Jeremìas Dutto Mariana Zinna
Communication has always existed among humans and even earlier than our arrival to the world. Before the appearance of verbal communication and its ramification into the different languages, simple sounds and even music were probably the universal language among our ancestors.
Drumming, for example, is a common behaviour of other primates; so it's possible that that activity could have played a part in the origins of human music going from plain sounds to simple melodies and then, with the time, evolving into complex music.
Nowadays, thousands of years after that, music has developed greatly; however, it still is a way of communicating emotions and sharing moments within certain groups of people and cultures in which music represents a strong connection.
For our ancestors the infinite variety of sounds produced by nature could have been a key to their survival because of the incredible ability of the brain to store new information from the surroundings and then use it for future events. In this way, the melodies brought by the smooth wind and the birds singing could have produced in our old relatives feelings of peace and quiet; while, for example, the roar of a coming storm or a savage animal could have alerted them of the need to find shelter or prepare to fight.
"For our ancestors the infinite variety of sounds produced by nature could have been a key to their survival"
Flutes made of vulture-bones have been found in Germany and chemical analysis revealed they are 40 thousand years-old. Those archaeological discoveries suggest that primitive and rudimentary musical instruments existed and were used at such early time!! Therefore, it is highly likely that music was part of the first Homo sapiens’ life and perhaps even of the lives of our old "cousins" Homo neanderthalis. They could have made music as a way of finding their inner selves through an artistic and full of feelings moment or to communicate their emotions and strengthen social bonds.
The Divje Babe flute, discovered in a cave in 1995.
Nowadays music plays an important role in our lives and it has a strong influence in our emotions. Probably a folk song of a remote part of the world might not be familiar to us but we will most certainly be able to tell if it is sad or cheerful, peaceful or energetic.
Most of us have, at a certain time of our lives, come across a song which made us feel stronger or supported in a moment of difficulty or a song which cheered us up or made us feel euphoric when we listened to it. This phenomenon occurs because certain melodies can stimulate an area of the brain which releases a substance called dopamine, the same chemical involved in the pleasure produced by eating certain food, having sex or doing sports. This complex neuronal circuit is known as reward system. A lot of other areas of the brain light up when we listen to music and also when we play an instrument. Several experiments carried out with the participation of musicians helped researchers observe using very sophisticated technology, the extraordinary number of areas of the brain involved in playing music. They compared this neuronal activity with “fireworks on the brain”.
"Certain melodies can stimulate an area of the brain which releases a substance called dopamine"
Perception of reality varies from person to person, depending on individual biology, psychology, life history... We don’t all have the same relationship to a particular song and we don’t experience the same connection with a particular melody. Each music style is different and we are all different too; and despite the fact that the song we find moving and catching can vary, what is interesting about all this is not so much which particular style we like but mostly what we feel when we listen to it.
Something that makes the perception of music unique for every person is its ability to evoke memories and the inherent emotions connected to those experiences. It has been discovered that musical memories are stored in a different section of the brain, separated from other personal experiences. People who suffer Alzheimer's disease can remember a song when they hear it; this is because the area of the brain which stores that information is one of the least affected. Music could be a valuable tool to reach some memories that appear to be completely forgotten. Music can strengthen ties between people, it can trigger powerful feelings and it can also heal. Beneficial effects of music on health are remarkable. There is a great deal of research which supports the idea that music could improve immunological defences through the stimulation of the reward system, making the body stronger to fight diseases.
"Something that makes the perception of music unique for every person is its ability to evoke memories and the inherent emotions connected to those experiences"
Personally, I can’t imagine a day without music, at least a couple of minutes to relax after a hard day, or to gain motivation, or simply to break the routine and feel my vital energy flowing at the sound of a favourite song. I have always felt that music had an enormous importance in people’s life and I’ve always been interested in discovering more about how its powerful ability to shape emotions have valuable effects on health. The more I study, the more I learn about the power feelings have on health and I am convinced that they will play a key role in future therapies with musical and emotional approaches. Science has answered to a lot of questions but I think this is just the beginning and there is much to be done. I am looking forward to coming across more discoveries about how the different areas of the brain interact to achieve a common aim, particularly at processing music stimulus and magically connecting them to the deepest corners of the mind.
For a very sound and truly inspiring talk on “The Healing Power of Music” check this:
-It’s worth the time!-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LTusPwrH9E