Auditory-tactile music perception

Abstract

The coupled perception of sound and vibration is a well-known phenomenon during live pop or organ concerts. However, even during a symphonic concert in a classical hall, sound can excite perceivable vibrations at the body surface. However, the concert visitor might not be aware of those vibrations, because the tactile percept is integrated with the other senses into one multi-modal percept. This article discusses the influence of whole-body vibrations on the listener experience during the reproduction of concerts recordings. Four sequences were selected from classical and modern music, which include low frequency content (e.g., organ, kettledrum, contrabass). A stimulus length of 1.5 min was chosen in order to provide enough time for habituation. The audio signal was reproduced using a surround setup. Additional seat vibrations have been generated from the audio signal. Test participants were asked to rate the overall quality of the concert experience. The results show that vibrations have a significant influence on our perception of music. This finding is interesting in the context of audio reproduction, but also for the construction of concert venues.