Mozart vs. Bhajana/Kirtana

[Priitaa 0]

Much has been written about Mozart and scientific evidence that those who listened to his music raised their intelligence levels. Is there any scientific information proving Krishna kirtana or bhajana can also do this? Of course, my belief is that it does, but to be able to prove it scientifically, that would be great! And I need the info too. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Guest guest]

As the practioner advances along in devotional service his/her detachement and mental purity increases. From these two things comes increases in intellect. Especially detachment. This causes knowledge. Eventually the practioner will have all his/her chakras opened and will attain yogic powers.

 

 

[theist 1]

I would even think the opposite effect may be attained. That is a kirtana were every third person is banging loudly on a pair of kartals or worse yet whompers. So loud you can't even hear the holy names, just some disjointed clanging banging roar of frenetic energy.

 

The effect may be headache, confusion,agitation, hearing loss and some form of aparadha to the names of God.

 

Oh oh, sounds like someone has found an outlet for a pet peeve. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[Guest guest]

Have you ever noticed if you go in a building that hasn't been lived in for a long time, there is an eery silence? I have always thought that when you live in a building the sound vibrations are absorbed in the walls, ricocheting around. That is why when you come in normally, it doesn't seem that odd, the sound vibrations are still in the air. But over time the sound vibrations die down. So a building that hasn't been lived in for a long time, the sound has disappated on the subtle level, and so it is very eerily silent. What do you think?

[Guest guest]

 

I would even think the opposite effect may be attained. That is a kirtana were every third person is banging loudly on a pair of kartals or worse yet whompers. So loud you can't even hear the holy names, just some disjointed clanging banging roar of frenetic energy.

 

The effect may be headache, confusion,agitation, hearing loss and some form of aparadha to the names of God.

 

Oh oh, sounds like someone has found an outlet for a pet peeve.

 

 

LOL Well, it does appear to be a pet peve. Everyone has one, or two, or ten. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

I dont think, however, that our transcendental music factually reduces ones brain substance or intelligence ha, but if someone is playing "whompers" and doing so too loud, that may not necessarily be the way they were originally be meant to be played.

 

With that said, one thing I read was that music which is high in its frequency, such as kartals and many of our vocals, tend to increase intelligence levels. So I wouldn't write us off, though we may need to focus more on the devotional part and less on how loud we can bang whompers and in some cases, kartals. ha

 

Though I have to admit, kartals never bothers me. When I hear them from a number of blocks away, I get that special feelings most devotees experience where I'm so happy to hear the Holy Names are being chanted, even when I can't hear the words! The kartals jsut "draw" me in. They touch on my soul.

[Guest guest]

That last post was by me. I thought I was logged in. Sorry.

 

YS,

Prtha dd

[theist 1]

Clang clang CLANG!!! nectar huh? Whomp whomp WHOMP!!! Oh, I'm in bliss now, nectar. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

Yeah but you know what I mean Priitaa, they are not meant to drown out the Holy Names. I used to hide them(whompers) at the small temple I would visit. But,alas, they were always found.

I have heard that about Mozart. Sound is most powerful we know.

[Gauracandra 1]

I think many kirtaneers assume that louder means better. But if you start loud you have no where to go. You peak too early. I think kirtans should start off soft and simple, and build, build, and then explode at the end. It just makes more sense in terms of rhythm. I've seen some who start the kirtan at full blast and they have no where to take it.

 

As for the study, it would be interesting. I'm not sure what it would show. I would guess nice kirtans would lead to more peaceful experiences. Not sure if it is due to the words or the melody. One could test it out - one with devotional words and melody, and one with made up wording and same melody.

[Guest guest]

Yeah I seem to notice this also... especially coming from a kirtan last night at my local temple.

 

I had someone with karatalas just behind me and he was pounding them like there was no tomorrow... at that time my whole absorption in the holy name faded and I just wanted the kirtan to end.

 

It did not... my God by the end I was hearing .. eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, you know that sound of too much noise in the ears.

 

Sorry if I offended anyone by this, but why people think louder is better? For me, the end of that kirtan sounded more like a tribal rave or something... no cohesion, but random sound that looked like the maha-mantra. Man I really have to stop writing before I offend people more.

 

Hare Krishna

[Priitaa 0]

Did you ever notice the older we get, the better our hearing gets? That is, when we were young we turned our music up real loud; now that we're older, we need it turned down or it gets on our nerves? /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

Ya sure our intolerance to 'loud' kartals isn't age?

[stonehearted 0]

Pritha: Re: Loud kartals or age?

 

I don't know about yours, but mine's due to loud karatals, played close to the microphone, and amplified like crazy in a temple with stone floors and about 8 people in attendance. I have a very annoying high-frequency hearing loss. If there's any other ambient sound, I can't make out what's being said to me. That makes a teacher's life rough. It's exacerbated by tinnitus--a constant, high-pitched whine, due to the constant firing of the nerves attached to the destroyed cilia. The doctors tell me that my problem is not age induced (Jeez--I'm only 56!) but noise induced. I don't shoot guns, work around construction equipment, or listen to rock music on headphones, so kirtan is the only reasonable explanation. Not kirtan, but nutty people in kirtans who think that banging is the only way to play karatals, gongs, or what ISKCONers like to call whompers, and that it all must be amplified, even if only four people are in attendance.

 

Now you've got me started . . .

[Priitaa 0]

 

Now you've got me started . . .

 

 

LOL Well, yes, if something is causing us pain or discomfort it can become a pet peeve. I am no exception, I guess this just isn't mine. Or not exactly. I discriminate between kartals and whompers. I was never big on whompers. I remember the first time I heard and saw them, I thought "How annoying1!" But I didn't want to say anything out loud for fear of making an offense. Then I did see over time, a few devotees who knoew 'how' to play the whompers. They didn't just smash them together to make a big sound, but respecting their power, hit them only lightly, achieving the desired results. It didn't bother me at all, even it sounded pretty good. I still prefer kartals tho.

 

Now if someone were to play kartals right in my ear, I would find that annoying. But other than that, I have seldom been bothered by loud kartals. I actually like nearly all types of kartal playing, so maybe there is something wrong with me ha as I see many many many devotees complain about lourd kartals. I do have a slight case of tinnitis myself, but for me I think its more fluid stuck in my ear for the past 20 years or more, like chronic swimmers ear, and I dont know how to permanently get rid of it. I dont know, I do prefer high pitched sounds, like flutes, kartals, harps even, and instruments with the higher notes have been recognized to elevate consciousness. Maybe my ears just aren't sensitve enough.

 

I wonder if some of the nutty players of whompers are really exhibiting "look at me" behavior. Maybe some dont know how, and some are in need of attention.