How technology can help you capture and relive your best music memories

Everytime I listen to “Don’t Look Back in Anger” from Oasis, I remember me and my brother crashing our dad’s car while singing along with Noel to the chorus, “And soooooo, Sally can wait…” This song is stored in my mind as part of a deep connection between people (me and my brother), a period of time (that afternoon in 1996), and an event (crashing our dad’s car).

I have more and more soundtracked memories like that — actually most of us do. It would be great if I could guarantee that those music memories will be there forever, even if just for myself. However, the less I revisit a memory, the weaker it becomes; the older I get, the harder it is to retrieve it — not to mention that my brain might one day be affected by some accident or disease (knock on wood). So … there’s no guarantee here, but fortunately, using science and technology, there are some simple exercises we can apply in order to positively strengthen our music memories.

Your brain on music

Patrick N. Juslin has pointed out in a study that an average of 64 percent of everyday music listening is associated with emotions; most of them are related to people remembering other people, places, or events.

Since emotional memories are generally more memorable than neutral events, the song you’re listening to and the emotion created by that event (together with the actors and the scenario) will be connected and associated, forming what some scientists call a unique brain signature of music-evoked life memories, a powerful memory stimulant.

By practicing some simple brain exercises, you can reinforce these signatures and make that memory stronger. This happens because, in response to the exercise, the part of your brain responsible for that memory will be rewarded by the anticipation of an element. For example, if most of the time when I listen to the first chords of “Don’t Look Back in Anger” I remember the colour of my dad’s car, that memory will become stronger as the prediction is met.

Using music technology to exercise your brain

The music industry is being dramatically affected by the evolution of technology — especially if we talk about music consumption, with streaming services dominating this field. You can love it or hate it, but the fact is that products like Spotify, Deezer, Apple Music, and others can become great enablers for strengthening your music memories. With these technologies, it’s much easier to revisit a song you used to listen to when you were a teenager, and also discover new songs.

Let’s explore some ways you can use your music-related tech resources to exercise your music memories:

1. Use music streaming services to listen to old songs and reinforce old memories.
   By simply listening to some old songs and remembering people, places, and events related to them, you will trigger the natural instinct of creating patterns in your brain — and reinforce related unique brain signatures.
2. Use music streaming services to discover new songs and create new memories.
   If you just listen to old songs, you will stop creating new musical memories or even overlay past memories with new ones. If that’s intentional, fine … otherwise, I recommend that you set a new soundtrack for the new experiences you are going to have. For example, most of the time when I travel to a different place (or under new conditions), I select a set of albums or playlists that are relatively new for me. That will be helpful for creating new memories easily instead of just revisiting old ones while I’m traveling.
3. Use social networks to share your music memories.
   If social networks are fun for you, you can use the power of Facebook and write your story with memories related to a song. Share a Spotify screen of a song on Instagram and tag a friend who shares your memories of that song. Just tweet or send a message through WhatsApp saying, “Hey, dude! I was just listening to this song and started travelling in time back to when we were in Las Vegas. It was BIG, wasn’t it?” Okay, I know, some memories are very particular or even private, but at least for the public ones: just share it!
4. Use picture apps to follow related pictures while listening to a song.
   Listening to a song that reminds you about travelling with the kids last summer? Just open the Pictures app on your iPhone and start to slide the pictures you have from that trip. The link between that song, that time, those people, and the place will be reinforced, and that music memory will become stronger.
5. Use video-making software or apps to create video clips of your music memories.
   From iMovie and Adobe Premier to Magisto and VideoMaker, there are tons of software and applications that allow you to make great video clips by gathering the song along with some related pictures and videos. Everytime you watch that video, you will be exercising that memory.

Songfaces app will make it easier — and miles better

At Songfaces, our Lisbon-based music tech startup, we believe music memories play a very important role in our lives. That’s why we want to stress the potential that technology can provide to strength our music memories.

We understand that the alternatives I shared here are okay, but not powerful enough to make it a habit. In fact, music memories are not at the core of any of them — and that’s why we are on the way to launching the first version of our app.

By using the Songfaces app together with your preferred music streaming service, you will be able to:

• Create new memories by capturing new moments as they happen through sights and sounds.
• Relive your memories through a combination of songs, stories, pictures, and videos.
• Build a lifetime of memories that you can share with family, friends, and future generations.