Music and rhythm. Do you find it helps your tai chi? Do you just have to have music in order to do tai ji or can make do without it?
My regular tai ji class normally plays some soothing music in the background. During the class, I don’t actually realise it’s there, but i think it helps in calming and slowing down the movements. It’s a push hand class, so it probably can keep everyone from getting too “enthusiastic” in pushing!
Being in the park this morning, there’s a group of tai chi class which moves to the beat of the music. Everyone started the form when the music started, and finished the form when the music stopped. And then there’s this other group who only made some “grunts”. I think it’s some sort of “qi gong” method. All they did were some “aw”ing and “ooo”ing.
So what role does music play in your tai chi? Do you do it to the rhythm? Does it relax you? Or do you literally use music as a training method?
In the midst of all the different music going on in the park, I find my senses tuned in most to the rustling of the leaves, the chirping of the birds, the whistling of the insects. The quieter the mind, the louder they are. Now, that’s music. 
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I trained in yang style under the TT Liang line for a bit and they have a heavy emphasis on music. Certain movements would be done with a certain number of beats. For instance, Raise Hands = 2 beats, Brush Knee = 4 beats, Single Whip = 6 beats. Personally, I was not fond of this type of training as I preferred to do the form at my own speed and pace, which often varies depending on how I feel. However, for a big class setting, I do see the value. For more, read what TT Liang had to say about music and tai chi.
Basically, as you mentioned, music can be used to calm the monkey mind. If there is music, I prefer something ambient like Liquid Mind or John Serrie in the background, however I mostly practice outside with the rustle of the leaves
i tried with music before. but seriously if you really want to find your mind, can the music. in the long run its a distraction. but once you find your mind, even if you set off a bomb next to me i can’t “hear” it
because ultimately the mind is a mirror and the hearing is the same too – you hear it but you don’t hear it
posted a blog entry here on this topic http://blog.sgwutan.com/?p=25#more-25