Our lives are inexplicably
linked to music. What is a birthday without some rendition
of "Happy Birthday to You?" What is a good parade
without a marching band? What is a good villain without
an evil theme song? We keep it on CDs, on our computers
and on our phones. It is on our televisions, and in our
cars. Day in and day out, our own private soundtracks
complement the story of our lives. But why are we drawn
to some songs over others? And what exactly ties our emotions
so directly to our playlists?
It turns out our radio is not the only thing we tune to
music, our brains tune in as well. Research from the Harvard
Medical School shows music, like language, does not stimulate
a single area of the brain, but multiple regions. The
brain will not only process a melody audibly, but also
visually, and emotionally. Ever "seen" a story
in your head that corresponds to the music you are listening
to? That is the brain's visual response to the tune. You
might say music videos are the ultimate product of this
visual response. Does certain music make you feel happy?
Calm? Sad? This is your brain's emotional response to
the music. Just as you can tell if someone is happy, sad,
angry, or tired by the tone of their voice, your brain
deciphers the tone and pitch of music and creates an emotional
"label" for it.
Of course, humans are not the ones who process music in
this way. In fact, because we employ such complex systems
of language, we are not even the most effective processors
of music. Songbirds, whales, even coyotes all communicate
through song and most have perfect pitch. In fact it has
been estimated that the ability to create and process
a melody predates humans by 53,000 years. Clearly the
music arrived long before the musician.
So can listening to music turn your day around? You bet…if
it is the right stuff. Lively rhythms in major keys trigger
positive response from the brain, happiness and calmness.
Slower, minor keys tend to be associated with sadness,
boredom, or anger. Also, for reasons unknown, classical
music seems to be linked to fact retention and memory,
so do not be afraid to ask Mozart for a little help before
exams.
All and all, regardless of whether you need to cool down,
perk up, chill out, or get going, music can give your
brain the kick start it needs to get in gear. You do not
need an expensive I-pod or car stereo system, just hum
yourself a tune. Whether you "Whistle While You Work",
"Rock and Roll all Night", or just "Sing,
Sing a Song", you're creating top notch mental stimulation,
and a pleasant atmosphere at the same time. Well…what
are you waiting for? Push play!
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INFORMATION
This article first appeared
in The Racket, a student-produced weekly newspaper distributed
for the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. The editorial
staff assumes full responsibility for content and policies..
Their website can be found at http://media.www.theracquet.net
Music without words means leaving behind the mind. And leaving behind the mind is meditation.
Meditation returns you to the source. And the source of all is sound. — Kabir
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2000-2007, Amrita Cottrell and The Healing Music Organization. All rights
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