Music triggers various parts of the brain, making it a great therapeutic or mood-altering tool. The pitch, rhythm, meter, and timbre of music are processed in many different parts of the brain, from the prefrontal cortex to the hippocampus to the parietal lobe. Rhythm and pitch are primarily functions of the left hemisphere of the brain, while timbre and melody are usually processed in the right hemisphere. However, the meter is processed in both hemispheres. Spatio-temporal tasks (2D and 3D manipulation of physical objects and spatial reasoning necessary for building structures, etc.) are also localized in the same areas of the brain that are triggered by music. Listening to music triggers areas of the brain related to spatial reasoning. Here are the different things that happen to the brain when music is experienced in different ways: Hearing music - The auditory cortex (1) is organized by sound frequencies, with some cells responding to low frequencies and others to high frequencies. From the inside to the outside of the auditory cortex, many types of things happen when you hear music. At the core, basic musical elements, such as pitch and volume, are analyzed, while other parts of the auditory cortex process more complex elements, such as timbre, melody and rhythm. Imagining music: Singing a song or imagining a melody in your head triggers the auditory cortex even if you don't actually hear the melody. This activity, however, takes place in small, distinct areas (1) and to a lesser extent. The inferior frontal gyrus (2) is usually linked to remembering memories and is therefore triggered when you remember a song. Scientists believe that the dorsolateral frontal cortex (3) is responsible for holding the song...... middle of paper ...... pen, a musician needs musical training early in life. If musical training only happens after puberty, there aren't as many changes in the brain. Brain enhancements are also different depending on the type of instrument. When a violinist, for example, listens to a violin tune, the activity of his auditory cortex is quite high. But when the same violinist listens to a trumpet tune, the activity of the auditory cortex is very low. In the past, scientists thought that most music-related activities took place in the right hemisphere, where emotional and spatial information is processed. However, scientists now know that the two hemispheres work together when it comes to processing music. affect-the-brain/#sthash.PGWmQa4M.dpuf