The Resonance Project has been working on the concept of finding Understanding through the use of music for many years. We have preliminary thoughts (below) as to an overall scheme which we believe to be effective in helping divergent parties find common ground. This is an integral approach that bridges neuroscience, music, social science, and psychology. We believe this could become a new paradigm to aid the world in communication and the urgent need to find mutual cooperation on an increasingly smaller planet.
The music listed below is a beginning to what we believe will become a massive list of music that helps people synchronize brainwaves. The objective is to help people move from the important starting point of stating their own needs, to the important progress point of being able to understand a given situation from the other person’s perspective, as well as one’s own.
To create this transformation (neuroplasticity), music serves as a catalyst. We find that three components are needed to achieve this:
- Music that can be appreciated simply for its craftsmanship, in other words having an intellectual appeal. (In the Western Classical world, this is especially true for baroque music.)
- Music that opens the heart by appealing to one’s emotions. (In the Western Classical world, this is especially true of the Romantic composers.) It is important that “emotion” not be confused with “sentimental,” as the latter can complicate negotiation by pulling a listener into their own history.
- Music that seems to transcend normal melodic, rhythmic, or harmonic expectations, thereby creating a subtle somatic effect that enables listeners to feel that they are sharing a journey with other listeners. (In the Western Classical world, this music comes almost exclusively from the 20th and 21st centuries.)
Playlist #1
- J. S. Bach: Harpsichord Concerto No. 4 in A Major, BWV 1055, Mov. 1 (Allegro)
- J. S. Bach: Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007, Mov. 1
Playlist #2
- Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E flat Major, Op. 73, Mov. 2 (Adagio un poco mosso)
- Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18, Mov. 2
Playlist #3
- Messiaen: Quartet for the End of Time, mov. 5 (Cello & Piano)
- Eric Whitacre: Lux Aurumque
TRP has found that the best approach to using music to help find empathy and common ground is a three-pronged process.
- The first piece of music should engage the brain, with appreciation of the compositional craft, itself. This is the first step to negotiation – saying what you need to say. This is the level of ego-centricity, which naturally focuses on the needs of the individuals.
- The second piece of music should engage the heart, with music which has an emotional quality. Emotional music, in contrast to “sentimental” music, can bring up many different feelings within a person, whereas sentimental music conjures past associations. The intent here is to move the listener from ego-centricity to ethno-centricity, understanding the needs of the greater community that might be represented at the negotiation.
- The third and final piece of music should transcend boundaries of melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic expectation. That level of uncertainty creates the possibility of just “going with it,” opening the listener to the unknown. This can transform the negotiating party from ethno-centricity to world-centricity, being able to see a situation from the other person’s perspective. As President Obama said in an interview with Lin-Manuel Miranda, “It’s only when we can see from the other person’s perspective, when we’ve gotten past our individual agendas, that anything can get done in negotiations.”
Playlist for categories 1, 2, and 3” is being developed. Tell us your thoughts through our virtual community on social media
