Mountain music with its origins in black and white (yin and yang), clad in homespun, and simple is an ideal way to enter the ‘flowing moment’ through playing music. While not exactly returning to the use of the knotted rope, it does return us momentarily to a simpler time that humanity knew before electricity became such a dominant part of our life. Just imagine what life would be like if we ceased using electricity. Modern medicine, science, cars, radios, refrigeration, and on and on, would end.
Certainly, you will have to ‘think outside the box’ to appreciate how a music born in the mountains of Appalachia can mesh so perfectly with a world view born in China thousands of years ago. First is the synthesis of black (African) and white (European) music that give it such a deep and universal appeal. Next, the songs, whether gospel, about murder, love, joy or sorrow, speak to our general ‘solitary’, ‘desolate’, and ‘hapless’ state. Finally, the uplifting thing about mountain music is how it expresses our troubles in such a joyful syncopated way. Sorrow and joy… there is that old yin and yang again.
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Or see the books and CD’s available for learning theToneWay Music Method.