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Music and Brain Waves: Exploring Alpha, Beta, Theta, and Gamma Activity
Have you ever noticed that certain songs make you feel calm, while others instantly make you feel energized? Maybe listening to classical music helps you concentrate while studying, or an upbeat playlist motivates you during a workout. While it may seem like music is simply changing your mood, it is actually changing something much deeper:…
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The Predictive Brain: Why Musical Surprises Feel So Good
Imagine you’re listening to your favorite song. Everything is unfolding exactly as you expected. The melody is familiar, the rhythm feels comfortable, and you already know what’s coming next. Then, suddenly, the music takes an unexpected turn. For some reason… it sounds even better? But why? If our brains like making predictions, wouldn’t it make…
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Rhythm and the Brain: Why Humans Are Wired to Keep Time
Whether you’re a musician, a dancer, or someone who only listens to music through headphones on the way to school, rhythm is everywhere. But have you ever stopped to wonder why humans are so good at recognizing a beat? Why do we instinctively tap our feet, clap along to music, or somehow know exactly when…
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Music and Attention Networks: What Happens When You Focus on Music?
Maybe you’ve been a musician your whole life. Maybe you’re an adult picking up a new instrument. Maybe, like me, you’re a teenager who started early and hopes to continue making music for years to come. Or maybe you don’t play an instrument at all. Either way, have you ever wondered what actually happens inside…
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The Hippocampus and Music: Why Songs Become Powerful Memory Cues
Have you ever heard a song you haven’t listened to in years, only to suddenly remember exactly where you were the last time you heard it? Most of us think of the hippocampus as the brain’s “memory center,” and for good reason. Located deep within the temporal lobe, the hippocampus plays a major role in…
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Music and the Emotional Brain: How Music Interacts with the Amygdala
Have you ever gotten goosebumps while listening to a song? Maybe it was during a movie soundtrack, the climax of a symphony, or a song you’ve heard hundreds of times before. Your heart raced, you got chills, or you even felt emotional for reasons you couldn’t quite explain. This is a common experience known as…
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Music is Medicine | A Classical Playlist ⭐
As a musician, these are some of the classical pieces I find myself coming back to again and again. Some help me focus, others help me slow down, and many simply remind me why I love music. I hope you enjoy listening as much as I do!
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Music, Community & Psyche: Why Group Music-Making Is More Powerful Than You Think
Have you ever walked out of a rehearsal feeling better than when you walked in? Most musicians have experienced this feeling, but that isn’t a coincidence. Making music together doesn’t just improve musical ability; it can also have great effects on our physical health, emotional well-being, and sense of belonging. When people think about the…
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Playing an Instrument vs. Listening: How Active Music-Making Changes Your Brain
How does active music-making affect your brain? How can it act as an effective therapy for older adults, and even those with different types of neurodegenerative diseases? In this meta-analysis by Rogers et al., the effects of musical instrument training on executive functions (EF) and cognitive functions in healthy older adults were reviewed. Aging naturally…
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Music, Anxiety & Depression: How Musical Practice Can Support Mental Health
Pivoting from the cognitive side of brain health, how can music support mental health? How can it improve depression, anxiety, quality of life, and even the quality of your sleep? In this study from Feng et al., the effect of music therapy was explored on emotional resilience and well-being. It was an 8-week music therapy…
Music is Medicine
A student led knowledge hub exploring the science of music and the brain.
