Different music styles create different body responses
What we discovered: Each type of music has its own unique "signature" in your body
A 30-month study tracking heart and stress responses during drumming practice
What We Did
144
practice sessions tracked over 30 months
📹 Video recordings of every session
❤️ Continuous heart monitoring
📊 Stress measurements synchronized with the music
Four Different Musical Styles
Fusion Complex, layered patterns
Latin With added hand-switching challenge
Jazz Swing and improvisation
Rock Progressive, driving beats
Each style was played for the same amount of time to make fair comparisons
KEY FINDING #1 Not All Music Affects You The Same Way
Fusion Music: The "Flow State"
What we found: Fusion created the most consistent, steady response throughout practice
Your body stayed in a focused, engaged state
Like being "in the zone" during exercise
KEY FINDING #2 Latin Music Has a Unique Pattern
Latin Music: The "Spike Pattern"
The discovery: Latin music created intense stress spikes every few seconds, like interval training for your brain
Why? I deliberately switched hand positions every measure as a training challenge (You don't normally have to do this - I created this technique to push my brain)
This creates repeated mental challenges: moderate stress → sudden spike → back to moderate
This pattern has never been documented before in music research
KEY FINDING #3 All Musical Stress Isn't Bad
Music Creates "Good Stress"
Important context: Not all stress is harmful
Bad stress: Constant worry, chronic pressure, no relief
Good stress: Short bursts during a challenge, followed by recovery
Playing challenging music is like exercise for your brain and body
It creates temporary stress that helps you grow stronger
Why These Findings Matter
For musicians: Understanding which music styles stress your body can help prevent injury
For music therapy: Different people might benefit from different musical styles
For everyone: Music affects your body in measurable, specific ways
What We Learned
✓ Each music style creates its own unique body response
✓ Latin music's "spike pattern" is completely new to science
✓ Musical stress can be beneficial, like exercise for your brain
These discoveries open doors for personalized music practice and therapy