You are correct if you believe that Music and creativity are linked. Tuning in, especially to specific forms of Music, can positively affect your brain, allowing you to be more creative and productive.
What effect does Music have on the human brain?
When you listen to Music, certain brain cells and chemicals are stimulated, including Dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that sends reward signals to our brains and is affectionately referred to as the brain’s “motivation molecule.” In essence, listening to Music raises dopamine levels in the brain, which helps us feel happier and gives us a “go-getter” mindset.
Listening to Music, whether with or without words, might help a tired creative get back on track. Instrumental Music strikes a chord in this regard. It opens up new worlds and languages, elicits emotions, sets the tone, and serves as a potent catalyst for the release of creativity.
How Music Improves Creativity and Affects the Brain
Scientific research suggests that everyone can think creatively and come up with new ideas. This is known as divergent thinking. Also known as convergent thinking, we all can choose from a list of pictures that are most likely to succeed. Though we may all have varying proficiency levels in various sorts of thinking, we can all improve our ability to solve problems creatively.
How can we improve our abilities?
People who listen to Music while executing a task have considerably higher divergent thinking scores than those who silently manage the same functions. Those that were exposed to music came up with a slew of fresh ideas.
Another study from Germany’s Goethe-Universitat Frankfurt adds scientific proof to the link between creativity and Music, focusing on cheerful Music’s effect on creativity. According to the researchers, classical Music, such as compositions by Antonio Vivaldi, ranked high for positive and energetic attributes and was determined to be the most likely to inspire creative thinking.
Here are some other ways that Music can improve the quality of your day and possibly help you improve your mood:
Music is Entertaining — Playing and composing Music is highly engaging activities that engage several brain areas, allowing for better creative potential.
Music is a great way to unwind – When we listen to Music, our brains frequently stray to other ideas and locations. While this may be disturbing for some, it allows others to divert their attention and rest – and it is at these moments of absolute relaxation that creative thoughts can be garnered. According to neuroscientist Jonah Lehrer of the Huffington Post, Music is the oldest and most publicly available resource for helping the mind relax. “Music may change the nature of our brain waves and trigger chemicals like dopamine; They reward us for creative discoveries,” Lehrer says.
What Music Genres Encourage Creativity the Most?
You may be wondering if some genres of Music encourage creative thinking more than others. You can see how music impacts your creativity by taking the following quiz:
While the ideal genre varies from person to person and is inherently subjective, certain genres have consistently emerged as the most beneficial in promoting creative thinking and productivity in scientific studies.
Nature’s Music
Natural sounds might improve a worker’s morale and focus. The sound of rushing water is one of nature’s most peaceful sounds, and it may lift your mood all day. Not as distracting as other genres.
Classical Music
Classical Music by composers such as Bach or Mozart might be helpful when you need extra support concentrating on a project. Participants were instructed to complete a task three times in a study published in Scientific Reports, first with classical music, then with a modified version of the classical melody, and third in silence. In comparison to the other two scenarios, participants performed better while listening to Mozart.
Instrumental Music is a type of Music that is made up.
Music with lyrics can be tremendously distracting for certain people, especially while working on a strenuous activity or project. On the other hand, instrumental Music can provide a soothing and pleasant background noise if you only need to answer a few emails or go through a few tasks.