People use music all the time, but never seem to realize the role it plays in their lives. “Use” might seem like a strange word to describe music. After all, we just listen to it, how can one use something that he/she merely listens to?
The truth is, no one just listens to it. Even in the simplest of applications, listening to music always does more for one than they think. Everyone engages with music to varying degrees, and how one engages with it is how he/she uses it. Some listen to it in the background of daily chores and responsibilities, making those chores more fun. Others create it by playing an instrument or singing, using music as a hobby, or perhaps even a career path. Others dance to it or sing along with it, making music a fun pastime or a stress reliever. Some people work out to it, using it as a motivator. Some even use it to communicate, using music as a universal language among people who don’t speak the same spoken language; learning music helps teach skills also important in communication, and it is also used to convey feelings and emotions that would otherwise be left unsaid for lack of an accessible form of expression. Music can also be used to bring people closer together through this expression of heart and mind.
It’s been proven that music can actually affect one’s mood, so putting on an upbeat song can really motivate someone to do something that they aren’t particularly looking forward to doing. Putting on a song on the edgier side can make one feel tense, and listening to a nice slow ballad can relax them. Therefore, not only does listening to music affect one’s life, but the type of music listened to has an effect, too! Think about how you use music in your daily life; now imagine not having it there at all.
Music adds a certain level of enjoyment, or even tolerability, to our daily tasks that might otherwise seem a drudgery. Imagine going through a day without listening to or creating any music at all: nothing to listen to in the car, while you cook, clean, or exercise; no instrument to practice when you’re bored; nothing to get you pumped for the tasks ahead, to dance or sing to when you get the desire, or to comfort you when you’re upset. This day would be a lackluster one, to say the least. There is much research that shows the importance of music and how it affects our brains, growth and learning habits; and while this is all true and very good to know, it is also just as important to notice and appreciate how much of a role music plays in our daily lives in smaller ways. It’s simple and the difference may be slight, but it’s important.
Sources:
http://edinburgh-lothian-mobile-speech-therapy.co.uk/news/music-and-communication-development/%E2%80%9D
https://theconversation.com/music-is-the-soundtrack-to-your-life-whats-on-your-playlist-26893.
