The High Note: Exploring The Brain & How To Enhance Music Perception

Author : Marco Sgalbazzini
March 01, 2023

The High Note: Exploring The Brain & How To Enhance Music Perception

We love having music all around us and wouldn’t want it any other way. A thrilling orchestral crescendo can make us cry and give us the chills. Swells in the background give movies, and TV shows an emotional impact. At baseball games, musicians get us all up on our feet and cheering.

Therein lies an intriguing biological puzzle: Why is music universally adored and singularly effective at evoking emotions so widespread and significant to us?

(Source: Pexels)

(Source: Pexels)

MORE THAN JUST LISTENING: HOW OUR BRAIN UNDERSTANDS MUSIC

The definitive solutions still elude neuroscientists. Yet, in recent years, we’ve started comprehending the brain’s music processing more thoroughly. Many brain regions, including those often associated with other forms of cognition, are activated by music.

How does the brain perceive music?

Science also serves as the foundation for music: sound is created when something vibrates, and those vibrations are then transmitted to the ear as sound waves. It also varies in tone, volume, pace, and rhythm while being mathematical.

(Source: Pexels)

(Source: Pexels)

The area of our brains, the Auditory Cortex, is in charge of receiving and processing auditory stimuli. When listening to sounds, it is the first area of the brain to become active and aids in the analysis and perception of tones.

Vibrations are converted into electrical signals by the inner ear. Neurons, nerve cells, travel from the cochlear nerve system to the brain to carry electronic signals. The cochlear nerve system carries the signals to the brain’s cerebral cortex.

What happens in the brain when listening to music?

Blood flow to the parts of the brain that produce and regulate emotions is increased when you listen to (or create) music. When we hear music, the limbic system, which is involved in processing emotions and managing memory, “lights” up.

By listening to music, the emotional brain regions are engaged and synced. Moreover, music stimulates several memory areas. Intriguingly, music also stimulates the motor system.

The stimulation of pleasure regions in our brains, which release dopamine, a neurotransmitter that makes you feel good, is one of the first things that happens when music enters our brains. The brain can anticipate the most enjoyable peaks in familiar music and ready itself with an early dopamine high since this response is so swift.

MORE THAN JUST LISTENING: HOW TO ENHANCE MUSIC PERCEPTION

Even if you are into music as a hobby or intend to make it your career, you should always look for ways to improve. Here are some ways to enhance your musical understanding.
Listen To More Music

Don’t keep playing the same music you have been playing every day. Delve deep and listen to music from the past, new music, genres you wouldn’t typically listen to, and songs that aren’t currently on the charts.

(Source: Pexels)

(Source: Pexels)

Discover and become familiar with the music that influenced your favorite musicians—increasing your knowledge and comprehension of various musical genres. Even though you might have to sift through some subpar songs, the insights and motivation you gather will be worthwhile.

While listening to music may sound easy, many artists are known to use CBD to increase their focus. It has been known that consuming CBD in moderate amounts and regularly is an excellent way for musicians to improve their focus and concentrate on the music they are creating plus, it reduces anxiety and relaxes your mind.

To learn more about CBD and its application, explore the world of CBD for relaxation here. You will be surprised to be informed about cannabis extracts and their uses.

Learn fundamental musical theory.

Make sure you comprehend the creation of music in addition to listening to various types of music. Learning an instrument and a basic understanding of music theory is essential to increase your ability to understand and feel music. These steps will expand your knowledge of writing and making music.

Even if you’re not a professional, you should at least be familiar with chords and scales. There are many tutorials online that you may use to teach yourself if you want to avoid attending regular music classes.

Breakdown

You can improve your active listening abilities by paying attention to each of these five elements in a piece of music.

Instrumentation

See if you can recognize each musical instrument on a recording by paying close attention while you listen. Try to recognize each musician’s unique lines while listening live music.

Structure

To learn how the songwriter has structured the song, pay attention to the song’s verse, chorus, bridge, etc. Recognize formal elements in classical music, such as fugues, sonata forms, or dance forms like rondos or mazurkas. A foundation in music theory will be helpful with this.

Style

Does the music you’re listening to fit into a specific musical genre? Do you also hear hints of other genres?

Technique

Make your own judgment regarding whether you enjoy the performances of instrumentalists and singers. You can find what you hear to be excellent, or you might find flaws.

Lyrics

accentuate the use of imagery, metaphorical language, and rhyme

Practice ear training

Start your musical training by familiarizing yourself with the various pitches, intervals, chords, and keys. Learn different rhythms and other musical approaches and spot them in the music you’re listening to.
Use headphones

(Source: Pexels)

Using headphones is the most remarkable approach to enjoying a rewarding listening experience at home without going over budget. Although expensive, high-quality headphones are far less expensive than top-of-the-line speakers.

BOTTOMLINE

Music can improve our moods, convey stories, and even help us better understand ourselves. Music is complex and, at the same time, lovely. But much too frequently, we merely listen to music without paying it the respect it merits.

Make it a point to connect with the music you hear if you want to obtain more from your musical experience. Allow the music to transport you, take you on a journey, and enable you to be moved by its power as you listen for fresh insights and viewpoints.

Additionally, here at 6AM, we know you love listening to music. So why not add these Top 9 Techno Tracks For Doing Chores. We have prepared this list with upbeat, fast-tempo tracks that will give you the energy to tackle your daily chores.