Subliminal Messaging in Music - Thoughts?

[cheephardware]

Apologies - I tried to search to confirm whether this was posted about from a practical standpoint yet. If so, glad to close the thread. Also apologies for not having a "feel" of the forum yet. Regardless...

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So, subliminal messaging...in music (or just audio). Anyone want to discuss from a practical standpoint? I'm sure most of us are familiar with the idea, via/within BOC's work, or those old theater videos with a single frame (which, I believe, were admitted/proven to be a hoax).

However, despite both loving the aesthetic that BOC uses, and similar things that RDJ does with highly modulated/effected voices, loving reversed vocal sounds, the intriguing nature of it all...I thought it might be interesting to even pretend to have a serious conversation about the possibility of using said techniques. Sort of a thought-experiment and pooling of information on the topic, with a generous dose of skepticism as a given. All sober and "trippy" thoughts welcome.

We know the sources are going to be questionable, we know the "data" is going to be likely impossible to prove...but it is compelling, since we all like the idea via BOC's subject matter, implications, etc., as well as some of their interviews asserting music can directly effect the mind.

I'll gather a few things to post, but wanted to put that out as a prompt and just see if anyone wanted to engage in this sort of musing! And again, apologies if this isn't in the vein of the forum.

- Pat

[steeldancer-x]

Sending a signal to the brain, via way thru music.
I guess a huge reason why BOC attracts me so heavily is because in a way, it's used 'for good'. A lot of subliminal messaging is utilized to take advantage of something or someone. I feel relieved saying that I have never felt that way listening to BOC.
though I will add this, can definitely understand and relate to why it freaks a few ppl out a little bit.

Another thing to think about, were they not among the first to implement it heavily as a 'theme' or 'motif' in their music? Only to merely watch how it's used nowadays?

[cabal rose tv]

I totally agree with steeldancer-x

It might sound weird, but its related to manifesting reality, in a way.

While creating music, film, sculpture, or anything whatsoever, we put our soul and essance into it, and when we share it, we hope that other people will pick up on it. Subliminals, at least to me, is taking this process, and putting it more into your face, but not so much so, that it is spoiled.

The way BOC used subliminals, is specific to them, but it shows their interests, and what they were trying to convey through their music, song and album titles, samples, images, etc.

There is a huge difference between subliminals that are meant to be seen conciously in one way or another, and the ones that are not meant to be seen in a concious way, and only for the unconcious mind. The former are usually seen in arts, while the latter in for instance politics, mass media, news outlets, commercials, etc.

[Negamuse]

There was a guy in the 90's, David Oates, who had this theory that humans spoke in two directions at the same time. Your conscious brain would put together words and sentences as normal but your subconscious mind would make subtle changes to how your mouth made the sounds so that your emotional truth would be communicated in reverse.

Also, humans had an innate ability to pick up on these messages as they went straight into your subconscious. By taking sound recordings of people speaking and playing them backwards we could train ourselves to hear what people were "really saying".

The guy had a website and gave seminars and everything. I never believed a word of it, and mostly it seemed like a vehicle for "decoding" conspiracy theory rubbish in a way that seemed hella sus but the idea really interested me from a purely inventive nonsense kinda way.

Cos it was compatible with intentional backmasking in music, kind of worked as a mechanism of action explainer in concept even though there was zero evidence for it. Just thought it was narratively neat

[twistingcells]

I'm all for subliminal messages. Fuck me up, fam. Fill me with your sinister machinations.

[mechanismj]

It doesn't really exist. You are imagining things.

[NTFMTS]

Agreed ^

[rodox_head]

I'm not exactly in favor of the notion that the deep recesses of one's imagination can be so easily intentionally swayed. All five senses make up a hodge podge of memories that latch onto "subliminal" triggers. Delta Machine always makes me conjure foggy images of where I grew up despite listening to it after I had moved out and I don't really know why.

Source: spinchtor