What Is Sonic Elevation? – Using Music As Medicine

 

What is Sonic Elevation? You’re probably wondering what it is, what it means, or both. By the end of this post, you’ll have a pretty good grasp on what Sonic Elevation is, and how you can apply the concept to your life (or at least give you some food for thought). 

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You’ve probably heard people say things like “music saved my life”, “music is life”, “music saves lives”, etc. It might seem like a cliche but if you’re a melomaniac, you can definitely relate. 

Do you use music to deal with the constant ups and downs of life? Do you listen to music to remember some of the good times from your past? Do you get a ton of enjoyment (some would say too much) out of showing someone a song that you just discovered?

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Those are just a few examples of how we use music as a form of medicine in our lives. Music can also be used as a form of escapism. It varies from person to person, but we all have our ways of momentarily escaping a painful time/memory in life, or just as a way to let our imagination run wild. 

Some people turn to movies or TV shows as a form of escapism. Others of us turn to music or podcasts. Some view escapism as a negative thing. Escapism isn’t an inherently negative practice (unless you take it so far that you become completely unproductive in your daily life). 

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You might also be familiar with the term “music therapy”. There are various forms of “music therapy” that aim to improve your life by either listening to certain types of music, creating music, or a combination of both. 

Traditional therapy can be beneficial for some, but they’re also not giving it away for free. Music therapy doesn’t have to be the act of paying someone else to walk you through a process that they came up with. 

Music therapy could be as simple as listening to music to help you process strong emotions. It could also be as simple as listening to a song that matches your mood and therefore acts as a cathartic form of release. 

You probably see where I’m going with this. Music is one of the most powerful mediums for human emotion. What we can do, is use it however we choose to, and elevate our state of mind. We can use it as pure entertainment, background noise, a bridge to connecting with other people, and even finding common ground with people you might not have otherwise. 

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There are tons of different ways to consume our medicine (aka music). Some of us enjoy the old fashioned turntable, listening with a nostalgic-smelling vinyl record. We enjoy the process of looking for a record, flipping through each and every one until we find that diamond in the rough. 

Others of us prefer purchasing digital downloads and uploading them onto a portable MP3 player or iPod. It is a lot more convenient and definitely has it’s pros and cons. 

In recent history, many of us have made the switch (or added it to the other methods) of using streaming services to consume our audio. It’s by far, the easiest (and usually least expensive) way to listen to our favorite artists. 

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No matter what your personal preference is, we’re all seeking the same enjoyment, escapism, or elevation. It’s not a mistake that we’re constantly evolving and innovating in this area. 

We like to do things that help us feel good, better, or ecstatic. (Especially if it doesn’t come with any negative side effects.) 

Headphones are a great way to listen to music. They’re ultra-portable, you can listen to exactly what you want to, and you won’t disturb anyone around you. 

Speakers come in all shapes and sizes and are also a useful piece of audio gear. We can share our music, change the mood of an entire room, or use them to sing along in the shower. Jamming out to a great album while you’re driving is one of my personally favorite ways to listen to music.