I read how some Finnish, American, and British researchers (I’ll call ’em the FAB team) used a technique called sonification to “hear” how certain proteins function. Those researchers believe “listening” to proteins, and how they work, might help doctors discover and treat diseases more effectively.

Have you ever listened to Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9? That link, I just shared, is to a video of a very recognizable section of the symphony. Not the whole symphony. But every bit of it is worth your time. By the way, Ludwig composed this beautiful music when he was nearly totally deaf. And that’s maybe one of the most inspiring examples of why you should remember you’re an overcomer. Because you’re a child of the living, loving Creator of the universe and all life here on planet Earth.

You and I shouldn’t allow fears (and those who spread them) to take root. Instead, be a Beethoven. Make a daily note to yourself to stay composed. (pun completely intended)

By the way, staying composed, with music like Symphony number 9, can also help reduce your heart rate (if it needs it) and help prevent hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Because it matches the natural rhythms of your body. So, your body actually physically responds to it. And that gets back to the power of sonification I already mentioned.

A study, back in 2013, said heart disease patients can get great results with music. It said those who exercised and listened to music they enjoyed for 30 minutes every day had the highest rate of heart function improvement.

Who knew?

Well, my bet is that the Inventor of music knew. That’s who.

The healing power of music is still being discovered. Sure, some research might prove to be wishful thinking. But I don’t discard the potential. Because I know how much God loves us. And it would be just like Him to put healthful benefits in something that’s all around you every day.

So, here’s my recommendation for you today. Get yourself some sonification. Listen to some music that matches the natural rhythms of your body. Because you can’t beat it. (yeah, another pun completely intended) And when you do…

Your mind and your body will thank you

I share it with believers who want to focus on the power of God’s love and rightly divide the word of truth. Spend your time reading, listening, and watching good stuff based on the power of God’s love instead of looking for it. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to music and The Very First 6 Days (a rhyming book for kids about the creation week) right away. Kids from 3 to 103 can enjoy these fun goodies. Just add your email to the form and let’s connect right away.

The form can be filled in the actual website url.

Stay tuned,

The post Sonification is yet another indication appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

Warning. Blatant and obvious bias just ahead. I’m a musician. And I’m gonna share information with you that emphasizes the powerful, therapeutic advantages of music. So, you might feel yourself being drawn toward buying some of my music. And I want you to know, up front, that’s not my goal.

In fact, I’d prefer you don’t buy music from me.

Because my ultimate goal is to live completely and totally (hmm…I wonder if those mean the same thing) of the government. Sure, you might think that means I’ll be living off hard-working taxpayers (like you?). But that’s not true. Because the government is the go-between. So, no harm, no foul.

Since I haven’t made the total transition (that’s such an enlightened word, right?) to ward of the state, I’m still out here hawking my wares, as it were. And it were as it is. The reality of still having to work (so unfair) to pay for literally everything. From food and water to, get this, gasoline. Yuck and Yikes.

And that bias is toward MY wares. And not yours. Or someone else’s. Although, I sneak in links to other people’s cheap stuff, I mean wares, all the time. You gotta be sharp to find ’em though. Because my website and emails ain’t about them other people. I pay for ’em. So, they’re about ME.

And that brings me back to the therapeutic advantages of music.

Music can help with your immune system, brain function, and anxiety. Sure, you might be a Type A personality. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still benefit from all those, uh, benefits.

Naturally (maybe even organically) you might wonder what that’s got to do with my musical wares. And you’d be right to wonder. So, here’s the thing. Maybe you still hold fast to the idea that kids are cute and innocent and should be protected. Yada yada yada.

But if it’s yours, check out Lullabye Bye. It’s a collection of lullabies for kids that parents say isn’t too cutesy for adults to listen to, too (love that ballerina sentence end). The songs contain subliminal, sleep-inducing messages. So, if your kid falls asleep, while listening, that’s on you. I didn’t force you to play the songs. It’s your choice. Let’s be clear about that up front.

OK. I know I’ve made it basically impossible to find a way to go get the music. But you’re just gonna have to dig a little deeper. Because I don’t want you to stumble into a purchase you don’t want.

Now, where did I put that government cheese I have an obvious bias for? Or for which I have a bias?

Stay tuned,

Share this link with everybody you know, so they can jump on the The TRUTH

The post Obvious bias anytime you hear “try us.” appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

I read another article about brain cell connections to music. Yeah, I’m a nerd when it comes to that kind of information. And I love a quote from that article that said, “Neurons that fire together, wire together.”

Of course the scientist who said that was talking about how brain cells communicate with each other by “firing” messages through junctions called synapses. And when those cells connect, regularly (as they do when a musician   is practicing or rehearsing), they can build strong bonds into a complicated circuitry. And, according to the article, that’s how an “efficient network” is built for skills such as singing.

And since music therapy is more widely recognized as truly helpful, there are some programs out there working to see if music can benefit unhealthy brains. Such as the arts and humanities program at the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. They decided to let musicians-in-residence play throughout the hospital.

Palliative care nurses often let a well-know cellist, there, play for patients who are anxious or in pain. And they can watch monitors to help them match the music’s tempo to heart rates. Then they work, in sync, to gradually slow dow the tempo and gradually ease the patient’s anxiety and heart rate.

I think that’s mighty cool.

And sometimes musicians play for the dying patients. By design, they choose gently arrhythmic background music. Not a song that might be familiar. Because the familiar can lead to heart-wrenching memories. And that defeats the purpose of these special brain cell connections to music.

A director of Georgetown’s program, said she wondered if they could research the type and dose of music for different health situations. And she added, “If we can study the arts in the same way that science studies medication and other therapeutics, I think we will be doing so much good.”

And I believe it’s do-able because God is real. I know. I know. I’m always directing the conversation back to God. But it’s because He’s the source of life. And He designed all those complicated neurons that wire together for healthy brain cell connections. So, it’s only natural that, since He wants us to have abundant life, He also designed everything so that we could.

Not all brains function properly. But that’s a result of rebellion. And that’s another topic for another time.

Here’s a poem I shared, directed toward kids from 3 to 93 that talked about brain health.

Why should we care about the wheels on a train

Why should we think about the cars in the lane

Why should we look for the sugar in the cane

Why should we try to ease somebody’s pain

Stay tuned,

No-cost, low-cost, and premium ways you can help me spread the Word…

Tell everybody you know to subscribe to Tony’s Rhyme and Reason Daily Devotional

Get my Rhyme & Reason Podcast delivered right to your device. (also Fa-Ree)

Get digital Bible stuff from the same company I do.

My books are also on Amazon.com or Apple Books

Grab yourself an un-cool T-shirt

Or how about some music for believers, dreamers, and thinkers

The post Brain cell connections that follow directions appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

95 years ago, today, October 6, a quirky little guy said, “”Wait a minute, wait a minute, you ain’t heard nothing yet.” And the crowd went wild.

You probably already know I’m talking about Al Jolson. And you probably already know he was the guy who made movie history when “The Jazz Singer” premiered as the first “talkie.”

Yeah, after all those silent movies, with their subtitles to explain the dialogue, people were ecstatic to be able to hear movie stars talk. Because there’s just something about sound. And, in quite a few of my articles, I’ve shared some of the wonderful benefits of sound.

I think it’s important to go over a few of them again. Because it seems like there’s still a lot of stress out there.

So, first, there’s the whole relaxation aspect of sound therapy. The right kinds of sounds can sort of soak into your system and help to restore your equilibrium. Physical and emotional. Some of the more metaphysical types would say that “sound healing helps you find your harmony.” A little dippy skippy. But I won’t dis it completely.

I’ve seen multiple sources say that sound healing can help improve your sleep, ease chronic pain, and lower blood pressure. Wait a minute! I thought only doctors and meds could do such amazing things. OK, what about cholesterol and heart disease, smarty pants? Well, yeah. Sound healing supposedly can help lower those, too.

Yeah, but those are physical ailments. What’s sound gonna do for stuff like anxiety, depression, and the ever-present, soul-destroying stress? Three words for you. Re duce ’em. Not only those mental health benefits, but also balance, clarity, and a new and improved sense of purpose.

I had an opportunity to scan through local FM radio stations as I drove. Most times I drive without music so I can concentrate on the words and music that always swirl around in my brain. But today I decided to check out the local radio. And it was a huge disappointment. Station after station of template tunes. And tons of commercials.

Until…

I finally landed on a classical music station. Aahh. A big portion of the drive was one orchestral composition. But I didn’t get to finish it. Because it was Franz Schubert’s famous “Unfinished Symphony.” (side note: it’s basically a guarantee that Franz didn’t name it that)

But here’s the thing. Classical music (not all of it) is your best shot at the health benefits or so-called “sound healing.” Because only classical music contains enough movement and differentiation to occupy enough of your mind for your body to benefit. Wow, that’s a mouthful when you say it out loud.

If you’re looking for an alternative to pharmacopeia, supplementia (I made that up) and doctoroddicies (I made that up, too), look no further than classical music.

Oh yeah, there’s one more benefit of sound that trumps them all. Faith. And I mean actual trusting faith in the one, true, living, loving God who created you. There’s even a famous quote that says, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Just some sound food for thought.

(don’t wait a minute more if you haven’t already checked out that quote)

Stay tuned,

No-cost, low-cost, and premium ways you can help me spread the Word…

Tell everybody you know to subscribe to Tony’s Rhyme and Reason Daily Devotional

Get my Rhyme & Reason Podcast delivered right to your device. (also Fa-Ree)

Get digital Bible stuff from the same company I do.

My books are also on Amazon.com or Apple Books

Grab yourself an un-cool T-shirt

Or how about some music for believers, dreamers, and thinkers

The post Wait a minute, wait a minute, there’s something new in it. appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

Just about everybody has a bedtime routine. It makes sense. Because humans are creatures of habit. Like brushing your teeth and changing into pajamas. Those activities just become something you do without having to put a lot of thought and effort into them. And then maybe you read a little and turn off the lights.

And you might think that’s insignificant or unimportant. But nay nay. It IS important. Especially for kids.

According to one source I read, it’s much healthier to make bedtime “as pleasant and calm as possible.” And that source said a regular, predictable schedule is the best option. It also said, “All of the scientific evidence shows us that babies with a consistent bedtime routine sleep better and longer than babies with an inconsistent (or non-existent!) bedtime routine.”

Also, I found out there are actually sleep consultants these days. Yeah, I know. You’d think nobody would need to consult somebody else on how to sleep. But obviously, you’d be wrong.

One pediatric sleep consultant said that a good night’s sleep for your child begins with a bedtime routine. She even has a website with online courses and 1:1 coaching sessions. Wow. Who’d’ve thunk it? Anyway,  she recommends parents “sing a song” (preferably the same song, she says) at bedtime.

“A calming song, sung in a soothing manner, either while the child is rocked in the parent’s arms or patted in the crib, tends to work well,” is what the expert said. And she added, “The important thing is to keep that last soothing step as similar as possible from one day to the next. Predictability in itself is soothing for infants and young children.”

Imagine that. Even the smallest kids love and appreciate dependable, loving care.

The article I read said there’s no reason to stress if you don’t know which songs to sing. The little ones just need to hear your voice. And they added a link to a “curated lullaby playlist.” But there’s no need to go anywhere else. Because your ol’ buddy, Tony, has already got you covered.

Just in case you’re new around here, I have some original lullabies that thousands of American families (and even some in other countries) have enjoyed for years. Best part is, they’re not cutesy. Like one kids’ store owner said, “They’re not the typical kids songs you hear everywhere else!”

I’ve heard good things from parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, store owners, and others. So, I know babies, infants, toddlers, and kids benefit from lullaby songs. That’s why I’ve written and produced so many.

And I published a sing-along coloring book with all the lyrics to that collection. Best part is, there’s a super secret link, inside the book, where you can download all the songs. So, kids don’t just get a fun book. They also get free songs to go with the lyrics.

Click or tap any of the links to get the book for a special kid today. And when those little ones lie down, they’ll Fall Fast Asleep, Rest Easy, and ride a Peppermint Pony through the Blue Celtic Clouds. Then, when they wake up, you’ll enjoy watching them sing-along as they color and draw in this fun book. Works like a charm. Or, as my good buddy, Greg (who has an impeccable bedtime routine) likes to say, “It’s just good science.”

Stay tuned,

P.S. I know these lullaby songs aren’t necessarily the most appropriate Halloween gift. But somebody said there’s supposed to be another holiday before the end of the year that might be way better. Can’t think of what it is, right now. But I’ll get back to you. Or you can let me know what it is if know.

The post Bedtime routine is that time in between appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

Not really. But if you ever studied music and how to remember the notes in a musical staff, you probably know what I’m talking about. Look at musical staff paper. And you’ll see it has 5 lines and 4 spaces. Music teachers used to share the mnemonic, Every Good Boy Does Fine, to help students remember the E, G, B, D, and F on the lines. Then there was the FACE in the spaces.  

Now, I might not be the sharpest mind on the planet (Of course, that implies I might be, too. But that’s another issue for another time). But when I read articles, spread around this here thang called the world wide web, about how to keep your mind sharp, I notice something right away.

They all tend to include a lot of self focus.

And that’s not evil. But it does tend to lead toward, gasp…do I dare say it…selfishness. Like in several graphics for mental alertness I saw today. They all included this recommendation: “Believe in yourself.” And, in an odd way, that sort of connects with the Every Good Boy, etc. mnemonic.

Because if you’ve lived on this planet for more than just a few years, you know every good boy (or girl) does not do fine. Not much of the time anyway.

But I sort of veered off the track there. I really started out to talk about how to stay mentally sharp. And, as you might guess, I’m a big proponent of using music to help you do that.

I’ve read quite a few reports that talk about how important it is to keep your neurons firing. Because neurons stay connected that way. It’s a lot more complicated than that. And a lot more complicated than I want to go into right now. But the main thing is…you keep your neurons firing with repetition and consistency.

Because in order to get better at music you gotta do a lot of repetition. And you gotta do it consistently. You might not believe (although I’m not sure why) how many hours I spent working on my singing voice in high school. Way, way more hours than just in the classes. And I’m totally confident all that repetition and consistency is why I’m still so…so…uh…never mind. I’ll come back to that.

In the meantime, sing a song for your brain.

Now, maybe you don’t know me well enough to buy something from me, yet. Ok, let’s change that. Get to know more about me and my worldview. Join the growing body of believers who’ve signed up for the Tony’s Rhyme and Reason Daily Devotional. And bask in daily, delightful flashes of light from the power of God’s love.

Stay tuned…

The post Every good boy does fine is a favorite mnemonic of mine appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

So, this young woman wrote about the differences between a music therapist and a “glorified performer.” That was in the headline, so her bias showed from the very beginning. And there’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, I appreciate her taking a stand. But after reading her article, I wondered why so many music therapists believe music communications have to be so darn complicated.

And it CAN be. I have no problem with that. But I don’t think a musician has to feel like a “glorified performer” just for wanting to help people, without a music therapy certification.

The young woman who wrote the article (and who will remain nameless and linkless to protect her identity) said performing and therapy are two entirely different processes. But I don’t believe they’re mutually exclusive. She said “While performing, I try to communicate some form of message to an audience and am focused on how I am communicating that through sound. The focus is internal and musical.”

And that’s great. It’s a good mindset for staying on top of your performance. She added…

“My thoughts tend to be along the lines of:

Then she said, as a music therapist, she focuses on the person in front of her. Because she wants to be able to assess them so she can provide “receptive music techniques.” an watch their reactions. And she said she’s thinking about whether they’re in pain. Or if they’re anxious, sad, lonely, confused, and agitated.

That all makes sense to me. But I believe you can do both. Perform with thoughts of giving your best performance. And observe reactions so you can do more of what’s working. Again, I certainly don’t think they’re mutually exclusive. In fact, I think performance and therapy should be synergistic.

But their training is in areas like psychology, neurology, and the systems of the body. Nothing wrong with that. But none of it teaches them how to care for and love their neighbor.

I’ve seen who knows how many medical professionals who know their stuff. But you can see they just don’t care about the health and well-being of their patients.

No matter how well you’re trained in music communications, music therapy, or any other health-related field, it doesn’t make you a caring person. That comes from somewhere else. And here’s a hint: it ain’t you. Or me.

A little music therapy

Stay tuned,

My books are also on Amazon.com or Apple Books

Grab some Merch

Or how about some music for kids

The post Music communications with fewer complications appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

It sort of depends on your definition of music immunity. But there appears to be quite a bit of significant research that backs up how beneficial it is to listen to and play music.  

(See what I did there?)

Anyway…there’s a peer reviewed journal, Brain Behavior and Immunity, that deals with (get yourself a cup of coffee, this is gonna be a long word) psychoneuroimmunology. Just a nine syllable way of saying they study the connections between psychology, your nervous system, and your immune system.

And according to them there are some pretty cool effects of listening to music. At least potentially. But some of their research shows how music can directly have a positive effect on biomarkers and hormone levels.

Immunoglobin A, an antibody that plays a crucial role in the immune function of mucous membranes, seems to really enjoy music. And that’s especially cool. Because your body needs optimum function of those mucous membranes in order to be able to fight off pesky germs.

Sure, this isn’t all that important right now. But who knows? It might come in handy some day. (Do you detect a bit of tongue-in-cheek, there?)

Oh yeah, some more of that research seems to show a reduction in cortisol levels by listening to music. You know what that’s connected to, right? Yeah, belly fat. Music and less belly fat? Who knew?

I’ll tell you right now, I’m not up on drugs. I don’t know the names of many of them, or what they do, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. But apparently there’s an anti-anxiety drug called diazepam. And another study by the Journal of Music therapy led to one of their researches saying music can be as effective as diazepam in dealing with anxiety.

Another part of that study showed how listening to 20 minutes of live music had several measured benefits. Like reduced anxiety, fear, fatigue, relaxation, and diastolic blood pressure.

Now, I don’t know what type of live music they listened to. But I’m guessing it wasn’t heavy metal or rap. And maybe that’s just my thinly disguised bias showing. But I doubt it.

Anyway…

Here’s my recommendation. During these disconnected times, listen to more music. And, of course, stay tuned to my The Power of God’s Love Podcast. Because I share music on there. But I don’t rap or metallize my songs. Just so you know.

Listen to music to build

Stay tuned,

My books are also on Amazon.com or Apple Books

Grab some Merch

Or how about some music for kids

The post Music immunity is good for your community appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

But human connection isn’t always healthy. Especially if and when it takes you away from logic and reason. I’ve been studying the potential healing effects of music, lately. And unfortunately I see too many music therapists and researchers emphasizing the power of self. And most of them only give a slight nod to design, calling it “spirituality.”  

Like in an article I just read that talked about jazz musicians improvising a tune instead of playing a composition. The research showed how “the activity deactivated the brain areas of self-monitoring and judgment activity.” And they thought this was a good thing, of course. But it’s not.

When you don’t self-monitor or exercise good judgment, you’re asking for more than you bargained for.

That same article talked about community drum circles, ukulele circles, and singing activities as ways to connect as a group through music. And they added, “Even if you feel low in energy, just being in the space where music is being created can enliven you.”

I agree with that. But then they added, “This takes your mind off fear, doubt, and worry: you can’t think while you’re playing music.”

That’s an awesome side effect of listening to and playing music. But I disagree with the second part. Yes, you CAN think while you’re playing music.

I spent over a quarter of a century as a professional musician. Yeah, I actually made a living at it. And I can tell you, from all those years experience, I was thinking while playing songs. Most of the time my thoughts were focused on each song, how to vocalize it, and what to give the crowd next.

But often, I’d think about events of the day. Or what route I’d take on my drive to the next job. And even sometimes about what I gonna eat or who I’d talk to during my break.

It’s sad how deeply the idea of focusing on your emotions and feelings has permeated the arts. I’m not emotionless and unfeeling. But I know it’s so much more important to apply logic and reason to your life. At least if you want to actually solve problems. And not just acknowledge and feel them.

That’s why I’m focusing on the healing potential of music with a designed and eternal perspective.

Because there might be some others doing that, but if they’re out there, they’re being swamped by the new agey, humanist, self-empowered “gurus.”

I’m no guru from some whoo whoo who’s who.

Stay tuned,

My books are also on Amazon.com or Apple Books

Grab some Merch

Or how about some music for kids

The post Human connection with a slight objection appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

A sister-in-law of mine (I have 6 of them) is dealing with some serious cancer issues right this minute. She’s in a hospital, here in Colorado Springs. And she’s already gone through an extensive round of chemotherapy and radiation. You know how it goes. Hair loss. Ghostlike complexion, etc. She didn’t want to go the more holistic route my wife suggested. Because she doesn’t feel she has the willpower to stick with it. So, for her, vibrational sound therapy wouldn’t have even showed up on her radar.

Well, maybe. I just read something interesting about a French composer/biologist and another French biologist. They conducted a laboratory study using low-volume (about 30-40 decibels) acoustic sound on uterine cancer cells. And they pointed a camera on the petri dishes where the cells were.

The results, according to them, and caught on camera showed how the sounds disintegrated the cells.

And you’ll never guess what they said the most effective and interesting sound was. So, I’ll just tell you. It was a human voice. And they said a human voice would “explode” those cancer cells in only nine minutes.

After that, those two French biologists worked with a couple of women diagnosed with breast cancer. And they had some more amazing results. I’m not going into that now. But the doctors wrote how “the cancer cells show evidence of cell nuclei incapable of maintaining their structure as the sound wave frequencies attack the cytoplasmic and nuclear membranes.”

They came up with a theory that “tumor cells aren’t in resonance with the human body.” Which means it appears uninterrupted resonant sound can destabilize and destroy cancer cells.

Wow. The right sounds might be good cancer fighting tools. Even if it doesn’t work for everyone, it’s certainly a much safer first choice than chemo and radiation.

And sound and light are much more likely to develop hope than those harsh treatments. Watch this…

Could good vibrations help you heal

Stay tuned,

My books are also on Amazon.com or Apple Books

Grab some Merch

Or how about some music for kids

The post Vibrational sound therapy sounds pretty good to me appeared first on Tony Funderburk.