How Music Affects our Daily Lives
- Written by DeeAnn DiMeo
I was sitting by a window in the hallway of the hospital waiting for a test, worrying about the results. Feeling the warmth and comfort of the sun’s rays upon my face, I felt an immediate sense of peace. I noticed something else that brought even more relief and peace - the music playing in the background. I didn’t recognize the song but the instruments were a beautiful blend of strings, percussion and piano. It made me realize once again how much music can affect us even when we’re unaware.
When I taught music for Pre-K – 8th grade students, one of my lessons was to teach how much music can affect us while watching a movie, a show, a commercial, or an advertisement. The example I used was playing a scene in a movie with no background music. Then I played the same scene with the music. I even selected different genres of music to accompany the scene. We would discuss the differences we felt depending on the music that played.
Where music can bring us peace in times of uncertainty, it can also supply us with energy and motivate us. I train in bodybuilding. Music is a huge part of my workout. Many people make their own personal playlists of inspirational songs, or they may choose to listen to the music already supplied in the gym. Either way, the songs inspire us to keep training and moving while enjoying our workout. My son, like many others, would play his favorite music on the way to the gym just to get pumped for his workout, even when he didn’t feel like going.
Music can also bring us down to our core. Once, I was shopping at the grocery store, a song started to play and I froze in the aisle. The song revived a painful memory in my life, and I responded with immediate tears. It reminded me of a loved one I lost. Music can convey great joy while simultaneously bringing deep sadness. It’s spiritual how swiftly it can trigger these emotions.
You can walk out in the woods and listen to nature’s music: with the leaves falling, the wind blowing, squirrels sprinting through leaves and up trees, or the woodpecker pecking at a tree. You can take a walk on the beach, feel the breeze and listen to the ocean’s soothing waves splashing up against the shore. Whether it’s music with our own instruments or nature’s sounds, it’s music that many times we take for granted and don’t even realize how much it affects us. It can soothe our souls in times of trouble, propel us forward when we’re in need of a boost, and bring us to tears when we need to cry. Constantly, the soundtrack of the world plays out in the background of our lives. We attach memories to these songs, to these sounds. They take us deeper, transport us to another time, and bring out the beauty in the world around us.
About DeeAnn DiMeo:
Niagara Falls-native, National recording artist, DeeAnn DiMeo has her roots anchored in gospel, blues/jazz, and soul. In 2019, she was inducted into the Niagara Falls Music Hall of Fame and has won multiple Buffalo Music awards for Best Female Vocalist. She has fronted several bands as the lead singer and primary songwriter, receiving airplay across the country in college and jazz stations with previous projects and currently with her new album “It’s My Time”
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