Music is the best medicine

Music is a phenomenon that is not bound to any group or nation. Music is about one's feelings. It can be food for mind and soul. For some people, music is like drug. It can drag anybody into a relaxed mode and can make all their sorrows disappear for a while. For many of us, music is an essential companion during our most difficult times.

Sometimes, music is much more than entertainment. It is related to every human's history, culture, and psychology. For years, musicians have been nourishing the human mind and soul with their creations. But, in order to do that, they need to know about the culture and the psychology of their listeners.

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Music and emotions

According to scientific research, music is a type of perpetual illusion. Our brain receives music as a sequence of sounds, which forms a structure to create a new system of meaning in our brain. The reaction to music varies based on how the brain processes that sequence. It also enacts the ability to foretell what will come next in the song, hence making our minds feel "at one" with the music.

Do you ever wonder how it is possible for a simple sound to invoke the expression of our moods, whether that's through relaxation, tears, or joy? Researchers have! Scientific research shows that that the mechanism behind the music is closely related to human psychology and neuroscience. A popular theory is that music can trigger our memory by connecting to our emotional state. For example, we listen to break-up songs when we're sad and broken hearted because it connects with how we feel. A music can carry our emotional information by triggering the mirror neuron system of our brain, proving that music has a contagious effect on the brain.

Moreover, when we listen to a music we like, it activates the cerebellum, and when we listen to music we do not like, it deactivates the cerebellum. There is a never-ending connection between music and one's brain and emotions, which is why our favorite musicians are the ones that we feel understood by the most.

How musicians can connect with their listeners

Music is something that should come from the musician’s heart. As a creative art, it should never be forced. But it is also a responsibility of the musician to notice what's going on in the world around them and speak to the issues of the people. It will increase their fan base and make their music more impactful.

After finding out what their listener really wants, the musician should then be creative to draw listeners into the music and the lyrics. Herein lies the beauty of music. A musician can be creative as much as they want. They can add words, rhythms, imagination and create a completely new world through a song. This is the part of music where a musician and their audience can really connect. The more they connect, the more likely their song is to be a hit.

Many musicians tend to stick with the trend of the moment. But, by focusing solely on the trends, they sometimes lose the quality of their music. And what happens then is when the trend goes out of style, so will the song.

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For a musician, success is when their creation can touch a human soul. When music is made well, it can connect directly with the audience and their emotions. Obviously, it is not an easy task. But the great musicians throughout history have shown us how beautiful music can be, and hopefully, they will continue connecting with us by putting out beautiful music.