There are very few things in life which make us feel the way music does. The right melody has the power to completely consume us, and in the blink of an eye, transport us to another time, space, memory, or emotion. Whether it is a grueling commute, a morning workout, or an evening to unwind – music is there as our most trusted companion.
Music has the power to elicit a variety of responses from listeners, ranging from physical reflexes and changes in alertness to distinct emotions such as joy, sorrow, curiosity, and longing. According to researchers Juslin and Sakka (2019), these emotional experiences are often the “driving force” behind people engaging with music and could have significant effects on their overall health and well-being.
The echoes of our evolutionary past
Music is universal as most people have some sort of affinity towards it. Could it be because humans are inherently hard wired to appreciate and experience music?
A 2014 study by researcher Aniruddh D Patel, on the evolutionary biology of musical rhythm sought the answer to this question. It provides evidence that humans have evolved to be sensitive to rhythm. The human brain and nervous system are naturally programmed to differentiate music from noise, and respond to tones, rhythms, and repetition.
This explains why throughout history, all cultures and civilisations have made some form of music. In fact, the earliest fragment of music notation was found over 4000 years ago, on a Sumerian tablet.
Modulating the voice of our emotions
Having established that music has a strong emotional hold on us, it is of no surprise that it also helps us regulate our emotions. “In my practice, if we are dealing with someone who is overexcited, and we want to bring them down to a more balanced level, music helps,” says Aastha Luthra, Gurugram-based clinical music therapist. Melodies which have minor tones, can be used to make them feel calmer, she adds.
Outside the clinical environment too, music can be immensely helpful in making one feel more centred. Prakash Sontakke, Bengaluru-based musician, grew up in a household where his parents were musicians. While some of his days are spent in recording music, at the end of the day, he finds respite in his guitar that keeps him centred.
“Recently, I was recording for 14 hours straight. At the end of the long day, I sat with my guitar and in ten minutes, I was completely at peace with myself. It felt like it had wiped my slate clean. All the thoughts and worries from the day washed away,” he says.
The cacophony within
Tamanna Rajpal, expressive arts therapist from Kanpur, often uses music as a modality to facilitate the outlet of emotions, in her therapeutic work. She deals with groups working with trauma and anger.
In these groups, Rajpal uses music that may sound harsh or unsettling to bring certain emotions to the surface. \.
“The effect this kind of music has is that it helps the emotions one is feeling to come out so that they can be dealt with,” she says.
Sontakke also uses this concept to convey certain types of emotions when composing music. “For a scene in a play that conveys utter distress, I created music of dissonance. This means all the chords are wrong and disharmonious and your body, within a few seconds, starts perceiving that something is wrong and weird,” he says. The disharmony of the chords provokes an unsettling feeling within the listener, which conveys the distress of the scene. That is the power that music holds over us.
Self-expression
Riya Mahajan, 24-year-old marketing manager from Gurugram, is deeply passionate about singing and playing the guitar. Growing up in a household where music always played in the background, all her core emotional experiences are tied to it. It is a way for her to express herself, especially when she cannot find the right words to express her feelings.
“Sometimes, I use song lyrics to explain what I am trying to say. Music has also helped me completely immerse myself in what I am feeling. It helps me embrace it, express it, accept it, and completely make it mine,” she says.
