Emotional Communicability in Music Therapy: Different Instruments for Different Emotions?

Abstract

In many instances the music therapist is called upon to choose a suitable instrument to communicate or express a certain emotional tone. We have examined music therapists 'expression of basic emotions on a variety of instruments. Four therapists made improvisations on five different emotions using four different instruments to convey each emotion. Seventy-six subjects, some of whom were music therapists and some non-therapists, listened to each improvisation and decoded its emotional content. Results pointed to specific emotion-instrumental patterns. Anger was communicated best on the drum, fear on the drum and the piano, sadness with the voice and the kazoo, and happiness and calmness with the voice. Music therapists were better than non-therapists at correctly decoding the emotional content of the improvisations. A short emotional training markedly improved therapists' accuracy at decoding emotions. Implications For the practice and training of music therapists are discussed.