Musical structure and emotional expression

1
Musical structure and emotional expression

• Gabrielsson, A. Lindtröm, E. (2001). The
  influence of musical structure and emotional
  expression. In In P.N. Juslin J.A. Sloboda
  (Eds)(2001). Music and Emotion, OUP, Chapter 11

2
Methodological approaches

• Free phenomenological descriptions
• Choice among descriptive terms, adjectives, or
  nouns, provided by the investigator
• Ratings how well such descriptive terms applied
  to the music in question

3
Emotional expression using real music

• Free descriptions and choice among descriptive
  terms
• Ratings and multivariate analysis techniques
• Continuous recordings of emotional expressions
• Non-verbal responses
• Specially composed music

4
Manipulation of structural factors without
musical context

• Intervals
• Mode
• Rhythm and tempo
• Melodic properties
• Synthesized tone sequences

5
Manipulation of structural factors in musical
context
6
Effects of separate musical factors

• Tempo
• Mode
• Loudness
• Pitch
• Intervals
• Melody
• melodic range
• melodic direction (pitch contour
• melodic motion

• Harmony
• Tonality
• Rhythm
• Timbre
• Articulation
• Amplitude envelope
• Musical form

7
Tempo

• fast activity/excitement happiness/joy/pleasantn
  ess potency surprise anger fear
• slow calmness/serenity dignity/solemnity
  sadness tenderness boredom disgust

8
Mode

• major happiness/joy graceful, serene solemn
• minor sadness dreamy dignified tension
  disgust anger

9
Loudness

• loud intensity/power tension anger joy
• soft softness tenderness sadness solemnity
  fear

10
Pitch

• high happy graceful serene dreamy exciting
  surprise potency anger fear activity
• low sadness dignity/solemnity vigor
  excitement boredom pleasantness
• large pitch variation happiness pleasantness
  activity surprise
• small pitch variation disgust anger fear
  boredom

11
Melodic range

• wide joy whimsicality uneasiness
• narrow sad dignified sentimental tranquil
  delicate triumphant

12
Melodic direction

• ascending dignity serenity tension happiness
  fear surprise anger potency
• descending exciting graceful vigorous
  sadness boredom pleasantness

13
Harmony

• simple and consonant happy/gay relaxed
  graceful serene dreamy dignified majestic
• complex and dissonant excitement tension
  vigor anger sadness unplesantness

14
Tonality

• chromatic harmony sad angry
• tonal joyful dull peaceful
• atonal angry

15
Rhythm

• regular/smooth happiness dignity majesty
  peace
• irregular/rough amusement uneasiness anger
• varied joy
• firm sadness dignity vigor
• flowing/fluent happy/gay graceful dreamy
  serene

16
Timbre

• many harmonics potency anger disgust fear
  activity surprise
• amplified higher harmonics anger
• few, low harmonics pleasantness boredom
  happiness
• suppressed higher harmonics tenderness sadness

17
Articulation

• staccato gaiety energy activity fear anger
• legato sadness tenderness solemnity softness

18
Amplitude envelope

• (refers to the type of attack and decay of tones)
• sharp envelope (rapid attack and decay) anger
  happiness surprise activity
• round tenderness sadness fear disgust
  boredom potency