One of the key factors of Gebrauchsmusik lies in its creators having a concrete need in mind when they compose their music. And while Besseler himself and his ideas of Gebrauchsmusik were sadly appropriated by the Nazis, the underlying philosophy of music-making and music-listening both requiring active participants still holds value. This is about musicians learning their craft and then monetizing that craft. It’s also about listeners - fans - who want to get actively involved with the music they’re listening to. Examples of Gebrauchsmusik in Besseler’s philosophy are the dance or music written for a religious ceremony. In dance music the listener participates by moving, while in religious ceremonies music has the function of bringing the listener into a different state of mind.

One of the key factors of Gebrauchsmusik lies in its creators having a concrete need in mind when they compose their music. And while Besseler himself and his ideas of Gebrauchsmusik were sadly appropriated by the Nazis, the underlying philosophy of music-making and music-listening both requiring active participants still holds value. This is about musicians learning their craft and then monetizing that craft. It’s also about listeners - fans - who want to get actively involved with the music they’re listening to. Examples of Gebrauchsmusik in Besseler’s philosophy are the dance or music written for a religious ceremony. In dance music the listener participates by moving, while in religious ceremonies music has the function of bringing the listener into a different state of mind.