Music is an integral part of our life. Ever since man appeared on Earth, music has helped him both work and relax. Composer Eric Satie, who, in his own words, was "ahead of his time" is the founder of audio marketing.
The first public performance of Satie's invented "furnishing music" took place in 1920 during an intermission. Eric Satie became the first composer in the history of music who was unhappy that his music was being heard. According to Satie's idea, the performed compositions were to become "musical background banners", which the public was instructed to pay attention to no more than a curtain or chandeliers (in fact, this is the answer to the question of what background music is). Unfortunately, the audience didn't get the idea and immediately rushed to their seats as soon as the music started. "We realized at that moment that everything was lost," one of the composer's supporters wrote about that evening.
"However, despite the generally negative reviews, Eric Satie's furnishing music " marked the beginning of not only a new direction in the musical art -minimalism, but also an original and surprisingly effective direction in the field of marketing, which we will now talk about:
Background music concept
In fact, the history of functional music begins with the Muzak company, which was founded in 1934. Its leader, George Owen Squire, proposed the use of even rhythmic quiet compositions in skyscraper elevators (a genre we know today as lounge) to reduce the discomfort that people experienced during unusually long ascents. From this moment begins the active application and study of music in terms of its effect on employees and customers of shops, restaurants, as well as other public institutions.
Background music
It serves as a background for another activity that is central to the person at the moment and involves passive rather than active listening. It should be non-binding. Simply put, a person hears such music, but does not listen, that is, does not pay attention to it. This concept includes music used to create the right atmosphere, not only in public places, but also in plays, movies, shows, etc.
Background music is used on the condition that it fits the company's image, influences the increase in purchases, creates an emotional connection with the brand and allows to manage the purchase behavior.
Favorable background
Within the framework of the topic we are considering, a favorable background is an ambiguous concept. No company will use compositions with out-of-harmony melodies or excessively sharp rhythmic jumps or pitch changes as a background. However, it can also be used as a musical activity. Everything else depends on where, at what time and in what atmosphere the music is played.
Take a genre like rock for example. Do you think there will be many visitors to a pub or a rock bar if it plays, for example...ambient? And here in the spa, on the contrary, rock will be more than irrelevant. Background music is a part of the environment, it should fit clearly into it.
How will background music help your business?
There are several guidelines for background music design (Thematic facilities are not discussed here)
▪️ The rhythm of the compositions must be the same
▪️ The pace must be slow, average or slightly above average
▪️ The structure must be easily understandable
▪️ The volume must be below average
Most of all business prefers classics, jazz, lounge, chillhouse. But there is an enormous number of musical genres, and when creating a personalized musical design, the professionals create the background taking into account the preferences of the target audience, the days of the week and time, the concept of the facilities using various genres and directions.
Sound architecture
The sound has a wave character, and the waves are absorbed by any surface, that is why the intensity of the wave decreases and the sound gets quieter. These properties of sound are studied by the special science of architectural acoustics. Its basic principles are familiar to any professional interior designer and are taken into account when designing musical decorations. When deciding which equipment to use for broadcasting music and what volume level to set, you need to take literally everything into account
▪️ Ceiling height
▪️ The size of the room
▪️ Floor coverings
▪️ Materials from which furniture is made
▪️ The number and location of curtains, if there are any
This is very important for background music. The bigger the room, the more complex the acoustic system is required. Imagine one column broadcast over 200 square meters. Two options are possible: either people who will be at the opposite end of the hall will not hear anything at all, or those sitting next to them will be drowned by the sound of music. Since the sound, ceteris paribus, spreads with the same intensity in different directions, for large rooms it is recommended to use several loudspeakers, which are placed evenly throughout the area.
It is also important to consider the materials used in the interior. Upholstered furniture absorbs sound more strongly. Therefore, the more upholstered furniture you have in your facility, the more volume you need.
How will background music help your business?
In order for the background music to fulfill its main task and contribute to the success of your business, you need to create a thoughtful playlist and pay attention to its
▪️ Genre: it must match the image of your company, match the preferences of the target audience, and be in harmony with the products or services that you offer.
▪️ Tempo. Compositions with an average tempo are usually used, which varies depending on attendance.
When we talk about what background music is for business, we mean not only its role in creating an atmosphere that, of course, visitors should like. By creating an individual musical design, we ensure the achievement of the following business goals
▪️ Increasing customer loyalty
▪️ Increase in the average check
▪️ Increase in positive reviews
▪️ Increase in the number of regular customers
▪️ Improving the company's image
▪️ Sales growth
Here's what background music means to business. It is indeed able to manage consumer behavior and help make the shopping process more enjoyable.
How does music influence people?
The effect of music on the human body is much stronger and more diverse than you can imagine. Even scientists have admitted that music affects not only a person's soul, but also his body. In the 19th century, with the rapid development of science, experiments began to be carried out, which allowed to reliably confirm that this effect is not an artistic superstition, but a scientific fact.
The study of the influence of music on people was carried out in the following directions:
▪️ Effect of special musical instruments
▪️ Influence of the works of genius composers
▪️ Influence of folk music
▪️ Influence of modern musical trends
Speaking about another object of research - the human body - one can distinguish other areas of research - the effects that sounds have on individual organs and organ systems, as well as on the mental world.
How does music influence people?
One of the most understudied and controversial areas of medicine is sound therapy. On the one hand, sound is mechanical vibrations, waves that can resonate or, conversely, dampen the natural vibrations of human organs, tissues, and even molecules. On the other hand, experimental confirmation of the positive or negative effect of music on a person requires complex and long-term studies, as well as the exclusion of the influence of a number of other factors. The positive or negative effect of music on a person can occur for various reasons, therefore, the practical confirmation of the effect of sound therapy still needs serious research.
In this article, we tried to collect all the most interesting facts, experimental data and scientific conclusions that can help you not only listen to music, but also use it for your personal and business purposes.
Effects of music on the human body
Let's start with how our body reacts to music, because many physiological reactions are not controlled by the brain and are regulated by other systems and organs, which makes the study of these effects of music even more interesting.
Modern scientists consider the following effects of music on a person to be proven:
▪️ Changes in blood pressure, heart rate, rhythm and depth of breathing (increases or decreases depending on the music)
▪️ Reduction of pain (sound waves affect the skin, nerve nodes, limbs)
▪️ Immune system stimulation
▪️ Restoration of normal hemostasis and blood microcirculation system
▪️ Stabilization of vegetative-vascular functions
▪️ Reduction of muscle tension
The positive effect of music on a person is also observed in many psychosomatic disorders.
Soviet scientists have obtained extremely interesting data on the effect of music on the fetus at various stages of its formation:
▪️ In the first weeks of development, the embryo responds best to spiritual music
▪️In 4-7 weeks, he perceives folk music better
▪️ From the 8th week, the classic has the most positive effect. it is at this moment that the higher nervous structures of the child begin to form.
▪️In accordance with the prenatal development of the child, music programs are widely used in many countries of the world.
