Music Therapy: A Memoir

As a young child, I discovered that my only safe haven was in my own bedroom. Among the four lilac-colored walls, I would sit at my white, wooden desk and lay down my rugged black music binder. One would think I was constructing my own bible from the myriad of booklets and copies stacked one after another.

Careful not to destroy the neck, I pried it open. Flipping through crinkled memories, I found a perfect piece to soothe my racing mind conjuring up a mixture between irritation and melancholy. Line by line, I ran my fingers across the staffs like a rain drop traveling down to the bottom of a windowsill. I could hear the symphony playing in the back of my mind as I swayed in my quiet abode.

With each breath I took, the notes on the paper came to life. The piece slowly became a part of my soul, engulfing me into a story I was now the main character of. Over time it created a barrier between the cold outside world and my peaceful imagination. The binder became my body guard ready to force back anyone willing to mess with me. Music was the beginning of the most beautiful relationship I would still be involved in to this day.

As years turned into over a decade, I added more than a hundred pieces to my binder. Like an aged wine it matured into the most decadent and refreshing substance I could have ever tasted. The difficulty of each song only made my love for them more prominent. Every day I found new ways to expand my knowledge of their stories; dissecting lines piece by piece and picking apart each measure with every note.

To this day the wrinkled binder rests on top of my keyboard on the west side of my teal-colored walls. Since graduating high school and taking on more responsibilities, the binder collects dust from time to time. Without even trying to reason, it flies open ready to continue where we left off. Like a hopeful long-distance relationship wanting to work out for the best, I visit it when I am able to, that is until the distraction of outside forces come to tear us apart again. Within that minuscule amount of time, we smile, laugh, argue, get frustrated, and come to terms. When the entranced moment halts and the binder has closed, a sense of deprivation has quickly entered the space between us as if it was a child being torn away from its mother. I have promised that when the time is right, we will find our way out to escape this wall of reality keeping our love for each other barricaded. It waits patiently until I return. But we both realize that we need each other to stay alive in the near future. It will cling to my side wherever I go, now and forevermore.

The Strum of a New Day

Since attending Southern Connecticut State University, I've been able to explore my horizons. Thankfully I soared back into a music major. My professors are very understanding when it comes to everyone playing up to pace and works individually if needed. I currently take a guitar class twice a week and I can already feel myself picking it up fairly quick! I, for one, need face-to-face instruction if I'm ever going to learn anything. Learning vocals and then piano has really helped in my transition to practicing guitar. By the way, I am in no way, shape, or form perfected at this instrument... I have just yet mastered the first three frets on each string, haha. It's a skill I've grown to love practicing and I look forward to using it in my future studies!

My next class starts tonight. A couple weeks ago, I ran into the choir director and she asked where I've been the within the past year (I took a hiatus from music to pursue biology... Yeah that failed miserably). I explained to her I needed a year off to think and I'm finally back, and serious, about music. She then asked if I was registered for her choir class and I told her I couldn't because of financial issues. God must have blessed me that day because she told me she's putting me on her roster and I don't have to pay this semester, just take the class for no credit. I'm so thankful to have a professor as understanding as she is. Once a week I can take my stress and sorrows and turn it into beautiful music.

I've learned from the last couple months a very powerful phrase I wanted to share with you:

Focus on you and the rest will come through.

Okay I totally just made it up on the spot but its been resonating with my every day life. For those who may not know, I've been diagnosed with OCD, depression, and anxiety. It's an every day battle yet music helps me conquer the anxious urges. I learned to start focusing on myself and daily habits and forget about the world around me for a hot minute. It's not being selfish, its being self-full. Within the past month, without realizing the otherworldly issues, an out-of-the-blue job opportunity at work sparked my interest and may help my financial issues once and for all! I'm not saying you're going to automatically win the lotto or something crazy like that; just focus on yourself and everything should fall in line. Overcome obstacles with help if you need it, don' be afraid.

I hope you all have a beautifully blessed day 💓

Allison

Music Mentality

Hey everyone! I felt inspired today by a video I watched on Ted Talks. Its about Dr. Charles Limb expressing his experience with cochlear implants and musical vibrations. VERY interesting if you're into psychology. Click Here to watch it! (By the way, Ted Talks are a perfect way on seeing a scientific viewpoint of different subjects. Great way to spend downtime!!)

I decided to make a collage of different music/brain info-graphics to teach viewers, as well as myself, about what music is capable of in our minds and everyday life.

Foods to AVOID to Save Your Vocal Chords

Our vocal chords are one of the most fragile parts of our body. It's super important to make sure they are in tip-top shape before a rehearsal, let alone a performance. Here is a small list of foods/drinks you should avoid if you want to save your vocal chords.

1. Dairy/Spicy Products: Milk, cheese, yogurt, etc. are all no-no's when it comes to singing. They cause acidic gases to rise from your esophagus and burns the vocal chords. Consuming dairy can also cause phlegm build-up (I know, ew). This also, sadly, includes chocolate. 😥 Anything with any spices can dry out your vocal chords, making it hard to stay hydrated for a performance. It's best to stay away from citrus fruits and tomato products.

2. Caffeine: Okay, this one is a guilty pleasure of mine as I love coffee to the death of me. Caffeine is a diuretic, making you more dehydrated throughout the day. Avoid coffee and soda and drink decaffeinated tea or room temperature water. 

3. Alcohol/Tobacco: Alcohol can dry out your vocal chords, especially if mixing with sodas. Smoking of any kind can damage them, as well.

Staying in moderately physical shape can help keep your vocal chords in a healthy manner, as well as with some safe vocal warm-ups. It's all about how we take care of ourselves! Let me know down in the comment section below if you have any great foods you like to eat on performance day!

Have a blessed day!

Ally 💓






Cites: http://your-personal-singing-guide.com/bad-singing-foods.html
https://www.livestrong.com/article/278098-list-of-good-bad-foods-for-your-voice/
https://flypaper.soundfly.com/play/singers-diet-20-things-singers-shouldnt-eat-show/
https://grantedmusicacademy.com/what-to-eat-and-what-to-drink-before-singing/

Music Terms You Should Know!

Bass Clef: Also known as F-Clef, this clef tells us the spacing and lining for the Bass notes. The 2 dots are placed above and below the 4th line in a staff.
(Good Boys Do Fine Always) - Lines
(All Cows Eat Grass) - Spaces

Treble Clef: Also known as the G-Clef, this clef tells us the spacing for the Treble notes. This symbol indicates that the second line from the bottom of a staff represents the pitch of G above middle C.
(Every Good Boy Does Fine) - Lines
(F-A-C-E) - Spaces

Whole, Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Whole, Half: My professor in college actually taught me this term which helped a lot! This is the pattern of whole's and half notes in a major scale. It's like a little life hack... for music!

Middle C: This is the start of C Major... C4 (4th C on the piano), D, E, F, G, A, B

Solfege Scale: This scale is another way of naming pitches in singing... Do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti

Sharp: Marked as "#" next to a note, this indicates you to raise the note by a half-step.

Double Sharp: Marked as an "X" next to a note, this indicates you to raise the note 2 half-steps.

Flat: Marked as "♭" next to a note, this indicates you to lower the note by a half-step.

Double Flat: Marked as "♭♭" next to a note, this indicates you to lower the note by 2 half-steps.

Natural: (♮) This accidental symbol is used to cancel a flat or sharp from the preceding key signature.


If there are any more terms you would like to know, give me a holler!!

Ally <3

Research

So me being the broke amateur musician that I am, there weren't any free sheet music that didn't cost money or a membership fee. BUT I was able to find a YouTube channel that's perfect for what I'm looking for to learn this song! The channel is by Erdeva (thanks man!) and I guess he's known for synthesizing music. The video is in a way where the notes follow down to the piano and play the keys so you know what chords and in what hand position you need them in. Kind of like a form of Piano Hero! I'll post the link down below so you can see the kind of styles he does!

I can't wait to post the set-up of the practice!!

Got any tips or suggestions, DM me through my Instagram: @capraallison or through my Twitter: @Ally_Capra506

Have an amazing and blessed day!

Ally 💓



Avenged Sevenfold - Dear God Piano Tutorial Synthesia // dadebrayant

When Inspiration Strikes

After finally setting my piano back up, I could already feel the musical inspiration filling my body. I came up with this idea after much consideration and possibility of willingness and accessibility.

My brother is marrying his girlfriend of 10 years in December (god they're perfect together). Though we didn't get along great growing up, I've always considered him a role model and wanted to be like the musician he is. He is amazing playing the viola, piano, guitar and bass! From small children, I admired his perfection in the arts and aspired to be at his level. I would secretly take his CDs and listen to them on my own (I still have a few to this day haha). And that's how I got into rock/metal!

As I'm mainly a vocalist, my wedding gift to him is a song. One of his favorite bands is Avenged Sevenfold so I chose the song Dear God. The lyrics capture a sense of comfort in God asking to watch him as we live so far away from each other now that we're in our mid- to late-twenties.

I'm going to start using this format as a journey, if you would prefer. I would appreciate and love feedback of any kind of videos and posts!

Stay musical ❤ Ally