Abstract
Attending live music concerts are typically highly pleasurable and memorable social events, from experiencing music in intimate coffee shop venues to being with hundreds of thousands at outdoor festivals. In a series of controlled studies in the LIVELab, we are using motion capture of audience head movements to investigate some of the factors that may influence live music experiences. A first study investigated the effect of hearing the music live versus pre-recorded, while controlling the social setting of being in an audience. Head movements were more vigorous (faster) during the live music condition, suggesting that experiencing the music unfolding in real time in a non-predetermined way may increase engagement. We also found that fans of the band moved with more vigour and were better entrained to the music than neutral listeners even though they were unfamiliar with the songs, suggesting that being in the same space as admired musicians may heighten the experience. A second study investigated the role of visual social cues and the musical characteristics of groove and tempo on audience members’ experiences of live music. Using a biomechanically motivated measure of movement energy, we found that movement energy was higher when people could see each other than not, and was higher for high- than low-groove songs (especially at slower tempos). Movement energy was also positively correlated with participant ratings of emotional valence and intensity. We also examined interpersonal movement coordination, and found it was higher when people could see each other and for higher groove songs. A third study investigated the effects of very low bass vibrations (10-35 Hz) and found that people moved more when low frequencies were present than absent, even though subsequent acoustic tests suggested people could not detect their presence. Finally, we are currently examining the effects of an audience on a classical piano performance by comparing her movements and performance characteristics of during a dress rehearsal and a performance under otherwise identical conditions. Together these studies begin to reveal why live music concerts can be highly compelling and memorable experiences.
Bio
Laurel Trainor is a Professor of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour at McMaster University, a Research Scientist at the Rotman Research Institute, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, Fellow of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, a McMaster Distinguished University Professor. Her recognitions include a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society for Music Perception and Cognition and a Woman of Distinction Award from the YWCA. She directs the Auditory Development Lab (https://trainorlab.mcmaster.ca/) and has published over 180 articles in journals including Science and Nature on the neuroscience of auditory development and the perception of music, including work on pitch, tonality, timing, rhythm, neuroplasticity, and the role of music in social interaction and developmental disorders. She co-holds a patent for the Neuro-compensator hearing aid. She has held major grants, including from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, The Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Social Science Research Council of Canada, la Fondation de l’Audition, and the Grammy Foundation. She is also the founding and present director of the McMaster Institute for Music and the Mind (MIMM), which houses the LIVELab (https://livelab.mcmaster.ca/), a unique research-concert hall with high acoustic control, that is equipped with multi-person motion capture and EEG for studying how performers and audiences interact, and how music can be used to promote health and well-being. Laurel also has a Bachelor of Music Performance from the University of Toronto, enjoys chamber music, and is principal flutist of the Burlington Symphony Orchestra.