Music to Get You in the Mood You Want: Creating an Iso-Principle Playlist

Written by Beatrix Yip

Many of us often listen to music in our daily lives – whether jamming out with friends and family on a road trip, de-stressing after work or school, or setting the tone to complete a task – music is there to meet us where we are at.

What if there was a way to use it to change your mood?

This is where an iso-principle playlist comes in.

The iso-principle has long been used by music therapists to create and make music to meet clients where they are at emotionally and gradually shift their mood upwards. You too can make use of this technique using your phone, tablet, or laptop to create an iso-principle playlist in a few easy steps!

How to create your own playlist:

1. Identify your mood now, and then the mood you would like to be in.

 
2. Choose one or two songs that go with your mood now and note the genre and the tempo (how fast/slow the song is).

 
3. Next, choose one to two songs that go with the mood you would like to be in. Again, note the genre and the tempo.

 
4. Pick songs you feel would fit in between the songs you in steps 2 & 3. Choose around 8-10 songs to take you on a gradual journey towards the mood you want to be in. While sad and angry songs are great and can validate how we feel in the moment, it is important to move beyond them after a few songs and head towards music that reflects the mood we want to be in! Choose music that is increasingly uplifting/hopeful/energetic until you get to the songs that mirror the mood you want to be in.
 

Sit back and enjoy!

 

While creating one of these playlists to help yourself doesn’t make you a music therapist, it certainly is a great way to use music to better your everyday life! Having healthy ways to validate and process our emotions is an important part of our mental wellbeing, and it can be reassuring to know that there’s always someone – or a song – that understands how we feel.

Works Cited:

Hanser, Suzanne B. “Music Brings An Antidote To Toxicity.” 12 Jan. 2021, https://www.suzannehanser.com/music-strategies-for-wellbeing/2021/1/12/music-brings-an-antidote-to-toxicity-1.

Hoffer, Megan, et al. “How Music Affects Your Mind, Mood and Body.” Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare – Non-Profit Medical Care, Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, 2 Dec. 2022, www.tmh.org/healthy-living/blogs/healthy-living/how-music-affects-your-mind-mood-and-body#:~:text=The%20Iso%2Dprinciple%20is%20a,a%20desired%20mood%20or%20emotion.

 

Happy Holidays Playlist

Celebrate the holidays with music!

We all need a little holiday music, don’t you agree? Please enjoy our holiday playlists (almost 2 hours long!!), available on both YouTube & Spotify.

YOUTUBE

 

SPOTIFY

 

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Staying Positive with Music

Boosting our moods with a happy playlist

Written by Jane Hong

 

It’s easy to feel cooped up and frustrated during uncertain times. The absence of normalcy can cause a lack of motivation to get things done. Research shows that listening to music releases endorphins in the brain, which in turn reduces anxiety and stress.

Here are some great examples of upbeat songs that send out positive messages (we included playlists below!):

  1. Happy by Pharrell Williams
  2. Can’t Stop the Feeling by Justin Timberlake
  3. I Gotta Feeling by Black Eyed Peas
  4. Don’t Worry, Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin
  5. Good Vibrations by The Beach Boys
  6. Walkin’ on Sunshine by Katrina & The Waves
  7. Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey
  8. Fight Song by Rachel Platten
  9. Brave by Sara Bareilles
  10. Firework by Katy Perry
  11. Dynamite by Taio Cruz
  12. Just the Way You Are by Bruno Mars

 

 

 

YouTube Playlist    Spotify Playlist

 

Other than listening to songs, we can also get creative and write our own! Song parodies are a great way to lighten up the mood. Songwriting may seem daunting at first, but you can always start simple. For example, by only switching out one word per line, the whole song can go a completely different direction. Deciding on an overall theme can also help with brainstorming new lyrics.

 

With many people moving onto online platforms, online jamming is also becoming popular! Strangers, friends, teachers, and students can play and sing together via video calls on platforms like Google Meet, Zoom, or Skype. More and more services have popped up in the last few months to help musicians connect with one another.

 

Music can help us stay positive during discouraging times, keep afloat and stay motivated. Besides, more music is always welcome!

 

Resource:

Why Listening to Music Makes Us Feel Good