The Neuroscience of Music: A Review of the Basics

As music therapists, we know that music engages the brain in powerful ways. Whether we are working toward emotional regulation, motor coordination, or memory recall, we see music activate something deeper. But what is actually happening in the brain when someone engages with music? Understanding the basic process of how sound travels through the ear and is interpreted by the brain can help us better explain our work, advocate for our field, and inform our practice. Here is a simple overview of how sound is processed in the brain and how different brain areas contribute to our responses to music.

“Music is much more than the sum of its parts. Every music experience brings with it layers of information, from vibrational frequencies to the emotional and historical context in which we experience it.”  - Concetta M. Tomaino

First, sound waves are created and enter the ear as pressure.  These wave signals get transformed into electrical impulses that reach the brain through the auditory nerve. The path between outer musical stimuli getting transformed into impulses is not a simple one: there are many parts to the outer, middle, and inner ear that play an important role in the processing of sound.  The cochlea, located in the inner ear, is where sound information is converted, as fluid waves move across the organ of Corti, a membrane that converts wave frequencies into nerve impulses.  These nerve impulses then get sent to several different areas of the brain.

There are several areas of the brain that are involved in the perception and processing of music including, but not limited to: the prefrontal cortex, motor cortex, sensory cortex, primary and secondary auditory cortexes, cerebellum, hippocampus, amygdala, and nucleus accumbens. This is a simple breakdown of just a few ways they can contribute to our responses to music:

Prefrontal cortex:  Located in the front of the brain, used for executive functioning and decision making, focusing attention, organizing thoughts and problem solving, controlling impulses, and more.  The prefrontal cortex helps us process a wrong note in a song or connect information about songs with autobiographical importance. 

Motor cortex: Sits behind the frontal cortex and coordinates voluntary movements. Helps plan fine motor movements during musical performance.

Sensory cortex:  Sits behind the motor cortex, assists with integrating all sensory information. The sensory cortex  integrates multiple tactile sensations that are required for active music making. 

Primary and secondary auditory cortexes: The primary auditory cortex is located in the temporal lobe and processes the sound we hear, including pitch and volume.  The secondary auditory cortex processes melody, and can detect pitch discrepancies. 

Cerebellum: The main processor for motor control, fine tunes motor activity and coordination used for playing an instrument or moving to music.  Also involved in automatic motor responses one can have to music, like foot or finger tapping.

Hippocampus:  Part of the limbic system, responsible for memory processing.  Connects musical memories with life experiences. 

Amygdala: Part of the limbic system that is responsible for fight-or-flight responses.  Involved with how we process emotion related to different pieces of music we listen to. 

Nucleus accumbens:   Important to our reward system, this is where dopamine is released when we hear our favorite song.  The nucleus accumbens is responsible for the positive and negative responses we have to hearing or experiencing music. 

Having a clearer picture of how the brain processes music reinforces what we already observe in our sessions every day. Music connects multiple brain systems involved in movement, memory, emotion, and decision-making. This is why it can help someone recall a meaningful memory, regulate their nervous system, engage in purposeful movement, and beyond.  As music therapists, utilizing our understanding of music processing in the brain helps us stay informed, communicate more effectively with other professionals, and continue providing thoughtful, evidence-based care.

References: 

Tomaino, C. M. (2017). Chapter 4: Music Therapy and the Brain. In Music Therapy Handbook (pp. 40–46). The Guilford Press.