Music preferences and perception of loudness.

Abstract

again. The second ratings were either the same (70%) or different by only one (28%) in almost all cases, so means of these two ratings were used for analysis. On the second procedure, the 10 selections were played again, and the subjects were asked to adjust the loudness of the music to their preferred level using a volume control knob that varied from 0 (softest) to 9 (loudest). Finally, the 10 selections were played again, and each subject was asked to adjust the volume of the music to match the volume of generated by a commercial sound laboratory and played over the same earphones. Subjects were told that the loudness of the pink noise would vary with each music selection, but in fact it remained at a constant level. The subjects were able to switch back and forth from music to pink noise as often as they wished during each 60-sec. music selection as they attempted to match the two, but they had no control over the loudness of the pink noise. The volume level was recorded for each of the 10 musical selections when the subject indicated the task was completed. In this last procedure, since the volume of the pink noise remained at a constant level, the volume level for each music selection was interpreted as an indirect measure of how loud the music was perceived. To analyze the data, estimates from all 15 subjects (multiplied by 10 music selections) were pooled to give 150 music ratings (M = 4.2, SD = 1.8, range = 6.0), preferred volumes (M = 3.3, SD=1.6, range=8), and matched volumes (M=l.3, SD=l.3, range=6.5). A significant Pearson correlation of ,484 (df = 148, p .10) between ratings of music and how loud the music was perceived to be. This correlation, although nonsignificant, suggests that well-liked music may be perceived as less loud than music that is not liked. Perhaps another study with a larger number of subjects and a more direct measure of perceived loudness of music will help answer this question.