Music and Emotions

GENERAL BENEFITS OF MUSIC AND MUSIC THERAPY

Most people know that music has caused children to perform better than their non-musical classmates and that it has encouraged creativity, but most people do not know why. Music’s effect on learning and intelligence, like its effect on emotions, has a lot to do with chemicals released by the brain. It also aids the deveolopment of skills which many people often ignore.

A random group of children from a preschool participated in basic music lessons for many months. The teacher showed them some percussion instruments and taught them simple songs on a keyboard. When all the children in the preschool were given a skills test, the children who had done the music lessons scored noticeably higher than their peers on the spatial and abstract reasoning sections. They could also put together puzzles much faster than their non-musical classmates. After a few more months of music lessons, they retook the same test, and the children who had taken music lessons scored higher still while their non-musical peers’ scores remained stagnant. One hypothesis for why music lessons have this effect has been that music enhances the brain. According to Dr. Frances Rauscher of the University of California, music actually changes neural thyrine patterns (“Music Stimulates Non-Auditory Processes in the Brain”). A study in neuromusicology verified Dr. Rauscher’s hypothesis. Music trains the brain for higher levels of thinking, and it helps people absorb, retain, and retrieve information (Rabalais). Music, even in the form of basic lessons to preschoolers, has the power to modify the brain and its function for the better.

Music’s calming effect works the way it does for a number of reasons. Music can serve as a distraction, and soothing music may give a sense of control. Also, calming music can stimulate the production of endorphins (Roberts). A study done in Canada showed that patients who had listened to 15 minutes of soothing music each day needed half the amount of sedatives and anesthetics as those who did not listen to the music. The University of California studied the effect of music on hospitalized shizophrenics and found that those who heard music had a 59 percent reduction in auditory hallucinations (McLean). Even the ancient philosophers such as Pythagoreas, Plato, and Aristotle knew about the calming power of music (Butcher). Throughout history and still today, music has become a universally accepted tool for calming the mind and body.

Studies done with epileptics and autistic people have shown the benefits of music as well. Autistic people who may be mentally deficient still may have the capabilities to become profound musicians (Lemonick). Music can increase their abilities to concentrate, learn, and understand (McLean). Scientists found that stimulating the temporal lobe of the brain caused epileptic patients to vividly remember old songs which had long been thought of as lost (Lemonick). This shows that the brain retains music in a unique way. Also, according to Dr. Oliver Sacks, “the neurological basis of musical responses is robust and may even survive damage to both [cerebral] hemispheres.” (qtd. in Butcher) Even though a person may suffer from epilepsy or brain damage, through music he or she can function normally. Music has helped many wth autism and epilepsy lead more normal and enjoyable lives.

MUSIC AND THE EMOTIONS

Listening to music can stimulate different emotions and mood. Some types affect the subconscious mind while others stimulate the production of hormones, which can alter moods.

Creating a calm mood using music is perhaps one of the easier music therapy tasks. Simple melodies with slow tempi and little change in dynamics, such as slower works written by Mozart, Vivaldi, or Sibelius, can cause the body to produce endorphins, which are hormones that can calm the brain (Butcher). In fact, an hour of soothing classical music has been proven to have the same effect as 10mg of vallium (Heather).

A type of instrumentation which seems to produce a calming effect on most people is that of the harp, sometimes accompanied by a flute, piano, or sounds of nature. At the Northern Illinois University, a music professor taught students with Parkinson’s disease to play the harp. This enabled them to move more fluidly than ever expected, but only when playing or listening to harp music. The University of Massachusetts Memorial Health Care branch prescribes harp music to cancer patients instead of tranquilizers (McLean). The music of the harp has proven to be one of the most calming sounds accessible to the human ear.

As for stimulating portions of the brain which deal with memory, comprehension, and general learning, Baroque music, especially in major keys, has proven especially helpful. The flowing and structured lines of this type of music provide an ideal environment for improving the function of these areas in the brain (Heather).

Very close to the learning and comprehension section and sometimes included within it stands concentration music. Songs with “moderato” in their names, especially, written by Mozart, Vivaldi, or Handel, usually contain enough pattern and fluidity to create a calm atmosphere while holding a tempo that resembles a natural human heart beat (Butcher). Music which imitates the rhythm of a heart can relax muscle tensions, lower stress, decrease blood pressure, and equalize respiration (Krasner-Khait).

Music exists which stimulates all types of emotions, including energy and movement. Also with this comes the development of coordination. Pieces done entirely by percussion instruments having interesting rhythms seem to make most people want to simply get up and dance, or maybe just tap a toe or finger (McLean). Also, bright pieces with fast tempi work well. With familiar tunes, patients can be encouraged to exercise or dance. This not only encourages movement and coordination, but it gives an opportunity to use some energy as well (Butcher).

Songs which work well as movement and coordination stimulators include marches, percussive songs, familiar classical tunes, and other types of bright music with accents on beats one and three. Types such as rap, heavy metal and rock do not work very well for this purpose because they possess anapestic rhythms, meaning that the accents lie on beats two and four (Butcher).

Perhaps not only music itself but also activities done with music encourage the mind to think and act creatively. Listening to songs from ballets or songs with unusual instrumentation and drawing out mental pictures suggested by such can stimulate the development of creativity in the mind (Hendricks).

Music and activities also aid the development of motor skills. Playing with percussion instruments, clapping to a march, dancing to a song, or even fiddling around with a simple instrument such as a keyboard can nourish the development of motor skills and body coordination (Krasner-Khait).

Another benefit of music with therapy patients has been the gaining of confidence. Studies have showed that learning simple instruments and learning to sing a song can both instill a sense of confidence in patients. Participating in these activities can give them a sense of accomplishment or talent (Krasner-Khait).

At the end of the day, (especially helpful with the children,) music in the form of lullabies and other forms exists to literally put a person to sleep. Slow and repetitive music, such as Satie’s Gymnopedies, Brahm’s slower works, or anything else labeled “largo”, “adagio”, “lento”, or “grave” usually works--unless it is in a minor key, in which case it may sound spooky or mysterious to the listener and therefore prove counter-productive (Hendricks).

MUSIC THERAPY SESSIONS

Most music therapy sessions move from energetic to calm and include singing, listening, moving, creating, and playing instruments (Krasner-Khait). Often, group sessions begin with movement inducing music and rhythms (Hendricks). Then, depending on the purpose of the therapy time, various listening and reacting activities can be implemented. Among them are gentle exercise to familiar music, progressive muscle relaxation with calming music in the background, drawing ideas gained from listening to mood music, and associating songs with memories (Hendricks). No matter what the therapy targets, the use of music generally enhances the overall effect and can be used in a variety of ways.

WORKS CITED

"Music Stimulates Non-Auditory Processes In Brain." All Things Considered. NPR. 15 Aug. 1994. Electric Library. Mercer County District Public Library. 27 Dec. 2002. .

Rabalais, Maggie. "Listening to Music Helps Students Retain Information." Baton Rouge University Wire 26 Dec. 2002. Electric Library. Mercer County District Public Library. 27 Dec. 2002 .

Lemonick, Michael D. "Science: Music on the Brain, Experts Still Don't Know How and Why Tunes Tickle Our Fancy--but New Research Offers Intriguing Clues." Time 5 Jun. 2000. Electric Library. Mercer County District Public Library. 27 Dec. 2002 .

Roberts, Shauna S. "Music Therapy Dampens Chronic Pain." Diabetes Forecast: vol. 55 issue 9 Sep. 2002. EBSCOhost. MasterFILE Premier. Mercer County District Public Library. 27 Dec. 2002 .

McLean, Candis. "Musical Miracles." Report / Newsmagazine (National Edition): vol. 29 issue 18 23 Sep. 2002. EBSCOhost. MasterFILE Premier. Mercer County District Public Library. 27 Dec. 2002 .

Butcher, Nancy. "Take Two Sonatas and Call Me in the Morning." The World & I: vol. 10 1 Nov. 1995. Electric Library. Mercer County District Public Library. 27 Dec. 2002 .

Krasner-Khait, Barbara. "An Interview With a Music Therapist." Odyssey: vol. 11 issue 3. Mar. 2002. EBSCOhost. MasterFILE Premier. Mercer County District Public Library. 27 Dec. 2002 .

Heather, Simon. "The Mozart Effect." Rev. of The Mozart Effect, by Don Campbell. Positive Health: issue 64 May 2001. EBSCOhost. Alt HealthWatch. Mercer County District Public Library. 27 Dec. 2002 .

Hendricks, Bret C., et al. "Using Music Techniques to Treat Adolescent Depression." Journal of Humanistic Counseling, Education & Development: vol. 38 issue 1 Sep. 1999. EBSCOhost. MasterFILE Premier. Mercer County District Public Library. 27 Dec. 2002 .