Music, songs and a basic rhythm can be something we take for granted… but what actually happens to us when we hear a piece of music? While each side experiences it differently, music would not be that same if you only experienced it from one side of the brain. The right side of us experiences things emotionally and intuitively. Without it, music would lose its beauty and meaning. A painting would just be strategically placed colors and shapes. A musical composition would just be a group of sounds. The left side of us experiences things in parts – it is responsible for figuring out how something is created. Without the left-brain, music would be incomprehensible. A Monet would just be a blob of colors. A symphony, sounds with no order or rhythm. A one sided experience with music would be either very bland or extremely overwhelming. So what’s your brain doing on music?

The right side of your brain –

• Focuses on the melody.
• Has an emotional response, as it flows with the composition.
• Releases stress and emotions.
• Experiences increased creativity and abstract thinking.
• Forms a visual representation of the music.

The left side of your brain –

• Hears the rhythm.
• Organizes it into beats and recognizes patterns.
• Gets your toe tapping
• Puts the pieces together to hear the whole composition

When you create music, similar things are happening in your brain. The right side comes up with the ideas, experiences the emotions and enables you to visualize your piece. But those moments of inspiration and visualization are never getting out of your head without the help of the left side of your brain. It’s the left side of us that actually manages the project. Ever felt like you were full of ideas but couldn’t get them out? Ever feel like you could manage anything, but you needed help with the ideas? Train your brain in the arts and you’d be surprised what you can do next.