Music to Be Born By

Music to Be Born By is an album by percussionist Mickey Hart that is based on the fetal heartbeat of his son Taro Hart, who was born on January 13, 1983. The album was released in 1989 by Rykodisc, and was later reissued by Smithsonian Folkways as part of their Mickey Hart Collection.[1][2][3][4]

Music to Be Born By
A baby, which has apparently just emerged from a large egg
Studio album by
Mickey Hart and Taro Hart
Released1989
Recorded1983
StudioThe office of Gerald P. Wilmer M.D., Greenbrae, California; The Barn, Novato, California
GenreAmbient
Length1:10:10
LabelRykodisc
RCD 20112
ProducerMickey Hart
Mickey Hart chronology
Yamantaka
(1983)		 Music to Be Born By
(1989)		 At the Edge
(1990)

During a visit to the family's obstetrician, Hart recorded his unborn son's heartbeat on a Nagra portable recorder that was attached to a fetal pulse monitor placed on the stomach of Taro's mother, Mary Holloway Hart. (On the album, she is credited for providing "heartbeat environment.") Later, in his studio, Hart transferred the sounds to 16-track tape, after which he, along with flutist Steve Douglas and bassist Bobby Vega, overdubbed additional tracks. The music was then played at the baby's birth. According to Hart, the recording is intended "to facilitate and coordinate rhythmic breathing cycles, assisting the mother's concentration and focus before, during and after delivery."[3][5][6][7]

Hart initially had no intention of issuing the music to the general public, and sent copies on cassette tape to friends who inquired about it. However, he later decided to release it due to ongoing positive feedback and an increasing number of requests.[5][8] He reflected: "I have maybe a thousand letters and pictures of babies born to this music... Most cultures have birthing music: music to be born by. We don't. We lost that ritual."[9]

At the time of the album's release, Taro Hart was credited as being "the world's youngest recording artist."[6][10]

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

AllMusic's William Ruhlmann called the album "soothing,"[1] while author Julia Cameron described it as "propulsive, energizing, and grounding."[11] Mark Saleski of Something Else! listed the album as one of his "favorite minimalist/ambient recordings," and wrote: "this record presents a warm percussive wash using wood flute, drums and bass harmonics. The pattern is altered very slightly throughout. Hypnotic is the word."[12]

Track listing
  1. "Music to Be Born By" – 1:10:10

Performers
  • Mickey Hart – surdo
  • Taro Hart – heartbeat
  • Mary Holloway Hart – heartbeat environment
  • Steve Douglas – wooden flute
  • Bobby Vega – electric bass

Technical personnel
  • John Cutler – engineer
  • Jeff Sterling – assistant engineer
  • Tom Flye – assistant engineer, remixing
  • Joe Gastwirt – mastering
  • Steven Jurgensmeyer – cover art
  • Fredric Lieberman – consultant

References
  1. Ruhlmann, William. "Mickey Hart / Taro Hart: Music to Be Born By". AllMusic. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  2. "Mickey Hart / Taro Hart: Music to Be Born By". ArtistInfo. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  3. "Music to Be Born By: Mickey Hart". DeadDisc. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  4. "Music to Be Born By: Mickey Hart / Taro Hart". Smithsonian Folkways. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  5. Hart, Mickey (1989). Music to Be Born By (liner notes). Mickey Hart and Taro Hart. Rykodisc. RCD 20112.
  6. Popson, Tom (March 17, 1989). "The Youngest Recording Artist Ever". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  7. Krehbiel, Tom (May 12, 1989). "Music to Be Born By". The Buffalo News. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  8. "Mickey Hart: Music To Be Born By". JamBands.com. January 16, 2012. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  9. Trager, Oliver (1997). The American Book of the Dead. Touchstone. p. 274.
  10. Harrington, Richard (July 12, 1989). "Days of the Living Deadheads". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  11. Cameron, Julia (2021). The Listening Path: The Creative Art of Attention. St. Martin's.
  12. Saleski, Mark (November 3, 2011). "Ambient records from Brian Eno, Mickey Hart, Robert Fripp, others: Gimme Five". Something Else!. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
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