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Live music generates a larger emotional response in brains of audience and performer — and brain synchronisation is an added bonus.
How can our brains respond differently if the music is the same?
Good question — but this experiment was much more fascinating because 27 participants were played a piece of piano music live while having their brains scanned. What’s more the pianist was also being scanned but was receiving real-time feedback on the emotional impact of their playing and was therefore encouraged to try to increase this emotionality.
Wow — that sounds like a complicated and refined experiment!
Indeed, it shows how far these researchers now go to get unique insights into how our brains function together.
But, sorry, the obvious, if the pianist was responding to listeners responses then obviously it is more emotional?!
Sure, but this very same piece was then streamed to other participants who also had their brains scanned and the results compared.
Ah, ok, and what were the differences?
Well, those who were listening live had larger emotional responses. But also greater…
