Documentary Research Notes

Science of Sound and Music

Music is powerful because of how we recognise it fast and associate it strongly (Julian
Treasure, 2009). Most sounds affect us emotionally due to what we associate it with, such as
birdsong which makes us feel reassured due to hundreds of thousands of years of knowing
that when birds are singing, things are safe and when they stop is when we should worry.
Sound itself affects us in four ways: Physiological, Psychological, Cognitively and
Behaviourally.
For physiological, certain sounds will provoke certain hormones to produce responses, such
as a sudden school bell giving you an Injection of cortisol the fight or flight hormone.
Psychologically, music is one of the most powerful ways that sound affects this.
Cognitively, we have a small bandwidth to process sounds, so when we hear more than one
person talking we try and single out one voice. This is why working in conditions where large
amounts of people are talking it is difficult to focus.
Behaviourally, certain music will induce different moods. Some songs will make you feel
tense or relaxed depending on a number of factors.
Hearing a piece of music stimulates primitive, evolutionarily ancient and deep brain
structures, says music psychologist and performer Dr Ruth Herbert, research fellow at the
Faculty of Music at Oxford University and author of Everyday Music Listening.
Music is one of the few activities that involves using the whole brain.
The Mozart Effect was a concept created by French researcher Dr. Alfred A. Tomatis. It
stated that listening to the classical works of Mozart would increase brain function. This was
tested by having a group of people either listen to Mozart, relaxing sounds or silence for ten
minutes before completing a test. The results showed that the results were higher on average
for the Mozart group.
However, it was contradicted by saying that perhaps the Mozart didnt help at all and the
silence and relaxing sounds lowered brain function. So further testing was completed, though
this time they tested it on children, with the conditions being that they listened to either
Mozart or Albinoni (which had a different feel to the Mozart piece). They also had two other
groups listen or sing along with songs familiar to them. The results showed that they
performed far better with the familiar music than the others.
This gave those conducting the study the idea that it was familiarity that was the key. That
hearing something you enjoyed was what made brain function increase. The study revealed
that the technicality of the music wasnt what gave people that mental boost, it was about
two things. If they personally enjoyed the music, or how the music made them feel.
Bibliography: TED (2009) Julian Treasure: The 4 ways sound affects us. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRepnhXq33s
(Accessed: 28 April 2016).
The Telegraph (2015) Why do songs make us happy or sad? Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/health/hearingaids/11389163/music-emotion-link.html (Accessed: 28 April 2016).
eMedExpert (2009) Surprising effects of music. Available at: http://www.emedexpert.com/tips/music.shtml (Accessed: 28 April 2016).

TEDx Talks (2013) Music and the brain: Jessica Grahn at TEDxWesternU. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDfVsFxJXms
(Accessed: 29 April 2016).
Wikipedia (2016b) Mozart effect, in Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozart_effect (Accessed: 29 April 2016).
Jenkins, J.S. (2001) The Mozart effect, Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 94(4).

Manipulation of Music
Another interesting fact of music is its manipulation to create different moods or themes. By
emphasising notes slightly more or less can produce a completely different feel, as demonstrated when pianist Umi Garrett played The Turkish March by Mozart, and made the excerpt she played seem sad, upbeat and aggressive with simple changes.
Another method is to change the key of the music. This is demonstrated remarkably by comedy musician Bill Bailey when played his version of the theme tune from Match of the Day,
changing to the minor key so it resembled an Eastern European Cartoon, and then changed
the speed so it became a Jewish Folk Dance.
Bibliography: TEDx Talks (2014) The power of music | Umi Garrett | TEDxOrangeCoast. Available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmF_HbP-jd0 (Accessed: 29 April 2016).
Bill Bailey: Qualmpeddler (2013) Directed by [DVD]. UK: Universal.

Use of Music in WW2

WW2 was the first conflict that occurred during an age of mass distributed electronic music.
Before the war, BBC radio had had quite an elitist approach to popular music. Jazz, swing or
big band music for dancing was relegated to a few late night spots. During the war,
the BBC was obliged to adapt, if only because British soldiers were listening to German radio
stations to hear their dance music favourites.
This adaptation was not without conflict. The BBC establishment reluctantly increased the
amount of dance music played, but censorship was severe. The American hit "Coming in on a
Wing and a Prayer" for example was censored because of its almost blasphemous mix of
religious words and a foxtrot melody. BBC heads were also worried about American-style
crooners undermining the virility of British men.
List of popular songs during WW2 in Britain:

Run Rabbit Run

Therell always be an England

Well Meet Again

(There'll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover

When the Lights go on Again

These were all popular due to them being relevant to the times and situations. Well Meet
Again was to do with the evacuations and When the Lights go on Again to do with the
mandatory blackouts during the Blitz.
Bibliography: Wikipedia (2016) Role of music in world war II, in Wikipedia. Available at:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role_of_music_in_World_War_II (Accessed: 28 April 2016).

Origin of Music
It is hard to discern when the first form of music came about, due to it most likely being of
clapping and singing and thus thered be no archaeological records. However, between
60,000 and 30,000 years ago, the human race began to get creative, through the creation of
ornaments, jewellery and cave-paintings. So it is a good guess that this is when music began
to come about.
The oldest musical instrument ever discovered is believed to be the Divje Babe flute,
discovered in a cave in Slovenia in 1995. The item is a fragment of the femur of a cave bear,
which has been dated at 60,000-43,000 years old, which had been pierced with spaced
holes. Whether or not this is actually an instrument has actually been disputed due to many
scientists refusing to believe that Neanderthals would be playing instruments.
In 2008, another discovery was made a bone flute in the Hohle Fels cave near Ulm in
Germany dating back 43,000 years. The five-holed flute has a V-shaped mouthpiece and is
made from a vulture wing bone. It was one of several similar instruments found in the area,
with others dating back to 35,000 years ago and made from mammoth ivory.
Evolutionary scientists believe that a musical culture would have helped prehistoric human
species to survive because the music coordinates emotions, helps important messages to be
communicated, motivates people to identify with a group, and motivates individuals to
support other group members.
Bibliography: Black, J. (2013) The Origin of Music. Available at: http://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-europe/origin-music-00972
(Accessed: 28 April 2016).

Development of Music (Greece and Rome)

As the world developed, music became an important part of society. In ancient Greece, there
were many myths that revolved around music. The god Apollo was made to become the god
of music. They came up with myths about The Nine Muses, all of whom were beings that
were there to represent the arts, with Euterpe being the muse that represented music, song
and lyric poetry.
In ancient Rome, music became a huge part of enormous spectacles. They thought it was a
representation of the orderliness of the universe. Music also became a part of a performing
art known as Pantomimus which was an early form of Ballet.
Bibliography: Wikipedia (2016a) Music of ancient Greece, in Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_ancient_Greece (Accessed: 28 April 2016).
Wikipedia (2016a) Muse, in Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muse (Accessed: 28 April 2016).
Wikipedia (2016e) Music of ancient Rome, in Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_ancient_Rome (Accessed:
29 April 2016).

Music in Battle
Music has a prominent use in battle. Marching songs are crafted to specifically induce a
sense of patriotism and nostalgia that reminded them of why they fight. It also creates a
unison amongst the ranks. Some were made to induce confidence within soldiers, through
the use comedic lyrics. Such examples are Hitler has only got one ball.

On the battle field itself, bugles were a common instrument of use the main reasons being it
was small and lightweight and provided quite an authoritative sound. Its use was to provide
quick and precise instructions to the army. Though no longer in use, it is used in military ceremonies due to the recognition of its previous use.
Bibliography: Wikipedia (2016a) Martial music, in Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martial_music (Accessed: 28 April
2016).

Modern Use/Application
Nowadays, music doesnt have a particular use other than for entertainment. It dominates our
lives, with it being used at every turn. It is used heavily for commercial and branding purposes, taking advantage of its powerful ways of inducing recognition and association. Companies create catchy jingles or use popular songs in their advertisement to make the recognition
transfer to them and their work.
Music has also been used for medical purposes. A recent experiment by S. Bodeck, C. Lappe
and S. Evers of the Journal of the Neurological Sciences, tested the effect music and the frequency of tics from Tourettes patients. The results concluded that active and passive participation in musical activity can significantly reduce tic frequency.
The power of music and recognition is so powerful it has become an avenue for therapy for
those suffering from dementia. It seems to reach parts of the damaged brain in ways other
forms of communication cannot says age UK. They also talk about one Paul Robertson who
was playing for an advanced dementia patient that used to be an organ pianist. Despite not
being able to recall language or recognition, as soon as someone started singing a hymn she
sat at an organ and accompanied it perfectly.
Bibliography: Bodeck, S., Lappe, C. and Evers, S. (2015) Tic-reducing effects of music in patients with Tourettes syndrome: Self-reported and
objective analysis,Journal of the neurological sciences., 352, pp. 417.
Age UK (2000) Dementia and music. Available at: http://www.ageuk.org.uk/health-wellbeing/conditions-illnesses/dementia-and-music/
(Accessed: 29 April 2016).