Music : The Source, The Life Force

Since humans first walked this Earth we have been banging inanimate objects and noticing tonal harmonies in all that we do. Music evokes such a deep rooted emotion in us, connecting with our inner being on an infinite number of levels.

From the depths of depression to the awesome high of life itself there is a music which can touch us in a profound manner at every single step of the way.

Someone once said to me "I don't like music" ... I simply couldn't fathom this concept of actually not liking music. I could obviously see how one could dislike a certain type of music but to not like any music at all was a totally alien idea to me.

I was lucky I suppose, growing up, I was privy to the tastes of my "60's generation" parents and all that hippy stuff, along with a fine selection of very early blues, reggae, jazz and some really raw grooves which have all but been lost to our super fickle modern generation. In fact my Father owned one of the first copies of the first 45 from a label named Chess. Worth a fortune now no doubt. Music has always been a big part of my life.

So why does music reach us at this most basic level? What is it about the human being that makes us crave this "soul food"? Well, music is a multifaceted means of communication. It is possible through music to create all the acoustic features that we use in our everyday language. Furthermore, these acoustic features can be generated in a very definite way. This makes it possible for composers to reach us at our most primeval state, simply by structuring the music according to predefined patterns.

The most basic musical element that we respond to is a rhythmical beat or pulse. If you need proof of this then notice how a newborn baby will begin to rock or move to the beat without prompting. This is the human instinct naturally reacting to a rhythm, the roots of which are deeply imbedded in all of us. This is the case whether you like music or not.

The next level of musical recognition is the conscious awareness of the interval between certain vibrations or frequencies. In other words the musical scale. It was not long before humans realized that certain notes work together and certain notes do not - harmonious sequences and discordant sounds.

In fact, not all that long ago a discordant sound was associated with the work of the devil because it made the listener feel quite uncomfortable. These days we have moved on with many modern jazz musicians purposefully using discordant sounds - something which horrifies the purists.

One level up from the musical scale is the combination of many different types of musical instrument. This is what we know today as pop music, orchestral music and many other genres. It pleases us when we hear harmonious combinations of many different types of instrument. These chords and harmonious sequences connect with us at our most basic level. It is these musical progressions which can evoke such strong emotions in all of us.

To this day, there are no generally accepted definitions of this musical complexity at a logical and objective level. Many people report that when they hear a piece of music they really like and which touches them emotionally they will feel the hairs on their arms stand on end. This is hardly a scientific observation but is one of the only indicators we have telling us when somebody is emotionally moved by piece of music.

To be perfectly honest, maybe the scientists should just leave it alone - I believe some things were not meant to be explained. Music is music and it makes us feel the way we do because of some ancient connection handed down from generation to generation. The best thing to do with music is just enjoy it!

Without music the world would indeed be a very dull place.

Fabio writes articles covering a wide range of human experience and enjoys plying his trade especially on the Internet. He recommends Music Imports Direct where you can browse thousands of rare imports and can be reached here: Internet Traffic and Brand Building

Related Information of Interest:

Avoiding A Traumatic Experience
Taking simple steps to protect our families from going through the “TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE OF HAVING A LOST PET” can be as easy as registering your pet with an online service like RecoveryPets.Com. The services provided by this company includes registering the pet by name, a description, a photograph of the pet, along with up to ten contact phone numbers or email addresses of the pets owner. Plus, a pet tag that never becomes obsolete and contact information that can be updated FREE for the life of the pet.

Each year millions of pets are reported lost or found, but a vast majority of these family members are never reunited with their owners. The main reason for this is the lack of accurate identification, and this is because most pet collars or identification tags contain obsolete or outdated contact information. Fortunately there are companies like RecoveryPets.Com that provide services to increase the chances of recovering a family pet if they should ever become loss.

Protecting our pets should be one of our major concerns, and by providing a means for lost pets to be returned to their owners is the mission of RecoveryPets.Com. For more information on the services that they provide, visit their website at: www.recoverypets.com

About the Author

Thaddeus Collins is the owner of RecoveryPets.Com a company that specializes in the global recovery of lost pets using a unique tracking number that is registered on the companies website, and can be searched if the pet becomes lost. For more information visit www.recoverypets.com

France Attacks Iran: U. S. And Britain Object
France, casting aside its usual insistence on diplomacy, even when it’s obvious to every person who happens to be alert that it can’t work, finally grew impatient with Iran’s centrifuge-rattling behavior and launched a unilateral attack on it.

As French mirage jets swooped down on Iran’s nuclear facilities and French troops launched a land assault from warships in the Persian Gulf, the United States and Britain voiced immediate objections.

President Bush said, “I just don’t understand why the French have gone ahead and attacked Iran without consulting us. It’s just not right to do things without having your allies on board.”

Tony Blair stated, “I would have thought President Chirac would have given more time for diplomacy to work. After all, we know it’s going to be at least a month or more before Iran has an atomic bomb.”

On the other hand, German Chancellor Merkel voiced support for the French attack, saying, “I actually felt it was time for a European leader to act as highhandedly as the Americans did in Iraq."

”Meanwhile, President Jacques Chirac dismissed allied concerns and vowed to continue his go-it-alone policies, stating, "I was at my cattle ranch in Bordeaux, when I realized Iran is even closer to France than it is to America. Of course, we usually wait for America to carry on a war we know is necessary for our own safety. It’s cheaper and a lot more popular with French voters. But I decided this is one war the French had to foot the bill for, even without American and British approval.”

The U. N. has not yet issued a comment on the preemptive French strike. At the time of this writing, Secretary General Kofi Annan had only recently finished his morning coffee, the beverage that has long been named after him, and he was just about to wander over to the General Assembly to see if any diplomats wanted to discuss the possibility of discussing the attack.

On the way, he commented, “You’d think Jacques would have at least given me us some advance notice. Although a lot of people have come to doubt it, the U. N. is still here.”

Tom Attea, creator of Newslaugh.com, has had six shows produced Off-Broadway and has written comedy for TV. Critics have called his writing ""delightfully funny" and "witty" with "good, genuine laughs."

New Business Names: Naming With A Story
Sometimes a company name communicates a message on its own, and sometimes the story underlying the name adds depth and distinction to that message.

Isis Group International, for instance, uses the name of an Egyptian goddess in a word combination that comes across well to the ear and looks great in an artfully designed arrangement of fonts, shapes and colors. (See the logo at isisgroupinternational.com.)

The tag line clarifies what the firm does: Training and Consulting for a World of Difference. The firm's three experienced consultants conduct cross-cultural training, coach international executives, help smooth the process of cross-border mergers, and more.

With the story behind the name, an even deeper level of meaning unfolds. I wrote it this way for the opening section of the firm's brochure:

"Isis: Insightful Guidance for Global Success

"In ancient Egypt, the goddess Isis possessed a well-earned reputation for exceptional tenacity, intelligence, healing, resourcefulness and creativity. Isis Group International follows in her footsteps with customized consulting, training and coaching for today's smaller than ever, diverse world."

In explaining what the name means, the firm reveals some of its values and implies that it has certain qualities that matter to clients. Ideally, testimonials, other marketing copy and the firm's work itself all complement this story. The whole package then becomes unusually appealing and memorable.

For this naming strategy to work, you need a name that at least hints at the story and a story that contains something not generally known that fits how you wish the company to be perceived. Most adults who don't recall that Isis was an Egyptian goddess or her specialty as a goddess would still vaguely sense the international flavor in the name. With more familiar mythological figures like Hercules or Midas, however, the story would run the risk of belaboring the obvious.

Enlist the aid of a top-notch graphic designer and marketing writer to enhance the association with the story, and include a brief version of the story when you introduce the company.

Marcia Yudkin is the author of 6 Steps to Free Publicity and ten other books hailed for outstanding creativity. Find out more about her new discount naming company, Named At Last, which brainstorms new company names, new product names, tag lines and more for cost-conscious organizations, at www.NamedAtLast.com .

Acne Review Treatment - The New Face Of Benzoyl Peroxide
One of the problems with benzoyl peroxide topical acne treatments is that they can be quite irritating, particularly to sensitive skin. Those fans of benzoyl peroxide will thus be pleased to learn that one skin care company that supplies prescription acne and skin care products is releasing a treatment with a delivery system that reduces benzoyl peroxide's irritating effect.

Called NeoBenz Micro, this acne treatment will be available only by prescription, which is one drawback. On the plus side, it should mean that the acne sufferer is given the appropriate strength to their particular needs. It is aimed at helping people with mild to moderate acne, and comes in three strengths. These are 3.5% benzoyl peroxide, 5.5% benzoyl peroxide, and 8.5% benzoyl peroxide.

The difference in this treatment as compared to regular benzoyl peroxide solutions, is that it is a time release product. The method designed by SkinMedica, NeoBenz Micro's developer, uses very small 'sponges', called microsponges. These hold the active ingredient, in this case benzoyl peroxide, to be slowly released throughout the day. It means that though acne is kept in contact with benzoyl peroxide for the whole day, only small amounts of it are released onto the skin. These amounts are enough to be effective but far less irritating.

The side effects that this benzoyl peroxide acne treatment aims at reducing are rashes, skin soreness, and irritation. Aside from the unpleasant feeling these effects create, they unfortunately also reduce the effectiveness of benzoyl peroxide in clearing acne.

NeoBenz Micro is one example of a new trend in the pharmaceutical industry. It aims at taking existing products and developing new ways to package and deliver the active ingredients, thus effectively modernizing many treatments. The emphasis in the past had been more research oriented - finding new and more powerful treatments rather than fine tuning existing ones that were proven to work.

Other examples of this phenomena include converting treatments into sprays, with the effect of increasing absorption and convenience. MedPharm, a research contracting firm, is turning one eczema treatment and two acne treatments into sprays. These are still in the development stage, however.

References:
1. in-pharmatechnologist.com/news/ng.asp?n=65831&m=1IPE215&c=qgtqmovbyiaxdub
2. outsourcing-pharma.com/news/ng.asp?id=64465

Discover more information on acne medicine treatments categorized for mild to severe acne in this article. These are traditional acne treatments, but if these frustrate you, check out these alternative natural acne treatments. Rebecca Prescott runs the website Acne To Health, providing information on both conventional and alternative acne treatments.