Do you usually listen to classical music?
Whether you like it or not, most of us have heard it more than a few times.
In this article, I’d like to explore classical music and its composers through the lens of introversion and extroversion — to see and hear them in a new light 🎵
The Refined Image of Classical Music — and Its Hidden Calming Effect
Classical music is often used as background music or featured in school music classes, so even if you don’t know the name of a piece, you might recognize it the moment you hear it. To me, classical music feels like something that blends right into the atmosphere — almost like it becomes part of the space around you 😌
That said, it still tends to have an image of being something adults or upper-class people listen to. Back when I was a kid, there weren’t many classmates who said they liked classical music. The ones who did were usually the children from wealthier families — the kind who had a piano at home 😅
Classical music always felt a bit out of reach for children — like something from another world. To be honest, I used to think, “It’s relaxing, sure, but kind of sleepy… and nothing really sticks with me.” But over time, I found myself starting to appreciate its quiet charm more and more 🎹
Later I learned my first impression wasn’t entirely wrong. Classical music carries a unique frequency, a kind of fluctuation known as “1/f fluctuation.” I won’t go into the details here, but it’s the same soothing pattern found in natural sounds like the murmur of a stream or the song of a bird — and classical music shares some of those same qualities.
Interestingly, “1/f fluctuation” can be found not only in sound but also in visual patterns like the flicker of candlelight or the glow of fireflies, and even in biological rhythms such as the beating of the human heart ✨
Of course it varies by piece, but many works in classical music really do have a calming effect. Back then, I had no idea what “1/f fluctuation” was, but now I see there was a reason I felt drawn to it. As an introvert, I often find myself looking for moments of comfort in daily life — so it makes perfect sense that I grew to love classical music 😅
