There is something uniquely human about music. While birds and other animals may “sing” to communicate with their kind, warn off predators, and attract mates, humans make music for reasons that go beyond mere survival. Humans use music to express and process emotion, to entertain, to glorify the physical and the divine. Music can also be used to “hack” the human brain, altering mood and increasing focus, and improving our interpersonal connections with others.
Music for focus at work
There have been quite a few studies that show classical music is great for focus. You may have heard of the term the “Mozart effect” before[1]. Further studies have shown that it’s not just the Sonata for Two Pianos in D major, K. 448; any music with energetic and positive emotional qualities can help with reasoning and creative problem solving.
For the ultimate focusing music there are as many different go-to tunes as there are people. If you need energy rather than concentration, then anything from reggae to Rigoletto can do to keep you motivated. For deep concentration, though, professionals suggest music without lyrics and slow instrumental music[2]. The research suggests that lyrics or complicated melodies can take up some of the space you have in your working memory[3][4]. For all of us (and especially ND folk) all our working memory is needed when puzzling out the next great breakthrough.
Personally, when I need deep concentration, I go with thunder and rain sounds. It's great for masking ambient noise that gets past my noise cancelling headphones, and it's more natural than white noise.
Music for motivation and mood
Shakespeare wrote “If music be the food of love, play on.” Music can be a great way to motivate yourself. Research shows that pleasurable music increases dopamine levels in the brain[5], and as ADHD folks know well, dopamine is responsible for regulating attention, working memory, and motivation[6].
Music can also help get you ready for a tough task. An acting teacher of mine taught about creating a playlist of theme music when you wanted to get into character for a role, and my sister would sing Darth Vader's Imperial March when going to a tough meeting or job interview.
Whether you are listening to Michael Jackson’s Thriller to get you off the couch and into the gym, or Heavy Metal to work out some excess energy it’s pretty clear that you should stick to what works for you. Both tastes differ[7] and circumstances differ, and what works for you in each setting is always valid.
Music for sensory response
Music and sound can also be used to trigger ASMR, which stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response[8]. For those who experience ASMR, certain sounds such as whispering, tapping, and other crisp noises can trigger a tingling sensation, feelings of wellbeing and relaxation, and even a trance like state.
Not everyone experiences ASMR, and there is still very little research into understanding ASMR. Anecdotally, those who watch one of the millions of ASMR videos available on Youtube often report increased levels of relaxation and decreased insomnia. One study suggests that experiencing ASMR appears to be associated with the same part of the brain involved with emotion and empathy and connection with others, though more research is still needed.
Music for connection
Speaking of connecting with others, if you've not encountered the Tessiturians at a TLCC party, you are missing out! Playing, singing, or dancing together can be a great way of connecting, unwinding, and blowing off steam, especially at a conference. And if big crowds and bigger noise is not your thing, they have a youtube channel[9].
Music and reconciliation
In a lot of ways music is used to bridge divides, promote learning and change. Here in Australia, there is a lot of work that needs to be done by non-indigenous folk to close the gap in inequality and learn the history of our country. One example is Eumeralla: a war requiem for peace, a work with exceptional cultural value that expresses indigenous culture in a powerful way[10]. It is written and composed by acclaimed Yorta Yorta soprano, composer and Artistic Director of Short Black Opera, Deborah Cheetham AO. The requiem for peace is sung entirely in the ancient dialects of the Gunditjmara people.
“It is my hope that this requiem will help the spirits of those who fell to find a lasting peace and that we, their descendants, might find our way to deeper understanding of the legacy of these battles. Eumeralla: a war requiem for peace will break the silence of so many decades and serve to amplify the importance of our nation’s shared history.”
Deborah Cheetham AO
What is your favourite music to listen to, and what are some ways you see it impacting your daily life? Let us know in the comments!
--Heath and Shelly
1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozart_effect
2 https://www.healthline.com/health/does-music-help-you-study#benefits-of-music-for-studying
3 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01902/full
4 https://www.uow.edu.au/media/2019/is-it-ok-to-listen-to-music-while-studying.php
5 https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1809855116
6 https://www.additudemag.com/music-therapy-for-adhd-how-rhythm-builds-focus/
7 https://www.additudemag.com/background-noise-sensitivity-adhd-music/
8 https://theconversation.com/asmr-what-we-know-so-far-about-this-unique-brain-phenomenon-and-what-we-dont-135106
9 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHgeQ_Yr-RWRvYeOd-855ug
10 https://www.shortblackopera.org.au/eumeralla
Instrumental lo-fi hip-hop/chill-hop/jazz-hop/downtempo for me. Just musically complex enough that it doesn't grate, but soothing and low-key so it doesn't distract. And with the recent explosion in popularity of the genre, there are plenty of playlists and stations to choose from.
I went through a Miles and Mingus phase in my late 20s. I remember Sketches of Spain and II BS being like theme music for me back then and I think it was 100% a focusing tool. (I also thought that I was some smooth cat so that might be it as well).