Musical & Choral Traditions

[TheDisreputableDog]

I started watching Cold Mountain last night and was reminded of how much I love Sacred Harp and shape note singing.

Some of these questions are probably repeats from an earlier music thread, but they're not repeated on purpose.

Does your path have any musical traditions?
Does it have any individual singing traditions?
Does it have any choral/group singing traditions?

What effects does making or listening to music have on you or your practice?

What place does music (instrumental or singing) have in your path?
Is music spiritual, secular, or both for you?
Do you seek out or write spiritual music for your path?

Does music (instrumental or singing) have magical properties?
Can it be used to accomplish goals/tasks a la magic or as an accompaniment to other magical practices?

And anything else you would like to answer.  

[aoijea23487]

My path is eclectic, so there is no one tradition to draw from.

I sing some of my prayers. I prefer to sing mantras than chant. When I do ritual, I have that instrumental new-ager stuff playing in the background. It can't have any words in it, because it's distracting. I'm one of those people who can't read and listen to music with words at the same time.

Music is secular and spiritual for me.

Sometimes the right new ager music helps me to get into deeper states of consciousness.

If I'm doing ecstatic dance, words are okay.  

[TeaDidikai]

TheDisreputableDog

Does your path have any musical traditions?

My culture does. And there are some songs with a mythological theme. Not sure that's the same thing.

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What effects does making or listening to music have on you or your practice?

Depends on the practice. For the most part, it's a background- something to help me focus or help me unfocuse.

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Is music spiritual, secular, or both for you?

Both. Thrashing to Sorrow by Bad Religion is rarely spiritual.

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Do you seek out or write spiritual music for your path?

Nope. I'm not that talented.

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Does music (instrumental or singing) have magical properties?

Yep. But it isn't something I can really go into.  

[Nines19]

While my path seems to be "whatever seems like a good idea at the time and doesn't piss anybody off," I have used music to a fair effect within "magical" practice (though in honesty it was more in conjunction with a sort of meditation).
Being a huge music junkie, I listen to it as constantly as possible, and I have perceived different effects on my mood at different levels from certain songs that are absent when I listen to others. The way I usually describe it to myself is, "This song is 'powerful'," if that makes sense.

I don't often listen to instrumental music, though, so to be honest I'm not certain if it is the music itself that I'm getting something from, or the words, or both. I'm definitely interested in studying different effects, though. (Especially if it means I get to listen to new music, haha.)  

[Ray of Mel]

i have only recently stepped onto this path, (some none develeped form of witchcraft, non-developed cause i lack a lot of info) saddly i have yet to use music in a ritual or incantation, but i have blessed my guitar a few times with a simple prayer to the triple goddess.  

[Wrath of Ezekiel]

In my base of Hinduism, it is my family's religion. A religion where most of the prayers are actually songs. I loved singing, I was in choirs at school.

My parents got the smart idea that maybe they should enroll me into a music class. I took classical Indian vocal and harmonium (my music teacher bullied me into getting a harmonium, said that nobody "just" sings rolleyes ) about 5-6 years ago.

I am actually going to see if Cunning would set aside a post in the new Hinduism FAQ for prayers and music, because then I'll record a whole bunch. xd