When we hear an amazing, unpredictable musical composition, its chords resonate in our heart. But if the melody is predictable, it primarily affects the stomach.
According to a new study by researchers from Tokyo and Hiroshima Universities, music triggers tangible physical responses within us.
What Scientists Discovered
Researchers aimed to understand how musical themes and individual chords generate specific bodily sensations and emotions. The team involved 527 participants in the study. After listening to eight melodies, volunteers indicated which areas of their bodies were affected by the music.
Each melody contained a sequence of chords with varying degrees of uncertainty and surprise. When participants heard an unexpected chord and the melody felt original and eerie, the music resonated directly in the heart. If the chord sequence was predictable, the music affected the stomach, according to the Daily Mail.
Sensations in the heart were closely linked to aesthetic appreciation and feelings of pleasure. This helped participants experience a reduction in discomfort and anxiety. Meanwhile, sensations in the stomach, triggered by predictable chord sequences, were associated with calmness, satisfaction, and nostalgia.
Professor and pianist Tatsuya Daikoku from the University of Tokyo commented on the results: “Our study shows that certain chord sequences evoke similar bodily sensations in specific organs, especially the brain, heart, and abdominal cavity.”
According to him, music is not just something we hear with our ears—it is a sensation of the whole body. And it is this whole-body sensation that truly defines music, Professor Daikoku said.
Since, according to the study, music is inseparably connected to our bodies, it potentially can be used to relieve stress and improve mental health.
This is the view of the study’s authors, whose results were published in the journal iScience.