“I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music” – Albert Einstein
The dictionary defines music as ‘the art of segregating tunes to create an expressive composition’. However, the importance of music in our life goes beyond any formal meaning.
Yet, a lot of us often wonder why music is important in our lives. A general response to this would be that music is possibly the greatest creative route you can choose to express yourself. However, there’s even more to music than what we can hear.
It acts like therapy for those who listen to connect deeply, and music is life for those who have a burning desire to create and so on.
That being said, let’s dive deep into a small fraction of the unexplored realms of music and learn more about its importance in our life and society.
Music as a form of expression
Legendary artist Freddie Mercury had been a victim of his crippling anxiety throughout his life, and had barely spoken about it to anyone. His close friends and acquaintances have always described him as a lonely, shy and reserved figure.
Yet, the world recognizes this introverted person as the greatest showman of all time! Not to forget, his evergreen record “Bohemian Rhapsody” paints quite a picture of his distorted childhood and concealed emotions.
Now, this is where the tremendous impact of music in someone’s life can be visible. It let a man rise above his demons and express himself so beautifully that it has inspired millions ever since.
So, if you too are in a pursuit to acknowledge the significance of music in someone’s life, then start from within. Just ask yourself- what does music mean to you?
Do not let your music die with you
One of the biggest reasons why music is important is that it’s a universal language that one can use to express themselves in situations where words fall short. Music helps us reveal our deeper side and share insecurities without going through the fear of being judged.
For instance, when we play an instrument, we tend to play the melodies that reflect our current state of mind. The same goes for when we listen to music; we mostly prefer to listen to the specific genre/song that we can emotionally connect to, at that moment.
This way, we find ourselves to be transcending from the dimension of social conditioning to a more in-depth and intimate phase of self-expression.
This does not only help us encounter our imperfections with more confidence, but also make peace with gloom and stress. Ultimately, in a way we can say that music is able to take a lonely and insecure person and transform them into a joyful and expressive figure.
Now, as we become more confident at expressing ourselves through any medium of our choice, we tend to be happier with who we are. This way, we spread a contagiously positive energy wherever we go, which is essential to raise the consciousness of human beings.
So if you’re ordinarily incapable of expressing yourself and reaching the highest potential, you can always take an abstract route and learn through music.
Music as therapy
By now, we’ve become aware of how finding a way to express our emotions freely can have a positive impact on our overall health and well-being.
However, some of us do the exact opposite; we tend to suppress our emotions to the point where we end up being diagnosed with clinical depression. Now, not only does this habit turn humans into resentful figures, but it also harms their mental and emotional well being drastically.
Thankfully, science has recognized the power of music and designed it as a medical intervention to enhance the quality of lives of clinically diagnosed patients. Music therapy works as an astounding medium to help patients deal with their repressed emotional and spiritual aspects of life.
This reminds us of the legendary English dramatist William Congreve, who had quoted, “Music carries the charms that can soften the hardest rocks.” This is because music, when used as a medical intervention, becomes more effective at touching one’s mind, heart, and soul with precision.
For instance, music can be used as a healthy distraction that takes our mind away from thoughts that deteriorate our mental health. Music has also proven to slow our bodily rhythms and uplift mood, and it can play a crucial role in helping us develop good behavior.
How does a certified therapist use music therapy?
Certified therapists usually develop different forms of music therapy sessions according to the diagnosed issues of the patient. Mainly it is used to help patients recover from severe psychological problems such as schizophrenia, chronic depression, anxiety, and other problems. However, it can also be used to enhance the emotional well-being and interaction capabilities of a person.
Now mainly, the dynamics of music therapy sessions can be dissected into two processes, i.e., creative and receptive. In the creative process, the therapist works along with the patient to compose new melodies or improvise different songs. This way, the patient is enabled to devise their overall health conditions through proper therapy.
However, during the receptive process, therapists use music to help their clients transcend into a state of relaxation and peace. This helps their introverted and repressive clients come out of their shells and discuss their thoughts and emotions with ease. Both ways, music therapy works like magic to have someone as fit as a fiddle without being prescribed to drugs.
Music as a source of higher learning
We can’t deny that music has been historically proven to have a profound impact on the human brain. Now, the true beauty of music lies in its versatility; one can use it to distract their brain or enhance their focus, if they should so choose. So, yes, if life is all about walking a path of continuous self-development, then music is life.
Have you realized how easy it is to remember the lyrics of your favorite songs by every word? However, it becomes incredibly tough for us to memorize comparatively small paragraphs when it comes to our syllabus. So, if you haven’t realized yet, music can also be used as a fair means to enhance one’s memorizing capabilities to a higher level.
Studies have found that the human brain absorbs anything that it finds appealing with ease, and music is something most of us enjoy profoundly. As a bonus, science has approved that the right kind of music helps listeners increase focus and concentrate on their ongoing tasks.
This way, listening to music can be a potential exercise one can continue to develop their cognitive abilities.
Music as a learning medium for children
Various studies have found that gaining optimal musical experiences can be helpful for children in accelerating their brain development. Simply put, music can benefit infants and toddlers graduate to an advanced phase of school-readiness.
For starters, the repetition in music can help children develop higher memorizing abilities. If you recite a popular song to a toddler, they’ll instantly catch the tune and respond to it by moving their body in a rhythm. If you, for instance, change certain words of the song into silly and funny noises, they’ll be able to detect it and clap their hands in amusement.
Kindergarten students also learn through music in their early schooling years, where rhymes are used to teach them about life, society, and the environment. Furthermore, music-making can also help children enhance their mathematical skills through the concept of tempo, rhythm and it’s other dynamics.
Music as a social force
If you want to explore why music is important, then history would be your best teacher. Human beings have historically used music as a powerful weapon to encourage the revolutions that have refined the dynamics of our society.
For instance, the legendary protest anthem “Bella Ciao” is an excellent example of the pain and struggles of Italian women and partisans during World War II. The song was initially sung to bid farewell to the Italian soldiers who were recruited for armed combat against the German forces. The song has been remembered through the ages as a symbol of liberation.
Lastly, apart from being a social force, music also helps people shed their barriers and unite as one. The power of music makes thousands of strangers from different backgrounds celebrate together as a single community.
For instance, nobody asks what the other person’s religion or nationality is at a concert. All that matters is their love for music, which is enough to bring them together as one. The essence of music is best experienced in these situations, when it lets us connect to our inner selves as well as with others.
Final words
Music is God’s most beautiful gift to humanity. Although it’s one of the most underappreciated “art” forms in our society, music is the purest definition of creativity and freedom. It is the best path one can pursue to express themselves freely.
Music has the charisma that can relax a stressed mind, console a broken heart, and liberate an imprisoned soul. So it’s nearly impossible to describe what does music mean to you in a single sentence because you’ll find it in everything.
We’ll return soon with similar insightful content to help you with your limitless curiosity. Till then, stay tuned and stay curious!
