independently, and also in our connections with others. While it’s tough to feel that we can’t burden others and share our problems, perhaps it’s also problematic to feel unable to celebrate our successes and achievements with anyone.

Who You Surround Yourself With

Businessman and motivational speaker Jim Rohn coined the saying, “You’re the average of the five people you spend most of your time with.” While it has become a popular idea in self-improvement and personal development circles, science backs Rohn’s theory. The Framingham Heart Study examined the social network of over 12,000 participants in the town of Framingham, Massachusetts, over several decades. The findings of the Framingham Heart Study revealed that social connections have a significant impact on our well-being and lifestyle choices. It was discovered that not only physical behaviours such as smoking and obesity were linked but more interestingly, the results showed that happiness could be influenced by the people with whom we associate.

Similar thinkers have emphasised the importance of who we surround ourselves with since the inception of the self-help genre. One of the first authors in this field, Napoleon Hill, outlined three recommendations about this in Think and Grow Rich.

  1. Mastermind Group: One of the core ideas in Think and Grow Rich is the concept of a “Mastermind Group”. Hill suggests that assembling a group of like-minded individuals who are driven towards similar goals can lead to increased creativity, motivation, and problem-solving abilities. The collective knowledge and synergy of the group can propel each member towards success.
  2. Power of Association: Hill underscores the influence of association on an individual’s mindset and success. He encourages readers to associate with individuals who have achieved the level of success they desire, as this association can provide inspiration, guidance, and opportunities for growth.
  3. Influence of Optimism: Hill emphasises the importance of a positive mental attitude and optimism. Surrounding oneself with optimistic and positive-minded individuals can foster a similar outlook, leading to increased confidence and a belief in one’s ability to achieve success.

The ideas Hill outlines above aren’t to be confused with the “toxic positivity” philosophies of the modern age but are part of a model more attuned to engaging in relationships where parties can feel able to share stories, offer support, and brainstorm ideas safely. These aspects can make a big impact on both the inner and outer worlds when we place our awareness here.

JFK popularised the idiom “A rising tide lifts all boats”, which is often attributed to the general meaning that when one does well, everyone does well. Perhaps we need to make time to reflect on our learning from project outcomes more often, re-examine our circle of associates, and reach out to those we can celebrate our victories with, no matter how small. It’s been a very enjoyable addition to catching up with my friend, as we now appreciate the milestones of our efforts, reflect differently on gigs and contracts that have been completed, and consciously make time to celebrate before embarking on the next adventure.

Is Music The Language Of Connection?

Scientific studies have shown that many effects of music can be seen in the brain. Multiple observations have demonstrated some interesting findings on the bodies and minds of listeners and performers alike, leading to the question: “Is music the language of connection?” 

Group Singing and Emotional State

Group singing is one such area that has been studied; results showed that participants benefited from feeling calm, experienced an elevated mood, and the release of bonding hormones, with effects that could be likened to the results of meditation. Additionally, scientists from Berkeley found that on top of the mental benefits we already know music can bring, there are social and physical effects on singers, such as feeling emotionally close to others, and a reduction in physical pain:

“Results showed that feelings of inclusion, connectivity, positive affect, and measures of endorphin release all increased across singing rehearsals and that the influence of group singing was comparable for pain thresholds in the large versus small group context.”

As far back as the Hippocratic philosophy in Ancient Greece, art therapy was used in the treatment of illness and in “the improvement of human behaviour”. The use of art therapy does seem to be experiencing something of a resurgence in some areas today in the treatment of children, notably in adults with dementia. In the UK, there have been initiatives gaining popularity in this field, such as the Alzheimer’s Society’s ‘Singing for the Brain’ campaign, whose community choir brings people together to participate in music. They explain:

“Evidence shows that music can help improve and support mood, alertness, and engagement of people with dementia, with research* showing that musical memory is often retained when other memories are lost; music can help people to recall memories due to the nature of preserved memory for song and music in the brain.”

Understanding that singing is a universal tool that can be beneficial to memory, mood, breathing, posture, and muscle tension, and creates a sense of well-being and connection, surely we have to question why we are not placing more importance on this relatively simple activity. And while using music therapy for the sick is commendable, why are we waiting until someone is unwell to implement it, rather than using it as prevention and sustenance?

In UK schools, the opportunity to study music history and participate in performances, creative compositional activities, and learn an instrument, are becoming increasingly elite pursuits. The denial of access to music for every child in state school seems to be the ongoing initiative of the current government. Some private schools are even taking it upon themselves to share their resources, opening the doors of their concert halls to the local state sector. Warwick School in England is one such institution that has kindly offered education support to local schools through Warwickshire Music Hub. The reporting in The Big Issue explained:

“The facilities in Warwick are exceptional: there are many music teachers beavering away with nothing but a bunch of ukuleles. The contrast in music resources can be stark. The recently updated National Plan for Music Education (NPME) places much of the responsibility for delivery on individual organisations through the hub system that was created when the NPME was unfurled in 2011. Luckily, there are those who are taking the initiative, despite government indifference.”

It bears repeating that if we know there are such huge benefits to the brain, body, and spirit from music, and we use it as an actual treatment for the sick, it feels unethical to consciously withhold this from some select members of our society.

Enjoyment and Synchronization

A 2020 study in the journal NeuroImage observed that when audiences listened to a musical performance and enjoyed it, the brain activity of the performer and the perceiver synchronized together. Additionally, I found it interesting that the paper referenced several studies that had come before:

“Previous neuroimaging studies also found that brain-to-brain synchronization is involved in behavioral synchrony, emotional contagion, and verbal/nonverbal communication. In general, interpersonal neural synchronization might be the neural basis of synchronized movement, emotional resonance, and shared understanding (Shamay-Tsoory et al., 2019).”

This took me back to watching a pub gig in a country where I’m proficient in around ten words of the language. As the singer worked the crowd, getting every one of us to clap and sing along, taking a line here, and a hook there on the mic, it soon became very apparent that not only was I, not a native speaker, but there was also a deaf lady in the audience.

What happened next was a rallying of forging connections through the music; the singer adapted what he could to include everybody, not only pulling out an Elvis number in English for me to join in, but by “signing” with gestures to describe the lyrics, employing the deaf lady’s partner to interpret here and there, and by taking her hand to feel the vibrations as he sang to her.

As we applauded her, (in sign language, this is like the “jazz hands” motion, with the arms up at a 90-degree angle) she looked around at us and fought back tears of happiness. After the show, we couldn’t address each other with words, but shared a knowing smile, and a moment to acknowledge and appreciate the connection created by the language of music.

The Brains of Co-Creators

After skimming the surface of the studies and pondering the many emotional ramifications of musical connection, I began to wonder what happens to the brain when we create music together. Band and musical working relationships are often emotionally charged, but is the creative relationship measurably different scientifically?

If we know that ‘trauma bonding’ exists, then what happens when we experience something intense, but mostly positive with another, where we make something tangible together out of nothing but our feelings? It is my suspicion that while we can feel everything on the spectrum from happy and free, to cold indifference, to hoping karma rains down on some past relationships, the connection between co-creators is a unique one, unlike any bond we have with an old friend, lover, or colleague.

The day he died, John Lennon gave an interview speaking fondly of Paul McCartney. The pair had actually reconciled by 1976, despite their explosive disbanding six years earlier. John had said:

“He’s like a brother. I love him. Families … certainly have our ups and downs and our quarrels. But at the end of the day when it’s all said and done, I would do anything for him. I think he would do anything for me.” — 8 December 1980 interview with Dave Sholin

It was clear there was still a great connection between the two, and the last time the pair met in person, Lennon’s parting words to McCartney were, “Think about me every now and then, old friend.”

It’s a pattern that can be seen throughout the music world – Stevie Van Zandt speaks of his brotherly friendship with Bruce Springsteen in his autobiography, stating that despite separating and uniting musically several times over the years, they only had three real arguments. With a lack of bitterness, and more of a “Eh, what you gonna do?” laissez-faire attitude in the book’s tone, Van Zandt’s affection for Springsteen shines through.

It’s funny how when the music stops and time rolls on, it doesn’t matter whether life took you in different directions, you simply grew up or had the mother of all disbanding experiences – the bonds run deep. We can be separate from our music friends for years and still cheer for them from afar when they meet a nice partner and find happiness, and it can feel like a punch to the gut when we hear hard times have befallen them.

If our brains literally synchronize, and we feel a measurable connection in a musical environment, and these memories will be the last to go, then perhaps the supposition that there’s more to it isn’t completely un-scientific. The often-quoted man of science Carl Sagan once said, “For small creatures such as we, the vastness is bearable only through love.” It’s something I think about every now and then.

Boosting Women’s Voices: Cutting Through The Noise

When it comes to editing voices, it’s a job filled with variety, constantly reacting to what hits the ears. While an initial setup of EQ templates might be a starting point for some, every voice is unique. Women’s voices tend to have wildly different tones and timbres that vary from person to person, and editing seems to be an area that’s often hit-and-miss across music and the spoken word. The NCBI Library of Medicine states that the male speaking voice averages around 60 – 180Hz, while the female voice generally sits around 160 – 300Hz, with roughly an octave’s difference in pitch. Despite this, there seems to be a wild disparity in how women’s voices are treated in general. Perhaps the most common problem can be summarised as cutting too much in the lower areas, and boosting too much in the higher areas when women’s voices are in the mix.

Spoken word

With the podcast industry booming, it’s interesting to observe the difference in the editing of women’s voices compared to men’s. The lack of De-esser treatment, and the copious boosting of high-end frequencies often lead to distraction with every ‘t’ and ‘s’ sound that occurs. Sibilance and harshness can abound, and pull us away from what women are actually saying.

Diagram of the Fletcher-Munson Curve

The Fletcher-Munson Curve measures how our bodies perceive loudness. It is also often referred to as the “equal loudness contour”. Created by Harvey Fletcher and Milden A. Munson in the 1930s, the pair demonstrated how loudness affects the human ear at different frequencies, and where we would perceive (or feel) these pitches and volumes as unpleasant. The most sensitive of these frequency areas that offends the ears lies between 3 – 5kHz, which is the danger zone for sibilance.

Business titan Barbara Corcoran is a fantastic speaker and all-around inspirational career woman. Her voice naturally leans to the high end in pitch and tone and has a propensity for sibilance. When I’d previously watched her on the television show Shark Tank, it was clear that this was her vocal sound, yet when I recently listened to her as a guest on a podcast, I was saddened to hear the edit of Barbara’s voice was jarring in the high-end, and desperately needed a De-esser. I was curious to see how closely my perception of the sound was aligned with what was measurably coming out, so I decided to analyse the podcast in contrast with another recording. I used a Spectral Analysis tool, capturing a snapshot of a word with an ‘s’ sound to compare the two different recordings as fairly as possible, and listened through the same speaker.

Barbara speaking at a TEDx Talk

 

I first measured Barbara speaking at a TEDx Talk. There was definitely a slight peak in the range of 3-5kHz when measuring Barbara’s talk, however, the peak was only a little above the others, notably its neighbour around 2kHz, and again a little above the 500Hz peak. Audibly, the voice still sounds high and naturally sibilant, however, there is a softness to the ‘s’ sound that does not detract from the talk.

In the bottom graph, the peak is marked around the 3 – 5kHz range and stands alone above the peaks in lower ranges, which demonstrates that this problem area is in fact considerably louder than the other frequencies, and not just perceived to be louder and distracting by the ear.

 

Diagram Barbara Corcoran’s voice in the TEDx Talk (top image) versus as a podcast guest (bottom image). 

Diagram Barbara Corcoran’s voice in the TEDx Talk (top image) versus as a podcast guest (bottom image).

 

Music

In music, the same problems surround women singers. Often, in striving to add ‘air’ or ‘brightness’ or ‘clarity’ to a vocal, women’s voices succumb to the harshness in the 3 – 5kHz range. In boosting above 2kHz a little too liberally, and adding reverb or other effects that can further highlight the high-end, women’s voices can end up sounding thin, jarring, and full of squeaky ‘s’ sounds. So how do the experts celebrate the richness and full tonal spectrum of strong women’s vocals, and do it so well?

In a 2011 interview talking about the making of Adele’s album 21, producer Paul Epworth and mix engineer Tom Elmhirst gave a run-down of their process. The pair have worked with some formidable women’s voices, from Florence + The Machine and Amy Winehouse to Adele. On the song Rolling In The Deep, Elmhirst used the Waves Q6 EQ on the chorus vocal, pulling out certain frequencies “very, very heavily”:

“I had the Q6 on the chorus vocal, notching out 930, 1634, and 3175 Hz very, very heavily: -18dB, -18dB, and -12.1dB respectively, with very narrow Q. I also had the EQIII on the lead-vocal sub, notching something out again. Something obviously needed to be taken out. The vocal is the most important thing in the track, and taking those frequencies out allowed me to keep it upfront in the mix, particularly in the chorus. Regarding the outboard, I had the Pultec EQ, Urei 1176, and the Tube-Tech CL1B on the lead vocal sub-insert. The Pultec boosted around 100Hz and 12k. It’s colourful, but not drastic. There was not a lot of gain.” 

 

Diagram of Adele Vocal EQ

 

When it came to De-essers, Elmhirst likes to add several for precision – on Rolling In The Deep, Elmhirst explained:

“I did use two Waves De-essers, one taking out at 5449Hz and the other at 11004Hz. Rather than use one to try to cover all the sibilance I used two. I do that quite often.”

While on Someone Like You, he went even further, summarising his EQ and De-esser decisions on the piano-vocal track:

“I had three de-essers on the lead vocal in this case, working at 4185, 7413 and 7712 Hz, and I did some notching on the Waves Q10, taking out 537, 2973, and 10899 Hz, with maximum Q in all cases. The Sonnox Oxford EQ simply takes out everything below 100Hz, and it adds a little around 8k.”

Boosting women’s voices

It’s interesting to compare and contrast the rich tapestry of content that is available to us these days, as well as the amount of guidance that is out there. Considering women’s speaking voices sit around 160 – 300 Hz it’s staggering how many guides and training materials generally recommend using a low pass filter cutting up to 200 Hz – where the voice actually is – and boosting from 4 kHz and up – where madness lies. Every voice needs something different, whether softly spoken, cutting through in an arrangement, or leading a band at a show.

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