There are a few boxes to tick before a client can walk in the room including: clean towels on the table? Enough oil in the container? Water to wash hands after massaging feet? Warm water for wiping oil off the feet once the massage is over? Fresh drinking water? Is the room too warm? Too cold? And an element that I find important: music!
Music helps to create the whole experience of a massage, sets the mood and is a distraction to help clients relax and ease discomfort. In addition, it helps me get into the flow and rhythm of giving a massage. To have music playing during the massage is a personal choice and I always ask new clients if they would like music during their session.
My favourite is instrumental, low vibe, lounge-style. I avoid any singing as this I feel is too much of a distraction for my client who is trying to zone out and relax. If the music is not to a client’s taste, I will happily change it to another genre which they prefer.
Volume is important: too loud and its distracting; too low then the client is straining their ear to try and listen. The tempo of the music should always be consistent, no sudden changes in tempo or volume as this can be unsettling.
Are there times when I don’t use music? For sure. Some clients prefer silence and I respect this of course. Also, when I do chair massages at a party or an event, there is always way too much background noise so playing my own music would not be suitable. On these occasions I often wear ear plugs!
At the moment there is some controversy with Spotify creating AI one-minute playlists. These AI generated songs can deceive listeners about an artist’s authenticity, potentially misdirecting royalty payments away from human artists, and undermine the perceived value of human creativity. I would like to point out that I do not play any of this AI-generated content.
Do you want a certain type of music when you have a massage? Just let me know!
Music to my ears…
