The Evolving Relationship between Music and Our Emotions
Sound and music have always been linked to the human being and therefore linked to emotions. Already our first ancestors used sounds and music as a survival and communication tool; they created associations that allowed them to predict dangerous situations and with which they developed social skills by communicating with a common language. In fact, and as explained by Darwin in “The Origin of Species”, musical sounds could have laid one of the foundations for the development of language, and it is clear that the rhythm and cadence of oratory have musical features.
Our relationship with music reaches such a point that it is capable of altering our emotional state. Our brain has evolved, and throughout the process, it has been including sounds as a fundamental piece with which to create patterns together with emotions and thus, decode our environment.
Emotions are responsible for converting the sounds we perceive into something understandable. Without being conscious, we associate the sounds we appreciate, however subtle they may be, with emotions. This sound-emotion association makes us understand the situations we are in, allowing us to react according to the context. For example, we can detect happiness or sadness in a person only with the sound of their voice. That is, we associate sadness with a lower tone of voice and record than normal and the opposite with joy. It is the same with music.
Neuroscientific studies show that music can change moods by activating each of the emotional structures of the brain. Experiments have been carried out in which activity has been modulated in practically any emotional structure of the brain thanks to the emotions stimulated by music. Music is capable of awakening the nucleus of the creative brain structures of our emotional universe.
Listening to music activates the areas of the brain that are responsible for imitation and empathy. They are the areas where the mirror neurons are that act reflecting the actions and intentions of others as if they were their own. In this way, we can feel the pain of others, their joy, their sadness. Perhaps this is why music is capable of altering our emotions and creating social ties; because it allows us to share feelings.
In the universe of emotions, we can find emotions connected with music and with art in general. This connection is reflected thanks to the comet of aesthetic emotions that can move through the universe, relating to emotions of different kinds, both positive and negative
We usually use words to describe how we feel, but words are not effective enough to let other people know exactly what we are feeling. There is no unambiguous correspondence in the brain between our sensations and our linguistic centers, so a transformation has to take place from our sensations to the linguistic code, which will be different in each one of us.
With music, a sensory description is easier. With it, it is possible to evoke sensations and for the receiver to understand perfectly what emotion we are referring to. This is why music is extremely useful and has very practical applications. For example, in the cinema, music highlights emotions and works as a guide that helps the viewer to better understand the scene.
On the other hand, music has the tendency to engage with one’s emotions primarily due to a theme which the produced music follows or is centered on. This can be best learned from the example of Dion Todd’s song from 2017 which is altogether a powerful dance ballad — “Rocketship State of Mind”. This was a bang return to music since Todd decided to take a hiatus from music and channel his focus and efforts to his entrepreneurial pursuits. Todd holds an MBA from MIT and runs a very successful wine business. It not only adds diversity to his profile but makes him an interesting professional where his music stops.
“Rocketship State of Mind” was written and released in an effort to lay his support for increasing awareness on the dire issue of human trafficking and domestic abuse. This song was co-written by Dion, along with his mother Christine White, and Grammy award winner Tiffany Fred (Jennifer Hudson).
It was a massive hit and remained #22 on the Canadian Top 100 (ADISQ).