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If you haven't heard about Robert Rich's sleep concerts, here's some background from the wikipedia article.
I searched the archive and notice no one has mentioned Somnium. Anyone heard it?
It's a DVD that has no video. Instead it's one loooong track (7 hours) that recreates one of Rich's sleep concerts.
Anyone?
I've never heard of it but it sounds awesome.
I must have it.
I have a lot of his other stuff. He's definitely in my top 20.
Have you listened to it or were you asking because you haven't? I've just ordered it, I'll let you know what it's like after I try it out.
Thanks, Jess.
I don't have it and it's on "restriction"...I can't order it because my lovely wife put it on a list for potential birfday gifts. :)
[edit] There were some samples of Somnium floating around, though, and they seemed pretty good. I'll see if I can dig'm up.
It arrived today so I'll listen to it tonight and let you know what it's like tomorrow.
I can't wait!!! :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Jess
Hurry up and sleep!
I played it last night when I went to sleep. I only remember the dream I woke up from in the morning: Two of my friends were in my bed with me and we were about to listen to Somnium.
I can't say much about the music as I only heard the first few minutes! I didn't try to LD and the music didn't induce one either. I'll get an early night tonight, try MILD and see what happens. I'll set an alarm to wake me up too in case I don't wake up myself so I can see what some other dreams were like. I might listen to it today to make sure it's not a big joke and the other six and a half hours of the DVD aren't blank! :lol:
If you buy it from Robert Rich's website he autographs it for you. :content:
That would be funny, huh?
Hour 2: "...You're sleeping...and I have your money."
Hour 3: "...Buy my other CDs..."
I'm not sure how much it will induce (or is meant to??) lucidity...I'm curious if during the rhythm of sleep, the music is different when you'd expect to be in REM.
Well, he writes in the notes that come with it:
"One of the more interesting dream experiences you might encounter is lucid dreaming...You may find that the activating nature of the Somnium environment can help you to pay closer attention to your mental states, and may even help you have a lucid dream."
So I don't think it's designed to induce them, but it's possible. Rich also writes:
"The idea is to let the music incorporate itself into your perceptual framework during the night, to create a sonic surround, an environment for unique states of consciousness. The music is aimed at the nebulous territory that exists in your mind when you are hovering between awake and asleep, when you are still aware of your environment, yet detached, when your half-sleeping mind wanders into the realm of hypnogogic images and dreamlike non-linearity."
That sums it up well. I think the music is similar for the whole 7 hours. I know it starts louder and gets quieter for the first hour but after that I don't know! I'll have to listen to it awake...busy for next few days though. The DVD's split into 3 roughly two hour long parts which is handy.
Thanks for the detailed info, Jess!
Would you recommend it to a friend?
Yeah I'd recommend it, for curiosity value if nothing else - I haven't noticed any effects on sleep as yet. What I've heard of it (consciously) so far is good enough to listen to at anytime as chilled background music imo. I haven't heard any of Rich's other stuff, that I know of, so I can't compare it to anything else he's done. It's also the longest piece of music ever recorded I think, which is kind of cool to own. :cooler: