Effects of Music on the Brain

Music on the brain

Music is a very important and popular part of our world! It has been around forever. Today, what a person chooses to listen to on their iPod could be the difference between a great performance and a mediocre performance. Classical and rock music can both have effects on a person’s brain.

Classical music is a big part of our American history. Classical music is supposed to be able to calm people down, improve test scores, and help someone relax. Studies have shown that it does in fact do all of these things (Kingsbury)! Classical music can calm a person down because of its slower tempo and beat. It can improve test scores by almost 10 points. In order to improve test scores people need to be able to relax, and classical music does a very good job at this. It releases neurons in the brain and helps people to study (Harmon and Troester).

Rock music however is actually bad for a person if they are trying to study for a test. It can lower their test grades. It throws off the symmetry between the left and right side of the subject’s brain (Ludlam). Rock music can also help a person to get ‘pumped up’ for a big game or something that is really important. It usually has a high tempo.

Music can affect people in many ways. Whether someone is looking for a way to calm down, improve test scores, or get them excited for the big game; music can be a very good choice. However, people have to make sure that they choose the right music to listen to depending on their situation. These are just two types of music that contradict each other. Other types of music can have various effects on a person’s brain, but these are the two with the biggest differences.