Music and the Mind

Music and the Mind

By

Carl V. Johnson & Jack W. Galliett

Over the years, music has been used not only as a form of entertainment, but also as a form of therapy. Scientist have done years of research and found that music can help relax the mind and change the mood of people.  Also music therapy has been used as a method to help people with autism and ADHD focus more on work and studying.  In the book, Thinking Musically by Bonnie C. Wade, she puts out the statement, ”People make music useful in so many ways that one can think of - socially, as a mode of interaction or to create a romantic mood; politically, to control or unite; spiritually, for sacred expression and worship; economically, to make a living; medically, for soothing or healing; and so many more ways.”(18)

There have been many studies in music therapy, one example is the Tomatis Method, a method of music therapy that helps patients with mental disorders such Attention Deficit Disorder and Autism. The program is designed to strengthen the neural connections between the ear and the brain. These strengthened connections improve auditory processing. Patients who have done this form of music therapy have claimed to have less anxiety, improved hearing and improved academic performance after the treatment (Chastain, 18). Here is a sample of what the Tomatis music sounds like. http://www.tomatis.com/en/tomatis-method/its-function.html

Music therapy can also be used as a way to rejuvenate a person. In the article written by Suzanne Boothby, she states, ”Music therapy has been used for centuries as a way to restore energy, improve mood, and even help the body heal more naturally.” I can fully agree with this statement and how music can be used to restore energy and improve someone's mood. Not last night, I made a poor decision to stay up a little late, and as I started to type out this report, I was feeling drained. But I plugged my headphones in my computer, turned on some classical music, and I noticed that my typing was faster and that I wanted to work instead of returning to my cradle. Music has always been helpful to me for focusing on my work and the tasks ahead of me.

Also in the article by Suzanne Boothby she reports, “While listening to music has great health benefits, making your own, especially through singing and chanting, is also therapeutic.” Again from personally experience, while in high school, I would have some days that would just drain my energy levels and homework that evening was extremely difficult. But with my electric violin, I am able to create my own music. To create a song from scratch is so much fun and always brought my energy levels up. The only thing was that I still did not want to do my homework. Why? Because playing the electric violin is a blast!

Music can also affect how happy or sad a person can be. One example could be the excitement of Bizet’s Galop des jeux d'Enfants ( https://youtu.be/9r4fncPefdk ). A piece about children and the excitement that they can bring, with a fast tempo that can move very quickly  accompanied by a large range of dynamics, there is only fun to be had. But with a piece such as the main theme from Schindler’s List by John Williams, the sad meaning of the haunting song creeps into the soul of all who hear it ( https://youtu.be/ueWVV_GnRIA ). With the first low melody moving slowly only to rise and rise again up the fingerboard to the highest notes that are there to pierce the hearts of the listener.

Music is the ultimate remedy to a bad day. Music can help people focus, be more efficient on their work output, and studying skills. For those days that are down and appear to not be improving, listen to a upbeat song to dance to and have fun! Music is not just an art and a form of entertainment, music is the healer of the soul and the mind.

Works Cited

Boothby, Suzanne. "How Music Affects Our Moods." Healthlines RSS News. Healthline, 17 May 2013. Web. 13 Sept. 2015. <http://www.healthline.com/health-news/mental-listening-to-music-lifts-or-reinforces-mood-051713#2>.

Brain MRI. N.d. Marlene Metz Hartzler. Web. 12 Sept. 2015. <http://marlenehartzler.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/011314wztfig1slide11.jpg>.

Chastain, Anne. Effectiveness of Listening (Auditory) Therapies. Publication. N.p.: Rocky Mountain U of Health Professions, 2018. Effectiveness of Listening (Auditory) Therapies. Tomatis Association, 2008. Web. 12 Sept. 2015. <http://tomatisassociation.org/effectiveness-of-listening-auditory-therapies/>.

"Its Function - Listen to the Tomatis Effect." Listen to the Tomatis Effect. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Sept. 2015. <http://www.tomatis.com/en/tomatis-method/its-function.html>.

Marvelous. "How Music Changes Your Mood." Examined Existence. N.p., 2014. Web. 13 Sept. 2015. <http://examinedexistence.com/how-music-changes-your-mood/>.

Wade, Bonnie C. "Chapter 1." Thinking Musically: Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture. 3rd ed. New York: Oxford UP, 2004. 18. Print.

Researchers:

Carl - Wrote Paragraph 1, 3, 4, 5, 6

          Found Youtube videos

Jack-Wrote Paragraph 2

Performed research

Cited sources

Found pictures