MUSIC AND MEMORY
It is the structure of the song that helps us remember it, as well as the melody and the images suggested by the words. Neuro scientists have analyzed brain mechanisms related to memory, concluding that words set to music are the easiest to remember. Just think of one of the first songs you could sing: "A, B, C, D, E, F, G ...." The sentences linked to a melody are easier to memorize.
So there is a connection between music and memory, but why do we feel strong emotions rather than just being able to recite the lyrics when we hear a particular song, ?
Music helps memory because it provides a rhythm and a rhyme that gives clues that helps unlock information.
If I listen to Imagine or Ziggy Stardust, I remember the incredible feeling of traveling without my parents for the first time and all the pleasure I had as much as the lyrics of the song.
There are different types of memory, including explicit and implicit memory.
Explicit memory is a deliberate and conscious recovery from the past, often asked by questions such as: Where was I this summer ? Who was I traveling with ?
Implicit memory is more a form of reactive and unintentional memory. Much of the memory takes place in the unconscious.
There are aspects of memory that are remembered as implicit, that is, outside of consciousness ”.
.jpg)
Moreover, implicit memory systems involve different parts of the brain than explicit memory.
It is the explicit memory system that is damaged by diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. Implicit systems are robust in comparison.
"Things that can affect us unconsciously are often seen as powerful." In other words, implicit memory is both emotional and enduring.
The memories stimulated by music often come from particular moments in our lives. Classic hits take us back to our teenage years much more than songs from later years. Psychologists call it the "bump of reminiscence.
Music evokes emotion, but the sound and feeling attached to it is not necessary to define your feelings. A sad song could be associated with a happy time, a happy song with a sad time.
