How Music Can Make You Better (The HOW Series)

1. Music is a creation of the brain, not just sound waves

Sound can be noise in one context and music in another. The difference? How you listen and how your brain interprets the signal: Is it random noise, or is there a meaningful pattern?

Music is subjective. What counts as music depends on the listener's brain and how it interprets sound. Repetition is a key element that helps our brains recognize structure in sound and turn it into music. Variations on repeated patterns create meaning, which is essential for our experience of music.

Context matters. The same sound can be perceived as noise or music depending on where and how we hear it. Our brains are primed to search for meaning, even in seemingly chaotic sounds. This is why silence can be musical in the right context, as demonstrated by John Cage's famous piece 4'33".

Structure and intention. Music requires both an underlying structure and a sense of human intention or emotion behind it. When a performance is too perfect or mechanical, it can feel less musical because it lacks the human element that we connect with emotionally.

2. Our brains find pleasure in the balance of familiarity and novelty in music

Music we love rides this fine line between familiarity and novelty.

The Goldilocks principle. We get bored with music that's too simple or repetitive, but we can also find highly complex music frustrating or incomprehensible. The most enjoyable music strikes a balance between predictability and surprise.

Learning and appreciation. As we become more familiar with a genre or style of music, we can appreciate increasingly complex compositions. This is why exposure and repeated listening are key to developing musical taste and understanding.

Neurochemical rewards. Our brains release dopamine in anticipation of musical moments we enjoy, and both dopamine and opioids spike when we experience musical pleasure. This creates a powerful reward system that keeps us coming back for more.

3. Music can bend our perception of time and create powerful emotional experiences

Great musicians harness time to highlight the emotions behind the music, to help us find multiple meanings, and to give us new experiences.

Manipulating time. Musicians can slow down or speed up our perception of time by playing with rhythm, tempo, and phrasing. This manipulation of time allows them to emphasize emotions and create richer, more memorable experiences for listeners.

Emotional intensity. Music can induce strong emotional responses, including the famous "chills" that some people experience. These physical reactions are linked to the release of dopamine and endogenous opioids in the brain's pleasure centers.

Paradoxical enjoyment. Even sad music can be pleasurable, partly due to the release of prolactin, a hormone associated with comfort. This allows us to experience emotional catharsis without the real-life consequences of negative events.

4. Anyone can learn to appreciate and create music with practice

Great singers aren't born that way. Even songbirds have to go through a period of learning, during which they make sounds, evaluate them, and try to do better.

Overcoming misconceptions. Many people believe they are "tone-deaf" or lack musical ability, but true amusia (inability to recognize musical tones) is rare. Most people can improve their musical skills with proper practice and guidance.

The power of mindset. Adopting a growth mindset—believing that abilities can be developed through effort—is crucial for musical learning. This approach leads to greater persistence and enjoyment in practice.

Effective practice strategies:

• Set specific, achievable goals
• Work outside your comfort zone
• Maintain intense focus
• Seek high-quality feedback
• Develop new mental models of the skill

5. Music has profound healing effects on the brain and body

Music can be a life preserver in the tumultuous sea of Alzheimer's disease, but once again, the best results occur when the music is curated for a particular patient.

Neurological benefits. Music therapy can help patients with various conditions, including:

• Aphasia and speech disorders
• Parkinson's disease
• Alzheimer's and dementia
• Anxiety and stress
• Pain management

Mechanisms of healing. Music's therapeutic effects work through multiple channels:

• Distraction from pain or anxiety
• Activation of the brain's reward system
• Reduction of stress hormones
• Enhancement of social bonding through oxytocin release

Personalized approach. The most effective music interventions are tailored to the individual's preferences and experiences, particularly for patients with dementia or Alzheimer's disease.

6. Musical training enhances cognitive abilities and shapes the brain

Musical training is a canonical example of neuroplasticity in action.

Brain changes. Long-term musical training leads to measurable changes in brain structure and function, including:

• Increased size of the corpus callosum
• Enhanced connections between auditory and motor regions
• Improved ability to process speech in noisy environments

Cognitive benefits. Musical training can improve various cognitive skills:

• Language processing
• Spatial reasoning
• Memory
• Attention

Lifelong learning. While it's easier to learn music as a child, adults can still benefit from musical training. The challenge of learning a new instrument can promote neuroplasticity and potentially help stave off cognitive decline in aging.

7. Music is a powerful force for social bonding and cultural change

Music doesn't just affect individual brains—it can shape entire civilizations.

Social glue. Music has the power to bring people together through:

• Synchronization of movement and physiological processes
• Increased empathy and trust
• Release of oxytocin, the "social bonding" hormone

Cultural impact. Throughout history, music has played a crucial role in:

• Social movements and protests
• Religious and cultural rituals
• Shaping national and group identities

Double-edged sword. While music can unite people, it can also be used to:

• Incite violence or aggression
• Reinforce in-group/out-group divisions
• Manipulate emotions for political or commercial purposes

8. The evolution of music may have played a key role in human development

Perhaps music played, and continues to play, a key role in the development of our complex minds.

Evolutionary theories. Various hypotheses attempt to explain the evolutionary origins of music:

• Sexual selection (similar to birdsong)
• Social bonding and group cohesion
• Work coordination (e.g., work songs)
• Language precursor

Cognitive development. Music may have contributed to the development of human cognitive abilities by:

• Enhancing social skills and empathy
• Improving memory and attention
• Promoting abstract thinking and pattern recognition

Universal human trait. The ubiquity of music across all known human cultures suggests its deep importance to our species. However, the shift from widespread amateur music-making to passive consumption in modern society may be limiting music's full potential to shape our minds and communities.

Last updated: September 11, 2024