The Nature of Sound and the Effects It Causes - Essay Example

Music and healing The aim of the current article is to investigate the nature of sound and the effects it causes on person during physical training or other types of exercise. I would like to begin with the statement that everything on our planet, whether it is of animated or inorganic nature radiates frequencies. It is known that this is a dominant model of communication. Organisms conventionally locate by the aid of frequency. Modern scientific theories tend to opinion that we exist within a sea of frequencies. Basically, we consist of frequencies. What is more, the organization of matter is a potent relationship with frequencies, otherwise stated – with motion. Therefore if sound is composed of frequencies and frequencies influence motion, which means that music affects the quality of physical performance on physiological level. Connection between music and physical exercise might be dual. As it has already been mentioned, sound influences physical state of the organism on molecular level. What is more, different music can produce various impacts on psychological patterns of individual. This also depends on rhythm, hormonal conditions and personal background. So, what do we know about vibration? According to the definition, it is a long-repeated cyclic motion of a component or a structure. If we want to understand how the music influences physical performance, we can recur to vibrational medicine. According to Richard Gerber, vibrational medicine, “attempts to treat the molecular arrangement of physical body (Gerber, 43). A sound wave can be described as an air pressure disturbance which results from vibration. Evidentially, vibration might come from a guitar string, drum, clarinet, a pipe, loudspeaker, vocal cords, headphones, etc., but the audible frequency range varies from twenty to twenty thousand cycles per second. Different frequencies produce various impacts on a listener. There are several particular medical establishments on Tyrol, dedicated to treatment with the help of Tyrol music. The phenomena has not been thoroughly investigated, but the results are already visible – the patients who complained on lack of energy, needed from 3 to 6 weeks to mobilize their strength and recover their energy. Another valid example is connected with mantra-singing. From a scientific point of view, it is easy to explain. The reason of improvement is not connected with any mystical experience, but rather with making all the body resonate on the same wave even on the cellular lever. I prefer to exercise to a tune of repetitive music. If I conduct my training without music, it is usually difficult to pay attention to the right work of any muscle. Music helps to concentrate. In my particular case it also produces certain rhythm and it becomes easier adjust the rhythm of the music to the rhythm of my breathing. Mentioning repetitive music, I am speaking about instrumental music, music without lyrics, and some traditional ethnic music. The melody of the music increases my concentration, while the lyrics can produce an emotional dissonance. If I am active and energetic and up to have a productive training, I will certainly not listen to minor music, but it is good in the end of the exercise, when I need to relax. I would like to underscore that it is also easy to explain from a scientific point of view. Our brain works “by shifts” and after the period of excitement it demands suppression, which is supported well by minor key of most of the melodies. But still the music should not be too energetic and overcharged with various instruments. For instance, fusion and free-form jazz are not recommended if you want to succeed in the exercise. Reggae, string instrumental music vice versa proved to be increasing the efficiency of training. When music is synchronic with a specific movement, it might be used as external, supplementary clue telling when to move in order to follow the rhythm. Utilizing music as a hint is popular in aerobic exercise, dance, and other workout activities. In the fore-mentioned issues, preferred tempos turn around synchrony. It is evident that perceived rhythms are under the impact of movement and vice versa, movement is influenced by rhythms which are perceived. As it accords with neurobiological evidence, if a rhythm is given, brain should process rhythm’s interpretation and then will make the body ready for particular movements. Due to the fact that a mutual link is found amidst rhythm and movement, these may drive us to conclusion that listening to music while doing physical movements is efficient and beneficious. It might also serve as a cue when doing repetitive motions. Concluding, I would also like to underscore that certain investigators mention the importance of music as a pre-task. It might be stimulant or sedative. The usage of synchronous music helps the organism to prepare itself to the patterns of training activities. As it has already been stated, the choice of composition depends on the objectives of training. Hence, my playlist varies in relation to the type of exercise I intend to make. The first composition selected by me is “Rain” by Guano Apes. The tempo is quite slow, but repetitive. It helps in the end of exercise, when the body is quite stressed-out and it is difficult to gather remaining willpower to pass on to the stretching part. Pain effect in the stretching part is inevitable. Nonetheless, “Rain” increases my self-awareness so that I can trace movements of each muscle of my body, which gives me a pleasant sensation of control, being here and now, dedicating myself completely to the process of exercise. The part of the day also influences my choice of compositions. In the morning I prefer music which is moderately energetic and contains some lyrics. Sometimes I just need to feel the sensation of presence and switch on the radio to listen to something like “Stone cold” by The Deuce Project. It is easy to listen and melodious. I would also like to underscore that in spite of the fact that I change my playlist once in a month, I prefer to listen to the same songs in the same sequence. It helps me to create a pattern of exercise. “Familiar feeling” by Moloko is a light composition which helps me to distract attention from mundane problems in order enter the frey of physical workout. This composition can also suit well for communicative situations. It creates rhythm; the lyrics are soft and not intrusive. Generally speaking house and ambient are good genres for putting a group people on the same wave. “Kodoku” by Chouchou is another composition, selected by me. Once again, it is rhythmic, contains some oriental motives and finally, but not less importantly it is humorous and therefore, produces positive emotions. It is evident that exercising with positive approach results more efficient. “One more cup of coffee” by The White Stripes is another good variant of composition to finish the workout. The rhythm is quite dissonant. Therefore it makes me focus on perceiving the melody. At the same time, all the song is imbued with repetitive patterns, but unexpected twists and turnouts do not make movements mechanical and help to stay alert. “Dont Let Me Be Misunderstood” by The Animals is a song which was selected by me for several reasons. First of all, it provokes positive associations. Secondly, it contains synthesizers. This instrument unites all the song in unique piece. Multiple specialists recommend using lengthening sound in sound therapy. A synthesizer is an instrument which executes this function well. “Sunday” by Moby is the type of ambient music which, despite of not being intrusive, still attributes to the quality of exercise. The lyrics are quite disconnected with the melody, but in this case that is exclusively beneficial. In my particular case, it helps me to stop the vicious circle of self-centered thoughts and to stop being conditioned by conventional factors. It also helps me to concentrate on my breathing due to the fact that the flow of melody is quite arrhythmical. This composition can also be used as an integral part of various practices which helps to increase awareness and to develop personality. “Sacrifice” by Aleah is a flowy composition which helps me to maintain mental equilibrium. People tend to image thinking but most of the time we replace images with words which sometimes can make our brain overcharged with repetitive information. This particular song causes subtle dreaming state, like prehistoric ritual songs. “The song of the golden dragon” by Estas Tonne might cause altered states of consciousness. This musical experience is transcendental. Repetitive rhythm with circular whirls influences psychological rather than physical state. Additionally, it increases the state opposite to concentration, which helps to (or creates an illusion of) go out of the scope of my own ego. I prefer to apply cross-scientific approach. Hence, I would like to recur to various scopes of science in order to create a deep and integral comprehension of the issue. Astronomers reflect upon structures of remote star in reliance on diverse band -widths of frequencies being emitted and relationship them. From a point of view of nuclear physics, we might be considered as a set of frequency constellations. Therefore comprehending how a substance affects other substances is to apprehend the priority of frequency constellations. Sound therapy specialists conclude that Vibrational frequencies might be traced in a visible form. This process is called Cymatics. For instance, if we scatter sand on a steel disc playing violin near it, circular symmetrical patterns will be produced on the sand. Every musical note creates a unique pattern. What is more, vibrational frequency is perceivable by means of sound as well. If “C” is toned on the piano, each other stringed instrument within easy reach of it will commence to tone and vibrate all the “C” strings. The fore-mentioned examples put a spotlight to the principium of resonance, a phenomenon when a form is transmitting information and alternate form is receiving it, at the same time transforming itself in order to acquire equal vibrational frequency. Basically, all the matter discerns vibration. It gives us the right to assume that it possesses capacity of resonating and attuning themselves by means of frequencies. Each form, starting from cell and finishing with galaxy has a determinate frequency of balance or health. Therefore, when a form perceives a vibration and resonates with it, this form will start vibrating on the same frequency. “Can it happen” by Yes involves an awkward combination of vocal, heavy bass, sitar and synthesizers. I have selected this song because it has a particular rhythm which increases my performance in general when I practice any kind of sport. According to some authors, instrumental and vocal music helps to develop working memory. That is why this kind of music is better to use in active exercise which involves various movements and activities, such as dance, ballet, martial arts, etc. (Furnham, 1999). “Mamata” by Ananda Shankar is an instrumental song, which involves various instruments, but sitar is the dominant one. This plucked stringed instrument increased my productivity while exercise. It created a special atmosphere which helped me to focus on the activity I was doing. As Alley indicated, it also helped me to memorize some movements and their consequence. There is music which helps to develop one’s memory by increasing attention (Alley, 2008). As it accords to sound therapy, the "music" of which we consist might become discordant or dissonant with our natural ratios, for instance the ratios which do not support structural integrity. Illness, weakness, lack of energy and motivation might occur as a result of lack of integrity. Motivation is one of the most important stimuli of effective exercise and physical performance. The lack of motivation results into decrease of training or poor quality of it. Therefore, the usage of music has implications for rehabilitation, physically debilitating diseases, sports and athletic training, workforce, etc. The effect that music might produce on behavior is also an o interesting topic for various scopes of psychology. In spite of the fact that it is quite a popular topic, it is still difficult to study due to various controversies and subjective nature. Fundamental part of research deal with personal preferences, moods and different characteristics which are difficult to be measured in a scientific manner. In spite of the fore-mentioned difficulty, psychologists have discovered that multiple common assumptions concerning music are accurate. For instance, numerous studies demonstrated that music might influence our mood. It can also create various emotional states like evoking happier responses in the cases when accelerated music is played (Webster & Weir, 2005). “Hate street dialogue” by Sixto Jesus Rodriguez is an easy-listening. In spite of the fact that the lyrics are not complex, musical composition as a whole produces fruitful effect for my exercise. The voice resonates with the melody, which creates an effect of harmony and distress. Evolution designed two of our core senses around assumption that information-bearing vibrations from our environment will be repetitive. Sound has the properties which are expected from a wave. A wave turns to be a vibration of physical medium and efficiency of exercise exclusively increases if objects vibrate on the same frequency. The scope of sports psychology has particular interest in the way music can affect athlete’s performance. According to Gluch, a lot of athletes confirm recurring to music as to additional motivational tool, especially at challenging times, for instance, before competition. Some of them claim that listening to music makes them perform better and work harder (Gluch, 1993). There are several influential factors which might explain that. One of the most consistent benefits is a particular quality of music which is connected with distracting attention. Music might be used as effective distracter. According to Crust & Clough, it distracts attention from the work a person is doing. I would rather say that it re-distributes attention. By abundant attention channels charged with information (in our case it is music), there is no possibility to focus on the pain that is produced by exercise. This causes athletes to estimate perceived exertion as lower. (Crust & Clough, 2006). All in all, I would like to underscore that the choice of musical compositions for exercise is quite random and depends on my objectives and expectations for training. Thus, physical state should resonate with psychological state. Thorough examination of wave’s nature proves that resonance is one of the core factors of sound therapy’s efficiency. References Alley, T. R., & Greene, M. E. (2008). The relative and perceived impact of irrelevant speech, vocal music and non-vocal music on working memory. Current Psychology, 27(4), 277-289. Crust, L., & Clough, P.J. (2006). The influence of rhythm and personality in the endurance response to motivational asynchronous music. Journal of Sports Sciences, 24, 187-195. doi:10.1080/02640410500131514 Furnham, A., Trew, S., & Sneade, I. (1999). The distracting effects of vocal and instrumental music on the cognitive test performance of introverts and extraverts. Personality and Individual Differences, 27(2), 381-392. Gerber, R. (2001). Vibrational medicine. The #1 handbook of subtle-energies therapies. Bear & Company; 3rd edition, 43-45. Gluch, P.D. (1993). The use of music in preparing for sport performance. Contemporary Thought, 2, 33-53. Webster, G., & Weir, C. (2005). Emotional responses to music: Interactive effects of mode, texture, and tempo. Motivation and Emotion, 191, 19–39. Read More