Our Sound System
Perhaps you are more interested in using pre-recorded music for your loved one's funeral or memorial service. If that's the case, you'll be pleased to know that our sound system includes Sony CD and MP3 players. Considered by many to be of five-star quality, our Sony electronic equipment is available for your use.
According to their website, "Sony creates and delivers more entertainment experiences to more people than anyone else on earth." They declare themselves to be engineers, but also artists. "We measure our success," they write, "with the flutter of a heart or a bead of cold sweat. After all, it's not about what we make; it's about what we make you feel."
And here's what we know from personal experience; the high auditory quality of our Sony electronics means your family and friends will surely have a deeply moving and memorable experience at your loved one's service.
In addition to the CD and MP3 players, we also have a Sony CD recorder which allows us to provide your family with an audio recording of their funeral or memorial service. You may not think that you'd like an auditory record of the event, but we've found that families truly appreciate both the idea of recording the service, and the reality of being given a truly unique keepsake.
Choosing the Music
Victor Hugo, the author of Les Misérables and The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, once said “Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent.” We've found his words to ring very true; the right music can turn the event into a true celebration of life, and a powerful testament to the love you shared. But, how do you know what music for funerals would be best for your family member's service? You know it by the feelings certain musical selections generate in you; by the memories they re-awaken.
In the 2013 Guardian News blog post "The Music We Choose at Funerals Reveals Much about Our Loved Ones", Charlotte Andrews writes, "To enjoy music means to welcome the catharsis that it can provide, to search out rhythms, melodies and voices that resonate with our own experiences and desires – songs that echo and amplify who we are and how we feel about the world. These tend to become the songs that fill the family home and populate the stereo, sound-tracking...the everyday weave of home life. They become family anthems, passed down through the generations, imbued with meaning."
She goes on to say, "When we lose someone, these are the songs we draw on. We play them to evoke memories of that person; we take comfort in the familiarity of their tunes...It's a revealing process, choosing these exit songs for the departed; they say so much about the person we are mourning and articulate our loss when our own words fail."
How should you begin choosing music for a memorial service or funeral? Here's what we've learned over the years. You should select those songs which:
- help those in attendance reflect, grieve, and celebrate his or her life
- comfort the bereaved and stimulate pleasant memories of times shared
- reflect your deceased family member's personality
- have a certain relevance or significance in your family member
If you're at a complete loss about the right music for a funeral, you can turn to others (both family and friends) to learn if they have any ideas or requests. And here's one more tip: before making your final selections, be sure to listen to the song completely. If it has lyrics, it's smart to read through them before committing to the song's use at your family member's service. Let Us Help
You don't have to make all the decisions about music for memorial services on your own. We've had years of experience in planning funerals and memorial services; which means we've "heard it all". Whether your loved one enjoy country, rock and roll, jazz, gospel, or classical music our staff members can help in the selection of songs intended for your family member's funeral or memorial service.
Contact us
to learn more about how we can use music for funerals to strengthen and amplify the experience for all who attend.