Call Us: 423 661-4734 | Email: requests@comeandreason.com      
Music and the Brain

Music and the Brain

Dr. Jennings,

I was wondering what you think the Christian’s relationship with music ought to be.  Since the Bible doesn’t speak to the popular styles of music of our day, is there any scientific research or human experience that you might cite in order to either recommend or caution against rock, pop, jazz, and hip hop style music?

 How about classical style music?  I’m mostly interested in learning more about the relationship between music and the brain. 


Thanks for your feedback and questions regarding music. Over the years I have received multiple questions regarding music, what impact does it have on the brain? Are certain forms of music healthier than others? Should parents worry about what music their children listen to? Is it the music style or lyrics that are the problem?

A great review, by Sarkamo et al., is found in Brain: A Journal of Neurology (January 2008, Vol 131;3 p 866-876).

Listening to music is a complex brain process that triggers activity in not just the auditory brain circuits, but activates the emotional and cognitive regions, the bilateral network of frontal, temporal, parietal, and motor functions, as well as impacting memory, attention, pain processing, mood, impulse-control, manual dexterity, and emotional processing. (Peretz and Zatorre, 2005, Bhattacharya et al., 2001; Janata et al., 2002; Koelsch et al., 2004; Popescu et al., 2004), Blood et al.,1999; Blood and Zatorre, 2001; Brown et al., 2004; Koelsch et al., 2006; Menon and Levitin, 2005).

 Music can reduce anxiety, depression, and reduce pain perception. (Cassileth et al., 2003; Cepeda et al., 2006; Siedliecki and Good, 2006).

Recent cognitive and neuropsychological studies suggest that it may also enhance a variety of cognitive functions, such as attention, learning, communication, and memory, both in healthy subjects (Wallace, 1994; Thompson et al., 2001; Thompson et al., 2005; Schellenberg et al., 2007) and in clinical conditions, such as dyslexia (Overy, 2003), autism (Gold et al., 2006), schizophrenia (Talwar et al., 2006), multiple sclerosis (Thaut et al., 2005), coronary artery disease (Emery et al.,2003), and dementia (Brotons and Koger, 2000; Foster and Valentine, 2001; Van de Winckel et al., 2004). In stroke rehabilitation, elements of music have previously been used as a part of physiotherapy (Thaut et al., 1997) and speech therapy (Belin et al., 1996) to enhance the recovery of motor and speech functions.

Sarkamo et al. also documented that post stroke patients who listened to music daily, when compared to those who listened to audio books and those who listened to neither, “showed that recovery in the domains of verbal memory and focused attention improved significantly more in the music group than in the language and control groups. The music group also experienced less depressed and confused mood than the control group.”

Brain scans of children’s brains before and after musical training demonstrate structural brain changes for children who received music lessons. It had been previously documented that adult musicians have structural differences in their brains when compared to non-musicians. The question was whether the differences existed prior to the musical training and contributed to their musical ability or whether the brain changed as a result of the musical training.

Gottfried Schlaug of Harvard Medical School conducted a study (The Journal of Neuroscience DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.5118-08.2009), which documents different brain development in children receiving music lessons.

They matched musically untrained 6-year-olds for socioeconomic background and gender and then randomized them into two groups. One group received keyboard lessons for 15 months, the other group didn’t. MRI scans documented that the part of the brain associated with hearing and manual dexterity (auditory and motor cortex) grew larger in those who had lessons. These children did better in tasks involving manual dexterity and their ability to differentiate melodies. But the two groups did not show differences in unrelated skills such as mathematical ability.

Such research has led world renowned neurologist Oliver Sacks to state,

“I said earlier that there’s no one music center. And one of the things which is now apparent from brain imaging is that music can involve many different parts of the brain, special parts for the response to pitch, and to frequency, and to timbre, and to rhythm, and to melodic contour, and to harmonic and everything else. In fact you may find that much more of the brain is involved in the perception and the response to music than to language or anything else. One aspect of this is that if one does brain imaging, you can often distinguish the brains of musicians from the brains of non musicians, because certain parts of the brain may become so enlarged in response to music that you can see the changes with the naked eye. You can’t say that’s the brain of a mathematician or a visual artist. You may be able to say, I think that’s the brain of a musician.”

Clearly music has profound impact upon our brains and thus our mental and physical health. So the obvious question, does the type of music one listens to really matter? Or is all music equally beneficial?

From a Christian point of view, one is immediately cautious. Does it really make sense that a modality which has as powerful an effect upon the human brain as music would not be exploited by Satanic forces? Would Satan really attack humanity in every other way but not pervert and twist music to his purposes, especially when we realize who Satan was before his fall?

The Hebrew for “Lucifer” is helel (brilliant one) or halal (to flash forth light) and comes from the root word, halel, which is the same root for “Hallelujah.” Lucifer was the heavenly Hallelujah or choir master or music leader!

But our suspicion that music could be exploited to cause negative effects upon brain development, mental, physical and spiritual health is not sufficient. If our suspicions are true, then evidence should document this reality. And, in fact, the evidence does.

Research by Wingwood et al., published in the American Journal of Public Health (March 2003, Vol 93, No. 3 | 437-439), documented that,

Logistic regression analyses illustrated that after controlling for covariates, greater exposure to rap music videos was independently associated with a broad spectrum of health outcomes. Compared with adolescents who had less exposure to rap music videos, adolescents who had greater exposure to rap music videos were 3 times more likely to have hit a teacher; more than 2.5 times as likely to have been arrested; 2 times as likely to have had multiple sexual partners; and more than 1.5 times as likely to have acquired a new sexually transmitted disease, used drugs, and used alcohol over the 12-month follow-up period.

Previous research by Robinson, Chen, and Killen, published in Pediatrics (Jun 4, 1998) documented that watching pop music videos increased the risk of adolescent alcohol consumption by 31%.

In 2006 Brown et al. published in Pediatrics (Vol. 117 No. 4 April 2006, pp. 1018-1027), that exposure to sexual content in music increases sexual behavior in adolescents. In fact white adolescents age 12-14 who had the highest intake of music with sexual content, were 2.2 times more likely to have had sex within the next two years as those adolescents of the same age who had the lowest intake of music containing sexual content.

Clearly music can affect us, some music promotes positive effects while other music is damaging. The question of course is, how does one know what music is beneficial, what is harmful and what is neutral in its effect?

There is a Biblical principle that seems to get it exactly right, “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things” (Philippians 4:8).

First examine the lyrics – if the lyrics are violent, sexual, vulgar, nihilistic, unkind, cruel, defamatory, or otherwise ugly then I would recommend against such music. Both science and scripture warn of the damaging consequences to such content.

Second examine the emotional reaction. Does it relax, calm, unwind, inspire, encourage, or instead does the music cause tension, frustration, anxiety, stress or even discomfort?

Third examine the impact the music has on attitude, behavior, function and performance of your children. Any music which is consistently associated with negative attitudes, rebelliousness, hostility, irritability, or reduction in healthy function should be carefully scrutinized and removed from the auditory diet of the child if found to be damaging.

Regarding music style, volume is key – any volume which damages auditory neurons is unhealthy and unreasonable, regardless of style of music and should be avoided. Certain music genres are more consistently associated with damaging volumes, so greater caution should be exercised with such music.

In summary, music has profound impact upon the human brain with subsequent affect on mental, physical and spiritual health. Music which has demonstrated beneficial effects include classical, baroque, religious, inspiration, spiritual, and many forms of modern music which connote healthy messages. Whereas, rap, heavy metal, and other forms of modern music which connote unhealthy messages, values or morals, or which cause stress, anxiety, tension or irritibility have demonstrated harmful effects. As always, while we are all free to choose freely which music we prefer, not all music is equally healthy – choose wisely!

Email me the blog whenever a new one is published.

Donate online, securely via PayPal using your credit or debit card (no PayPal account needed, unless you want to set up a monthly, recurring payment).


cancel recurring payment

 

Want to use zelle instead?
See how on our
Support and Donations page.

Upcoming Events

calendar

Testimonial Post Slider

Testimony 13

I borrowed “Healing The Mind” DVDs from a friend and showed them at my home for a small gathering of women friends. Neither of my friends are Adventist, but they both enjoyed and embraced the messages you taught. In fact, one of the ladies prayed out loud in our group and that was the first time she had ever had public prayer.

J.B. ,Dalles, OR, USA

 

Testimony 4

I’m a youth leader in South Africa. We as a youth group are currently using a lot of the material on the Come and Reason site. Since we’ve started using the material, our youth group has grown.

R. V. N., South Africa

 

Testimony 1

Thank you! I love listening to the Come And Reason Ministries Bible study classes and am using some of your notes to get the lessons together that I will be teaching. You always have such good quotes and Bible texts and pull things together to make good sense.

T. C., IN, USA

 

Testimony 33

I was invited over a friend’s house to see the “God and Your Brain” seminar today. I became [a christian] 36 years ago at the age of 19, but have struggled with the concept of God taking His ‘pound of flesh’ out on His Son to be appeased. Wow. Your seminar has been an incredible revelation and breath of reason and fresh air! I have your book, “The God Shaped Brain,” and it is SO eye opening. Finally, after 36 years enlightenment has come! Praise the Good Lord! What can I say, but that the Real Gospel is truly “Good News!” Thank you for your efforts in giving the Gospel a clear sound!

Paul C.,  Springfield, MA, USA

 

Testimony 34

I was introduced to Come and Reason Ministries by accident, via a passing comment made in a bible study class we were visiting. I checked this website out and my life was changed. The understanding of the truth of God’s character, and how we apply it, is so right. The tricky part is consistently applying which “lens” to look through. As I began to understand, I started sharing the basics of this understanding with a discussion group I was leading and, suddenly, a lot of things started to make sense that never used to. At the same time, I enjoyed an amazing opportunity. I was able to conduct a full bible study at WORK! What an amazing experience! It is such a joy to share the truth about God and to share how it all fits in the war between God and Satan. So many people benefit when we have a correct understanding about how God works and who He really is! Thank you for this transformational understanding. Keep up the good work! God Bless you!

Tony P., CA, USA

 

Testimony 32

The message [of Come And Reason Ministries is] for all Christians (and those who may become Christians) and not just Adventists or any other group. It is difficult to imagine why any [anyone] with intellectual and spiritual honesty could find fault with the way you explained the healing substitution concepts and the truth about God’s character, though I know some will reject and criticize. On behalf of those in our group near Tacoma, WA, thank you and your staff for all of the hard work and for sharing the Gospel in this manner. God’s message of healing love will be carried to the whole world and then Jesus will come – He promised it.

Terry U., Tacoma, WA, USA

 

Testimony 10

I personally download and listen to each of Come And Reason Ministries Bible study class lessons and PDF study notes to use when teaching my class. Really appreciate the class especially when Dr. Jennings is teaching. Thank God there are persons like him doing His work and traveling to share His beliefs.

B. L.M., North Plains, OR, USA

 

Testimony 60

Just watched watched lesson 10 in the 1st quarter 2021 bible study classs on Isaiah. I want to thank you for your intellectual spirituality; it’s not an oxymoron! From the point of view of a teacher I also enjoy seeing how much personal pleasure you clearly take in not just tasting, but feasting on God’s word – it reminds me of Jeremiah not being able to hold it in! It makes me smile that your cup is so full and overflowing that you make it to Tuesday’s lesson (on a good day). It just goes to show the richness of God’s Word.

God bless the Come and Reason Team from our church here in Great Britain.

Andrew H., Great Britain

 

Testimony 19

I truly believe that to know who God really is the first step to understand ourselves in a balanced and kind way, so the healing can take place. Your approach really makes sense – Thank you for your ministry!

A.M., Pittsburg, PA, USA

Testimony 5

We listen to your bible studies lessons in our class in Montana. You actually were the main reason I decided to get a laptop, so I can go to your site and listen, read, learn, and print the class notes. I am so grateful to learn the correct view of God and his character. Now, to just have others have an interest in knowing, so I can share it with them. Good thoughts your way.

R. N., MT, USA

 

Testimony 68

Your message of design law vs imperial law is so uplifting and makes so much sense- it is a game changer for me. The fact that Jesus’s death is not a big payment by an angry God is , quite frankly, a relief.

Laura G., London, Ontario, Canada

 

Testimony 65

I have been tuning into your weekly study classes for a while now and wanted express my appreciation for the teachings that ha been a huge blessing in opening up the true message of the word. Viewing scripture under an imposed law theory always, without fail, raised more questions, concerns, and conflicting scripture interpretations that were discouraging at the very least. Looking at scripture through the design law lens has brought more truth to light for me personally and an understanding of our Heavenly Father that places Him “above all others,” where I am now more than thrilled to witness and serve Him.  I “stumbled” across this ministry a year or so ago and would only watch a few minutes at a time. But the more I listened and the longer I paid attention, the more my spiritual eyes were opened to the ever present truths of scripture. The comprehension of the great controversy and it’s origin by the lies perpetrated and perpetuated throughout the Bible on the attack of God’s character and government is truly priceless. Keep up the Good Work! Your servanthood is desperately needed in such a time as this!

Jeff D., Reading, MA, USA

 

Testimony 66

I am incredibly grateful for the transformative impact you’ve had on my life, and words cannot fully express my appreciation. Over the years, I have been an avid listener and follower of C&R and extend my heartfelt thanks for creating the C&R mobile app. It has allowed me to immerse myself in your lessons repeatedly, enabling me to grasp the profound significance about the Character of God, Design Law, the protocols for life, the reasons behind the current chaos, and Christ’s mission to restore everything. They have deeply touched me. Having studied with various churches, I came away with the perception that God is no different from the deities of ancient Greek or Roman mythology—demanding sacrifices and taking pleasure in bloodshed. Thanks to your transformative teachings, I have experienced a profound awakening to the true nature of God and the immense power of His love. It is truly a remarkable and liberating sensation to finally grasp the truth and embrace the empowering nature of God’s laws. My self-perception has become brighter and more infused with love. My journey of growth continues on a daily basis.

Chris P., Lake Mary, FL, USA

 

Testimony 71

When I was 9 years old, I remember setting at our devotional table with a hunger and thirst for God that wanted more, deeper, BETTER. I can remember literally crying and pounding on the table, “I know these teachers didn’t mean to give us error. They taught what THEY had been TAUGHT, but didn’t ANYBODY READ THE BOOK?!?!?” It mattered to me then. It mattered to me as a teenager. It matters now as I teach bible classes. It didn’t have to be so hard as I watched so many give up and lay God’s great plan and gift of salvation aside as being “impossible.” Then, a friend sent me a link to Come And Reason’s website. I grew excited. YES! FINALLY! Then another friend told me to stay away, saying her son had just broken up with a girl because she was involved with Come And Reason and that “Tim Jennings preaches a false gospel.” But, AFTER many years of developing an authentic and, dare I say FUN relationship with Jesus, through the Holy Spirit I see this message has been around a LONG time, since the apostle Paul, Ellen White, Graham Maxwell, Ray Foucher, and yourself (though I admit, you’ve made me back up, rewind and replay the clips, and get out my well-worn Bible on a few things.) I’m so thankful I have found LIGHT during these DARK days. I am not alone.

Vicki DiNitto

Testimony 35

I am so pleased with the response your message is receiving at my church from the middle-aged to the young adults. I have given out 100 copies of the first two seminars and there are more request every week. One of my [class members] came to me after viewing the series, grateful and impressed with how easy the message was retained. He had been a Seventh-day Adventist in fear all his life, and felt like the scales were removed from his eyes after viewing the seminars. I am so impressed by the change I see in members who have received this message, we are in one accord. However, I am sadden by the negative response of the older people. I am verbally attacked anytime I talk about imposed laws, but I believe my mission is to enlightened everyone I can. I watch your Bible Study Class on YouTube every Friday night and I feel like I am apart of the class. All of you are in one accord and I am so blessed to have found you. I pray that all of you continue to spread this message and I am committed to doing my part.

Clara S., Westfield, MA, USA