Let's talk about the iso-principle.
This is a central concept in music therapy.
And it has to do with the Greek word iso means equal.
And music therapists know that in order to change one's mood, one's approach,
they really need to match their mood with the music.
So if you're feeling very depressed, just quite downhearted and unmotivated,
if I put on some peppy music, big tempo changes, all kinds of new themes
and a rich timbre, it may be so far away from how you feel
that you just can't relate to that.
And that music could be very agitating for you.
Similarly, if you're feeling overwhelmed, and anxious, and agitated,
and you can't even sit still, if we played
some slow music with long themes and very soft music,
it might not really reach you.
It might not resonate.
So what music therapist do is to try and find
that music that matches where you are emotionally
and gradually change that music.
Perhaps, the music is very fast and very chaotic,
because you're feeling so confused and gradually, that music will change.
The themes will be singled out.
It will become more consonant.
There'll be more resonant harmonies and flowing themes.
And the reverse might be true if you're feeling really lonely, and isolated,
and you're just wanting some peace.
The music might gradually build, build in tempo, getting faster,
build in dynamics, getting louder, building in complexity
making the timbre much richer and full and slowly bring you out of that funk.
That's the iso-principle.
You're going to see some animated demonstrations of some music
that might somehow match someone's mood and change it just over a few minutes.
So listen and watch and see what you learn about this important music
therapy concept.
[MUSIC PLAYING]