Articles & Reviews

Accent Magazine, Summer 2005

In 1995, Yamaha artist Alan Roubik conceived the idea of testing his music for its healing properties. He approached renowned research scientist and author Dr. Masaru Emoto, whose New York Times best-selling book, The Hidden Messages in Water, included theories and discoveries that were featured in the 2004 art-house film What The (Bleep) Do We Know!?  Emoto based his water crystal photographs on quantum physics and that which included the effects of Roubik's music: "Alan Roubik's music has the best healing properties of any modern music," Dr. Emoto writes, "and forms beautiful water crystals."

"My association with Dr. Emoto goes back quite a few years," says Roubik.  "I am the only artist he will endorse, and he sells my CDs in Japan under an exclusive arrangement."  Roubik is the only non-Japanese recording artist to be inducted into the National Archives of Japan for his healing or "hado" music. 

As a child prodigy, Roubik sustained severe nerve damage to one arm, an experience that led directly to his fascination with the healing powers of music.  He has recorded numerous CDs of healing music on Yamaha conservatory grand pianos, and his music is widely used by physicians, athletes, fitness instructors, trainers and spiritual healers. "I was first introduced to Yamaha pianos in 1989 while in Tokyo," says the composer, pianist and producer, "and whenever I needed a piano, Yamaha was very supportive.  I officially called in my first favor in 1994 for a music video of my song "Promises", which became a big hit on MTV.  I used a Yamaha CFIIIS concert grand for that session."

"Yamaha pianos have a very good recording quality," he observes.  "From one C Series piano to the next, they have consistently good sound quality and the craftsmanship and action are really superior.  I feel most comfortable recording and performing on Yamaha pianos; I'm very faithful." 

Roubik's most recent two-CD set, Celebration Of Love, was recorded on the Yamaha grand at Entourage Studios in North Hollywood; he used the same piano to record his first film score project, Germany and the Secret Genocide, produced/directed by J. Michael Hagopian, has received numerous awards including the First Place Golden Camera Award in the History category from the U.S. International Film and Video Festival.  Roubik was surprised to find the experience deeply enjoyable, in spite of the serious subject matter of the film and his initial misgivings about tackling his first score.  "I improvised with live footage," he says.  "I'd go into the sessions with a theme in mind, go with the feeling of the movie, and it came out great!"  Roubik exclaims, adding, "I'm actually now much more open to doing another film score."

AHP Perspective, August/September 2005

Alan Roubik Composes Healing Music:  Alan Roubik was a competing pianist at age 9, who composed his own concertos. He started playing keyboard at age 3. At 16, he sustained an arm injury and severe nerve damage that rendered his fingers immobile. He spent 10 years rebuilding his strength to the point where he could produce an album. Doctors suggested surgery, but Alan refused. He was determined to continue playing the piano, and he began to focus on creating compositions that suited his limited hand movements. In the process, Alan unknowingly utilized a form of music therapy that would eventually strengthen his hand and allow him full mobility to perform again.

Ironically, Alan became most well-known for his music therapy recordings—his first CD was Promises. The popularity of this recording led to the production of the music video Promises, which was an instant hit on such channels and programs as MTV, Star TV Asia, and MOR Music. Since then, Alan has produced a dozen CD recordings, three music videos, a film score, and commercials. He is also recognized worldwide as a healing-music artist and producer. His first music therapy recording released in Japan in 1996 fetched an unprecedented retail price of $100 per CD. Scientifically tested by an independent research laboratory in Tokyo, Alan's music was proven to have the most healing properties of any modern music tested.

In 1995, Roubik met Dr. Masaru Emoto, a Japanese scientist who studies the physical effects of sound on water crystals, who then began to use Roubik’s healing music in his experiments.  Doctors, yogis, and energy healers use his music therapy recordings. Japanese farmers use the music to calm their cows, who then produce more milk. He has appeared with Dr. Emoto at the What the Bleep Do We Know?! conferences.

RESEARCH ON THE EFFECT OF MUSIC ON WATER Dr. Emoto's water crystal photographs are based on quantum physics, and were first used to test the effects of music composed and produced by Alan Roubik. Dr. Emoto's study of water shows physical proof that thoughts and feelings affect physical Dr. Emoto uses a powerful microscope in a cold room, and high-speed photography to photograph newly formed crystals of frozen water samples after exposure to music (and other things). Not all water samples form crystals—those from heavily polluted rivers do not react. Less heavily polluted water forms incomplete, asymmetrical patterns with dull colors, as does ordinary water subjected to negative human thoughts. See the low level of organization in water created by exposure to heavy metal music. Dr. Emoto believes his research results show how our thoughts, attitudes, and emotions deeply affect our environment and our personal health.

—KATHLEEN ERICKSON, Editor,  (Association for Humanistic Psychology)

Light Connection, July 2005

Review, Celebration Of Love:  Alan Roubik was a child prodigy who learned to play his organ keyboard by ear at the age of three. Celebration of Love , created in collaboration with Dr. Masaru Emoto, is truly a gift of his creative genius.

By nine years of age, Alan was performing his own compositions as well as classical and ragtime music. But at 16, he sustained severe damage to a nerve in his right arm, making it nearly impossible to move his fingers. He could no longer hold a fork or spoon in his right hand. Doctors suggested surgery, but Alan refused. Determined to continue playing the piano, he began to focus on creating compositions that suited his limited hand movements. Unbeknownst to him, he had been utilizing a form of music therapy that would eventually strengthen his hand and allow him full mobility to perform again.

Alan would later become most well known for his music therapy recordings. His first music therapy recording released in Japan in 1996 fetched an unprecedented retail price of $100 per CD. Alan has produced a dozen CD recordings, three music videos, a film score and commer-cials. Scientifically tested and endorsed by an independent research laboratory in Tokyo, Alan's music is said to have the most healing properties of any modern music. He is the only non-Japanese recording artist to be inducted in the National Archives of Japan for his healing music. Today, Alan's music is used and recommended by doctors, professional athletes and trainers, health, fitness and yoga instructors, as well as spiritual healers.

—Chiwah

    Whole Life Times, February 2005

Music Hath Charms

Alan Roubik was composing and performing piano concertos when most kids his age were still mastering the finer points of the two-wheeler. By nine years old, Roubik, who had played keyboard by ear since age three, was raking in applause and awards at SoCal-area piano concerts and competitions. But his achievements as a child prodigy would not be this virtuoso’s most notable accomplishments.

In a bizarre high school accident, the 16-year-old Roubik smashed his elbow hard enough to permanently damage the ulnar nerve in his right arm. Within a week, excruciating pain made even the smallest tasks impossible. Unused, the piano player’s hand began to atrophy. Doctors recommended the stricken teenager submit to a series of surgeries to relocate the ulnar nerve, giving him a 50 percent chance of recovery. “There was no guarantee that my hand would ever regain muscle density or strength with surgery… [so] I told my parents that I would somehow overcome this on my own,” recalls Roubik, now in his late 30s.

Determined to keep making music, Roubik embarked on a decades-long odyssey of slowly rebuilding his strength, playing for longer and longer and increasing the capability of his disabled hand. “The doctors told me that, at best, my nerve would heal at the rate of one inch per year and the muscles would never come back. But I was an athlete, a martial artist, a lifeguard. I had the attitude that I could conquer it all.”

Ten years after his accident, Roubik’s self-imposed music therapy had restored enough strength and mobility that he was able to record and produce his own album, astounding his doctors. “I knew that music had healed me… not only through playing and building muscles but because the music itself made me feel good. It made me feel strong.”

So when, after a concert in 1995, Roubik was introduced to Dr. Masaru Emoto, a Japanese scientist who studies the physical effects of sound on water crystals, the two had quite a lot to talk about. Their meeting evolved into a professional collaboration when Emoto began to use Roubik’s music in his water experiments.

Through his work with Dr. Emoto, Alan is now an international “healing music” (or hado music, in Japan) performer and composer, and the only non Japanese recording artist to be inducted into Japan’s National Archives. Doctors, yogis and energy healers use his music therapy recordings, and with the work of Dr. Emoto appearing in the hit art-house film What the Bleep Do We Know!?, Roubik’s reputation continues to grow.

Catch Roubik and his curative tunes when he performs with Dr. Emoto at the What the Bleep Do We Know!? Prophets Conference in Santa Monica, 2/4-6.

    The Light Connection, February 2005

Prophet's Conference on “What the Bleep” - Santa Monica, Feb. 4-6

Share your thoughts with the great minds from the What the Bleep Do We Know!? film at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel. The conference promises to dive deeper into the conversations generated by this amazing film. Scheduled to appear are the film's many scientists, visionaries, filmmakers and actors.

One special musical artist scheduled to perfom at the Santa Monica Prophet's Conference is solo pianist Alan Roubik. As a child prodigy, Roubik sustained severe nerve damage to one arm which rendered those fingers immobile. Determined to play again, he focused on creating compositions suited to his limited movements. Unknowingly, he was utilizing a type of music therapy that eventually allowed him to play again.

Roubik is now recognized worldwide for his healing music. His music therapy recordings are scientifically tested to have the most healing properties of any modern music. It is used by doctors, athletes and spiritual healers including Dr. Masaru Emoto. Alan Roubik will be playing songs at Dr. Emoto's seminar, as well as the closing ceremonies, at the Prophet's Conference.

TheCelebrityCafe.com, January 2005

"Alan’s music can stand on its own but requires a slight explanation beforehand. His music has been used by doctors to help people heal. Japanese farmers have used his music to calm cows, and they’ve reportedly produced more milk. This gives a deeper understanding of the nature of Alan’s music. It’s calming and relaxing, and the set includes an instrumental version and a CD of solo piano.  I felt a bit more calm and relaxed after listening to the CD. Whether it was the music itself or the fact that it was calm piano pieces, I don’t know. However he worked with Dr. Masaru Emoto on the album which at the least means they’ve scientifically geared this album towards relaxing! -Maria Spanadoris ^{new pop} www.TheCelebrityCafe.com  (Reviewer's Rating: 8.5)

"The CD called “Hado Music, Series I -Immunity/Pain Relief” (also known as "The Four Seasons") by Alan Roubik was reported by several persons to help induce a deep restful state of sleep. Locally, a friend with insomnia stopped by to visit me last month. I told him about the music be Alan Roubik and started to play the CD so he could hear what it sounded like. I left for a while to go to the store and returned to find him fast asleep. He awoke shortly after the music stopped playing. Needless to say, he became a believer in the effects of this music. This person usually uses prescription drugs to get to sleep." -Positive Health News, www.keephopealive.org  

MISCELLANEOUS ARTICLES

Reuters Health News, Feb 2, 2005

The Secret of Getting to Sleep? Music

LONDON (Reuters) - Having trouble sleeping? Don't bother with a cup of cocoa or counting sheep -- listening to music at bedtime is the way to get a restful night, Taiwanese researchers have found.

In a paper published in the February issue of the Journal of Advanced Nursing, a team from Taiwan's Tzu Chi University said they studied the sleep patterns of 60 people aged between 60 and 83 who had difficulty sleeping. Half were given relaxing music to listen to for 45 minutes at bedtime and half were given no help to sleep. The team found that those who listened to a selection of soft, slow music experienced physical changes that aided restful sleep, such as lower heart and respiratory rates.

"The difference between the music group and the control group was clinically significant," said lead author Hui-Ling Lai, vice director of nursing at the Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital and assistant professor at Tzu Chi University. "The music group reported a 26 per cent overall improvement in the first week and this figure continued to rise as they mastered the technique of relaxing to the sedative music."