What exactly is music? Sound waves are the building blocks of all sounds. The way sound waves vibrate and decrease from loud to soft is wh...
What exactly is music? Sound waves are the building blocks of all sounds. The way sound waves vibrate and decrease from loud to soft is what distinguishes music from other sound waves. When you drop a metal pan on the floor, the vibrations are jarring and erratic. When you strike a note on a piano chord, the transition from loud to soft is softer, more uniform, and smooth.
A musical note, of course, will be much more pleasant to the ear. There is an old adage that "music calms the savage beast". This is not only true, but it is also an understatement. Music is such an important part of our lives that we will only scratch the surface here, but let us give it a quick rundown.
We've all grown up with songs or instrumentals that struck a chord that reverberated throughout our entire being.
According to one theory, certain notes or chords resonate with a vibration that is especially harmonious to certain people. Have you ever listened to a song that gave you goosebumps? If that's the case, you've validated this theory.
When this happens, the music has a strong influence on the subconscious. When you add intense emotion to the mix, you have one powerful, indelible blueprint on your subconscious that will follow you for the rest of your life.
Assume you receive news of a loved one's death while listening to a specific piece of music on the radio. That particular piece of music may leave an indelible impression. Years later, for no apparent reason, you may find yourself instantly depressed upon hearing that same tune.
The same can be said for positive feelings, as described in the preceding storey. Music has been shown to have a subliminal effect. How often do you find yourself humming a fragment of a song you don't recognise, only to realise it's a new commercial message you heard on television?
The advertising industry spends a lot of money on research into why and how music affects the subconscious mind. This is also why you've seen a recent trend among large corporations to recreate classics originally performed by some of the greats of stage and screen.
For fun, the next time you find yourself humming a song, try to recall when, where, and under what circumstances you first heard it. The exercise will most likely assist you in better understanding how past events shaped your musical preferences.
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