Tag: importance of music

“SCHOOLS REMOVING MUSIC AS A SUBJECT “, IS IT GOOD ?

Music gives you pleasure that heals your wounds , be it mental , be it physical.

Nearly everyone enjoys music , whether by listening to it , singing , playing instrument. But despite of this universal interest for music , schools are removing music from the list of their subjects that are taught in the schools. Are schools on right path ? Is this decision is in favor of students? NO , they are doing a big mistake ! Schools are not only loosing an enjoyable subject but a subject which enrich students life & help them to focus more on their education . Here are the benefits that music plays in the life of a student.

  1. Musical training helps develop language and reasoning: Students who have early musical training will develop the areas of the brain related to language and reasoning. The left side of the brain is better developed with music, and songs can help imprint information on young minds.
  2. Students learn to improve their work : music brings craftmanship among students, they learn the presentation part of their work
  3. Increased coordination: Students who practice with musical instruments can improve their hand-eye coordination. Just like playing sports, children can develop motor skills when playing music.
  4. Music can be relaxing: Students can fight stress by learning to play music. Soothing music is especially helpful in helping kids relax. A relaxed mind ensures proper work done .
  5. Music teaches discipline : Music teaches an important aspect of life that is discipline , students have to set aside time to learn the instruments that will make them learn discipline
  6. Better self-confidence: With encouragement from teachers and parents, students playing a musical instrument can build pride and confidence. Musical education is also likely to develop better communication for students.

Finally, music is an excellent way to relieve stress.  This is significant for students who may feel overwhelmed by schoolwork and try to balance extracurricular activities. Studies have found that music can reduce burnout and improve mood states. As students enter into the upper grades of the school system and begin considering applying for post-secondary schools, they might feel overwhelmed with the need to keep their grades high. Even young students can experience stress with the increasing amounts of homework school curriculums require. Some students may also have stressful home lives, and music will offer a way to escape from these situations.

Music helps you increase you memory power . Music is good for your memory. I bet you can remember the lyrics of a bunch of songs much better than an article you recently read. In nursing homes, they started using musical therapy in order to let the elderly remember things of their past, which they couldn’t remember without listening to music.

Surgeon plays music in operation theatre during an ongoing surgery

“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain-”Bob Marley.

Adhering to the above quote said by Bob Marley, music proves to be the most powerful weapon for anything related to pain. Beyond the fact that music acts as a relief against pain, it also completely cures any form of sadness that is extensive. The practise of playing music in operation theatres in order to reduce stress for both surgeons and patients is not uncommon. Whereas, not many of us are aware about this amazing practise of surgeons which has helped a lot of surgeries to turn out to be successful.

To be precise, Music has proven to be effective in relaxing stress hormones and reducing blood pressure. Prominently, classic music shows drastic effects and is verified to be beneficial in distress.

Many interesting surgeries were held while music was played in various forms and also performed successfully. One of them includes a surgery where a musician played violin while the surgeons performed Brain surgery to remove her Brain tumour. Well the musician was the patient herself! How amazing it sounds right. Similar to this, in 2017 a musician reported to have played violin, since the surgeon who performed the surgery found relief for his stress during the surgery. Again, the surgery was performed successfully. 

There are many such magnificent incidents like this occurred, which have proved to have more impact on both surgeons and patients. 

Nowadays, stress, depression, anxiety etcetera has become so common that many people started using these words on a daily basis. But one thing that stands out to be a stress relief for everyone is “music”. It has been reported that music releases a hormone in the human body which eases pain and produces a feeling of euphoria. 

One of the biggest incidents of doctors dancing to folk music in order to entertain covid patients stole many hearts and could be considered one of the best gestures ever. Music allegedly makes an aching heart and mind calm and reduces all kinds of emotions which leads to negative outcomes.

One of the most imminent types of music used in operation theatres are classical music. It is said that classical music gives a soothing feeling to the human mind mentally and physically. Listening to music in hospitals has become so common and getting played on a regular basis.

Isn’t it surprising and amazing to know how music plays a vital role in every corner of life and helps in manifesting peace all over. Some of the facts and incidents about music being played in operation theatres would just blow your mind when you get to know more about the phenomena. A patient playing music on an ongoing surgery on herself and doctors being very particular about not to disturb or affect any hormone that is related to control actions of her makes us understand that small things make huge differences and give beautiful results.

What do we know about Music?

“Music is the language of the spirit. It opens the secret of life bringing peace, abolishing strife.”

Kahlil Gibran

“Music is the moonlight in the gloomy night of life”

John Paul Friedrich Richter

“Music is the universal language of mankind”

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Introduction

These quotes on music give us a little idea about what music is to people and how it makes them feel. Music is defined as vocal or instrumental sounds or both combined in such a way as to produce beauty of form, harmony, and expression of emotion. Music is an art and so it is usually influenced by culture and it becomes an important part of all cultures. Music does not only have to be professional, even a mother singing a lullaby for her baby is music.

History of Music

The history of music is almost as old as humanity. Archaeologists have found a primitive flute made of bone and ivory which can be dated back to almost 43,000 years old. A lot of musical styles could have been oral and so there is not much evidence on that. The oldest song by man is known to be the “Hurrian Hymn No. 6” which was an ode to the goddess Nikkal composed in cuneiform by ancient Hurrians around 14th century B.C. But the earliest piece of music was found on a 4000-year-old Sumerian clay tablet which had instructions on how to play the hymn in honour of the ruler Lipit-Ishtar. The oldest musical composition to have survived is known to be from the first century A.D., a Greek tune called the “Seikilos Epitaph”. This song was found engraved on an ancient marble.

Types of Music

The world is filled with several music genres and music styles. Some of the common music genres with examples are:

  • Classical – Moonlight by Ludwig Van Beethoven
  • Country – You should be here by Cole Swindell
  • Electronic Dance Music (EDM) – Fade by NCIS
  • Hip Hop – Gangsters Paradise by Coolio
  • Indie Rock – Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now by The Smiths
  • Jazz – A Kiss to Build a Dream on by Louis Armstrong
  • K-pop – Butter by BTS
  • Metal – Diary of Jane by Breaking Benjamin
  • Pop – Shape of You by Ed Sheeran
  • Rap – These Guys by Blay Vision
  • Rhythm & Blues (R&B) – You Got it Bad by usher
  • Rock – Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin
  • Blues – Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits

Benefits of Music

  • Research shows that music helps in keeping your heart healthy. Blood flows more easily when music is played, heart rate gets reduced, blood pressure lowers, it also decreased cortisol levels which is the stress hormone and it increases serotonin and endorphin in blood.
  • Music boosts the brain’s production of dopamine which helps in relieving anxiety and depression.
  • Music triggers some biochemical stress reducers which then help in reducing stress.
  • People going through depression are recommended to listen to music and it is supposed to help.
  • Music therapy is used for people suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia. This music therapy relaxes the patients.
  • Music therapy also helps in managing the pain, it reduces the perceived intensity of pain.
  • Music is supposed to increase the workout endurance one might have.
  • For some people, music helps in concentration and minimizes the chances of getting distracted.
  • Music helps in regulating and understanding your emotions.

Conclusion

Music has existed for a very long time and that too in many forms. Most of us listen to different kinds of music just because we feel like it, without realizing the benefits it has. So, music isn’t just some sound with some instrument, it indeed is the moonlight in the gloomy night of light.

References