Wellness Calendar: Thursday 24 July

Different types of music

When it comes to our well-being, it may be worth splitting music into sub-sections.

If we’re interested in being able to study and concentrate or to use music to help us sleep, monophonic music works wonders. Monophonic music contains one melodic line without the harmony, for example Gregorian chanting. This type of music helps to preoccupy our subconscious mind, so that we can focus our attention elsewhere.

Polyphonic music contains multiple instruments, or voices and harmonies, that are played at the same time, such as Johann Pachelbel’s Canon. Polyphonic music is complex and demands concentration; it can completely absorb us, challenge us, and plant all sorts of imagery into our subconscious that in turn can stimulate creativity.

Homophonia is where vocals and instruments complement a dominant rhythm or repetitive beat, and constitutes most pop music. For many Western people, this music is very straightforward and easy to grasp as it’s played everywhere. It’s the music most likely to make you dance.

Heterophonies can be heard in bluegrass and Cajun and in many non-Western types of music. Here there’s one melody played out by two instruments (say fiddle and banjo) at the same time, without necessarily being perfectly synchronised, which creates a natural texture to the sound.

Polyrhythms are where two or more separate rhythms combine and conflict with one another. The origins of this music are African. If played over a long period of time, the effects of this music can be hypnotic and transcendental.

Would it be useful to you to listen to music that you’ve never heard before, to find out where it might take you?

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