Music: a universal language that we can all agree - makes us feel things! For a long time, it has been known that music can change the mood of humans. With the development of technology over the last 100 years, this change in mood has been measured through electromyography (EMG) and brain imaging.
It has been found that there are physiological changes when listening to music such as heart rate, blood pressure and release of stress hormones. When we listen to music, it activates our nervous system. There are two nervous systems in our bodies - sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The sympathetic nervous system is activated when there is a potential threat of danger. The body responds with a fight, flight, freeze response. Physiologically, our heart rate increases, blood vessels constrict, sweat glands activate, goosebumps occur, and pupils dilate. The parasympathetic nervous system is the opposite, where the body enters a state of relaxation ie. decreased heart rate and breathing, salivation glands activated and pupils constrict.
Before civilisation, humans would use sound to assess their surroundings to ensure safety. Changes in sound such as loudness, unexpected sounds or increased frequency can indicate a potential threat, or a lack thereof, activating the sympathetic or parasympathetic nervous systems. For example, an approaching predator may be heard through an increased frequency of steps if it is about to attack. Thankfully, we don’t need to use sound in the same way today. However, this evolution can give reason as to why humans have a sympathetic or parasympathetic nervous system related response to sound and therefore music.
According to philosopher Susanne Langer, evolution says that before being able to articulate, homosapiens were able to express emotion through music. As noted by Trimble & Hesdorffer in 2017, “meaning in music came to us before meaning given by words”.
Now, what does the body’s response have to do with the brain?
Let’s start with a little bit about the brain. The brain consists of two hemispheres and several cortices. Scientists have defined these cortices to be responsible for different actions. There are certain areas of the brain for movement, sensory, language, vision, hearing and balance. When we listen to music, the actual sound enters the auditory cortex in the temporal lobe, which then sends the auditory information to be interpreted. We generate a thought about this sound, then respond. This response can look like movement, emotion and thoughts, or speech. An important area of the brain that is responsible for an emotional response, is the amygdala. This is an area located very deep inside the brain. The amygdala is responsible for producing an emotional response through memory. What that means is that we have learnt from listening to sounds in the past that teaches us how we should feel if we hear the same or similar sound.
Another important area of the brain that lights up when listening to music is the limbic system, responsible for controlling pleasure, reward (ie. addictive behaviours) and the release of dopamine. You know when you replay the same song over and over and over and never get sick of it? Yup, that’s your limbic system!
Now, let’s return to this idea of creating an emotional response through memory. There is an associated physiological response when listening to music that reminds us of a different time. For example, our heart rates may increase when listening to a frightening song which may be associated with the theme song of a thriller, or increase with a happy memory when listening to music you grew up with. Could this be a reason as to why high energy remixes of 2000s music is trending right now such as DJ Heartstring and Marlon Hoffstadt?
We associate happy memories with 2000s songs, causing a sense of pleasure and nostalgia. Once again, our emotional response to this type of music is through memory. This means there is a greater engagement to the music if there is a sense of familiarity.
Not only is this music nostalgic, but the use of major chords, compared to minor chords, elicit a more upbeat feel. This type of music also has a high bpm. The choice of tempo can change the complete feel of a song. The body’s response to music is automatic and unconscious. Increased bpm’s can increase energy and are more likely to activate the sympathetic nervous system, increasing the heart rate and movement. Whereas a slower bpm can create a more relaxed feel, with activation of the parasympathetic nervous system. Our body’s naturally try to match the rhythm of a song, which we can see through tapping feet, heart rate and breathing. Additionally when music is coupled with the parasympathetic nervous system, it can cause the inhibition of cortisol and noradrenaline release, which are responsible for generating a stress response. So, with the body’s nervous response and unconscious coordination of rhythm, it is expected to feel different emotions to different types of music. Think: is it true that slow jazz makes you relaxed and ready for a wine on the couch, and techno makes you motivated to exercise or dance?
By creating an ebb and flow through musical structure and composition, songs can also elicit an emotive response through creating tension and then resolution (ie. drop). With new or unexpected sounds and composition, it can create a sense of being ‘on edge’, activating the sympathetic nervous system and therefore engagement. A survey by Scherer et al in 2002 found that musical structure and knowing what is upcoming ie. producing music in a 4, 8, 16, 32 bar structure can also elicit a better response. These structural choices are fundamental elements in electronic music, but can also be seen through classical music through crescendos and decrescendos. Ever got goosebumps listening to an orchestra? That’s your sympathetic nervous system kicking because “it sounds soooo goooddddd!”. Because so many parts of the brain are being used when listening to music, it creates a very full experience.
