Let the Music Guide You

Music, the internationally understood language, has a great impact on our memories and moods. Certain songs can bring me right back to a different time or situation. I’m able to get totally lost in the past, simply by listening to music. By the same token, different genres of music affect my mood in different ways. Psychologists refer to this impact as music therapy. If I’m feeling blue, a good ballad allows me to wallow in my tears. If I’m getting ready to go out on the town, it’s time to blast the hip-hop music. Each type of music puts me in a different mood.

After I thought about what a profound effect music has on my mood, I started wondering if that would translate into my scrapbook pages. Scrapbooking, for me, is an emotional project. I try to put all of me out onto my scrapbook pages and not just the “happy face.” I write about the good times and the bad. Sometimes when I get angry, I just start writing my journaling in that moment, so I’ll have it when it’s time to do a scrapbook page. Life is filled with great highs and great lows, and it’s important to document both for the future generations. I want my descendants to know the real me.

It can be tough to write your journaling if you’re just not feeling that emotion at the time you’re scrapbooking (and chances are you won’t be). Set the mood with some music to take you back and allow you to do your best work. Here are some examples of how music can guide your page.

Classical/Jazz
When I want to do a page that has a whimsical feel, I turn on the classical or jazz stations on the radio. If I need to remember details about a certain time or place for my journaling, classical is the way to go. Teachers are always talking about using classical or soft, wordless music during study and testing because of the effect it has on the brain. It allows you to recall facts more easily than any other type of music (barring a memory attached to a song). If nothing else, classical and jazz are the types of music that I turn on the most to allow my brain to expand and really start to think outside of the box.

Rock
If I’m doing a page with some serious content about rough situations or I want my page to have a really “messy” feel, rock is the way to go. The rock genre allows room for your discretion. Put on your favorite rock music to get the best results, whether it be classic rock, punk rock or new alternative rock. As long as it has a fast beat and plenty of drums, it should do the trick.

Soft/Slow (Ballad)
This type of music is great for the emotional journaling pages. I tend to grab light colors when I listen to slow, soft music. When I do pages about me, and my inner thoughts, this is the type of music I turn on. Again, this can mean anything from Luther Vandross to Michael Bolton. Anything that’s light on the drums and electric guitar and heavy on the crooning will be best to set this mood. This is also great for those pages about a loss or with a sad mood attached to it.

Loud/Upbeat
When I’m doing a page that’s pure fun, I’ll turn to upbeat music to set the mood. I usually turn on a little bit of dance music or party favorites. This music is great for party pages, “girls’ night out” layouts and fun cards for the people you love. The fast beat will keep you motivated to keep on scrapping through the night. Whatever gets you in the mood to party should be what you put on for this type of project.

The most important thing about letting music guide your pages is to know what type of music sparks your emotions. Do whatever suits you best. Maybe heavy metal makes you cry; go with it! You’ll be amazed by the effect that it has on the “mood” of your layouts. If there is a certain song that reminds you of the pictures you’re working on, try your hardest to locate it. If music has as much of an impact on you as it does on me, I know you’ll really love and appreciate the results. Good luck and rock on!