Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything
– Plato
On the face of it, music may not seem essential to human life. But if you look closely music has been a part of human culture throughout history. It is so ingrained into our existence that imagining a life without it almost seems impossible. You might know about the role of music in keeping us entertained and relaxed, but did you know that music has healing powers too? No, this is not coming out of a work of fiction but from Dr Oliver Sacks, who was a neurologist, historian of science and an author. He was one of the many doctors to have studied the effect of music on our brain. Their studies have shown that certain aspects of music such as rhythm and tempo help our brain in generating sequences and flow. This becomes particularly crucial with diseases like Parkinsons, where patients have difficulty in sometimes even moving or talking. Music therapy has proven to be very effective in the treatment of such neurological conditions and others like Alzheimers disease, brain injury, stroke, depression, and anxiety.
Where does music go in your brain?
You may think that music is only limited to our ears. Actually, ears are just the beginning of the story. When you listen to any piece of music, it travels from your middle ears to the inner ear, which converts the sound waves into electric signals, which are then carried by the nerve system from the inner ear to the brain. Inside the brain, these signals are sent to the hippocampus and frontal lobe. The hippocampus is the part of the brain that regulates our motivation, memories, emotions and learning. The frontal lobes are responsible for problem-solving, emotional expression, language, judgement etc.
If you dance to music, that activates yet another part of the brain – the cerebellum (brain stem). It regulates our motor movements like walking, standing, co-ordinating different body parts etc. Furthermore, when you play an instrument, it involves even more parts of the brain. For reading musical notations, youll need the visual cortex, language centres in the frontal lobe and temporal lobe of the brain. Similarly, the physical process of playing an instrument activates the motor and sensory cortexes of the brain. To understand further about the functioning of the human brain, click here.
Can music change the brain?
Humans make music and in some ways, music makes us too. Intrigued?. Music can do much more to our body than just relaxation, especially the brain. Our brains have the capacity to change based on the activities we perform, this is called the neuroplasticity of the brain. This ability of the brain makes it possible for it to undergo certain actual physical changes based on what it gets used for. Studies show that music facilitates neuroplasticity and actually changes the way neurons are wired in the brain. Research suggests that musicians tend to have a higher learning capability because playing music strengthens certain nerve connections over time. Another known advantage that musicians tend to have is better motor movement ability than non-musicians. They tend to become faster and more precise in activities that require the use of both hands.
Hearing Colours and Tasting Music – Synesthesia
Did you know for some people music is also something that they can taste? Yes, you read that correct! A brain condition called Synesthesia links a persons senses together in unusual ways. In the words of Dr Oliver Sacks, the condition is described as some excessive connection or abnormal connection between sensory areas which are normally separate.
One of the effects of it is that people with this condition (called synesthetes) can taste music or actually see music as a stream of colours. Synesthesia is not only limited to music-related senses. For example, some synesthetes can taste colours or smell them too.
It is estimated that only about 4 per cent of the human population has this special condition. Some famous synesthete personalities include singers Kanye West and Pharrell Williams, and the famous painter Vincent Van Gogh.
While theres no concrete evidence on how one acquires this condition, most doctors and researchers agree that this linking is automatic and happens at a very early age, sometimes even before birth. Another interesting fact about it is that this condition is unique to each synesthete. So it may happen that the same piece of music can taste different to two synesthetes listening to it at the same time! This shows us how subjective experience music is.
Are we the only ones?
It is a fact that humans are the only species that respond to music in the way that we do. Even though nature has a lot to do with rhythms- the frogs croaking, birds chirping etc, the animal world doesnt quite understand music entirely the way we do. A study revealed that monkeys, a species so closely related to us, cannot tap along to music due to certain cognitive limitations. But nature finds its way to surprise us from time to time. A recent study shows that Parrots maybe another species that respond to music in some ways as we do. A youtube video that has a parrot called snowball dancing to Everybody from Backstreet Boys has led us to this discovery. Anirudh Patel, an associate professor of Psychology is the man behind this study. Professor Patel states – since parrots too can learn and reproduce complex vocal patterns like us. It could be the reason for why they can also dance to music like us. He states that theres some special connection between our ability to make complex sounds and the ability to move to a beat, which is quite unique to humans but it seems that Parrots may have it in them too.
So now that you know about the various links between music and your brain, you may find music that you used to enjoy all this time to feel different or even maybe better than before. Music is universal to us all and ingrained in our very existence. In a sense, our bodies are our instruments. Our heartbeats are the rhythm of our lives. Right from the lullabies during our infancy to ceremonial music in the funeral procession, music is always around us and it always will be. So go ahead and explore music all over again!
If you liked this article, you may also like:
Relax! Cool it. Let the music do it.
Convert your love for MUSIC into a flourishing career!
Charu, a feminist and an accidental writer, is yet to master the art of writing about herself. Always curious to learn new stuff, she ends up spending a lot of time unlearning the incorrect lessons. She enjoys all sorts of stories – real, fictional, new, old, hers and would love hearing yours too. Feel free to ping her at storyweavers@byjus.com to share anything that you think is worth sharing.
Arya C is a 4th grader who talks about her transition from the US to India and how BYJU`S has helped her at that. She also loves how BYJU`S has made learning a lot more fun.
Meet Sourabh who has a ton to say about his BYJU`S learning experience. His love for quizzes, games and other fun activities are paying off!
V Shriya is a class eight student who has been using BYJU?S for a year now. She shares her experiences with using the app and how it has helped her in improving her academic performance.
Aanvi from class 9 has been with BYJU`S for just 6 months and hear what she has to say about her learning experience with the app.
Comments
manasa
April 20, 2020
I love music but never heard about this fact, thanks byjus for sharing this fact
ATIKSH SHARMA
April 20, 2020
I HATE MUSIC BUT AFTER KNOWING THIS I LOVE MUSIC THANK YOU BYJU’S FOR TELLING THIS.
Agnik Ghosh
April 20, 2020
Is this the Mozart effect
Nirvaira
April 20, 2020
That’s soooo cool
Aiswarya
April 20, 2020
I love music but I didn’t heard about this.thanks
Bijuys I hear more music
Divya
April 20, 2020
I love music . But I didn’t knew about this cool facts.
I love byjus thanks byjus
Aaliya aAshraf
April 20, 2020
I love music
Siddhi
April 20, 2020
I like the fact actually I Love listening music. Thanks for sharing with us
Siddhi
April 20, 2020
I like the fact actually I Love listening music.
Gargi
April 20, 2020
Thanks byjus. Actually I am learning Hindustani classical music since 7-8 years. Playing Harmonium is my hobby either.No doubt music has tremendous capacities for healing and peace.
Bhumi Singh
April 20, 2020
I don’t know this thank you for telling .
Bhumi Singh
April 20, 2020
I love music but I don’t know this thing about music.
Trrishan Saha
April 20, 2020
Wow!
Amardeep
April 20, 2020
I belong to Sikh religion, in our guru granth sahib g all banis
And path teach us how to live our lives with special musical ragas
E.g.rag Assa,rag basant,rag malhar etc.
Know I understand why gurus do so , thanks for exploring
U.yashaswi
April 20, 2020
I love music so much i always feel it
Subhas
April 20, 2020
Thanks
Maana
April 20, 2020
Does music helps in the betterment of your studies???
Praisy
April 20, 2020
PUNGANUR I love music but I don’t no this fact thanks byjus
Rudrajeet
April 20, 2020
That is awesome. I have been listening to music today while studying!
Sai Bhavya raga
April 20, 2020
I love music and thank you byjus for sharing this information
D.Tanmay
April 20, 2020
I love music and after listening it my mind has become peacefully
Disha
April 20, 2020
I love to hear music
I also know about this fact,
thats why i love music
thank you byju’s to tell in detail.
Afifa khan
April 20, 2020
It’s amazing.I have thought about this but can’t explain to my friend.
Thanks Byjus for more about this.
Ankush verma
April 20, 2020
I also like music but some parents like
My parents did not know about this fact
So my parents against to listen music .
Prakhar Rai
April 20, 2020
We feeling better to listen to music
Raghav Shekhar Ganeshkar
April 20, 2020
I love music thanks byjus I love this
Suhani jain
April 20, 2020
I love to sing as well as hear music. But I didnt know this. Do thanks byjus for helping us know this.
Priyam
April 20, 2020
The fact is awesome. Thanks byjus
Mohit Sharma
April 20, 2020
That’s fantastic to listen this music ?
Naveen jangra
April 20, 2020
When we don’t have pinna so we will heated sound or not
Arya meena
April 20, 2020
Music is something that makes you calm ,peaceful and help you to learn better by increasing your concentration.
Akshit
April 20, 2020
Which type of music helps in development of our brain.
Arnavi
April 20, 2020
I love hearing all kinds of music and also English music too. I don’t sing much but when I hear it, I get into that world, which helps me to change my mood. And thank you Byjus for telling us aboutSynesthesia.i really didn’t knew about it
Prakriti Anand
April 20, 2020
I am also actually very interested in music.
Thanks to byjus for telling me about this fact
apeksha maheshwari
April 20, 2020
that was interesting
apeksha maheshwari
April 20, 2020
that was interesting.
Chezhiyan
April 20, 2020
Nice fact about music’s.
Thank you for the information
Byju’s.
Haripriya
April 20, 2020
I too love music…but now I I have understood the fact behind it……Thanks by jus…????
Dhanith krishnan
April 20, 2020
Thanks for your very valuable information byju’s
Sanjana alur
April 20, 2020
Very useful one,Byjus can always be marked for its knowledge
Sanjana alur
April 20, 2020
Byjus can be always marked for its knowledge, it was a very useful one
Gowri Jayan
April 20, 2020
It gives an enthralling beauty.
Abishek
April 20, 2020
I love music and byjus and video
Abishek
April 20, 2020
I love music and video
Thanks byjus
Paayal
April 20, 2020
I want to be a singer…that’s good for everyone
Priyangshu Das
April 20, 2020
I like music very much and also I used to learn music for 8 and a half year. Reading this interesting fact, I became assured that why I had seen a growth in my studies, while I was learning music. Thank u Byju’s for this interesting fact.
Ramya
April 20, 2020
Tq for byjus team for giving this great information. Music is also a best medicine when we feel sad
Tanweer Riaz
April 20, 2020
I love hearing music but never expected that it is so helpful for the body and mind. It really helps to get rid of the stress. Thank You for the advice
Shreya Hiremath
April 20, 2020
Yes, that’s true even I enjoy music a lot. Happy to see something so very intresting… Thankyou for sharing such a beautiful information..
Abigail Nissi
April 20, 2020
Yeah its nice to hear that music affects
Thank for sharing.
JAY 31
April 20, 2020
Wow! The power of music…..??????
Sony Vats
April 20, 2020
Amazing ???
Vallabhi Vats
April 20, 2020
Amazing ??
Vallabhi Vats
April 20, 2020
Super??
Shreyaanshi Sharma
April 20, 2020
I am a music lover from the age of 4.And today BYJU’S has told me this amazing fact.Thanks.
Aditi Sonare
April 20, 2020
I love music but I never know about this fact thank you byjus for this
Nishanth
April 20, 2020
O ilove music and I love playing ?
piano
jesvi maria
April 20, 2020
do someone wants to know someone with speciality?
i do have this
as i have experienced and is experiencing
i can say it is sooo true
Sameer Bhardwaj
April 20, 2020
Music is one of the things I love. I am very happy to read this article; This article motivated me to sing and play music instruments and also gave me an idea; that how I can use these lockdown days to learn something new and wonderful.??
Sonali
April 20, 2020
I love music from earlier only but now I like it more.
Thanks byju’s
Sonali
April 20, 2020
I like music but now I like it more.
Aman
April 20, 2020
Osm fact and soooo cool and rock
Aditya
April 20, 2020
I love music thanks for information
S. Hanushka
April 20, 2020
I love music.
I like these cool facts .
I want topic like astronomy and astronaut.
Thank you BYJUS
Srinidhi
April 20, 2020
Music makes me feel relax??
Utkarsh Sengar
April 20, 2020
This was really vital information. I will surely start listening to music thank you byjus
Sachk
April 20, 2020
I just love music now I love very mush
Sampreetha RG
April 20, 2020
Really wonderful, I have also learnt classical music and can relate myself with this article…
Sachika
April 20, 2020
I loved music but I love it very much ??????
Thanks for this amazing ? information
Sachika
April 20, 2020
I love music now I love it very much thank you for this important information
Sampreetha RG
April 20, 2020
Really wonderful I have also learnt classical music and can relate myself with this article.
Sayan Manna
April 20, 2020
Everyone likes music right!!
Barira
April 20, 2020
Absolutely right?
SANJAY
April 20, 2020
VERY GOOD INFORMATION BY MUSIC CONNECTION OF BRAIN THANKS BY JUS
SANJAY pathak
April 20, 2020
VERY GOOD INFORMATION BY MUSIC CONNECTION OF BRAIN THANKS BY JUS
Yûvàráj
April 20, 2020
Yes you are right
I agree it ???
Sagar Rawat
April 20, 2020
Hello.
I would like to know that what type of music should a person listen to instrumental or vocal.
Please send links for it.
Thank you.
Shweta
April 20, 2020
I love music very much. Thank u? Byjus for this fact???
Aamina Rasheed
April 20, 2020
Thank you Byju’s for telling us this wonderful fact.
Aamina Rasheed
April 20, 2020
Thank you Byju’s for telling us about this wonderful fact.
Divya Zambare
April 20, 2020
Music is always pleasant to mind. I enjoy listening music during free or boring time.
Good to know about Synesthesia.
Thank you Byjus.
Mehak
April 20, 2020
I didn’t know about this fact,thank you byjus for letting us know. I love music and I really like K-pop (Korean music) and other genres.
Satyam
April 20, 2020
I learnt a lot today by this article, which i didn’t know.
It was really very interesting for me.
Thank you Byju’s…
Sarthak
April 20, 2020
Yes.This is right
R.grishma
April 20, 2020
I love music which has many emotions to express
Thank you for the interesting article about music
Byjus.
Keep learning and also enjoy the world of music.
Harini
April 20, 2020
Yup! I too love music very much but I didn’t know about this fact .
I am very thankful to byjus to sending this useful interesting fact?
Harini
April 20, 2020
Yup! I love music very much but I didn’t know about this fact .
I am very thankful to byjus for sending this useful interesting fact.?
Madhu
April 20, 2020
I love music but didn’t heard about this.Thank u soo much byju’s.
geethayazhini
April 20, 2020
last two lines of this article, i love the most!! hands off to charu
RAKSHITH
April 20, 2020
Did not notice this fact ever before thank you byjus for our inspiration
Karunya
April 20, 2020
Yes it is correct ???
Jessica Solomon
April 20, 2020
I Love music too and feel passionate about it sometimes feel like singing and becoming a great singer but is that even possible for me!!?
Sanjana
April 20, 2020
Music is a very important part of my life and singing is my passion.??
Nageswar Majhi
April 20, 2020
What type of music may be prefer.
Pushpita
April 20, 2020
First I used to hate music but my friend made me a music lover now
Pushpita
April 20, 2020
BYJUS you re so creative
Aditya
April 21, 2020
Wow our brain has really unlimited secrets.
Very much thanks to byjus for this information and
For Giving me more interest in brain.
Manaswani
April 21, 2020
I love music.
Sri harsha
April 21, 2020
I love ?music ?
Samadrita sen
April 21, 2020
Very knowledgeable. Thank you byjus…..
bosco kerketta
April 21, 2020
music is a thing of peace
Gurkirat Singh
April 21, 2020
Wonderful article from byjus
Sanskriti Dabhade
April 21, 2020
That’s cool!!
Niharika Khedekar
April 21, 2020
I didn’t loved music as everyone loved but now I started to understand music and even loving it.
Jay Ranjan Pradhan
April 21, 2020
It’s Intresting and Encouraging for us in the mind
Chinmay
April 21, 2020
Exactly
Keerthana Nambiar
April 21, 2020
I love music but I have never heard about such a science fact behind!!! Thanks byjus!!
Deepali
April 21, 2020
These are great ??
Nikeeta Raut
April 21, 2020
Music is my guide,
it always helps me in my every mood,
most importantly music is something who have the power to motivate me.
Nikeeta Raut
April 21, 2020
Thank you,byju’s
Deb Chakraborty.
April 21, 2020
I am also playing an instrument called Synthesized.
I am so proud to byjus to give us the lesson,”how the music
help us the develop our mind?”
Thanks a lot of you team Byju’s.
Lakshya tripathi
April 21, 2020
Oh it’s good
Aniket Jakkanwar
April 21, 2020
Yes I am listening binary bites
Divya Bhatia
April 21, 2020
I love music from the deep point of my heart.
Thanks Byjus for telling me about this fact
Charmi
April 21, 2020
I love Carnatic music, and I am quite good at it. I won many awards in it and even they are not fitting in my showcase.?
Jad
April 21, 2020
Any article on anti aging?
Anandika Shukla
April 21, 2020
I love music and I don’t know that it effects on our mind. Thank you byjus for telling about these facts of music
Mahi Jadav
April 21, 2020
Yes
Srinjoyee Mallick
April 21, 2020
I have a great liking for music and listen songs when I am lonely, which makes cheerful…
Thank You Byju’s for sharing the knowledge with us!!!
Gauri
April 21, 2020
Thank you byju’s for sharing with us such
an interesting thing
Smahi kunwar
April 22, 2020
Thanks for sharing this interesting fact to us .I like it.??
Ammachar
April 22, 2020
Music makes me relax and sometimes it motivates me….? and thank you byjus for this information …it is amazing ??
J.V.
April 22, 2020
I also love music…singing is my hobby
And I love to hear and sing….??
Poojha
April 22, 2020
Wow??
Pooja V
April 22, 2020
It’s very interesting. Thank you byju’s for the surprising fact about music
Prerna Sinha
April 22, 2020
I love music listening and singing, but
don’t know about this fact thanks byjus
Pragati
April 22, 2020
I love music but never know facts of music thanks for send the fact byzu’s
Pragati
April 22, 2020
Thanks for sending the music fact
Anirudh
April 22, 2020
Thank s
Tejas
April 22, 2020
I really love song thankyou byjus for sending amazing facts
Suhani
April 22, 2020
I also ????
Srijita Moitra
April 23, 2020
I also hearing this fact for the first time, although I love facts.
Rohankumar
April 23, 2020
Accurately you are correct
Mohit gupta
April 23, 2020
I love music but never heard of about these facts thank you by’jus
Pragayn
April 24, 2020
It’s amazing……???
Nehal surve
April 24, 2020
Same with me
Nehal surve
April 24, 2020
Same with me???
Siddesh S Belagavi
April 25, 2020
What are you talking about is this true.WOW
Ashok
April 26, 2020
I like music but I am not free to listen it. But now I will spend time on it.
Ashok
April 26, 2020
I like music but after knowing it’s pact i am became fan of it
Guru Yogesh
April 27, 2020
I love music .when I hear music I will dance.I also love dance. Thanks Byju’s to sending this message.
Iqra Aiman
April 27, 2020
Thanks BYJUS for this interesting information ?
Himanshu Mittal
April 29, 2020
I also
KH. Ariyan Bhardwaz
April 29, 2020
truely music is something very AUSPICIOUS!
Vansh
April 29, 2020
Yes,music help us mind to concentrate..
Bhadra p varma
May 1, 2020
For me music is my soul.. though I can’t sing I am a music aspirant..
it can change the melancholy mood to more energetic and positive..
thanks humus and Charu verma for bringing up such a wonderful writing..
it has made my day bright..
Kanika Maheshwari
May 2, 2020
I love music.
Infact I play the keyboard
Pavithra
May 2, 2020
I love to hear music.
Thank you byju’s for this fantastic fact.
Isha Verma
May 4, 2020
Wow! Music ?
I think I saw someone having this condition ‘Synesthesia’. He can’t hear but dance on music that’s been played for him.
I am not sure! Though it was a reality show.
Shruti
May 4, 2020
Amazing byju’s thanku very much for this message
Gaurav verma
May 5, 2020
Good article with lots of knowledge and facts.
Gargi M Kulkarni
May 7, 2020
To start new STD BYJU please help
sivarenjini
May 7, 2020
I love Music very much its just surprising for me after hearing this fact, Thanks to Byjus for sharing
Srijan
May 8, 2020
Thanks Byju’s for great information. I am going to listen soft and mind blowing songs.In my opinion factteckz scientific beats in play store.
Asin Madona Saiju
May 10, 2020
super
Swara parikh
May 11, 2020
The information was very useful
Thank you
Aksh
May 11, 2020
It is very helpful to me. Before reading this I was not too much interested in music ,but from now onwards I will be .so thankyou byjus for this thank you very much ???
Sharon Varghese
May 12, 2020
I love music ?? and I have many music to listen to it and I too have synesthesia ?
Atulya singh
May 15, 2020
Very correct
Sri harsha
May 25, 2020
I love music so much. I am learning ? music since 2 years. I have not heard about this fact.
Sri harsha
May 25, 2020
I love music so much. Thanks byjus for this amazing article.
????????
May 27, 2020
Like!! I blog quite often and I genuinely thank you for your information. The article has truly peaked my interest.
Bhavya
June 9, 2020
Thank you byjus for this wonderful information
Samira. S
June 14, 2020
??????
Ashu
June 24, 2020
Absolutely correct
MITUL
July 27, 2020
Yes you were right,I tried to write homework with music and it’s very nice ??
Sirisha
August 11, 2020
Thanks to byjus for this fact
Akshaya Singh
September 9, 2020
It looks so interesting
Jatin
September 10, 2020
Thank you byjus for the fact of music ?
Kushal Kumar.P
October 10, 2020
That’s why I try to understand or try to play every rhythm and every tunes that makes me feel good. Thanks for the information ?
Kirti
May 26, 2021
Music is always the way we enlighten our mood and it always soothes us very well…