Blog #12 音樂+玩+自我表達+社區音樂+音樂治療=夾樂圓
如果你有在上兩回的文章跟隨我的音樂思路, 現在是時候去綜合一下我們所討論過關於音樂的概念.
我相信音樂的力量，相信在音樂世界中人能夠找回真實的自我, 激發個人潛能；更相信音樂是人與人之間原始的互動，無論能力、技巧和年齡，都能在音樂世界中自由表達，相互連繫。能夠看到人能夠活出他們的真我, 以及活出他們的理想和目標是我的心願. 我相信這個旅程由一個自由的空間開始, 一個無拘無束, 天馬行空的音樂互動空間, 一個能夠激發和鼓勵的空間, 一個能夠提供真誠的關心和關懷的音樂空間.
夾樂圓的誕生是源自一個概念: 希望連繫一班喜歡音樂的人一同去玩. 藉着即興創作音樂, 參加者能用不同的樂器去表逹, 抒發, 創造, 減壓, 連繫, 關懷.
音樂不是重點, 而是一個重要的媒介, 一個催化劑去達到一些深層的治療目標例如增強創造力, 抒發個人情感,提升自信, 增強溝通技巧, 情緒調節等. 夾樂圓其實是音樂治療小組的化身, 從我的經驗, 看到有些人對治療這兩個字有些抗拒 ‘我覺得自己冇問題, 點解要來治療?’ , 但其實精神健康(mental health) 是人人都需要關心也是我們常常忽略的東西. 夾樂圓主要目的是令參加者能夠利用音樂創作去提升精神健康.
想像一下一班人聚集一起在一個音樂空間, 任意地去選擇散佈了房間每一個角落的樂器, 這些樂器吸引了他們的注意力和興趣, 大家急不及待地想去嘗試每一個’玩具’. 這些樂器的形狀和特性有可能潛意識地觸發了一些兒時回憶, 或反影了一個人的性格和行為模式.
首先我們會進行一些破冰遊戲, 令參加者熟悉他們手上的樂器和小組氣氛. 當每一個人開始進入狀態之後, 就是時間開始精彩的即興音樂了. 有人會不小心地開始, 然後其他人也會跟着開始去發掘手上的樂器. 零零碎碎的聲音充滿了整個空間, 這種聲音延續了一段時間. 突然間有一個重複和穩定的節奏/旋律在某一個角落出現了, 有人會自然地融合和跟從這個節奏, 有人會創造一個配合的節奏, 也有人會不期然地被這個節奏帶領著. 一個音樂對話就此誕生了, 有人會創造一個音樂 ’句子’ 或 ’問句’, 有人會創造一句’回應’.
這個音樂持續了一段時間, 突然間一段 ’神奇的時刻’ (magic moment)出現了, 突然間音樂空間出現了很多緊湊的音樂元素, 好像有一種無形的東西將所有獨特的音樂元素連接在一起. 有一種好像在音樂中親密的感覺. 這個音樂好像是一個有機生物, 不斷地轉化, 蛻變成為新的東西.
夾樂圓 ● 擊 是一個「加料」的鼓樂圈 (Drum circle), 鼓樂圈在外國很普及, 是一種社區音樂(Community Music) 的模式, 集合一班人一同去利用非洲鼓或其他敲擊樂去合奏, 沒有指定的程序或音樂, 大家一起去創作即興鼓樂. 鼓樂圈是一種最基本和容易接觸的社區音樂模式. 而節奏也是最基本, 不能缺乏的音樂元素, 而鼓是世界上最古老的樂器, 只需要隨意地敲打就能發聲. 將鼓和節奏這兩個元素合體, 隨即能夠感受到音樂的力量. 鼓樂圈能夠有效地去連繫每一個人, 不論年紀, 能力和技能如何也能夠一起去創造屬於這班人的音樂. 參加這個鼓樂圈不需特別技能, 技巧或功夫, 甚至這是一個「錯不了」的音樂創作方法, 這裏基本上沒有可能令人製造出一些「錯」的音.
夾樂圓 ● 擊 希望將傳統的鼓樂圈進深化, 將重點放在每一位的參加者身上. 音樂只是一個媒介去提供一個空間令參加者可以表達自己, 找回自我, 提升創造力以及提升人與人之間的互動. 除了玩音樂, 每一節也會提供一些讓參加者可以自我反思和分享的時間. 我相信口頭討論是一個重要的環節, 令參加者可以去整合自己在音樂中和人與人互動當中的領受和思想, 將潛意識和意識連接起來, 融合新的領受和反思而運用在日常生活中.
夾樂圓 ● 律 也是建基於鼓樂圈的概念, 只是將能夠製造旋律的樂器去取代所有敲擊樂. 好玩的地方在於這個音樂空間提供很多奇形怪狀的民族樂器能夠吸引每一個人的好奇和興趣去嘗試. 但是當我們多加兩個音樂元素的時候 (和聲和旋律), 難度就有可能開始增加了.
在這個小組裏去即興創作音樂, 每一個人有可能會潛意識或有意識地去問這些問題:
-我想唔想同佢一齊玩同一個調 (key)?
-撞音/不和諧的聲音是否能接受?
-哪一個樂器是帶領者? 是否需要有人帶領著這個即興音樂?
-有沒有特定的和弦(chord)要去跟?
或者又會有這樣的懷疑
-我應該點玩這個樂器?怎樣發聲的?用乜來玩的? 點樣揸住?
-我會唔會整爛佢?
-我唔識玩, 不如唔好掂佢啦....
這個即興小組需要小組組員之間的更高的靈敏度, 互相配合和信任. 但是當你能夠跨過這些輕微的阻攔, 掌握額外的基本音樂元素, 你就能發現音樂世界裏面更深一層的力量, 這些旋律和和弦能夠直接地觸動你的心靈, 也有可能喚醒一些獨特的感覺和記憶.
夾樂圓 ● 電 其實和 夾樂圓 ● 律 很相似, 只是將所有的樂器電子化, 利用 synthesizer, looper, drum machine, sample library, midi controllers 去即興創作音樂. 這一個的難度在於器材上的設置和裝備. 電子音樂的吸引力在於能只需用鍵盤合成器(keyboard synthesizer), 或控制器(midi controller) 就能創造出真正的天馬行空音樂世界, 能夠找到一些你幻想的聲音, 一些現實世界沒有的聲音, 一些真正能夠表達你想法的聲音.
夾樂圓 是一個音樂空間, 讓人透過音樂拉近與自己與他人的關係：從天馬行空的音樂互動空間，到深度探索音樂世界的創作空間，至透過音樂面對自我內心世界的個人空間，目的是讓人與自己相遇，與他人結連。生命的蛻變從找回自己開始，而音樂是釋放自我的起點。
Blog # 12 Music+Play+Self Expression+Community Music+Music Therapy=Jamsical
If you’ve been following my trail of thoughts from my last few blog posts redefining the concept of music, it’s time for a consolidation.
I believe music has the power to inspire, empower and transform an individual and it’s my heart and vision to see people living out their true self and living out their dreams. The process starts from having a space for creative play without rules and regulations, a space for reflections and consolidation, a space that offers encouragement and motivation as well as a space that offers genuine support and care for each individual.
Jamsical is a concept born out of the core ideas of gathering a group of music lovers to play together for self expression, creativity, relaxation, connection, support and friendships.
The group has underlying therapeutic goals, in fact it is music therapy in disguise. What I mean by ‘being in disguise’ is my belief that it might not be appropriate for the word ‘music therapy’ to appear on the event title. Some people seem to be resistant towards the idea of ‘therapy’, “I don’t have any issues, I don’t need therapy.” In fact mental health is something that we should all be aware of but it’s also something that we tend to ignore. The main purpose of Jamsical is to help promote and increase individual’s mental wellness through music making.
Music created within the session is not the main goal, music is the facilitator to achieve some non-musical goals such as:
-Improving creativity,
-Providing a space for play
-Facilitate self expression,
-Facilitate emotional release,
-Increasing connection between group members,
-Integrating individual into a social group,
-Improving self-esteem and self-confidence
Imagine a group of people coming together in this musical space, freely picking up an instrument scattered around the room or in the middle of the group circle, music instruments that captures their interest, their curiosity. Or perhaps they are instruments that unconsciously trigger some childhood memories, reflecting some personality trails or patterns.
After some warm up musical game and icebreaker to get everybody familiar with their instruments, everybody picked up their instrument ready for some improvisation as a group. Someone would start accidentally, then the rest of the group started exploring their instruments on hand individually for a while. Suddenly a repeated rhythm or beat or melody might appear somewhere in the group, some would automatically synced into that beat, some might start creating a counter-melody/rhythm, the off-beat that goes along with it. After a while, a musical conversation can be heard, few individuals played a musical ‘statement’ or ‘question’, it would then be responded by others with an ‘answer’.
The music continues and then once in a while, the ‘magic moment’ appear when the air is filled with many interlocking, intertwining parts, instrumental parts that are distinct on their own yet complimenting each other, there’s a sense of closeness with a forward motion. The music is organic, constantly evolving and transforming into something new.
Jamsical ● Beat is essentially a drum circle with a twist. Drum circle is basically a circle filled with people and drum, where people gathered together without any agenda to freely create improvised music together. Drum circle is one of the most basic and easiest accessible form of community music (the other one is probably singing as it requires no tools). Rhythm is the most basic forms of music, in fact it is the heart of music whereas the drums are the simplest and the world’s oldest musical instruments that require only simple strikes to produce sound. When you combine rhythm and drum together, one can immediately get a taste of the power of music right away.
Drum circle is highly effective in bringing people regardless of their age, skills, abilities together for musicking. It requires minimal skills, minimal effort and it is an almost fool-proof way of making great sounding music.
Jamsical ● Beat intended to go one step further, seeing beyond the music to focus on each individual. Music is just the mean to provide a musical space for an individual to express themselves, finding out their identities, facilitating creativity as well as increasing interpersonal interaction. Apart from music making, the session involves individual reflection and verbal sharing. I believe verbal processing is an important step in helping an individual to consolidate the experience, bridging the unconscious with the conscious, integrating insights and reflections into everyday living.
Jamsical ● Tunez is born out of a similar concept of drum circle, but replacing all percussion instruments with melodic instruments. The fun begins when you have a selection of unusual world instruments that capture everybody’s curiosity. When we add two extra forms of musical elements (melody & harmony) on top of the basic form of rhythm, things can get a little complicated and chaotic.
There are lot more things to consider in an improvisation in such group. One might unconsciously or consciously ask the following:
-Do I wanna play in the same key as that person?
-Is dissonant ok?
-am I supposed to play the same note or create a harmony?
-Which instrument is supposed to lead? Is there supposed to be a leader?
-Should I play in standard chord progression or just play any chord that I like?
-Should I follow other’s chord progression and harmony?
Or one might have doubts like these: -How should I play this instrument? How should I hold it? How can I make a sound out of it?
-Am I gonna break it?
The ‘magic moment’ seems to be harder to create in this setting, it requires much more sensitivity, compromise and trust between group members.
Jamsical ● Synthz is very similar to Jamsical ● Tunez, but replacing all the acoustic instruments with electronic instruments such as synthesizers, looper, drum machine, sample library, midi controllers to improvise music. The difficulties is on the hardware and software setup.
Electronic music is attractive for its total freedom of creating sounds, one is able to find their imagined sounds in their head, sounds that don’t exist in reality, sounds that can truly represent a person.
Jamsical is a music space, promoting the use of music making for wellbeing, facilitating musical interaction for self & emotional expression, creativity, interpersonal connection and community. Unleash your inner voices and find yourself through spontaneous musical expression with Jamsical!!