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Understanding How Music Can Help Us

Music has almost probably played an important part in the development of humans, possibly even before we began to talk. Significant evidence has been revealed that ancient flutes made of animal bones and percussion devices made of stones and wood were constructed by very early man. (Cross, p.810) Philip Ball’s British Broadcasting Corporation article “Will we… Ever understand why music makes us feel good?” Outline an ongoing conversation among Musicians, listeners, publishers, distributors, and other stakeholders in the music industry regarding the impact of music in our lives. We have different answers to this question at different levels and whether or not we fall on the same page regarding our view of music, I believe music is a great coping mechanism, through my life experience not only have I had music helping me get through a lot when feeling down but also music has boosted my self-esteem and it motivates me and lowers my stress and anxiety levels

Philip Ball bases his article on Leonard Meyer a songwriter and scholar, who suggested that “emotion in music is all about expectation and whether or not we get it”. He drew inspiration from previous psychological concepts of sensation, which postulated that emotion occurs when we are unable to fulfill a desire, and I concur with it because, in reference to Lonsdale and North, music can “alleviate bad sensations”. People are drawn to music because it has the ability to influence a person’s mood. People can find solace in music, and they can utilize music to help them express their unpleasant sentiments, and in addition, a professor at the University of Ottawa’s School of Psychology going by the name Dave Miranda states that “music has the ability to drastically transform a person’s feelings and improve their mental state. (Cross, p.810) High amounts of stress and unpleasant emotions are an unavoidable part of life”, which I fully support it from my experience around music.

Bill Ball’s attempt to persuade us why music makes us happy impacted me the most. He does so by citing Anne Blood and Robert Zatorre of McGill University in Montreal renowned researchers. Demonstrated that many persons listening to good music engaged their limbic and results may vary brain regions, which are associated with ecstatic reward reactions, like those we get from sex. Dopamine, a neurotransmitter, is responsible for the rewards. (Higgins, p.206) This is why I strongly agree with it because music is naturally therapeutic as I can relate to Fatou Yeli Kourouma’s Article “How can music help: Exploring Music-based interventions for adolescent mental health” where he claims that music is particularly useful since it stimulates the secretion of “feel-good” chemical transmitters such as serotonin and connects divergent brain regions. (Cross, p.810) Music medication is the authorized utilization songs to treat a number of significant health issues such as vascular dementia, post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression through the utilization of music’s natural therapeutic characteristics.

Additionally, Fatou Yeli Kourouma’s research acknowledges that musical treatment has shown to increase self-identity and decrease depression in adolescents when combined with ongoing treatment. Additionally, students who got music education in their schools in Northern Korea and Sydney reported that the program helped them cope better with fear and tension. (Higgins, p.206) Music therapy has even been demonstrated to help kids with substance misuse issues and teens who have endured serious trauma improve symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, and without a doubt, I second his point of view as evidence has that worldwide use of music in therapy has proven to be a success, by bringing positive results, and on my point of understanding this, I tend to find music comforting at the time of unrest.

Given the various genres of music, different people have different tastes in music, but majorly music plays a great role in our lives, for my case, Bob Marley’s “Get up, Stand up” the opening declaration on the Wailers’ 1973 album Burning, became not just a defining song for its composers, but also an international human rights anthem. The song has been covered in everything from ear-splitting metal to gentle jazz; it’s a classic by any standard, however, the fact that it still needs to be played at all speaks to the global permanence of oppression and human rights breaches in all formsand is one of those songs that has motivated me, helped me express my emotion, and through this song I have improved your mental health. As the lyrics go, “Get up, stand up, and Stand up for your right…. Don’t give up the fight… Most people think Great God will come from the sky, Take away everything and make everybody feel high… But if you know what life is worth, you would look for yours on earth, and now you see the light you stand up for your right” it shows just how the song carries a strong message that has inspired many in the world.

The first two verses are meant to encourage and explain; the final verse is meant to put that spirit into action. He cautions individuals against waiting till the next world to find contentment. in the first two verses; it is their right to be free and pleased on this planet, he says. And from just listening to the song, you get inspired by it, this indicates the importance of just a single song, imagine what other songs of the same would do.

In summary, Philip Ball’s article “Will we. Ever understand why music makes us feel good?” Struck me the most. Music has almost certainly played a significant role in the human life cycle, possibly even before we learned to speak. (Cross, p.810) People are drawn to music because it has the ability to influence a person’s mood. Music therapy is the authorized use of music to treat a variety of mental and physical disorders such as PTST, Alzheimer’s, and depression by utilizing music’s innate therapeutic powers. In my point of understanding this, I tend to find music comforting at the time of unrest.

Work Cited

Ball, Philip. “Will We Ever… Understand Why Music Makes Us Feel Good?” Will We Ever… Understand Why Music Makes Us Feel Good? – BBC Future, Www.bbc.com, 19 April. 2013, https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20130418-why-does-music-make-us-feel-good.

Cross, Ian. “Music and communication in music psychology.” Psychology of music 42.6 (2014): 809-819.

Higgins, Kathleen Marie. The music between us. University of Chicago Press, (2012): 205-211.

 

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