Music

"Music helps in integrating right-brain functions

with left-brain functions"

Man has a dual brain which allows us to see two, or more aspects of our environment.

The right hemisphere attends to the non-verbal, holistic, spatial and emotional information in the environment. Most of this material is not readily available in our conscious minds.

The left hemisphere attends to the verbal, detailed and rational information in the environment. This material is usually available to our conscious mind.

When the conscious left brain takes control, it results in rigid adherence to the one-sided reality perceived by the left hemisphere. Right hemisphere participation in conscious thinking is actually repressed, and along with it, many of its important unconscious contents.

Without left and right hemisphere integration, creativity and learning is diminished, if not impossible. In creating, one combines information or ideas in new and unexpected ways.

When the wealth of right hemisphere impressions are processed with those of the left, the amount and diversity of resources for creating are effectively doubled, hence increasing the capacity for creativity and learning.

This is where music comes in. Music helps in integrating right-brain functions with left-brain functions.

There is no question that different music has different effects. Playing Mozart or classical music, according to French researcher, Mme Belanger co-ordinates breathing, cardio-vascular rhythm and brain wave rhythm and leads to positive effects on health. It acts on the unconscious, stimulating receptivity and perception.

Baroque composers attempting to create an ideal mathematical form and harmony in their music, managed to produce exactly the right frequency and sound to harmonise the functioning of the brain and produce a state of calm, relaxed alertness.

Researchers, B. Stein, C.A. Hardy and H.L. Totten at the University of North Texas conducted a three way test.

They aimed to teach 3 groups of students a list of vocabulary. The students were post-graduates. Each group received a pretest identical to the post test, and a list of the words to study.

Groups 1 heard the list of words with a background of Handel's Water Music and were asked to visualize the words. Group 2 heard the same list, but with music only. Group 3 only read the word list.

Groups 1 and 2 had a significantly improved performance over Group 3 and Group 1 had a very significant advantage over the other two groups when tested a week later.

The researchers concluded that this was consistent with the fact that 'multi-channels' of input stimulate more than one part of the Triune brain vertically (Mclean), and also stimulated a left/right brain connection horizontally (Sperry and Bradshaw & Nettleton).

When words, music and pictures are all synchronized, learning becomes easy.

Like I usually say, whatever stirs up an emotional uproar in you becomes unforgettable. 

This is why, when you hear your favorite song/music, it triggers a lot of memories. You remember what you were doing, what was happening, where you were, who you were with and a lot of ‘trivia’ things you thought you forgot. As a matter of fact they’ve become a part of you effortlessly.

Begin to play ‘classical’ music (in the background) while you learn today and you’ll be surprised how much you remember.