Why can music evoke different emotions?
- Thread starter ольга
- Start date
exchemist
Valued Senior Member
I don't think we really know yet, but we are finding out. This paper suggests the role elements of music may have played in the course of human evolution. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5618809/
Interestingly the writers suggest musical gesture and communication may have pre-dated language. They say most research has focused on the left hemisphere of the brain, which is more concerned with reasoning and there has been a relative neglect of the effects on the right hemisphere which is more concerned with processing feelings and emotion.
Music is unique in stimulating almost the whole brain, which is why it is so good for mental function: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/why-is-music-good-for-the-brain-2020100721062
As a 70yr old man, this is something I am very much aware I need to take care of. I sing bass in the local choral society. There is no doubt it improves my sense of wellbeing - even if some of the characters in the choir are annoying, from time to time.
(We in the bass section have the mandatory choir nutter - there's always one in every choir - we have someone who always hums along when other parts are rehearsing, someone who is continually clearing his throat, and so on.) The process of learning new pieces, with the aid of YouTube performances and the piano at home for picking out intervals I get wrong when sight-reading etc., is very good for the soul.
Interestingly the writers suggest musical gesture and communication may have pre-dated language. They say most research has focused on the left hemisphere of the brain, which is more concerned with reasoning and there has been a relative neglect of the effects on the right hemisphere which is more concerned with processing feelings and emotion.
Music is unique in stimulating almost the whole brain, which is why it is so good for mental function: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/why-is-music-good-for-the-brain-2020100721062
As a 70yr old man, this is something I am very much aware I need to take care of. I sing bass in the local choral society. There is no doubt it improves my sense of wellbeing - even if some of the characters in the choir are annoying, from time to time.
(We in the bass section have the mandatory choir nutter - there's always one in every choir - we have someone who always hums along when other parts are rehearsing, someone who is continually clearing his throat, and so on.) The process of learning new pieces, with the aid of YouTube performances and the piano at home for picking out intervals I get wrong when sight-reading etc., is very good for the soul.In Israel, classical music is played to cows, because they noticed that when cows listen to such music, their milk yields increase. That is, even animals react to music.I don't think we really know yet, but we are finding out. This paper suggests the role elements of music may have played in the course of human evolution. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5618809/
Interestingly the writers suggest musical gesture and communication may have pre-dated language. They say most research has focused on the left hemisphere of the brain, which is more concerned with reasoning and there has been a relative neglect of the effects on the right hemisphere which is more concerned with processing feelings and emotion.
Music is unique in stimulating almost the whole brain, which is why it is so good for mental function: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/why-is-music-good-for-the-brain-2020100721062
As a 70yr old man, this is something I am very much aware I need to take care of. I sing bass in the local choral society. There is no doubt it improves my sense of wellbeing - even if some of the characters in the choir are annoying, from time to time.
exchemist
Valued Senior Member
There are also cat videos on YouTube showing them lying inside a piano while it is being played and apparently sleepily enjoying the sound.
There's a suggestion in the first paper I linked that the rhythm in music may subconsciously evoke the sensation of the heart beat in the mother's womb. The sense of a regular beat could thus create associations with feelings of peace and security, in which case that might potentially be an effect for all placental mammals. But this seems to be in the realms of speculation rather than tested scientific theory.
When a composer wtites music, does he convey his own emotions?
I don't think it's related to physiology. Otherwise, everyone would react to music the same way, and wold have the same preferences. But, for example, a person from a "working" environment will most often start yawning from classical music, and you, on the contrary, will not like modern teen pop. Rather, music reflects a person's inner state, and either it is combined with this stat or it is not.
exchemist
Valued Senior Member
Maybe, maybe consciously, or subconsciously, or not at all. Some of the best music is entirely abstract. Die Kunst der Fuge springs to mind. Such music can nevertheless evoke feelings or emotions in the listener - or the peformer, obviously.
But this is now no longer about science.
exchemist
Valued Senior Member
Why, then, do cows like it?
Cows are probably wiser than some people.
Here's more: "According to the research of Academician Shipunov, influenza, jaundice, measles, and scarlet fever viruses die in the ultrasonic range of bell ringing. The researcher explained it this way: during ringing, virus proteins fold, turn into crystalline structures and become safe for humans. At the same time, each virus dies in its own sound range.
exchemist
Valued Senior Member
Sounds like utter ballocks to me. Unless you can cite a peer-reviewed paper containing evidence of this.
Bells have been ringing in Russia since ancient times during epidemics. And indeed, the epidemics stopped quickly. Unlike in Europe, where epidemics "mowed down" entire cities.
What about infrasound? Why does it cause uncontrollable terror and panic in humans? Empty ships are sometimes found in the oceans, the crew of which jumped overboard in a panic, because the sea can sometimes generate infrasound. Read about it.
Pinball1970
Valued Senior Member
There are two sides to this, physics and biology, physics does not change but the Biology, the things that listen and interpret has variation.
Then you have cultural influence, A Chinese person listening to Bach for the first time would be pretty freaked out for instance.
Short version.
Why does Cmaj7 sound sad and lonely but C7 sounds more harsh? E7#9 sound like satan, E11 sounds optimistic (to me)?
The natural harmonics are physical and do not change but the effect of those intervals on our brains, depends on our genes plus the experience that brain has had.
Slightly longer answer.
Пин, почему музыка на всех влияет по разному? Причём, образование и воспитание имеет на это большое влияние? Я не встречала любителей рэпа, например, среди пожилых интеллигентов. Или это только у нас в России так? Я не встречала людей, работающих на "лопате", слушающих Баха, Моцарта или Бетховена. Как развитость интеллекта связано с предпочтениями в музыке? Есть такое выражение:"Скажи мне кто твой друг, и я скажу кто ты". Можно перефразировать:"Скажи мне что ты слушаешь, и я скажу кто ты".
Pinball1970
Valued Senior Member
The same reason we all like different, foods, poetry, Novels, plays clothes.
We are all different, separated by genes, age, culture and time.
exchemist
Valued Senior Member
I don't believe this for a moment. The energy of these sound waves is minuscule. It will not be capable of affecting anything.
As I say, show me a peer-reviewed paper demonstrating the disruption of viruses by bell ringing. Then I will believe this. Not before.
exchemist
Valued Senior Member
It doesn't. These are also myths - the sort of nonsense you find on YouTube, designed to weaken the hold of credulous people on reality. (By the way, Putin and Trump love this kind of garbage, as coming to believe stuff like this makes it easier to get people to accept their streams of lies.)
How backward science is in the West... We have a million articles about the effects of infrasound on the human body and a "small cart". Take a look at the Wikipedia article "The physiological effect of infrasound on the human body."
exchemist
Valued Senior Member
I have, and the effect is bugger all.
I think music makes us feel things because it connects with the emotional parts of our brain and often reminds us of personal memories. The way it's “organized” - tempo, melody, harmony and key, can somewhat mimic how we express emotions, so our brains naturally react. Even animals react to music in ways that seem to have a calming effect over them. I often listen to “singing/crystal bowls” when I want to relax and it’s amazing how well the sounds naturally bring about a calm state of mind/body.