The other half, though, enjoy how sad music touches their emotions. How does the feeling of the song change? Listen to both versions in the audio player below:įor about half of all people, sad songs are boring or just depressing. Then sing it again using the lowest notes you can. Try singing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” in high notes. Also, sad songs often rely more on lower notes. For sad music, they will frequently use voices or instruments with a deeper, mellower sound. Songwriters use different voices and instruments to help them set the mood of a song. Chances are the tuba will give the song a moodier feel. Now imagine the same tune tooted on a big tuba. Imagine any song played by a high-pitched flute. Imagine how much more great music Mozart would have written if he had lived a longer life. That should make the rest of us sad, too. The musical genius was still working on the song when he died. He was very sick at the time and was sure he was dying. Mozart had good reason to write a sad song. III "Lacrimosa" from Requiem KV626 (1791) Quite a difference, isn’t there? Sad songs usually move at a slower tempo-like someone taking a slow walk to brood about something.įor example, the tempo for Lacrimosa from Mozart’s Requiem in D Minor is marked adagio - which means “slow and stately.” Most listeners describe this piece as sorrowful. Sing the song “Happy Birthday” at normal speed. Tempo, the speed at which music is played, is another way composers create mood. Try listening to some of your favorite songs, and guess if they are in a major or minor key. The difference from a major key helps communicate a darker mood to us. This is not always the case, but in general it holds true. Songs that sound “sad” or moody often feature minor keys. Huron, a scientist at Ohio State University, studies the effects of music on the brain and body. And at least two out of three songs from Western countries are written in major keys, says Professor David Huron. In general, most songs we consider upbeat or “happy” are written in major keys. Scientific research finds that most listeners have similar reactions to music in major and minor keys. That is why the key is an important tool composers choose to put emotion in their music. When you listened to “Frère Jacques” a moment ago, you heard how switching from a major to minor key changes a song’s mood. (Western countries include the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and most of the countries on the European continent.) The effect of using major and minor keys mainly holds true for people who grow up listening to Western music-musical styles that first developed in Europe. Different Cultures, Different Scales, Different Feelings Composers use certain techniques to help their music express every kind of feeling, including sadness. And if you’re a music lover, you know that certain songs can sound “sad” and may put a lump in your throat or tears in your eyes. And for people who grow up listening to Western music-styles of music that started in Europe-minor keys appear to have special powers to give music a sad sound.īut first you should know that brain and music research has proven a strong link exists between songs and feelings. Using different keys is one way composers try to build certain feelings into their music. What changed? The first version was played in what is called a major key. The second probably sounded all doomy and gloomy. As you listen, think about each version and how it makes you feel.ĭid you notice a difference between these two versions of the French folk tune “Frère Jacques”? Chances are the first version struck you as kind of snappy and happy. You will hear the same song played two different ways. Listen to the examples in the audio players below.
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