| Isn't it funny that the big recording companies charge | | | | there is the occasional outside noise that annoys you |
| so much for something that is their attempt to try to | | | | when you play it back. . |
| help you relax. Till you get the credit card bill or bank | | | | Or if someone around is good at mixing you might |
| statement, anyway. | | | | even be able to add your own music to it. |
| Sadly though, at least half the time the sounds and | | | | Another use for these types of recording is as a prop |
| music they put together really doesn't help as much as | | | | to assist in dealing with children or clients who have |
| you would like them to. | | | | processing or behavioural issues, eg Autism & |
| Why not make your own relaxation tapes. At least | | | | Asperger's. |
| that way you can personalise what goes on them and | | | | These types of recordings can be used to distract or |
| make your own relaxation or white noise recordings to | | | | make a force a break in their problems if used by |
| suit your own private tastes. | | | | someone who has an idea of what the person is |
| The other point is that it is also a personal thing, which | | | | trying to communicate and what interests and |
| will remind you of real experiences, if it is a record of a | | | | obsessions are uppermost in the person's mind. |
| visit to a park, beach, forest or a favourite place, etc. | | | | Most parents or carers when trying to relax people |
| This has got to help if it can bring back personal | | | | who are intellectually challenged or behavioural or both |
| memories from a happier and more relaxed moment | | | | will try music or a favourite movie or TV show, but |
| from your own past. | | | | why stop there. Why not a recording of a series of |
| For some people, like my older children, it's just the | | | | adds from TV or Radio, if that's what appeals to the |
| ‘white' noise of a fan or air conditioning unit running | | | | person? |
| that they need to get them to sleep. | | | | What about using an audio recording of say sirens, if |
| Well wouldn't it be cheaper to record and play back | | | | the person has a fascination for fire engines or police. |
| that sound for an hour or so on a recording, rather | | | | Or of a plane going by or taking off from an airport, if |
| than have it run every night, all night, whether it is | | | | their fixation is on planes or it could be the sounds of a |
| needed or not. | | | | railway station or of steam trains etc. |
| For me a Relaxation tape would have to include the | | | | My own son loves a few particular audio books that |
| sounds from my own backyard of a morning or | | | | he owns, so I tend to play tracks from these at times, |
| afternoon. With the sounds of lorikeet's and top knot | | | | or a theme song or part of the dialogue from the |
| pigeons etc feeding from the feeding and watering | | | | dreaded Pokemon ™ animated TV series. These I |
| stations we maintain. The sounds of wind blowing | | | | have prepared and ready to go whenever I am home |
| through the trees and the windchimes tolls their merry | | | | when I am call into his school. As well as having |
| tunes. | | | | backup tracks of other things if one or the other isn't |
| These parts of the day on my back patio are my | | | | working, as well as I want it to. |
| focus moments of the day. When I can gather myself | | | | I also carry some different audio recordings of music, |
| at the beginning or end of a stressful day, watching | | | | audio books, dialogue, adds, and shows, with me when |
| and listening to these wonderful native birds chattering, | | | | I am working out in the community. |
| courting and fighting are the music of my personal | | | | These however, can be overused if you are not |
| breaks in the day. | | | | careful. So you will have to watch out for when they |
| If you are making a recording in public, try to pick a | | | | are loosing their effectiveness, and have alternatives |
| period of time when extraneous noise, eg. cars, building | | | | ready and available. |
| work, trains, siren's etc will be minimized. | | | | Though hold onto the original recordings because you |
| The best times are early in the day, weekends or | | | | can probably reuse them sometime later down the |
| public holidays. Though you can get software for your | | | | track when they haven't been heard in a while. |
| computer, which will allow you to cut and join mp3's if | | | | |