Hypnosis, the brain, and creativity.

[jack445]

I'm starting a project about the effects of hypnosis on my ability to compose music. I've been playing the piano for 3-4 years. I cannot read music but i'm getting better at playing by ear. The reason I play is to compose.

 

The first problem is that I end up composing simular stuff all the time. If I have not played for a few days (the longer the better) I will tend to compose new 'ideas'. Is is me or my sub-conscience (or whichever state) that makes me creative, or neither?

 

The second problem is when playing in front of new people (or an audience) my ability to compose new stuff that I haven't before is killed. It seems that because i'm nervous i'm thinking about every key I press.

 

So if i'm relazed by a hypnotist, then put in a sub-conscience state and asked to play the piano, what will happen? Will I simply be able to recite anything that I can remember from what i've composed before, due to the fact that the subconscience is learned things that you don't think about, or would I be more/as creative.

 

I'm sure it's not as simple as this, and there are supposedly many states. The is also the neuro-brain side which is closely linked (i think) to hypnosis (there are particular parts of the brain that control emotion, creativity etc). Any advise or information about the brain, or hypnosis itself would really help.

 

I have done some research but 'music and hypnosis' returns only information about hypnotic music!

 

edit: wikipedia.org has a nice article about 'music and the brain' if anybody is interested.

[Psycho]

Hypnosis doesn't work in the way everyone thinks it does, it won't suddenly give you access to your sub-concious mind, it is way over hyped on TV and doesn't work like that at all.

 

You write about what is on your mind at the time, it is the same with song writing.

[aj47]

I too have been teaching myself piano and have come across exactly the same problems as you. I started playing the piano after I worked out a few jazz scales and chords which I repeatedly impovised with untill I was bored to death of them. However it was only after actually learning to read music and doing a little bit of thoery, that I managed to progress further and lose the repeatedness of my music.

 

I know its and extremely tedious task, but really the only way you'll progress is to learn a bit of music theory. Once you know your music theory, you'll find it a great deal easier to invert chords or put in some crazy sounding modal scale and key changes untill your compositions are varied.

 

As for loosing creativity when performing, I would say a lot of that is how confident you are with an instrument. Creativity is neither conscience or sub-conscience I would say it is both, but when you are learning you tend to think about what you are playing a lot more than you need to.

 

I find it harder to be creative on the piano infront of people than guitar but that's becasue I have been playing the guitar a great deal longer. But as I improve and practise with the piano, I find it easier not to have to think about chord changes etc which gives me the confidence to almost play sub-consciencely and not be distracted. I don't know if this is just me but it is also probably why I seem to improve with alcohol (giving I still have my co-ordination). Either that or i'm just drunk enough to think a strangled cat would sound good.

[carol]

I think hypnosis works by opening your subconscious mind. I have read a book about the wonders of hypnosis. There are many forms of hypnosis. Some can help people ease their pain. Some can help them recall the things that they have forgotten. I think it helps in a person's creativity because it allows the person to be in touch with his personality in a deeper level. The traits of the person that is unknown to him will be revealed. The left part of the brain is called the "creative" part. It is also the one that works when you are in the subconscious state.

 

To play music in front of a new audience would make a person nervous. Self-hypnosis might work to help you feel relaxed. There are licensed practitioners who give tapes for self-hypnosis. The effectiveness would also vary depending on the willingness of the person.

[alcanfor]

Friend of mine actually did a study on hypnosis in college, and it was discovered that hypnosis, or at least the "It's Vegas and I'm hypnotizing you in front of a live audience" kind all has to do with pressure. It sounded strange to me at first but apparently you are only "hypnotized" because of the subconcious pressure to perform in front of such a large audience. You really do go into a trance of sorts, and you don't seem to have much control over yourself, but apparently it really is all in your head. Plus some people are really "easy" to hypnotize for whatever reason.

 

As to your music problem, I would think that if you were truly hypnotized, then you would be able to come up with all kinds of new material. I've been a music student since high school, and I can relate to the nervous in front of people mindset, but, like I said, pressure plays a big role in hypnotizing someone. I've seen specials on, heaven forbid, t.v. where people do some wacky things they they wouldn't normally be able to do, so I don't see why you wouldn't be able to transform into some kind of mozart.

 

Oh and by the way, Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder couldn't read music either, so I wouldn't worry about it. ;-)

[tomgwyther]

Going back to the same ol' same ol' whilst composing is a problem all composers face.

Think of music as language. The words you know; the better you can express yourself. Similarly in music, the more chords, scales, changes you know, the more original your compositions are likely to be.

As aj47 mentioned, learn a bit of theory. You needn't get heavily engrossed in music theory, but it help to know how all the scales, chords etc relate to each other. Rather like a top chef knows which ingredients work well together.

 

Reverse engineering

A quick, easy and fun way to learn about these relationships (A method I sometimes teach to my students) is to put on your favourite music, and reverse engineer it. that is, work out what the melody is, what the chords are, how they fit together. Do this with a few pieces of different genres and a picture of all those relationships will emerge. If your good at playing by ear - and most people are - you should find this quite easy.

if you do this for many years - as I have- you develop a 6th sense for it. some artists: I've transcribed their work so many times, when they come out with a new song, I get automatically know which chord is coming next as I've reverse engineered so much of their other stuff.

 

Two I worked on recently were:

Madonna's - take a bow. And Cheryl Crow's - Tomorrow never dies.

They're more complex than they sound, but after you've worked out how they were put together, you'll find you'e gained new insight into some writing. have a go at them.

Hint: take a bow starts (A flat + 2) then (G flat minor 6 with a flat 5th)(F minor 7th)(E 6 flat 5)

or

Ab Bb C Eb

Gb Bb C Eb

F Ab C Eb

E Ab Bb Db

 

Three notes

As well as gaining idea from other people songs: A simple way to come up with ideas is to pick three notes... any three notes, preferably within one or two octaves and then move one note at a time.

e.g. C E G then DEG then DEA then DGA etc. Every so often you'll hit upon a change which sounds good. write it down and keep going until you have the structure of a song.

 

Sonic inspiration

If yo have access to an electronic keys board, or you've rigged a keyboard to a computer, then try playing around with different sounds. occasionally I'll use a new sound and new ideas come along automatically. there are some really weird and wacky sounds out there.

Similarly, if you hear a beat, ideas come to you as your effectively working with another person. The best songs are written as a group effort, not by individuals locked in a room.

I wrote a whole song by listening to this guy and playing piano along to his drumming. Have a go

Bernard Purdy

 

New instrument

Pick up an instrument you wouldn't normally play, and try writing a song. the lack of familiarity with it will mean you'll do things you wouldn't other wise do. I've come up with ideas whilst messing around with a guitar, accordion, bass etc.

 

Drugs

Drugs and alcohol do not make you play better. Record yourself playing piano after you've have a few drinks (Or what ever) then listen back to it the next morning.

Being a bit intoxicated can give you the opportunity to write new material, as you're less inhibited. I've written some great stuff whist sat in the studio till 4:00 drinking with other musicians, you need to be sober to get it into a cohesive song though.

 

Hypnosis as far as hasn't been used effectively to make musicians more creative, although giving your brain a rest every once in a while does. I normally practice for about two hours a day, if I have a few days off, I find I'm out of practice but may come up with a new melody or chord arrangement.

 

Try out some of the techniques above and let us know how you get on