I try to explain to my 10 year old daughter when she needs to be reminded that everything has its place in the scheme of things that it takes all colours to make a rainbow. Similarly with music it takes all kinds of vibrations to make one sound let alone a whole song.

So in this sense I dont have a problem with the rational/scientific contributions here or to Daylias original post although some of the sentiments expressed arent quite to my taste either. What I do want to take issue with for what its worth is the idea that "mysticism" and "science" are somehow mutually exclusive or that one or the other is bunk.

If you look at both systems they let us get closer to understanding something about what we are experiencing by being involved with music....... at what ever level or capacity. They way they do that differs as does the knowledge and understanding that we access through one or the other. Both ways of experiencing music are equally valid. I mean you can have a "rational", "logical" experience of music and thats fine but it would soon become boring if music just happened in your head and you never had the experience of getting carried away and just letting your feet and body respond to the music. At that level it really doesnt matter if you are dancing to the Sex Pistols, the Stones, Eminem or Stravinsky.

Daylia, I started this small datribe by just wanting to pass on a book that you might find interesting. Its called the Mysticism of Sound, the Sufi Message of Hazrat Inayat Khan. He talks about music as a metaphor for life and goes on from there. If you can get hold of it take what you want and then move on. Hopefully you will be a little richer for the experience.

By the way just to balance things a little find some books by Fritjof Capra or read about Chaos theory.......... different frames of reference to the one in your post but equally rich in what they can offer re a perspective on music and just maybe life in general.

One final thought though, for the sake of the kids you are teaching keep it simple and keep it fun. Let your students feel the music in their bodies and let them draw their own conclusions about it all from their own experience.

Nuff blah for now Bye.