Looking back through history, it is easy to notice a few similarities between cultures. Nearly all cultures form a government or social hierarchy, various regions have artwork and tales of dragons, but most importantly, most cultures develop music. In 2016 alone, recorded music was a 15.7 billion-dollar industry. ( ) It is clear that music is vastly important to people on an almost primal level. Music is intricate and difficult, but it still comes as instinct to much of the population. Music acts as a fundamental social tool, that helps to form connections with others. Emotionally, even the simplest of tunes can have significant impacts in mental health and mood. Furthermore, music produces some astounding effects on the brain and cognition,
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Emotion makes music so that music can make emotion. “The capacity of musical stimuli to elicit emotion via processes of higher-level appraisal are virtually unlimited” (Scherer/Zentner 368). Certain songs can become associated with a feeling or place, and due to this interesting trait become immortalized. Specifically, the song “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC will forevermore be a hyped up sporting anthem and “The Star Spangled Banner” by Francis Scott Keys invokes feeling of pride and patriotism amongst millions of Americans at its first chord. While music does excel at influencing crowds, it has a much more powerful effect on the individual level. Within an individual listening to any selection of music can release endorphins and raise mood drastically. Along with this, playing instruments can affect mood greatly as well. Mastering an intense baseline can fill one with a sense of accomplishment while gently strumming along to “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” on the ukulele can supply relaxation only mimicked by the sandy beaches of Hawaii. This kind of immense manipulation of brain power is just one more example of the great influence of music and its ability to cooperate with the …show more content…
Due to music’s effect on the brain, it is being tested and used for medical purposes. The most common disorder treated with music therapy is Depression. One study trying this treatment method showed excellent results, reporting “Participants receiving music therapy plus standard care showed greater improvement than those receiving standard care only in depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and general functioning at 3-month follow-up” ( ). Some skeptics may be urged to cry “placebo”, however, the effects of music therapy on premature infants and their parents can only invite silence. “…some sounds, such as lullabies, may soothe pre-term babies and their parents, and even improve the infants' sleeping and eating patterns, while decreasing parents' stress” ( ). Furthermore, playing an instrument can also be extremely beneficial for the brain. Music is a language, and learning that language expands the mind to new horizons. In many ways, melodies and beats can communicate a message far more clearly than words alone could hope to
Emotion makes music so that music can make emotion. “The capacity of musical stimuli to elicit emotion via processes of higher-level appraisal are virtually unlimited” (Scherer/Zentner 368). Certain songs can become associated with a feeling or place, and due to this interesting trait become immortalized. Specifically, the song “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC will forevermore be a hyped up sporting anthem and “The Star Spangled Banner” by Francis Scott Keys invokes feeling of pride and patriotism amongst millions of Americans at its first chord. While music does excel at influencing crowds, it has a much more powerful effect on the individual level. Within an individual listening to any selection of music can release endorphins and raise mood drastically. Along with this, playing instruments can affect mood greatly as well. Mastering an intense baseline can fill one with a sense of accomplishment while gently strumming along to “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” on the ukulele can supply relaxation only mimicked by the sandy beaches of Hawaii. This kind of immense manipulation of brain power is just one more example of the great influence of music and its ability to cooperate with the …show more content…
Due to music’s effect on the brain, it is being tested and used for medical purposes. The most common disorder treated with music therapy is Depression. One study trying this treatment method showed excellent results, reporting “Participants receiving music therapy plus standard care showed greater improvement than those receiving standard care only in depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and general functioning at 3-month follow-up” ( ). Some skeptics may be urged to cry “placebo”, however, the effects of music therapy on premature infants and their parents can only invite silence. “…some sounds, such as lullabies, may soothe pre-term babies and their parents, and even improve the infants' sleeping and eating patterns, while decreasing parents' stress” ( ). Furthermore, playing an instrument can also be extremely beneficial for the brain. Music is a language, and learning that language expands the mind to new horizons. In many ways, melodies and beats can communicate a message far more clearly than words alone could hope to