Studies have shown that listening to music stimulates emotional and imaginative processes in our brains. Listening to “live” music elicits more intense emotional responses than “streaming” according to a new study involving 12 volunteers with no musical training and a pianist.
Music is a powerful vector of emotions and triggers brain mechanisms linked to emotion. But does our brain react differently to music listened to in streamingstreaming (continuously) or live (live) ? Nothing can replace the emotional experience of music live, according to a new study from the University of Zurich. The concert experience elicits stronger, more regular activity in the amygdala – the area of the brain that regulates our emotions – than recorded music, corresponding to more intense emotional responses.
Live, artists adapt their music to the audience
The researchers conducted an experiment in which a pianist played music alongside 27 volunteers. They listened to 12 different pieces twice: once live and a second time through a recording. During the experiment, the researchers used theMagnetic resonance imagingMagnetic resonance imaging to measure in real time the activity in the amygdala of the listeners and the performer. Based on these measurements, the pianist would adapt his performance to further intensify the audience’s emotions, which was impossible with recording. “ Recorded music does not adapt to the listener’s reaction, but live pianists often adapt the music to the audience to get the best response from them », explained to New Scientist Sascha Frühholz, professor of cognitive and affective neuroscience.
“ Strong synchronization between subjective emotional experience and the auditory brain system, which evaluates music based on its acoustic quality, was only observed when the audience listened to the performance live », Specifies a press release. Concerts connect artists to their audiences, which may be related to evolving factors regarding social experience.
