Magic ritual in music production

Abstract

Ceremonial ritual, conventional for thousands of years as a part of established religion and esoteric practices, generates belief and belonging in participants, often stimulating a sense of euphoria and social well-being. Music is a fundamental part of ritual practice, where the communal experience of playing music can have beneficial psychological effects. While live performance is often referred to as ritualistic and magical, the routines of music production are only seen as pragmatic functions. Where the science of sound production is devoid of the mysticism attributed to music as a wider artform, the magic of recording as an art can be underappreciated by those who practice it.

The objective of this thesis was to examine the benefits that magic ritual brings to the process of music production. The questions raised were whether the elements of the magic ritual increase productivity and focus and if the magic rituals could elevate social connection and value. To engage these issues, an extensive research study was conducted in the form of a 3-week album record-ing, where magic ritual was employed at the forefront of the daily production work.

Findings revealed that magic rituals performed during the production drew participants closer to their work, increased value, and enjoyment, and gave them a higher sense of connection and community within the project. The study indicated that magic ritual is simple to incorporate and of immense value to those involved in creating an album recording, and that it is both sustainable and conductive to the process.