I found this while rooting through files from before my accident.
Simultaneous Stimulation of Multiple Areas of the Brain
Using Complimentary Genres of Music
to Maintain Focus and Enhance Creativity
June 2019
Required Equipment
A computer
Access to the Internet
Speakers
The Process
Open two internet browser windows.
In the first browser window, go to YouTube.com
Search for Brian Eno - Ambient 1: Music for Airports [Full Album].
The YouTube player will have its own volume control.
In the other browser window, go to SomaFM.com
Select the Sonic Universe channel. Click Listen, which will open up a new player window with its own volume control.
Adjust the volume for each player so that both volume levels are equal.
Adjust the master volume of the speakers to a comfortable level.
Music Genre Selections
Two genres of music that can be enjoyed simultaneously are ambient electronic and jazz. The first has minimal or zero time signature, whereas the second features unexpected time signature changes.
The intentional selection of these two genres is to engage the listener actively while allowing the brain to relax. In doing this, we avoid an often-used song structure: verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus
This structure is found in nearly every popular music genre.
The recognizable 4/4 time signature which appears throughout pop, dance, rap, metal, rock, et cetera is also not used. We will refer to this easily-recognized musical type as “Typical Music”.
Consider the structure of a Typical Music song. A Typical Music song consists of three to four short phrases (called “verses”), separated by one to four repeated sentences (called the “chorus”). Words in each section often rhyme, making them easier to remember and repeat without hearing the song. After hearing a Typical Music song a few times, the average listener will have memorized the song note-for-note and will no longer need to concentrate on it actively. After the first few notes are heard, the listener will be able to recall the song entirely and will soon be searching for another musical selection to maintain interest.
About the Music Selections
Brian Eno pioneered the genre now known as “ambient” music. Music for Airports was created by looping audio recordings at different speeds to produce atmospheric tones which were designed to be played at airport terminals to reduce anxiety. Boards of Canada, Steve Roach, and Aphex Twin also exemplify this minimal style.
Sonic Universe is a streaming commercial-free jazz station. It provides lively, unexpected instrumentation and unusual time signatures.
The Experience
Ambient electronic music lacks the structure of Typical Music material. Ambient songs are designed to create an atmosphere or emotion and are difficult to remember and recall note-for-note.
This slow, relaxing music helps to calm the brain and helps with tasks requiring precision and focus.
Consider also the structure of a jazz song. Lacking verse or chorus entirely, jazz songs are written to tell a musical story and challenge the listener to keep up with the music.
Unexpected time signature changes make the brain work in new directions to understand the songs. The listener is not likely to recall an entire jazz song and lazily repeat it.
This complex, stimulating music helps with creativity and thinking “outside the box”.
Reactions and Explanations
Many people will find this simultaneous music strange or unpleasant, since their brains are expecting a predictable song structure or set of sounds in a 4/4 time signature. This is because Typical Music pervades all genres of popular music.
Popular music culture has universally promoted Typical Music with the goal of increasing sales by making songs which are short, simple and easy to remember.
Listeners of Typical Music are encouraged to become lazy, memorizing a few sentences of information and a simple musical “hook” which brings the song to mind.
Creative brains will simultaneously be relaxed by the slow, atmospheric stylings of
ambient music and encouraged to access concepts and synaptic connections which are made possible by the constantly-changing genre of jazz.
