Articles tagged with Music
A new study published in The Journal of Neuroscience found that listening to harmonically consonant chord progressions during face-to-face interaction strengthens neural activity in brain areas associated with social perception, emotional processing, and interpersonal connection. This suggests that music may help promote social bonding...
Researchers analyzed 4,000 medieval trope elements to find that political borders severely restricted musical exchange between 9th-14th century empires. The study reflects the musical tradition's connection to Europe's political fragmentation following the Treaty of Verdun in 843 AD.
A comparative effectiveness study found that lower music volume levels in group fitness classes did not significantly impact perceived exercise intensity. The research suggests implementing safer sound practices and increased awareness on hearing protection to minimize the risk of noise-induced hearing loss.
Researchers developed a digital safeguard, My Music My Choice, to protect songs from generative AI cloning. The tool adds imperceptible changes to a song's waveform, making it difficult for AI models to replicate.
A large review of studies found no consistent effect of music on focus or mood during exercise, with results varying depending on intensity and participant characteristics. The findings suggest that broad claims about music's benefits are not always supported and highlight the need for more rigorous study designs.
Researchers found caterpillars mimic ant signals using precise rhythmic beats to gain acceptance, feeding, and protection. The most ant-dependent species produce regular, complex rhythms similar to those used by ants.
A new Surrey study found that rediscovered music often leads to radically different interpretations by performers, reshaping the work itself. The researchers compared professional recordings and used audio analysis software to track tempo and rhythmic fluctuation across the piece.
A recent study reveals that creators who disclose using AI face negative judgments from others, despite their reputation. This gap between technological capability and social perception highlights the need for creators to manage perceptions surrounding how their work was created.
Researchers found that the visual design of a concert hall significantly affects perceived timbre, with more saturated colors producing colder sounds. Listeners also reported higher liking scores in darker environments, highlighting the importance of considering visual appearance in acoustic design.
People can use the musical context to predict what will happen next and feel emotions such as anxiety or happiness. Research shows that using more context improves accuracy in tasks such as remembering chunks of music and predicting the next notes.
Researchers at PolyU have discovered that combining music and empathetic speech in robots can foster a stronger bond between humans and machines. Music enhances the emotional resonance of on-screen robots, making interactions feel more real, but its impact diminishes over time.
Researchers found that newborns as young as 2 days old can anticipate rhythmic patterns, indicating an innate ability to recognize rhythm. However, they struggled to predict melodic changes, suggesting that melody may be learned through exposure.
Researchers developed an EEG-based system to decode pleasure from listener's brain activity and suggest personalized playlists. The system outperformed 'acoustics-only' methods, capturing neural markers of pleasure with high accuracy.
A new book, 'Music and Political Imprisonment in Pinochet’s Chile', exposes the brutal realities of torture during the dictatorship through the power of music. Survivors like Ana María Jiménez recount how they used songs to comfort each other and resist their captors.
Playing soothing live music in NICUs helps babies lower heart rate and respiratory rate while increasing feeding volume. Music sessions also provide a moment's respite for parents, allowing them to bond with their baby.
The album marks a new era for the singer, exploring themes of performance, love, and empowerment. Scholars analyze Swift's shift from teen country singer to showgirl persona, finding optimism and hope in songs like 'Eldest Daughter' and 'Opalite'.
An analysis of popular song lyrics from 1973 to 2023 found that they have become simpler, more negative, and contain more stress-related words. The study suggests that music is used as a form of escapism during stressful periods, leading to a shift towards more positive and complex lyrics.
A study by Shimpei Ikegami found that vertical 'bop' music is characterized by clearer beats and percussive sounds, while horizontal 'sway' music is smoother with less percussion. Listeners' directional dancing inclinations matched the musicians' intended expressions.
Researchers found that famous singers in the UK/Europe and North America died an average of 4 years earlier than those not in the spotlight. The effects of fame are comparable to other known health risks, such as smoking, which confers a heightened risk of death.
A study published in PLOS Biology found that people's spontaneous eye blinks synchronize with musical beats, indicating a deep coordination between hearing and action. This discovery sheds light on how our brains process rhythm and could lead to new treatments for neurological conditions affecting body movement.
Terence Blanchard, a renowned jazz musician and composer, has received the 2025 Gutenberg Teaching Award for his exceptional teaching and mentorship. He will be visiting Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz to accept the award and participate in various events.
A new study from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem reveals that early sound exposure significantly affects brain activity and emotional preferences in mice. Male mice develop strong behavioral changes when exposed to Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 or silence, while female mice show varied preferences.
Kobe University's new web application combines quantum game theory with jazz improvisation to explore creativity. Users can interact in a 'quantum jam session', receiving real-time visual and auditory feedback on their strategies.
Researchers found that brain activity corresponds to perceived beat when listening to music via sound but not through touch. This ability is crucial for human social interactions through music and may be strengthened by long-term practice.
A new study by University of Hawaii at Manoa researchers found that traditional Okinawan songs contain records of past climate and geological events, including wind directions and volcanic eruptions. The songs, passed down through generations, were analyzed in conjunction with Western scientific knowledge to identify matches.
Researchers found that recalling positive autobiographical memories before a performance enhances valence and arousal, leading to improved performance. This is attributed to increased sympathetic nervous system activity, which regulates involuntary bodily functions.
New research shows that music therapy significantly decreases heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and patient-ventilator asynchronies for patients admitted to the cardiac intensive care unit (ICU). Music therapy is a safe, low-cost, non-pharmacological intervention that complements conventional treatments.
A new study from Karolinska Institutet found that music training strengthens the brain's ability to focus under distracting conditions. Musical people were better at using top-down attention while being less sensitive to bottom-up distractions.
A study of 40,000 users over 15 years found that musical taste becomes more refined and personal with age, with younger listeners exploring a wide range of contemporary music and older listeners returning to their youth favorites. Nostalgia is a strong driving force in middle age and beyond.
A new study found that vibrato is the most significant vocal attribute in determining an opera singer's score, while acoustic features like SPR and HNR have a greater impact than previously thought. The research provides objective insights into how judges evaluate performances and offers tools for vocal training.
A study by the University of Jyväskylä analyzed 176 national anthems, finding that those from equatorial countries tend to be more energetic while those from northern regions are more melancholic. The happiest anthems originate from Western Sahara and China, while the saddest can be found in Japan and Israel.
Researchers found that joyful and soft music alleviated motion sickness symptoms the most, while sad music was less effective than doing nothing. The study suggests that music can be a non-invasive and personalized intervention strategy for managing motion sickness.
A new study reveals that blood pressure synchronizes more with predictable phrase structures in music, potentially improving the body's ability to regulate blood pressure. Predictable music structures were found to have a bigger impact on blood pressure than tempo or loudness.
A new UCLA study found that the optimal level of emotional response while listening to music influences memory, with too little or too much arousal having opposite effects. Music can become a powerful therapeutic tool for improving learning and memory in conditions like Alzheimer's disease and PTSD.
Research finds that young children aged 3-5 can recognize happiness, sadness, calmness, and fear in music. However, children with higher callous-unemotional traits show poorer emotion recognition in music compared to facial expressions.
Researchers discovered a brain mechanism behind 'specific musical anhedonia,' where people experience no pleasure from music despite normal hearing and other experiences. Studies using the Barcelona Music Reward Questionnaire support this idea, showing reduced activity in the reward circuit when listening to music.
A study published in PLOS One found that AI-generated music triggered greater physiological responses and was perceived as more emotionally stimulating compared to human-created music. The complexity of the prompt used also affected the impact of the music, with more complex prompts causing higher cognitive loads.
A Cornell University study found that entertainment agencies' status significantly impacts K-pop groups' style and music genre changes. Female groups face constraints due to societal expectations, whereas male groups have more flexibility in concept transformations.
A study found that evaluators' musical experience influences the sight-over-sound effect, reducing its impact for those with auditory expertise. The study used Japanese high school brass band competitions and found no significant evidence of the effect in musicians, but a stronger presence in non-musicians.
The UC3M conference explored various topics in music research, including the impact of streaming on Latin American music, fandom in Eurovision, and the role of women in jazz. The event also featured participatory projects and critical questioning of musical diversity.
Researchers found that music's emotional impact influences memory recall, with stronger emotional responses associated with better retention of event gist and details. Individual differences in emotional responses to music affect which memories are improved.
A new study found that increasing infant-directed singing can improve infant mood and have a positive impact on caregivers' health. Researchers explored the effects of a simple music enrichment program, which encouraged parents to sing more frequently to their babies, on infant mood, stress, sleep quality, and music use.
The study identified four simple ways music learning technology can aid prospective musicians, including helping people improve recall while listening and replaying notes indefinitely. Researchers found that existing digital learning tools were not being used effectively by students despite their availability.
Researchers found that eastern and western chimpanzees exhibit different drumming patterns, including evenly spaced hits and alternating intervals. Western chimpanzees use a faster tempo and integrated their drumming earlier in pant-hoot vocalizations.
Researchers developed an AI-based music creation support system called Amuse, which converts user inputs into harmonic structures to support composition. The system has high potential as a creative companion for musicians and is centered on the creator's initiative.
Researchers developed MuSICCA, a music therapy tool that uses musical stimulation to assess levels of consciousness in children with brain injuries. The study found high agreement among participants that the tool is suitable for use with children, providing guidance for caregivers and supporting clinical teams.
A team of researchers has found that sound waves can create standing waves in semi-open spaces, potentially enabling resonance in shapes with open sides. This discovery challenges the long-held assumption that resonance requires closed sides.
A Northwestern University study found virtual group singing can be an effective tool for promoting well-being and social connection during isolation. Participants reported high satisfaction with the sing-alongs, which helped evoke emotional resonance and promote intellectual engagement.
A study by Drexel University found that opening for Taylor Swift can lead to sustained audience growth for emerging artists, with genre alignment playing a key role. The research analyzed the streaming metrics and ticket sales of 57 artists who served as openers for top-grossing tours in 2022 and 2023.
A new study found that listening to favorite music activates the brain's opioid receptors, explaining why it evokes strong feelings of pleasure. The release of opioids is also linked to individual differences in music enjoyment and may help develop new music-based interventions for pain management and mental health disorders.
A new study found that a hybrid music therapy intervention improved mental health in patients with heart failure and COPD. The pilot study also identified solutions to improve future research, including strategies for post-discharge engagement.
A study found that background music can have a negative impact on employees if it doesn't fit their needs for volume, speed, complexity, and emotional intensity. This can lead to feelings of fatigue, decreased productivity, and engagement in behaviors that harm the organization.
A new study from USC Dornsife's Brain and Creativity Institute found that nostalgic music engages the brain's default mode network linked to memory and self-reflection, as well as its reward circuitry. This discovery could support emotional well-being and cognitive function in individuals with memory impairments.
Small regional live music venue operators are experiencing stress and burnout due to challenges with audience access and fairly paying performing artists. The study highlights the impact of rising public liability costs, rent, and energy prices on venues' bottom line. Solutions include localised approaches, music feedback forums, and d...
The article explores how gentrification, economic processes, and urban capitalism lead to the decline of vibrant nightlife in cities like Helsinki. Researchers argue that DIY electronic music events and alternative practices can offer a solution to preserve nightlife.
A recent study in Frontiers in Public Health documents the prevalence of suicide among musicians, highlighting occupational mortality data from England and US epidemiological data. The research emphasizes the need for evidence-based interventions addressing systemic stressors in music careers.
A new Cochrane review has found evidence that music-based therapy may benefit people living with dementia, particularly by improving symptoms of depression. The review suggests that music therapy probably improves depressive symptoms and may improve overall behavioural problems by the end of treatment.
A report by University of Cambridge experts highlights the risks of unregulated AI use on UK's thriving creative sector. The researchers argue that forcing creatives to 'opt out' of AI training could compromise their livelihoods, particularly those just starting out.
Researchers explored how 6–7-year-old children use singing to navigate their daily lives, create personal spaces of trust and freedom, and exercise their political voice. The study suggests an ecological approach to understanding children's singing experiences in culturally diverse environments.
Researchers from the University of Surrey have demonstrated that adults can acquire absolute pitch through targeted training. In an eight-week online program, participants made significant progress in identifying musical pitches with high accuracy. The study's findings provide new insights into musical cognition and learning.