Joshua Leeds

Joshua Leeds,

Joshua Leeds is a music producer, sound researcher, and educator. He specializes in the field of psychoacoustics — the study of the effect of music and sound on the human nervous system. He is the author of The Power of Sound and Sonic Alchemy. 

Joshua’s discography includes the Essential Sound Series, The Listening Program, The Sound Health Series, and Sound Body Sound Mind. Collaborators include Dr. Andrew Weil, Dr. Jeffrey Thompson, brainwave  expert Anna Wise, and The Monroe Institute. 

Joshua teaches the therapeutic applications of music and sound at California Institute of Integral Studies and seminars internationally.

Post-Conference All-day Workshop: Advanced Psychoacoustics for Musicians and Therapeutic Professionals: How to Produce and Apply Therapeutic Soundtracks
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
DeVargas Room ath the St. Francis Hotel, 9 am - 5 pm

Advanced Psychoacoustics is an in-depth exploration of music and recording techniques used in the creation of audio programs for health, learning, and productivity. Psychoacoustics can be defined as the study of the effect of music and sound on the human nervous system.

In this all-day seminar, we move beyond the fundamental principles of resonance, entrainment, and pattern identification, and delve into sophisticated music and production techniques pioneered or evolved by Joshua Leeds and colleagues.

Course Description:
In this seminar we will investigate:

• Sound as frequency medicine
  
• The core principles of Dr. Alfred Tomatis
  
• The function of the auditory system from a Tomatis vantage point
  
• Binaural beat frequencies
  
• Filtration/Gating (Tomatis) techniques
  
• Psychoacoustic music arrangement techniques

Production software referenced includes Pro Tools and Digital Performer Recording studio sound processing gear examined from a psychoacoustic vantage point.

The goals of this 1-day seminar include:

• The understanding of music and sound in a therapeutic or educational context,
• Providing tools for the creation of music that will help accomplish a designated task, and
• The inclusion of the recording studio process as a tool (rather than hindrance) in the creation of soundwork soundtracks.

Learning Objectives:

• Examine primary components of psychoacoustics,
  
• Demonstrate and apply a perceptual comprehension of the effects of resonance, entrainment, and pattern identification,
  
• Prescribe sonic environments that empower therapeutic and learning environments, and,
  
• Implement strategic choices with music, sound, specialized recording techniques, and sonic neuro-technologies for the creation of effective application-specific soundtracks.

Pre-requisites:

This is an advanced-level course. Pre-requisites include any ONE of the following:

1. Attendance in the conference workshop, Soundwork Essentials,
2. Thorough reading of The Power of Sound by Joshua Leeds, available at:
http://sound-remedies.stores.yahoo.net/powerofsound.html or
3. A working knowledge of current soundwork therapies and techniques (BBFs, Tomatis, etc.).

References and resources will be abundant. The Power of Sound will be the basic text used in this course. Copies will be available at the conference bookstore.

for the Post-Conference All-Day Workshop
With Joshua Leeds

Workshop: Soundwork Essentials: Understanding Resonance, Entrainment and Pattern Identification
Sunday, November 11
Ballroom   2:00 pm to 5:30 pm 

NOTE: Soundwork Essentials for Musicians is a pre-requisite (or thorough comprehension of the instructor’s book, The Power of Sound) for the post-conference 1-day workshop, Advanced Psychoacoustics for Musicians and Therapeutic Professionals. 

Soundwork Essentials examines the key components found in application-specific soundtracks, be it for healing, learning, or enhancement of human function. Joshua specializes in psychoacoustics – the study of the effect of music and sound on the human nervous system. With twenty years of analysis of western soundwork recordings, he has identified essential elements necessary for optimum success. 

Goal:

 To explore the role and consequence of resonance (tone), entrainment (rhythm), and pattern identification (active listening and passive hearing). This is accomplished through lecture, experiential exercises, discussion, and question and answer.

Learning Objectives:

• Experience the effect of tone, rhythm, and pattern identification,
• Learn how and why sound powerfully affects the nervous system, and
• Increase awareness of what you can do to harness sonic energy for therapeutic applications.

This program will be of particular interest to musicians, educators, and therapeutic professionals who desire to understand the inner workings of therapeutic soundtracks.  References and resources will be abundant. The Power of Sound will be the basic text used in this seminar. Copies will be available in the conference bookstore.