Melody vs. Lyrics and Emotional Intensity

What if you didn’t have to be a scientist, or a musician, to use music in your everyday life? Hi there, I’m Brea, a board-certified music therapist and this is Instru(mental) – a podcast that explores the science of music and how it shapes your brain, your body, and your life. This podcast isn’t just about what music sounds like, it’s about what music does to you.In each episode, I break down fascinating research about how music affects us and I share real-life takeaways you can actually use to feel better, think clearer, or just survive your Monday. Whether we’re learning about how your personality influences the music you enjoy, debunking the Mozart Effect, breaking down how music releases dopamine, or diving into how music shapes psychedelic experiences, there’s always something new I’m curious about – and I can’t wait to explore it with you.So, follow the show on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts and start tuning into the science behind the music that moves you. Our website is instrumentalpodcast.com

What's the best music for a wedding? In this episode, I explain how I lightly manipulated my guests with music to make my wedding as fun, engaging, and memorable as possible. We'll cover research about the music and social bonding hypothesis, the brain's reward circuitry, and statistics about my own wedding playlists that explains how music contributed to the celebration. And, if you're in wedding planning mode, this episode has tips for curating the best music for your special day!  ResourcesBrea's Wedding Reception Spotify PlaylistSongData.io: Playlist analyzerReferencesCevasco, A.M. (2008). Preferred vocal range of young and older adults: Implications for music therapy majors’ clinical training experience. Music Therapy Perspectives, 26(1), 4-12. https://doi.org/10.1093/mtp/26.1.4Montag, C., Reuter, M., & Axmacher, N. (2011). How one’s favorite song activates the reward circuitry of the brain: Personality matters, Behavioural Brain Research, 225(2), 511-514. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2011.08.012Savage, P.E., Loui, P., Tarr, B., Schachner, A., Glowacki, L., & Mithen, S., & Fitch, W.T. (2021). Music as a coevolved system for social bonding. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 44, e59. doi:10.1017/S0140525X20000333Socialshttps://x.com/InstrumentalPod

How can music serve as a social surrogate when we can't directly interact with others? This episode explores how listening to music can serve as a social proxy and provides ideas for how to strengthen your social relationships in the age of social distancing.For more information about the research, resources, and music in this episode, go to www.InstrumentalPodcast.com. Follow us on Facebook or Twitter for news and updates! 

How can the fields of music therapy and music cognition strengthen each other? This episode features a conversation with music therapist Daniel Goldschmidt (@danielnnz) on a wide range of topics about bridging these two disciplines including:What it's like to going to music therapy vs. music cognition conferencesHow Daniel applies music cognition research to his professional practiceWhere music therapy/cognition can easily intersectWhy music therapists need to seek expertise beyond their bubbleFind more information on the research articles and music included in each episode at our website, www.InstrumentalPodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter or Facebook (@instrumentalpod) for the latest news and updates!Cool people mentioned in this podcast:Jessica Grahn, PhDDavid Huron, PhDBlythe LaGasse, PhD, MT-BCHakeem Leonard, PhD, MT-BCMarisol Norris, PhD Candidate, MT-BCJessica Riley, MM, MT-BCNatasha Thomas, PhD, MT-BCLaural Trainor, PhD, MT-BCLindsay Warrenburg, PhD

This episode features an interview with Jessica Riley, a soon-to-be music therapist who started her career in music neuroscience. We talk about how Jessica first got involved in music science research and how she’s applied her research skills to help children with cochlear implants better hear prosody. In this episode you’ll learn more about what music may sound like for cochlear implant users, a drumming-to-speech paradigm Jessica designed to help with prosody recognition, and the importance of prosody in our everyday communication. Find more information on the research articles and music included in each episode at our website, www.InstrumentalPodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter or Facebook (@instrumentalpod) for the latest news and updates!Mentioned Resources:Video: Willy Wonka with DrumsJessica Riley’s Thesis Research Poster: HEREFollow Jessica on Twitter: https://twitter.com/urbanfiddle

How do our ears and brains take in and process sound? This episode covers the basics of how we hear starting with sound wave all the way to the primary auditory cortex. Learn how music therapists work with individuals who are hard of hearing and how to protect your own hearing.For more information about the research, resources, and music in this episode, go to www.InstrumentalPodcast.com. Follow us on Facebook or Twitter for news and updates!

How can individual musical elements impact our music listening experiences? This episode is a quick dive into how melody and lyrics in a song impact the emotional intensity of music. Learn how you can make more strategic music choices by becoming mindful of musical elements’ influence in how you perceive music.For more information on the research articles and music in this episode, go to www.InstrumentalPodcast.com. Follow us on Facebook or Twitter with @instrumentalpod for news and updates!

How do certain songs become intertwined with our personal memories? This episode explores the musical reminiscence bump, how our musical preferences may be influenced by our parents, and the neurologic mechanisms behind music-evoked autobiographical memories. Get ideas for how to use music to frame and reflect on your past experiences. For more information on the research articles and music in this episode, go to www.InstrumentalPodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter (@instrumentalpod) for news and updates!

Does music release dopamine? And how can music be interpreted as a reward? This episode uncovers how reward circuitry in our brain can be activated when we listen to music. Learn how the interactions between music and dopamine contribute to neuroplasticity and how music therapists take advantage of musical rewards for increased motivation. For more information on the research articles and music in this episode, go to www.InstrumentalPodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter (@instrumentalpod) for news and updates!

Why are some people tone deaf? This episode explores a musical disorder called congenital amusia, in which people have trouble processing the pitch and melodic structures of music. Learn the neurologic disconnect in amusic brains, what amusia can tell us about humans' musical foundations, whether people with amusia can still enjoy music, and how to find out if you may have amusia yourself. For more information on the research articles and music in this episode, go to www.InstrumentalPodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter (@instrumentalpod) for news and updates!