Experiencing Music with More than Just your Ears
It’s inherent to think that the most crucial aspect of music is the sound. However, when it comes to having another stimulus (or even multiple stimuli) paired with the sound, we have more information, and the additional sensory clues can provide context and direction. That is not to say that music in and of itself is not appreciated for the sound alone, only that there can be other factors that contribute to our enjoyment that we may not think of. Simply put experiencing music involves more than just your ears.
Music may seem like an ear only faction, however much of what we experience involves many of our senses, not just one. How many times has a song become important to you because it was paired or associated with something you saw? Perhaps it was on a TV show or at a wedding? Without intending it to happen the song suddenly gained importance.
Think of a live performance, how the performer is dressed, and even their facial expression can tug at the heartstrings. Why this is can be a call back to our very nature as humans. We gather information using more than just one sense. Even if it’s subtle, we can read and interpret the expressions of others to determine their mood. By having more than just an audio stimulus with the music, more of your brain is engaged.
Charlie Parker once said, “Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom” And this is very true. How we experience music is greatly determined by both past and present experiences. We experience music, for some, it is a central part of our lives, and for others, it can act as a spice that ads a little flavor and color into life. For each person, music does something different, and experiences cannot be grouped so easily into simple categories.