Beethoven composed some amazing music in his life. The movie about Beethoven (Immortal Beloved) shows how he was deaf when he composed many songs, like Ode to Joy. The effect that song has on a listener, as well as others songs, is something depicted in the movie. Beethoven's music would play, and both married and single women looked like their hearts were about to fall out of their chests with their heavy breathing, as they appeared ready to pounce on Beethoven. The music basically seduced women, at least that's how it was depicted. It pulled on their emotional strings.
The eyes may be the windows to the soul, but I have called music the key to the soul. There is something unique and almost magical about music itself. I can watch a show or movie with a sad scene, but the visuals only carry the emotion so far. It's really when the sad music starts that emotional reactions get amplified -- at least for me. I know it's not real since it's a movie, but the effect music has is undeniable and overriding at times.
I know if I listen to some older music I used to listen to at some point in the past, the music summons feelings from the past, like it's an emotional memory tied to what was listened to in that past time.
Listen to any music and it will be carrying emotional energy with it, from Bach to the Beatles and Justin Beaber. Different music affects different people in different ways. Sometimes the energy of music not only moves us psychologically through our emotions, but it can also get us moving physically.
Music hits us at many levels of being, deep to our core. It breaks past conventions and cultures of any era. But our preferred type of music hits us the most, be it rock or classical. The brain reacts differently to what we dislike, like and even what's a favorite.
In a recent study, 21 people had an fMRI hooked up to look at the brain activity when they listened to five genres of music that they liked or disliked -- classical, country, rap, rock and Chinese opera -- and one song they considered their favorite.
The preferences people had, not the music itself, ended up having the greatest impact on brain connectivity, especially the default mode network for internally focused thought, empathy and self-awareness. Music that was disliked showed a poorly connected default mode network, with liked music having more connectivity, and favorite music having the most connectivity. Favorite music had additional activity in the connectivity between auditory regions and memory and social emotion regions.
In all the studies about how a certain type of music is the "best" for brain activity, it seems this study corrects that misunderstanding. The real activity seem to come from what we enjoy hearing. The preferences we have are uniquely individual, with variations in the acoustic complexity and presence of lyrics. Similar emotional states can be invoked, not by the same music, but by each persons' individual preferences, be it rock or rap.
As I mentioned above about past emotional states arising from hearing music again, the past experiences have an effect on related memories that are tied to music, but there is also the experience of listening to music for the first time. As the author of the study Dr. Jonathan Burdette puts it: "In some cases, you might not even like the particular song, but you like the memories or feelings that you associate with it."
Burdette sings and plays the piano, guitar and viola. Music has been part of his life since childhood. He says "music isn't going to cure anything, but it definitely can play a therapeutic role." Music therapy has now become part of many rehabilitation processes for brain injury such as strokes or brain surgery. Music can help "restore neuroplasticity in the brain" and re-establish connection that existed prior to an injury.
Alzheimer's patients can also reconnect with the world through familiar music, showing again how it's intimately connected to memory. "People who were just sitting there, not engaged in anything, light up when they start hearing music from when they were 25. It's fantastic. What else can do that? I can't think of anything other than music."
Have you experienced emotional memory when listening to music associated to past experiences? What music do you favor the most?
Thank you for your time and attention! I appreciate the knowledge reaching more people. Take care. Peace.
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References:
- Music has powerful (and visible) effects on the brain
- R. W. Wilkins, D. A. Hodges, P. J. Laurienti, M. Steen, J. H. Burdette. Network Science and the Effects of Music Preference on Functional Brain Connectivity: From Beethoven to Eminem. Scientific Reports, 2014; 4: 6130 DOI: 10.1038/srep06130
The 5 senses.
Take one sense and add another, and it amplifies. Add a third, and it amplifies even more, and so on. If you were able to replicated all 5 senses realistically, would it feel like it's real? That's the question ;)
Ok, it is posts like these that keep me on Steemit. Well done!
You're right, music does have powerful effects on us. And I concur with your experiences with emotionally provocative movies. The emotion doesn't hit you that hard until you hear that music. Then everything (the character's circumstances and music) just pulls at your heart's strings and you FEEL the movie.
Which reminds me of how Indian movies (Bollywood) always come with music soundtracks. I'm yet to see one movie without any. And it works. It brings the movie alive and let's you feel way more than you would have had you just seen the acts alone. Especially when it comes to love issues. There's this Bollywood movie I saw and the theme was love loss, and it had this song that was just burdened with melancholy and it took me places, emotionally. I was really moved and I remember the whole movie based on that song. It was like the height of the movie's expression.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful post.
Beethoven had a gift from God, despite his affliction with his hearing. I love his music!
Thank you very much for the compliment :) and also for sharing some valuable feedback. I don't much like Bollywood music hehe. But to each their own.
Agreed... You're welcome... I'm looking forward to your next post.
:)
Agree. Any tips on finding good articles on here? I want to look through new posts, but 99.9% are junk/spammy. Glad I found this one.
I find it useful to check out the trending posts and find ones I like, and then follow the authors.. that way I can get all their future articles in my feed. It's a bit of a task but I also browse the hot and new sections and do the same: find posts I like, follow the authors.
Just as you found this article, you'll also find more good ones in time.
:)
sure, Brain Connectivity where you get connected to the singer and those who know the song.
Throughout all my years of studying I have never been able to study properly with any form of music apart from classical! With other music you get so caught up in the lyrics and forget the task at hand, whilst classical does the inverse and focuses you. Thank you for the post :)
I've always studied with noise it seems, TV or music, hehe. Classical has something pure about it, due to no voices, no singing. I like it for that. I don't like opera. Other music that is just pure music is also nice, classic rock has some good stuff, and the singing in many songs fits well with the melodies. That's what I like the most about various music. A good melody is great. Thanks for the feedback.
Love the classics! Funny thing is I hated them as a child but actually learned to enjoy them as I got older. I find it really helps relax me. Still amazes me the talent back then. Great post sir!
Classical is pretty great, especailly those certain relaxing, peaceful and sometime emotional pieces. What's you're favorite? Classical and classic rock (and some newer rock too) is what I like. Classical is so pure, just music without singing. Deep emotional connectivity I find. I don't like opera much at all. I was thinking of that yesterday when I watched the Beethoven movie, that the greats all lived at some time in the past, and it seems now there are no more? Thanks for the feedback.
I have no favorite and tend to listen across the board when it comes to instrumental classics. Yeah no Opera for sure. I cant see how anyone would like that stuff. I used to listen to classic rock but changed my music style greatly since I got older. I do listen to Christian music and classics. I really don't miss the rock like I thought I would. Don't drink or smoke anymore so I lost a few friends (or so called friends) along the way but I don't miss the lifestyle, music or the hangovers! lol
Sounds like your life is better for it ;)
Nothing in the world is a greater common denominator than music. People can have many differences though through music watch those differences dissipate. Another great post. Music is my aeroplane.
It's great indeed. Thanks for the feedback.
I listen to music all day long and play when I get extra time. Im dropping off my B.C Rich draco this weekend for upgrades to improve the pickups and action, Ill be posting pictures of it to get some before and after pics and will be posting myself playing some of the same music of the bands ive been uploading upon it's return. Keep up the great blogs and be well.
This is your brain with Beatles
with Beaber
AND THIS IS....
LOL!
I'm honestly intrigued by how you find so many interesting topics to post about. Thank you so much for your awesome community curation! Keep it up :)
You're welcome :) I try to find things that can have an impact on changing our lives, individually or collectively. I mostly focus on psychology and morality but other things get my interest too. Thanks for the feedback.
Preferred music brings out the complete alertness of the brain!!!
True talk @krnel
Upvoted!
agree, thank you for expressing so well in your writing. So true when u mentioned the memory of the heart and how music reaches into our soul. I will follow u =)
Thanks for the feedback.
This is a great article. There is a book called Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain by Oliver Sacks, that has great stories about different neurological disorders related to music. It's super interesting and Sacks is a great author. You should definitely read it!
Thanks for the additional resources ;)
Various your information posts are very helpful.. Thanks.
You're welcome ;)
Nice read, you earned a follow :)
Thanks for the support ;)
Thank you, very good blog. Incidentally, my wife is pregnant, maybe I will listen to classical music for my child.
Good idea ;)
Moonlight sonata still one of my favorites.
Good one!
The tuning back than was in 432hz... Know as Verdi's A is an alternative tuning that is mathematically consistent with the universe...
Yeah I've heard of Solphegio frequencies.
I think indeed Music is one of the foundation for Happiness.
It allows our minds to drift away, To leave anything that bothers us for what it is, To enjoy the moment, To connect with ourself, but also with others. I would even argue that music can stop and even prevent wars. Music maybe the card system as Libraries had them before the computer was introduced, the link to all the information we store in our brains.
Another interesting phenomenon with Music, is the 432 versus 440 Hertz tuning (https://attunedvibrations.com/432hz/). This also has everything to do with how we react to Music.
Music is grand indeed. I've listened to the Solphegio freq and can't tell a difference. Not too justified for me. Thanks for the feedback.
I actually never really tested it. I suppose this is something that may be experienced when listening longer time to a piece of music, or over a longer period of time listing too many pieces of music. I can imagine the brains get adjusted. But such adjustment may not be good for a optimal experience, ie the 432 Hz may give a better experience over the 440 Hz when the brains get adjusted to the 432 Hz.
Ah, good point ;)
Really enjoyed this post, re-steemed it.
Thanks ;)
Which music do you listen...
Classical and classic rock. You?
I don't usually hear songs but my favourite... See you again.... No song can replace it
Awesome post! I agree, music is such a huge part of life.. especially mine, I've been a musician for most of my life
Nice! I should have tried.... hehe.
lol it's never too late!
What a very interesting post to read! I hope I see more content like this! Glad I came on board to Steemit!
Great to hear!
Good insight
I am interested in your post @krnel
See also my post, maybe interesting
And on votes
wow, very interesting! upvoted and followed
@krnelI included your post here https://steemit.com/music/@wvm/the-power-of-music
What you listen to is important. Learning to appreciate good music is important.
This is very interesting info. I've been getting my wife to listen to Beethoven to stimulate our baby that she's carrying.