The Smoking Gun
When I recall a certain piece of music, it’s usually in the right key and tempo.
What comes as news to me is most people, not just musicians, can hit the tempo of one of their favorite songs within a 4 percent margin of error. And two-thirds recall the correct pitch or key of the song within a semitone of the original one. This is amazing.
It’s the kind of accuracy only expected of pros, not your neighbors, family and friends.
This is especially true when you consider how our memories fade and degrade over time. Why is your favorite music so deeply encoded in your brain?
Why is music recalled so accurately?
Bring in another pro to answer the question. Dr. Daniel Levitin, a former producer in Hollywood, recently told the New York Times that he became disenchanted with the music industry in the 1990s. Instead, he decided to study the effect of music on the brain. Now he’s turning music psychology and neuroscience on its head.
His experiment stopping people on the street and asking them to sing one of their favorite songs, he realized he had a smoking gun.
“When you played the recording of them singing alongside the actual recording of the original song, it sounded like they were singing along,” Dr. Levitin told the New York Times.
Here’s what Dr. Levitin found. Music triggers the REWARD centers in your brain.
He and a band of other neuroscientists at McGill University observed people listening to classical music while inside a M.R.I. machine.
They found a waterfall of brain-chemical activity.
First the forebrain lit up - it analyzed the shape and meaning of the music. Then dopamine was released. Yes, the chemical that makes you feel like you’re having a VERY good time. In The Secret Power of Words and Music you can find out more about the “Chocolate, Sex and Drugs” effect classical music has.
Then another area in the brain associated with physical activity was triggered in all subjects.
“When we saw all this activity going on precisely in sync, in this order, we knew we had the smoking gun,” he said. “We’ve always known that music is good for improving your mood. But this showed precisely how it happens.”
It’s the rewarding experience that makes certain music so memorable.
Your brain absolutely thrives on good music. Hey, if you like the idea of feeling ‘high’ without eating or inhaling an unhealthy substance then join the other members of the Sounds of Gold Inner Circle Sounds of Gold Inner Circle - you’ll be compelled to nourish yourself consistently and effortlessly.
Happy New Year,
Tania Gabrielle French
P.S. There’s still time to take advantage of the Sounds of Gold New Year’s Special – but not for long. Sign up for your chance to experience great sounds and secret insider info Now AND receive the Science of Getting Rich for Creators package as a FREE gift. This special is going fast. Reserve your copy NOW!
What comes as news to me is most people, not just musicians, can hit the tempo of one of their favorite songs within a 4 percent margin of error. And two-thirds recall the correct pitch or key of the song within a semitone of the original one. This is amazing.
It’s the kind of accuracy only expected of pros, not your neighbors, family and friends.
This is especially true when you consider how our memories fade and degrade over time. Why is your favorite music so deeply encoded in your brain?
Why is music recalled so accurately?
Bring in another pro to answer the question. Dr. Daniel Levitin, a former producer in Hollywood, recently told the New York Times that he became disenchanted with the music industry in the 1990s. Instead, he decided to study the effect of music on the brain. Now he’s turning music psychology and neuroscience on its head.
His experiment stopping people on the street and asking them to sing one of their favorite songs, he realized he had a smoking gun.
“When you played the recording of them singing alongside the actual recording of the original song, it sounded like they were singing along,” Dr. Levitin told the New York Times.
Here’s what Dr. Levitin found. Music triggers the REWARD centers in your brain.
He and a band of other neuroscientists at McGill University observed people listening to classical music while inside a M.R.I. machine.
They found a waterfall of brain-chemical activity.
First the forebrain lit up - it analyzed the shape and meaning of the music. Then dopamine was released. Yes, the chemical that makes you feel like you’re having a VERY good time. In The Secret Power of Words and Music you can find out more about the “Chocolate, Sex and Drugs” effect classical music has.
Then another area in the brain associated with physical activity was triggered in all subjects.
“When we saw all this activity going on precisely in sync, in this order, we knew we had the smoking gun,” he said. “We’ve always known that music is good for improving your mood. But this showed precisely how it happens.”
It’s the rewarding experience that makes certain music so memorable.
Your brain absolutely thrives on good music. Hey, if you like the idea of feeling ‘high’ without eating or inhaling an unhealthy substance then join the other members of the Sounds of Gold Inner Circle Sounds of Gold Inner Circle - you’ll be compelled to nourish yourself consistently and effortlessly.
Happy New Year,
Tania Gabrielle French
P.S. There’s still time to take advantage of the Sounds of Gold New Year’s Special – but not for long. Sign up for your chance to experience great sounds and secret insider info Now AND receive the Science of Getting Rich for Creators package as a FREE gift. This special is going fast. Reserve your copy NOW!
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