start to essay

Although we may find it hard to conclude on a universal definition of the word music with shared concepts and perceptions only forming the pi of the diverse term. Raglan defines it as a ‘unique human trait strongly linked to motivation and enhances social contact’ (Schulkin and Raglan, 2014). This concept is enforced by Darwin who believed that music is ‘tied to our social instinct’ (Darwin, 2007) which implies that music plays a crucial role in our lives perhaps more than we appreciate as it. Music is forever evolving and changing making it harder to define the term however we can agree that it allows us to archive a number of things including communicating, learning and self-expression. Our ability to create music is a human imprint which allows music to paint out our past strongly linking it to our roots and who we are.

 Music allows us to communicate our values and feelings to others in a social setting. It is introduced to us from a young age when our parents sing lullabies to us allowing us to appreciate music from a young age and consider it to be pleasant because we know the physical and mental benefits linked to that sound produced by our parents that provide for us. The affections we get from birth imprints the importance of human contact because we learn that contact with other humans provides us with food, shelter, clothing and affection. One of the main roles of music in our everyday lives is its ability to facilitate social contact. Social contact enables us to obtain a sense of belonging which is a fundamental human need furthermore highlighted third in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Maslow’s concept was that one had to first achieve the basic needs of survival which include eating and sleeping before they can obtain self-actualisation.

Music can be used for comfort an individual for example in a scenario of a break up people find it easier to listen to music that reflects their mood because they can relate to the message in the song. Music can also comfort people on a deeper level for example after death of someone they valued. Listening to music can help them remember the values that the lost one lived by for example if that person emphasised that you should never give up then that can comfort and motivate you to make them proud by not giving up when things get hard.

When we are born we obtain this sense of belonging from our family and we continue to seek it when we grow up into adulthood because of its benefits. When one doesn’t feel like they belong it affects their wellbeing and isolates them from society. This leads to various psychological related problems including stress which can trigger other health problems that cause more problems creating a domino effect which can break down an individual from the inside out. A prison is an example of the impacts of isolation as individuals have long periods of isolation which forces them to have psychological problems as they overthink.  

Who we are affects who we relate ourselves to which translates on how we live our lives. Music can be used to identify who we are which helps us express who we. Self-identity allows us to distinguish ourselves from others and bring us closer to others with similar values from which we can form groups. These groups allow us to feel a range of emotions which we feel as children when we are growing up and the group becomes a family figure in our lives. We feel safer in groups and tend to take risker decisions which can be both negative and positive because it can allow us to live our lives to the fullest but can sometimes bring an element of danger. Music surpasses time, space, language and maths allowing it to be used for deeper purposes such as communicating to other beings in the spirit realm. Music can be used to communicate with the supernatural to try and understand the things our brains are incapable of answering such as the big questions concerning who we are and the afterlife. Religious individuals can use music to communicate to their creator to get a clearer image of who they are and what they should do in given circumstances.

Music affects our mood (Hargreaves and North, 2004) either positively or negatively. The journal of positive psychology by Ferguson states that listening to upbeat music can improve your happiness. Our mood is reflected on how we interact with others for example if you are having a bad day you may react with anger to someone’s comment that may have not triggered that kind of emotional response to you another day. People feeding off positive vibes are likely to get us feeding off positive vibes and likewise when it is negative vibes being emitted. In a work environment a negative mood from a boss or colleague can be contagious which would affect productivity. A negative mood in a job that involves customer service would lead to the consumer having a bad experience which they will relate to the brand/service. This would trigger them to spread negative word of mouth to the people they know and reduces the chances of them purchasing from the brand or service in the future. We tend to remember negative experiences more than positive ones therefore people are bound to remember negative experiences in the future. A negative mood could cost one their job therefore listening to music on the way to work can play a positive role to an individual.

The past can be relived through memories when we listen to music. Music allows us to transcend and elevate above physical restrictions. When we play music that is linked to positive memories it can produce feel good hormones and temporarily improve our state of wellbeing however it can also trigger sad memories because the individual for instance may have been financially stable in their memories but straggling in the present.

As individuals we have a self-perception on who we are and how we want to be viewed by others. What music we listen to reflects who we are therefore people would have different preferences to music. Music allows us to meet new people and socialise with the ones we already know. The different genres create groups and division between music and this is mainly because we all have different preferences to what we listen to. Factors of what music we listen to may include social circumstances, social class, lifestyle, age and genre. Friends influence what we listen to but they are likely to like the same type of music we do. Social circumstances are what may be considered the right music for instance in a Christian community metal rock may be considered the wrong genre because it doesn’t reflect their values. Social class plays a small part as income levels may affect what events can attend for example if one went to a festival....... 

Mandela believed that education is the best tool that can be used to change the world.Education consumption is enhanced everyday by in cooperating an element of music. Children at a young age use music to help them learn alphabetical letters through a song. Songs are catchy and offer an element of fun making it easier to memorize information. Other forms of music are also used to maximize making the learning experience enjoyable.An example is poems, they can be used to educate when students learn them and increase creativity when they are set to create their own. Acronyms in their vast use reflect that music can be used to help us learn information and remember more efficiently. Music is compulsory in the UK until year 9. I think that this is because of the highlighted benefits to well being linked to music. Music lessons may be both positive and negative because they may brighten up the child's day at school however some children may feel left out if they don't play an instrument. Not being able to play an instrument can encourage them to learn as they would want to impress their friends and fit in however for other this could push them even further.  Adults can use music to learn various more complex information for example historical context to help them understand their past.

Mandela believed that education is the best tool that can be used to change the world. Education consumption is enhanced everyday by in cooperating an element of music. Children at a young age use music to help them learn alphabetical letters through a song. Songs are catchy and offer an element of fun making it easier to memorize information. Other forms of music are also used to maximize making the learning experience enjoyable. An example is poems, they can be used to educate when students learn them and increase creativity when they are set to create their own. Acronyms in their vast use reflect that music can be used to help us learn information and remember more efficiently. Music is compulsory in the UK until year 9. I think that this is because of the highlighted benefits to wellbeing linked to music. Music lessons may be both positive and negative because they may brighten up the child's day at school however some children may feel left out if they don't play an instrument. Not being able to play an instrument can encourage them to learn as they would want to impress their friends and fit in however for other this could push them even further. Music can be used as a study companion for students to help them focus. Studies show that listening to Mozart music makes you smarter for a short period of time boosting your intellectual skills by a small amount which can make all the different when it comes to results. Adults can use music to learn various more complex information for example historical context to help them understand their past.

Music can provide individuals with a feeling of escapism from everyday life routines and obligations. As a musician playing music allows me to obtain the state of flow noted in the works of Csikszentmihalyi. When playing music, I forget about everything and loose myself to the instrument, a time in which I can let my imagination be stretched to ideal situations producing feel good hormones. After playing music I feel relaxed and less concerned about my troubles which I then translate to the people around me. More people will want to be around me if I’m in a good mood which reduces the chances of isolation from which negative psychological problems can develop.

Playing music has a benefits which help the individual perform at closer to their optimum level on everyday routines. Instrumental playing offers the brain a full workout increasing its efficiency for example research shows that musicians obtain and retrieve memories quicker that non musicians. The brain workouts can work in favor for musicians in problem solving situations such as puzzle solving giving them the edge over others in competitive environments.

Music's most powerful property is its ability to heal allowing us to live better lives both mentally and physically. Music therapy can help in situations where medication has failed. Communication becomes easier when music is involved because even if you don't know someone you open up more when music is involved because it acts as a mutual friend. Its ability to help the body move allows the patient and the therapist to interact more. People can overcome physical difficulties such as speaking through music because it involves both hemispheres of the brain making it easier to communicate with patients that may have had a stroke for example. Singing can be used by patients who can't speak as a form of communication. Children with special needs can benefit from music therapy to overcome difficulties including communication and involvement which allows them to feel valued and important to their environment. When children are happy so are their parents because a child's wellbeing affects them and their parents. The same applies the other way round because children also want their parents to be happy taking an instance where your parent may be in a nursing home because their age and health factors. If your parent has dementia it can be difficult to communicate with them reducing communication and them mentally isolating themselves because they don't feel valued. In a case like this personalized music therapy can help them transcend back to their memories that can leave them feeling better and allow them to open up more to others. It can also boost their confidence for example even at an old age for musicians participating in playing music can psychologically heal them. The mentioned are just a small part of music therapy and the wonders it can do to improving communication and social interaction in people's lives.

Confidence levels differ within individuals and some individuals have difficulties expressing themselves. Music as the mutual friend between human’s acts as a platform that allows people to express themselves. Some individuals may find it easier to express their feelings through music rather than speech. By playing music one can obtain people's attention easier and people will remember that person increasing the chances of them interacting. Expressing one's love is another use of music in everyday life, singing to your loved ones can be used to increase bonding between individuals. 

Music affects how we spent our leisure for example planning and consuming music is time and financially consuming. Everything has pros and cons including music, alongside all the health benefits we get from listening and making music comes negatives. If one was to spend the whole day listening to music it reduces productivity from the rest of the required tasks such as work. When one does not work they cannot earn money limiting what they can and can't afford in their lifestyle. Lifestyle of an individual will affect their mood and how they behave in society. Music participation activities vary throughout the day clubbing for example takes place late night and early morning hours. Attending clubs can be beneficial for social interaction however it eats into your time in this instance your sleeping time which if not monitored can lead to health problems.