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Music is produced from sounds that create certain vibrations, which are then picked up and amplified by the human ear. These waves are then carried by the sensory nerves going to the middle of the brain and then redistributed throughout the brain to distinguish the characteristics of music like pitch, tone, frequency, rhythm, timbre and melody.
Research shows that the right side of the brain responds to music as it does to most creative arts. But it is likely that there are multiple areas of the brain that are important for the musical experience. According to experts, our response to music is far more than an auditory response. Listening to music and appreciating music is a complex process that involves memory, learning and emotions. They are vibrations that affect our heartbeat, blood flow, brain waves the release of endorphins and the entire body chemistry.
What seems clear, in most studies, is that the ability to experience and react to music is deeply embedded in the biology of the nervous system. Different networks of neurons are activated, depending on whether a person is listening to music or playing an instrument, and whether or not the music involves lyrics.
Music can help in a myriad of ways:
As part of enhancement: Recent studies have strongly suggested that instrumental music education, especially at an early age, can help open the door to important benefits.
Involvement in music powerfully reinforces such crucial characteristics as self-esteem, self-discipline, creativity, and self-expression.
It helps develop problem-solving skills, integrate subject matter across the curriculum, improve attendance rate, and correlates highly with overall academic achievement.
Scientific research continues to reinforce the link between music education and higher academic achievement in school.
Active participation in music and arts builds literacy among children and helps them develop intuition, reasoning, imagination and dexterity into unique forms of expression and communication and increased intelligence.
Improvements in memory, reading, spatial reasoning have also been established.
As part of therapy: Since time immemorial, music has been used in connection with medicine and healing. Many cultures recognize the importance of music and sound as a healing power. In the ancient civilizations of India, the Orient, Africa, Europe and among the Aboriginal and American Indians, the practice of using sound to heal and achieve balance from within has existed for many years. The Tibetans still use bells, chimes, bowls, and chanting as the foundation of their spiritual practice. In Bali, Indonesia, the echoing gamelang, gong, and drum are used in ceremonies to uplift and send messages. The Australian Aboriginal and Native American shamanists use vocal toning and repetitive sound vibration with instruments created from nature in sacred ceremony to adjust any imbalance of the spirit, emotions or physical being.
In the Indian context, the most important aspect of sound is the word OM. It is said to hold a powerful influence over the human mind and believed to create vibrations within the body. Many ragas have the potential to calm, energize or heal the body as so desired.
Research has shown that music can benefit ailments like dementia, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, dyslexia, heart conditions, blood pressure and respiratory problems. Singing can help people with speech impediment improve their articulation, rhythm and breath control.
In relaxation and calming: Studies have suggested that the best choice for this is music, which has a 60 beat per minute mimicking the human heartbeat. Softer instruments like the staccato flute, the piano, sitar, santoor and harp are know to elicit the soothing response. Many meditative sessions are successful when music or chanting is used. Doctors, the world over are rediscovering how this simple technique can prove wonders in today's stressed and strained life. They are using music in birthing rooms, during surgery, and as a complement to traditional medicine. The findings have been most encouraging.
The music you personally choose depends on the results you expect, the kind of associations it evokes and what works or has worked for you. If it is relaxation you seek, soothing free flowing, easy listening may be your choice. But if you want to get charged and energized, then rhythmic, foot-tapping music may give you just what you need.
In any way, music has the potential to move us...so play on! |