Unbelievable facts
Sharp chords, hoarse and ominous solos, distorted electric guitar sounds add to the atmosphere. A new study has found that the distinctive sounds of rock music have been imitating the crude and primitive sounds of danger in humans and animals since prehistoric times.
When animals scream in distress, they quickly push large amounts of air through their voice apparatus, which causes a distorted effect designed to draw attention and cause the emotional response of other animals.
When you're listening to heavy rock and you feel a cold shiver running down your back, it's because we're programmed to react strongly to harsh sounds.
The same applies to music that is often heard in horror movies.
The researchers found that while dissonant music evokes strong emotions in us, they tend to be associated with negative feelings, such as fear and sadness, rather than happiness and joy.
Greg Bryant, one of the study's authors from the University of California, USA, explained: “This study helps us understand why distorted rock sounds make us emotionally agitation. They awaken the beast in us.”
Composers intuitively know what sounds sound scary without even knowing why. They usually don't realize that they're taking advantage of our predisposition to arousal and negative emotions when we hear certain sounds.
Scientists tested their theory by composing a few 10-second pieces of music, either in a neutral style or light at the beginning and then becoming distorted.
Study participants who listened to both types of music found distorted music more exciting and more intense with negative emotions. In a further study, these compositions were accompanied by neutral video clips in which people walked or drank a cup of coffee.
A separate group of volunteers who watched these videos considered the harsh music less exciting, but rather had a negative charge. This suggests that a soothing picture does not soften the emotional content of the music.