TAP Lab (Michigan State University)

06/06/2024

test

04/15/2024

Researchers from the University of New South Wales investigated the seeming 'paradox' of how sad music can actually be very pleasurable and enjoyable to listen to.

"For the study, 50 participants—consisting primarily of undergraduate music students—self-selected a piece of sadness-evoking music that they loved, which included classics from Ludwig van Beethoven to the modern hits of Taylor Swift. They were not explicitly instructed to choose music where they enjoyed the sadness." It was found that when asked to perform a thought experiment where the participant removed the "sadness" from the piece of music and were asked if they would still find the music as enjoyable. 82% of participants said that removing the sadness decreased their enjoyment of the music. About the results, lead author Professor Emery Schubert said “One explanation relates to play. Experiencing a wide range of emotions in a more or less safe environment could help us learn how to deal with what we encounter in the world.” Read more at

The study suggests that experiencing a range of emotions through music in a safe environment may help us navigate real-world emotions.

03/25/2024

This January, researchers out of KAIST, led by Professor Hawoong Jung, found than an artificial neural network spontaneously developed music-selective neurons. The researchers taught the model to learn various sounds from Google's AudioSet. Fascinatingly, "they observed the spontaneous generation of neurons that reacted minimally to various other sounds like those of animals, nature, or machines, but showed high levels of response to various forms of music including both instrumental and vocal."
On the implications of the research Hawoong Jung said, "The results of our study imply that evolutionary pressure has contributed to forming the universal basis for processing musical information in various cultures.” Read more at

Researchers made a significant discovery using an artificial neural network model, suggesting that musical instinct may emerge naturally from the human brain.

03/18/2024

Research led by John Kounios at Drexel University investigated the neurological activity that leads Jazz musicians to enter a 'flow' state when improvising music.
"At the heart of the investigation were thirty-two jazz guitarists, whose brain activities were recorded using high-density electroencephalograms (EEGs) while they engaged in musical improvisation tasks." "The analysis of EEG data revealed that high-flow states, as self-reported by the musicians, were characterized by increased activity in the left-hemisphere regions associated with auditory and tactile processing, which are crucial for musical performance. This suggests that a high level of engagement with the task at a sensory level is a key component of the flow state." Read more at

A new study unveils how jazz musicians' brains achieve creative flow, highlighting the blend of extensive experience and the release of control, allowing specialized neural networks to operate with minimal oversight.

03/04/2024

Recently, researchers out of UC San Francisco created a detailed auditory cortex activity map from people listening to melodies. Interestingly, when tracking a melody the brain " turns out to be doing two things at once: following the pitch of a note, using two sets of neurons that also follow the pitch of speech, and trying to predict what notes will come next, using a set of neurons that are specific to music."
Researcher Dr. Edward Chang said, "We found that some of how we understand a melody is entwined with how we understand speech, while other important aspects of music stand alone." Read more at

Researchers unlocked how the brain processes melodies, creating a detailed map of auditory cortex activity.

02/05/2024

Researchers at the University of Turku recently found music evokes comparable body sensations across cultures, further demonstrating music's universally powerful emotional impact.

Professor Lauri Nummenmaa said "Since these sensations are similar across different cultures, music-induced emotions are likely independent of culture and learning and based on inherited biological mechanisms." Read more at

A recent study reveals that music's emotional impact transcends cultures, evoking similar bodily sensations globally.

01/29/2024

Researchers at Radboud University recently investigated the specific characteristics of stress-relieving music. The researchers found that it was a couple of shared features, rather than genre, that led to music being more stress-relieving.
On the mechanism behind this finding, principle investigator Krisna Adiasto said "We believe this is because researcher-selected and self-selected music lead to cognitive distraction, which helps people recover from stress more quickly. In addition, self-selected music is associated with positive changes in emotions, which also has a beneficial effect on recovery from stress."
Read more at

The research, involving 470 participants, identified that stress-relieving songs often share common features, regardless of their musical style.

01/15/2024

New research out of the University of Tsukuba found that the combination of "groove rhythm music" and aerobic exercise can significant increase executive brain function.
"Conducted with 48 healthy participants aged 18-26, the research revealed that exercising to GR not only increased enjoyment but also activated the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) more than standard exercise. Participants who felt their bodies resonate with the GR experienced an elevated sense of excitement and demonstrated improved attention, concentration, and judgment."
With many people finding it difficult to maintain a regular exercise routine, research into new ways to encourage healthy lifestyles is of great research interest. Read more at

A new study has found that combining aerobic exercise with groove rhythm (GR) music can significantly enhance executive function in the brain.

12/11/2023

Researchers from Queen Mary University of London and the ISI Foundation in Turin, Italy used machine learning to reveal a link between the music people listen to and their morality. "The results demonstrated that a combination of lyrical and audio features outperformed basic demographic information in predicting individuals’ moral compass.
Specifically, musical elements like pitch and timbre emerged as crucial predictors for values of Care and Fairness, while sentiments and emotions expressed in lyrics were more effective in predicting traits of Loyalty, Authority, and Purity." On the implications of this research lead author Vjosa Preniqi said "'Our findings reveal that music is not merely a source of entertainment or aesthetic pleasure; it is also a powerful medium that reflects and shapes our moral sensibilities. By understanding this connection, we can open up new avenues for music-based interventions that promote positive moral development.'" Read more at

A new study reveals a significant link between individuals' musical tastes and their moral values.

12/04/2023

Researchers at the University of Amsterdam found that newborn babies have an innate beat perception ability, separate from other statistical learning abilities. Co-author Istvan Winkler said, "This crucial difference confirms that being able to hear the beat is innate and not simply the result of learned sound sequences. Our findings suggest that it is a specific skill of newborns and make clear how important baby and nursery rhymes are for the auditory development of young children. More insight into early perception is of great importance for learning more about infant cognition and the role that musical skills may play in early development" Read more at

Researchers revealed that newborn babies inherently perceive musical beats, a skill separate from their statistical learning ability.

11/21/2023

Researchers recently found evidence that listening to your favorite song may reduce pain. "In the study, participants felt less pain intensity and unpleasantness when listening to their favorite music compared to unfamiliar relaxing tunes or silence. The emotional themes of the music also played a pivotal role, with “moving or bittersweet” songs proving the most effective." Read more at

The emotional themes of the music also played a pivotal role, with "moving or bittersweet" songs proving the most effective.

10/16/2023

A recent study published in Frontiers of Neurology examined the effect of viola music on epileptic patient's brain waves.
"Patients with epilepsy endure difficult conditions in the hospital to undergo testing. They must temporarily stop or decrease their medications during their hospitalization to provoke seizures. Many feel distressed and anxious. Some are so uncomfortable, they cannot complete their testing.

But when these patients listened to improvisatory music — a violist playing live music who responded to their state of agitation in real time — the patients’ brain waves (as monitored on an EEG) slowed to a calmer state, allowing the testing to continue. Patients also reported decreased feelings of stress and anxiety after their clinical music experience." Read more at

This calming effect allows testing to proceed and reduces self-reported stress and anxiety.