Try Classical Music
If someone were to take a ride in my car, they would likely be surprised to hear a radio station with classical music playing. This isn’t just regular classical music; it’s more like a collage of avant-garde folk, traditional cultural music, and instruments of every kind. Someone could get the impression I’m an art-house loving hipster who likes to listen to weird stuff just for the sake of being as original as possible. Admittedly, it’s a strange music choice for someone growing up listening to Oasis, Stone Temple Pilots, and the other popular pop and grunge that dominated the 90’s.
So, if I’m not a hipster reveling in how cool I am for listening to such unique music – then, what am I doing? Well, I wouldn’t say that I enjoy everything that comes onto this particular radio station, but it does bring my mind into a completely different realm of thinking. The problem with pop music, and regular catchy songs is that they tend to follow a certain formula. It becomes popularized, marketable, and somewhere along the way, the bands emulating the sound just don’t have the same soul and originality that came from the beginning.
Classical music doesn’t follow an exact formula. It allows for expression to run freely outside of the traditional 4/4 or 3/4 timing that we are so accustomed to hearing. Moreover, classical music regularly incorporates quite a wide range of instruments in order to create a dynamic sound in addition to its volatility. Pop music tends to comprise of guitar, bass, drums, and singer with some room for piano or keyboard.
Our minds, similar to pop music, tend to follow a formula to get through the day. Sometimes it’s easier to run on autopilot. We wake up, shower, eat, work, make small talk, and often repeat the same formula on a daily basis. Listening to classical music help me to break of the risk of running on autopilot. I want to experience life as a series of unique events to which I am fully present. It’s not really living if we simply have a default response for situations that seem familiar to us.
Classical music tells a story full of emotion. Sometimes it’s boring, annoying, or seemingly indulgent. On the other hand, pop music can be similar to someone who only tells you what you want to hear – just the “good stuff.” However, we find more depth, understanding, and relatability towards the people who show us the well-rounded aspects of themselves – the good, the bad, the boring, and the fun. Classical music is an excellent stimulus for your mind to engage the world of expression and free-flowing thought.
For further related reading, please check out: Eat, Sleep, Work.
