Tuesday 25 February 2020

How Humans Prefer Pitch And Music When Hearing



It is more or less easy to predict what kind of movies will please most of the public, and it is not complicated to do the same with books or video games. However, with music it seems that this does not happen so much: we all have musical pieces in mind that, although they do not look anything like what we usually prefer to hear, they catch us. That is why it is interesting that favourite songs, in all their variety, produce a similar effect on the brain of the listener. In fact, music can define, in a way, how we are and how we think as there are different ways human prefer pitch and music when hearing.

What happens in our brain when we listen to our favourite music?

Specifically, strong electrical connections are established between the auditory areas of the brain and the hippocampus, a part related to memory and emotionality. That means that the neuronal processes that a Beethoven fan experiences are very similar to those that occur in the head of an AC/DC fan when both are listening to what they like, no matter how different the vibrations reach the eardrums.

The finding would also help explain why completely different pieces of music can trigger very similar emotional states in different people and the role of music in remembering memories. In addition, it is further evidence of how closely related memories and emotions are when recovering them.

However, the fundamental findings on the study of “how humans prefer pitch and music when hearing” is that it shows how our brain is able to turn around any series of sound stimuli to awaken moods to some extent unpredictable, related to the listener's musical taste. In this sense, it has also been seen that we are able to make music something pleasant by identifying ourselves with what we hear by relating it to our memories and thus helping to give them a satisfactory meaning or use it to better regulate our emotions.

Of course, every moment has its potential "ideal music" and we probably would not get the same results if we force someone to listen to their favourite song longer than desired, for example, or at a time when they don't feel like listening to anything.

However, in most cases there seems to be the paradox that very complex and changing processes (the adaptation of the brain for the enjoyment of virtually any musical piece) result in a stereotypical and predictable activation pattern. It is a test of the brain's ability to reach the same results from different starting situations, and memory plays a fundamental role in this process.

Beyond the laboratory experiments, it is clear that the sensation of listening to music of our liking is unique and to some extent indescribable. However, if we lift the hood of our nervous system and observe what happens in it during this experience, we will realize that after such subjective sensations there is a network of neurons acting meaningfully.

Do you find yourself struggling to listen to lyrics/words or do you find it hard to listen to certain pitches over others? At Attune Hearing, our Audiologists can conduct a Full Diagnostic Hearing Test to determine exactly where your hearing difficulties lie. Call on 1300 736 702 or visit the website today to get back to listening to your favourite sounds again.

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