Working Through Grief Through the Power of Music During the Hungry Ghost Festival
Image credits: Galen Crout on Unsplash
Have you ever wondered how to keep the memory of a loved one alive through the power of music? The Hungry Ghost Festival is almost here, resurfacing memories of loved ones who passed regardless if they’re a human or an animal. Grief is never an easy concept to grasp. I remember the day when my childhood pet dog passed away, it felt as though my world was falling apart. Every fiber of my body was rejecting the god-awful truth as I cursed at the wind, praying to a higher power – if there was even a higher power. But ultimately, my wishes go unheard and my childhood pet dog is still on the floor, motionless. Fast forward to today, I’ve moved on with my life but that emptiness has never been filled.
Many out there can relate to what I’ve felt but many individuals aren’t able to understand the pain I’ve gone through. I remember being unable to express my feelings fully as not many around me knew what to say. However, being face to face with death multiple times throughout my life taught me the beauty of cherishing the good and the bad in life. Be kind to others and always remember how your actions have consequences.
The 7 Stages of Grief
Image credits: Danie Franco on Unsplash
What exactly is grief? Google says that grief is the response to a loss that is deemed important to an individual where a bond or affection was formed. However, if I were to explain grief, it would be: “Grief is love that has nowhere to go”.
Getting through grief is often described as passing through stages. Introducing the 7 stages of grief. We first go through shock and denial. The constant thought of “this can’t be real” and numbing yourself from feeling the pain. Soon enough, pain and guilt come in, emotions surface and it feels unbearable. So much so that you may think you’re burdening your close friends with your feelings and needs.
Next, anger and bargaining. Lashing out toward a higher power, hoping that there’s a way to redo everything, to rewind time. When nothing we do works, depression sets in. This period of isolation, even though it makes us feel lonely, allows us to process the loss.
Image credits: Ryan Franco on Unsplash
It might take months or even years. But when the pain and anger feel like it has dissipated, the upward turn arrives. With emotions in check, that’s when we feel like we can pick up the pieces and move forward. Then finally, like a breath of fresh air, we accept the loss. Accept a future without the person or the pet.
I’ve been through all 7 stages of grief. However, I just have one regret, and that’s that I do not have many memories of my childhood pet dog to take with me. Even though I was born in the 20th century, I wasn’t much of a photo taker as I didn’t see the point. My stance was, why live for the future when you can live in the moment? For better or worse, I now realize the importance of keeping something tangible to hold onto.
What is the Hungry Ghost Festival?
Image credits: Tatler Asia
If you aren't familiar, the Hungry Ghost Festival is a Taoist and Buddhist tradition that traditionally falls on the 15th day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar. It is a tradition for the living to honor the memories of the departed through offerings and entertainment. It is also believed that during the festival, spirits or ghosts can return to Earth. The Hungry Ghost Festival 2024 officially starts on Sunday 18 August 2024. However, the festival is usually a month-long affair, hence the term “Ghost Month”.
2024 Hungry Ghost Festival and Ghost Day Key Dates
The first day of the 7th lunar month would be on 4 August 2024 this year.
On 18 August 2024, also known as “Ghost Day” or “Zhong Yuan Jie”, it is believed that ghosts or spirits are the most active.
2 September 2024 marks the final day of the 7th lunar month. The Gate of Hell closes and ghosts head back from the overworld.
Getai and Hungry Ghost Festival: Honoring the Dead
Image credits: The Homeground Asia
Whenever the Ghost Month arrives, I can’t help but wonder if my childhood pet dog has come back to roam the mortal world once more. To come back and visit me. There are many different ways to cope with grief and my coping mechanism has always been music. Music has played a big part in my journey to processing grief. I remember days when I lay on the floor, replaying “That’s Life” by Frank Sinatra for hours. Albeit a little different, the seventh month also includes music as one of their festivities for honoring the deceased.
Getai are stage performances of Chinese operas and live dramas for the living and deceased to enjoy together. Seats on the front rows are usually empty as they are reserved for the spirits who come to enjoy themselves. The performances are colorful and performed in a majority of dialects such as Hokkien. However, as time progresses, Getai has evolved to include Chinese and Korean pop songs.
This got me thinking. If Getai exists to give the deceased entertainment, I can record my music as a memento for the living. Why not create my song by incorporating my loved one’s voice to honor their memory? It can be something tangible to hold and bring with me on my journey through life.
A Truly Unique Gift to Remember a Loved One: Music Memento at Anadigi Sound Lab
After scouring the internet, I came across Anadigi Sound Lab, a studio that provides recording services for gift giving such as proposals and birthdays. They are an award-winning recording studio that provides recording, mixing, and mastering services for musicians and non-musicians. Founded by Raf Soundwalker, their state-of-the-art audio production studio provides musicians with everything they need for their music projects.
Even if you are a bedroom musician and would prefer to record by yourself, their recording room is also for rent if you’d prefer to have better acoustics to mix and master your project. I saw that they have worked with Singaporean artists such as Flame of the Forest, Shak and the Baits, and Altoduo so I knew that I would be in good hands.
I emailed them and surprisingly, they are open to the idea of incorporating my vocals and my childhood pet dog’s barks to create a song. All I had to do was create the song structure with their guidance.
The Process of Creating a Song from Scratch
The process of creating a song wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be even though I have a little knowledge of music. Honestly, props to all the songwriters out there, you guys are doing a great job. It includes writing song lyrics, creating the melody, deciding the instruments, and so on.
I’ve spent days having creative blocks before coming up with subpar lyrics that I’m not super proud of. However, with the help of the crew, i was able to get past that hurdle and improve on the lyrics. Even though not the best, I’m still proud of it regardless.
Finally, after months of preparing and back and forth, it’s time to record my vocals. Before that, I extracted a few barks or sounds of my beloved childhood dog with advice from the professional crew in Anadigi Sound Lab.
Recording at Anadigi Sound Lab
I’ve never been in a recording studio before so this is new and intimidating. However, the vibrant, warm, and spacious studio felt like home. The staff then introduced me to the recording room and the live room, where the magic happens. I was welcomed with mic stands, drum sets, and an electric keyboard, allowing me to live out my rockstar dreams.
However, the rockstar dreams died a little too fast from the amount of NGs I’ve made. I remember how nervous I felt in the live room when the recording started. The feeling of imperfection and fear of failure sets in as I ponder if I’ve wasted my money. Fortunately, the sound engineer noticed and reassured me that everything would be alright. It was truly a humbling experience.
After hours of recording and weeks of waiting for the final product, it seems that my worries are unwarranted. The final mix of the recording was sent to me and I was blown away. It sounded as though my childhood dog was with me throughout the recording session, even hilariously enough, harmonizing with me on some parts.
This is one of the weirdest things I have ever done, but grief makes you do things that you never think you’ll ever do. Strangely enough, the outcome of the recording has become one of the most precious mementos I have of my deceased pet. It feels as though it’s a gift from herself from the other side of the rainbow bridge.
Anadigi Sound Lab has done an amazing job from the start to the end. I’m so thankful for how they’ve helped me gain my confidence and gifted me with a timeless song that I’ll always cherish. There’s no question that I will be going back again in the future.
Other Testimonials From The Clients of Anadigi Sound Lab
“It’s super late to write this review bcos life has been crazy, but.. it is a great place where knowledgeable people help you out with smiles and amazing service!
We had multiple issues with a low-budget charity project that also required recording a child’s vocals at night because of tight deadlines.. and they more than delivered! Can’t express my sincere thanks enough to Raf and his brilliant team for helping us out. Appreciate it. More than recommended!”
“Super lovely and cozy place to be at, with just as friendly and talented people in the space! Worked with them on a dance project and they were more than willing to provide ideas and do their best to make the project happen
Do hit them up for all your creative projects!”
“Really glad we chose this place to record for our passion project. Talented guys who are lovely to work with! When I requested if I can do a behind the scenes shoot inside the studio itself, they even came out of their way to help me with lights too. If there are any future recordings, I know Anadigi Sound Lab would be my first choice. Looking forward to working with them again!”
Anadigi Sound Lab’s live streaming services for Getai
Technology has become advanced and it surprises me that e-Getai exists. If you do not wish to leave the comfort of your home and still want a Getai experience, watching an e-Getai is the way to go. If you are a Getai company, do consider working with the professional team at Anadigi Sound Lab. They offer live streaming, live sound, videography, and photography for your choosing.
Here’s a detailed list of services that they provide:
| Product/Services | Pricing |
|---|---|
| Noivil Studios | Professional music production for musicians |
| Recording & Jamming Studio Rental | $35 per hour |
| Whole Studio Space Rental | Contact them for a quote |
| Audio Recording | $82 per hour |
| Music Production | From $950 |
| Audio/Musix Mixing and Editing | From $250 onwards |
| Audio Mastering | From $200 / song |
| Photography | Contact them for a quote |
| Videography | Contact them for a quote |
| Live Streaming | Contact them for a quote |
How Would You Like to Remember?
We always think of death as to how the deceased would like to be remembered. However, how would you like to remember your loved ones? Sometimes, death doesn’t need to be scary. Remembering a loved one doesn’t have to always involve ashes or bones. Instead, maybe we can honor their life by creating new memories with them. This way, they can also be eternally living through the piece of music that you’ve created. To create your song memento, contact Anadigi Sound Lab here.
This article is written by a client that visited Anadigi Sound Lab.
Anadigi Sound Lab is located along the vibrant streets of Geylang and Paya Lebar, so come on down and say hi to us whenever you’re passing by! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more updates!