Instru(mental) – Details, episodes & analysis

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Instru(mental)

Brea Murakami

Science

Music

Society & Culture

Frequency: 1 episode/142d. Total Eps: 22

Want to scientifically improve your life with music? Every episode of Instru(mental) explores music psychology research and how it shapes your brain, your body, and how you feel. Thoughtful, practical suggestions for integrating music into your life. Hosted by board-certified music therapist, Brea Murakami.

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https://ko-fi.com/breamurakami1
28 shares
http://www.instrumentalpodcast.com
2 shares
http://www.instrumentalpodcast.com/
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Score global : 68%

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#20 - This Is Your Musical Brain On Marijuana

Episode 20

Sunday, April 19, 2026 • Duration 21:42

Have you ever noticed that music just hits differently when your high? In this episode of Instru(mental), we're diving into the surprisingly sparse, but curious body of research that explains how cannabis changes our musical experiences. Along the way, we'll touch on what mix of THC and CBD might enhance musical reward and what this might mean for clinicians working with people who listen to music under altered states of consciousness. Thank you to the sponsor of today's episode, Daniel Goldschmidt from Etude, LLC!

References:

Darakjian, L., Glassman, H., Lo, C. Y., & Russo, F. A. (2025). Exploring the interaction between cannabis and music. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1551, 140–158. https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.70010
Duggan, P. J. (2021). The chemistry of cannabis and cannabinoids. Australian Journal of Chemistry, 74(6), 369–387. https://doi.org/10.1071/CH21006
Freeman, T. P., Pope, R. A., Wall, M. B., Bisby, J. A., Luijten, M., Hindocha, C., Mokrysz, C., Lawn, W., Moss, A., Bloomfield, M. A. P., Morgan, C. J. A., Nutt, D. J., & Curran, H. V. (2018). Cannabis dampens the effects of music in brain regions sensitive to reward and emotion. International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, 21(1), 21–32. https://doi.org/10.1093/ijnp/pyx082
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2025). Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (Publication No. PEP25-07-007, NSDUH Series H-60). Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt56287/2024-nsduh-annual-national-report.pdf
Tart, C. T. (1970). Marijuana intoxication: Common experiences. Nature, 226, 701–704. https://doi.org/10.1038/226701a0

Resources

Marijuana Anonymous

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#19 - Split Second Music Judgments

Episode 19

Wednesday, October 1, 2025 • Duration 24:09

What can we deduce from hearing less than 1 second of music? Learn how accurately listeners can identify music genres from excerpts that are less than a quarter of a second long, and see how your brain does in a mini version of the experimental task. Our takeaways include how these sophisticated, split-second associations to music sometimes work against our better judgment.

Support the show by checking out https://ko-fi.com/breamurakami1. Thank you!

References

Mace, S.T., Wagoner, C.L., Teachout, D.J., & Hodges, D.A. (2012). Genre identification of very brief musical excerpts. Psychology of Music, 40(1), 112-128. https://doi.org/10.1177/0305735610391347

Song Excerpts

Classical: Adagio for Strings (Barber), The Planets, Op. 32: IV (Holst), Trois Gymnopedies: I (Satie)
Country: All I Want to Do (Sugarland), Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven (Kenny Chesney),
Jazz: In the Mood (Glenn Miller), Take Five (Dave Brubeck), So What (Miles Davis)
Metal: Troops of Doom (Sepultura), Madhouse (Anthrax)
Hip-hop: Whatever You Like (T.I.), What Them Girls Like (Ludacris), Got Money (Lil Wayne & T-Pain)

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#11 - Music-Evoked Autobiographical Memories

Episode 11

Friday, July 5, 2019 • Duration 30:51

How do certain songs become intertwined with our personal memories? This episode explores the musical reminiscence bump, how our musical preferences may be influenced by our parents, and the neurologic mechanisms behind music-evoked autobiographical memories. Get ideas for how to use music to frame and reflect on your past experiences.

For more information on the research articles and music in this episode, go to www.InstrumentalPodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter (@instrumentalpod) for news and updates!

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#10 - Music, Rewards, and Dopamine

Episode 10

Friday, August 10, 2018 • Duration 30:37

Does music release dopamine? And how can music be interpreted as a reward? This episode uncovers how reward circuitry in our brain can be activated when we listen to music. Learn how the interactions between music and dopamine contribute to neuroplasticity and how music therapists take advantage of musical rewards for increased motivation.

For more information on the research articles and music in this episode, go to www.InstrumentalPodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter (@instrumentalpod) for news and updates!

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#9 - Congenital Amusia

Episode 9

Thursday, August 2, 2018 • Duration 30:59

Why are some people tone deaf? This episode explores a musical disorder called congenital amusia, in which people have trouble processing the pitch and melodic structures of music. Learn the neurologic disconnect in amusic brains, what amusia can tell us about humans' musical foundations, whether people with amusia can still enjoy music, and how to find out if you may have amusia yourself.

For more information on the research articles and music in this episode, go to www.InstrumentalPodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter (@instrumentalpod) for news and updates!

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#8 - Music and Dying

Episode 8

Thursday, July 12, 2018 • Duration 33:12

How does music help us deal with death? This episode covers research that gives us insights into how music can lessen death anxiety and then discusses three ways that music is used in hospice care to support individuals at the end of life. Takeaways include resources like the Five Wishes document and ideas for how to start important conversations with your loved ones about death.

For more information on the research articles and music in this episode, go to www.InstrumentalPodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter (@instrumentalpod) for news and updates!

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#7 - Personality and Music Preference

Episode 7

Friday, July 6, 2018 • Duration 29:39

Do our musical tastes reflect our personalities? This episode dives into research about how the Big Five personality factors might influence what music we like. Along the way, learn what you may able to know about a person after hearing their favorite music and how to use that knowledge to build more genuine connections with strangers and people you've known your whole life.

For more information on the research articles and music in this episode, go to www.InstrumentalPodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter (@instrumentalpod) for news and updates!

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#6 - Music and Shopping Behavior

Episode 6

Friday, June 29, 2018 • Duration 12:19

Can music impact how we shop? This mini-episode explores how music can unconsciously influence our decisions of what to buy and how much money we spend in retail settings. Get the highlights of how music can impact our associations with products, change how we perceive time, and how to use music for a comfortable shared environment.

For more information on the research articles and music in this episode, go to www.InstrumentalPodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter (@instrumentalpod) for news and updates!

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#5 - Music, Movement, and Exercise

Episode 5

Friday, June 22, 2018 • Duration 27:30

How does music impact how we move? Can music help us exercise more efficiently? This episode dives into research that explains what's happening in your spinal cord and brain when you're listening to music during a run or at the gym. This episode features lots of takeaways for when and when not to use music for your workout.

For more information on the research articles and music in this episode, go to www.InstrumentalPodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter (@instrumentalpod) for news and updates!

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#4 - Infant Music Perception

Episode 4

Thursday, June 14, 2018 • Duration 23:40

How do babies perceive music? Infants aren't blank musical slates, they're actually pretty sophisticated music listeners. This episode highlights how we're all built to process music from birth, and how this innate musicality helps medically fragile infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. Takeaways include tips for parents to share more music with their children.

For more information on the research articles and music in this episode, go to www.InstrumentalPodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter (@instrumentalpod) for news and updates!

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Instru(mental) – Details, episodes & analysis

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Instru(mental) – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

Other28

Twitter8

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Similar podcasts and content

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Other28

Twitter8

Youtube8