Music is one of the most beautiful, valuable, and calming things in this world. It entertains the ear, as well as the heart. Not only is it melodious to listen to, but it also conveys many messages! A huge portion of songs has catchy tunes that express emotion, and feelings, while many compositions also have beautiful and enchanting phrases and lyrics. It gives some people meaning, and makes many people’s careers. I want to share my opinions, and thoughts on types of music and how it impacts us.
Personally, I am familiar with many kinds of music, Pop, Rock, K-Pop, Jazz, Country Music, Heavy Metal, Disco, Orchestra, Classical, Opera, Progressive Rock, New-Age Music, and many other Western Influenced music. I am also familiar with songs of India, Carnatic Music, Hindustani, and local folk songs from Tamil Nadu. All of these are distinctly unique, and different, with maybe a tinge of similarities within and between each of them, yet all of them accomplish a purpose of fulfilling the soul, heart, and mind. Each type of music brings in different emotions. Some may bring camaraderie, some may provide a sense of malevolence and loneliness, some may give a sense of hyperactivity and excitement. Music is successful in inducing sensation and perception.
From a psychological perspective, there are many benefits that emit from even the simplest of the music that we listen to. Music can relax the mind, excite and can be the source of energy for the body, and even help people in pain! It influences our moods, thoughts, emotions, characteristics, behaviours, and actions. We all have been pumped up when listening to fast-paced rock, or loud heavy metal, and we all feel a state of peace when listening to jazz, classical or Carnatic Music. A few of the benefits from listening to music are –
- Music can advance the cognitive performance, and enhance memory to a significant extent.
- Music can greatly reduce and neutralize stress, which may be mental or physical. It induces a lot of relaxation and helps us perform better and more effectively.
- Music can help manage pain, physical and mental. Studies have proven this, and so have years of personal experience from my point of view!
- Music might aid us in sleeping better, and reduce the effect of the very serious disease of Insomnia. No sleep can affect everything we do, and if music helps us improve sleep quality, then it is just more cherry on the cake!
- Music can motivate you! Even in the lowest point of our life, or a procrastinating period, good music can help motivate what we are striving to achieve, be it academic, physical fitness, or professional life.
- Music can help us come out of depression and help us maintain our happiness and joy.
My personal experience and exposure with both Western Influenced Music, and Carnatic Music, can assure societal and biological effects too. Singing and listening to music can be done by practically almost everyone, and it involves almost many of the organs in our body – Lungs, mouth, nose, nasal cavity, diaphragm, esophagus, sinus, oral cavity, larynx, pharynx, bronchi, trachea, and even the stomach. It improves on them too! Music can bring control into life and is one of the best things that one can experience in this whole wide world. I believe that there are only a few things that life is worth living for, food, sports, and music. Of course, there are other notions that are worth it, but from my viewpoint, as a thirteen-year-old boy, these two are the ideal gifts of humankind, and I would like to think that the latter is the more valuable one.
