Music can be an excellent aid to relaxation. I use different kinds of music with massage because I like to change it up. But it’s usually New Age, soft jazz or downtempo. Sometimes I use classical music, but I have to be very careful about which pieces to use because I find a lot of classical music isn’t ideal for becoming relaxed. It depends on the person though. I have one client in particular who I see on a regular basis that loves to hear the classical music station during his massage. You are free to listen to anything you like during your massage, as long as I can find it on YouTube or Amazon Music (the streaming service I use). Let me know ahead of time what you want to hear. Otherwise, I will be happy to select some relaxing music for you. Enya and Brian Eno are go-to artists for massage, although some people prefer to relax without vocals which they find distracting. Nature sounds, like rainforests or the ocean waves can be very relaxing, although I try to avoid running water as that sometimes gives people the urge to pee.
Once in a while I get someone who prefers silence which is perfectly fine as well. Other clients have brought in their own music (a portable speaker, for example, or ear buds). As for talking during the massage, I am perfectly fine with it. Some people find conversing to be very therapeutic and I’m an excellent listener. It must be said though, that having a conversation ever so slightly throws me off my game. During the massage, I often count in my head to make sure I spend the right amount of time on any given body parts. This counting gets thrown off if we are talking. Still, it’s an excellent massage. While I am normally giving 100%, when I am talking and listening, I am still at a good 95%. I doubt anyone could even tell the difference. While talking is fine, I find most people stay pretty silent during the massage which I think helps them relax. Sometimes talking is necessary, such as the times when the client wants me to adjust the pressure or focus on a certain area.
