This post has been on my to-do list for a little longer than I expected, but the time has come, as someone who is not professionally engaged with the music but certainly enjoys it at every opportunity, to write a few lines about whether it's intended only for humans, or are the melodic frequencies far usable than we think they are...
A long time ago, I exchanged a couple of comments with @mipiano about how I managed to calm down my ex beloved dog from making crazy stuffs [like tearing apart toilet paper all over the flat, biting raw potatoes and taking them to my bed] when he had to stay alone in the apartment. I couldn't bear that howling after closing the apartment door, I just felt terribly and the feeling of guilt was hunting me each time, so I came up with the idea of leaving the radio on when I'm not at home.
I remember that I found a station that broadcast exclusively EDM, and considering that it is a genre that I myself would listen to, I decided to give it a chance.
Wrong decision, doll, I found the apartment in complete chaos, as if a party had just ended there, and everyone had gone to the after-party. The curtains were damaged, and the toilet paper greeted me in tatters at the very entrance, I flipped out!
[he got a couple of gently slaps with a newspaper]
In the meantime, I realized that the music was perhaps too "aggressive" to calm anyone down, so next time I found the station with classical music.
When I returned, I found him sleeping like a bear in the basket, so nappy that he barely reacted to my entrance.
BINGO!
Dogs aren't the only ones who has good taste in music....
Researchers at the University of Leicester have spent a lot of time researching different types of music to play to cows to see if it affects milk production.
Interestingly, not all cows are fans of popular music, so for those with a special taste, the modern farmer compiles a list of classical music, which includes Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony and Mozart's Flute and Harp Concerto. University of Leicester researchers found that production increased when cows heard the songs Everybody Hurts (R.E.M.) and Bridge Over Troubled Water (Simon and Garfunkel), but that there was no change if they listened to Juicy's Horny. Also, research by National Public Radio in the USA showed that theater comedy also increases milk yield.
But we don't have cows on the homestead at the moment, so this interesting topic made me sniff around and check if music has any effect on plants?
If your answer was yes, you are right!
Some more researches proved that music also affects plants growth and yield.
The question is, what actually causes the impact? Rhythm, volume, specific genre?
Vibrations...that's the catch!
Every living organism reacts differently to different vibrations, just as the human ear does not enjoy sharp sounds, noise, but therapists advise us that when we are in a state of anxiety, we allow ourselves the sounds of low vibrations so that our thoughts calm down and the body relaxes.
All of you are probably familiar with the "white noise" trend, which they claim strengthens sleep [had no effects on me - tried on contrary made me more nervous and awake].
As we are growing vegetables and fruits mostly, I have the habit of listening to music while working, but I am wondering what would my plants like to hear, what would move them, strengthened and contributed to their growth?
I still have no plans to install a surround system in the garden, but who knows, summer is just around the corner!
According to the plant, my music list would be composed like this:
For all root plants like beets, carrots, parsnips, radishes, rock would play, somehow it goes with their badass nature, imagining them as their roots spread and penetrate deep into the ground, making room for themselves to grow.
AC/DC
Although the above link claims that rock music encourages plants to die prematurely, it literally kills them, I would give it a chance.
As for leafy vegetables, which I consider delicate, the melody would be much more sophisticated, dramatic as I watch the leaves unfolding and spreading wide...
Franz Peter Schubert
And for beans, what would move the beans?
Japanese lofi is my latest discovery and I LOVE IT, mostly while I'm condemned to sit in front of the screen for hours, the rhythmic bass somehow goes very well with beans that swell while growing and mandolins sophisticated sound is there to keep everything under control and balanced.
It lasts only 3 hours, trust me you wouldn't even notice when it ends and you'll want more!
Kami
Maybe it sounds weird or silly, but I would give a try to this plant growing music therapy theory, it can't hurts no one, right?
Well, except rock, but let's not judge in advance. 🙄