Our love for music seems to not be up for debate. However, what is it? Isn't music just a collection of sounds that we, as a collective, agree is actually music. There are obviously different styles of music but we would generally call all of it all "music." Music often helps or causes our moods. We would mostly agree that a boxer walking to the ring to the music of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata wouldn't fit into our comfort zone. It would be a shock to our emotions. Simply calling this collection of sounds "music" seems weird. Where did we get the word music. It doesn't really sounds that descriptive. You've read the word "music" now 10 times, aren't you sick and tired of reading it?
I've been in a few different bands in my younger years. I've played the drums and sang (not at the same time, I'm not THAT talented). I enjoy how it helps enhance any activity.
Running or working out= Rap/Hip hop or some older rock like Metallica....the earlier stuff!
Working on things around the house = Sublime or 90's rock/alternative
Driving = Wildcard (anything goes) or make a Dtube video
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When Did We Start Playing Music
While the Aboriginal peoples can be dated back 40,000 years, archaeological evidence suggests that the didgeridoo has only been used for the past 1500 years. It was originally used for long distance communication but they soon learned to make different sounds and started to enjoy it (McMahon 2004).
As the centuries pasted humans learned to use different objects to create soothing sounds.
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Our Emotional Attachment to Music
During a long drive, I was listening to a playlist and a Willie Nelson song started. I immediately started to get a little emotional. It's not that I love Willie Nelson, I love the memories that I have associated with his old songs. As a child, I remember my dad taking me on drives in his convertible blasting Willie. That song helps me to recall fond memories that I hold close because my dad is getting older and I know that I won't be able to create those memories again.
Maybe that's why we always thing "the old stuff is better."
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Why Does Music Play With Our Emotions
A few weeks ago I heard that the lead singer of The Cranberries (Dolores O'Riordan) died. I immediately listened to a few of their songs. I remembered most of those songs from my teenage years and I started to get a flood of memories about my friends at the time, my girlfriend that loved The Cranberries, and getting buying their CD for her. Suddenly, I was no longer thinking about The Cranberries. I was thinking about what my friends were up to because I haven't spoken to most of my high school friends in many years.
Having a Masters Degree in Psychology, I often think about the deeper meaning of common occurrences. When songs/artists cause us to remember past experiences, we get a little shot of a hormone cocktail made of Dopamine, Serotonin, Oxytocin, and a few others. When we recall unpleasant experiences we get massive shot of Adrenaline and Cortisol.
Humans like to pair things in their behavior. We often want to hear the music that best reflects our current mood. Hence, my tendency to listen to different types of music during different activities.
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Wrap-Up
Music doesn't have an effect on us, it causes us to recall memories and those memories cause emotions.
Also, I could just be full of crap....music is just awesome!!!!!
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Work Cited:
McMahon, Charlie. (2004) The Ecology of Termites and Didjeridus, The Didgeridoo: From Ancient Times to the Modern Age (ed. David Lindner) Schönau: Traumzeit-Verlag
