Music affects us as profoundly as anything we experience. Very many people s

Music affects us as profoundly as anything we experience. Very many people say that music is a big part of their everyday life. We can hear evidence of this in the blaring car radio, and see the jogger with his personal stereo. That is the new portability of music that brings it everywhere people live, play and work. There are different kinds of music for all tastes—classical, pop, rock, rap, jazz, folk—each culture has its own style.
    Different parts of the body resonate to different sounds and pitches, and most significantly, certain kinds of music resound powerfully in the human spirit. We can listen to music anywhere and everywhere.
    Listening to music can change your mood—sometimes dramatically. Sometimes if you’re feeling low, it’s tempting to play slow sad music, but this will make you feel worse. An uplifting tune or cheerful song can instantly improve your energy levels and your emotional well being.
    Music in film and television shows us how music can affect mood. A romantic drama would have a very different filmscore to a thriller. The old "silent" films originally had a pianist in the cinema playing along, trying to strike the right mood. At times, when watching a film or TV programme, you know what’s about to happen because of the music being played—you can anticipate the terror, such as in "Jaws". There are many times when I’ve turned down the sound during a TV programme, and used subtitles—because the music unsettles me so much!
    Playing Mozart when studying is said to increase our IQ. A recent study has shown that children who learn a musical instrument are much quicker at developing spatial awareness and problem solving skills.
    Relaxation music has a slow rhythm. Sounds are often synthesised and there may be added natural sounds, such as whalesong, birdsong, waves or gentle rain to help produce a feeling of calm and relaxation?