Sample Reflection Paper: The Power of Music
Music is a form of art that almost everyone can enjoy. There must only be a handful of people who possess a distaste for music. Each individual can develop an affiliation towards a particular genre of music that reflects their personality, behavior, or goals. Each genre utilizes different melodies, tones, and volumes that make them distinct from one another. Despite these differences, all forms of music have the ability to influence different aspects of an individual’s life. It can affect a person’s decision or remind them of a significant life event. Music has power over our emotions, memories, focus, interpretations, and even ideas and principles.
Music and Emotions
Music’s power over emotions is an obvious idea that is true for most individuals. Songwriters create songs that tell stories about finding and losing love, appreciating life, and persevering against the intricacies of the modern world. While they follow rules and standards in their writing, they often dig deep and use their emotions to give life to a song. When I listen to Ed Sheeran’s song “Supermarket Flowers”, I cannot help but develop feelings of sorrow, loss, and pain. The song forces me to experience emotions that I do not have a reason to feel. My mother is healthy and is living a wonderful life. Yet when I hear the song, I feel like drowning in the idea of losing a loved one. I begin to feel as if I have lost someone that I hold dear and that I would never see them again. Music, with all its melodies and rhythm, compels my brain to express irrational feelings and overwhelm me with emotions.
Music and Memories
As music holds power over our emotions, it can help us remember memories that would otherwise drift in the back of our minds. People say that art is an emotional outlet , and this cannot be more true in the case of music. We may incorporate a song to a specific life event and every time we hear that song, it will remind us of the memories. A love song can remind someone of their high school ball where they danced with their high school sweetheart that they never saw again. It can remind them of that night when they danced under the moonlit sky and experienced their first kiss. The last few notes of the song can remind them of the moment when they drifted apart and never saw each other again. Aside from somber melodies, upbeat rhythms can remind an individual about the fun they had with their friends. It can remind them of those lazy afternoons and after-school hours when they spend most of their time lying in the grass and listening to music with their friends. The power of music over memories allows us to remember events that we could cherish for a lifetime.
Music and Productivity
Aside from the music’s intrapersonal influences, it can be a tool to enhance an individual’s focus and productivity. Some students and professionals, including myself, prefer to play music when performing certain tasks. Ambient and classical music as well as famous musical scores for movies help me focus when reading uninteresting pieces of literature. I also prefer to play and sing catchy songs when doing menial tasks. These types of music allow me to isolate myself from the distractions of a busy world and focus on my current task. It allows me to ignore the noise of moving cars, my neighbor’s abysmal rap music choice, and the sound of nearby machines. It can make a 30-minute task seem like just a few minutes. Its power over emotions can help me cope with boredom and fill me with energy. Music acts as a shield against distractions and a powerful tool to direct my focus.
Music and Personal Interpretation
I have noticed that music has a level of power over an individual’s interpretation of various things. Artists, directors, and content creators utilize this power of music to influence their audience’s interpretation of their work. They place slow and dramatic music as a background for heartbreaking and emotional scenes. They use ambiguous sounds to portray mystery and fear in the minds of the viewers. However, the power of music over interpretation is more influential than most people think. A director can place an upbeat song during an emotional scene and the music alone can change the nature of the scene. A creative artist can utilize music to turn a somber scene into a funny clip. This characteristic of music may be a result of its power over emotions, memories, and focus. Music can heavily influence the audience’s interpretation and provide individuals with different perspectives.
Music and Social Change
Finally, the power of music is perhaps best demonstrated in its effect on people’s ideas and principles. To say that music is only for entertainment would be wrong. Far from being used for just entertainment, music has been a channel for communicating ideas that encourage social change. For instance, many popular bands in the 1960s and 1970s used music to protest against war and violence like Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” and John Lennon’s “Imagine.” In fact, almost every music genre has been used to promote change. A simple review of the history of country music would show how this genre reflected issues affecting American society. Today, music still has that power, as exemplified by “You Need to Calm Down” by Taylor Swift . This is why music has been the subject of art censorship as well. People who reject social change know that music has the power to disrupt the status quo.
Conclusion
Music is an influential aspect of life that possesses many forms and characteristics. These various forms and characteristics allowed it to become an essential part of daily life. It also shows us why art is important . They provided music with the power over emotions, memories, focus, and interpretation. Specific musical melodies can conjure the emotions of sorrow, happiness, or fear. Nostalgic songs that people played during their childhood can remind them of cherishable memories. Calming and ambient sounds can help an individual focus on their tasks. All these types of songs and sounds allow music to influence our interpretation of the world. Finally, music has the power to communicate ideas and principles. The power of music is a testament to the magnificence of life. Its hold over our hearts and minds showcases the brilliance of creation.
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Music and songs are common topics for most reflection papers . Students will need to actively listen to songs and perhaps do quick research regarding the topic. Some students may find these tasks easy as they can simply share their inner thoughts and ideas. However, some individuals may find it difficult to put their reflections into words . CustomEssayMeister is aware of the possible difficulties of reflection paper writing, which is why our website offers homework assistance services. Students can order on our website and have professionals write their coursework. Try our services today to submit a high-mark-worthy reflection!
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