Music & Emotion
“MUSIC & EMOTION: Why Do Sad Songs Make Us Cry?”
By: Aaron Millar
Lydia Moon
Mrs. Killingsworth
Honors Mentorship Program
October 19, 2013
Annotated Bibliography
In the article, “MUSIC & EMOTION: Why Do Sad Songs Make Us Cry?” the author Aaron Millar brings to light the effects music has on the human body and the emotions. He mentions that music can change our temperature, pulse, and breathing through the type of music we are listening to. This happens because the brain processes the music as it is sent, but also predicts what will come next in the song (Millar). Major scales portray a more positive and uplifting mood, while minor scales are sad and gloomy. The notes of either major or minors afflict an emotion among the listeners, causing our body to be weightless/ light or distressed. Also, a faster beat relates with the effects of a major scale; a slower beat relates to the minor scale. Music express the innermost of our being, “It speaks to the deepest parts of ourselves and allows us to explore what it means to be human: to hear an echo of the confusion, complexity, and joy of our emotional lives.” (Millar).
This article is credible because it can be found on Galileo and it is current. This article was published in The Odyssey, which is an award-winning science magazine. Not only is it from a credible magazine, but the author shows a study made by Professor Adrin North of Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland. I believe this article is credible, as well, due to the in-depth explanations and reasoning behind Millar’s statements. I will be able to use this source in the future because it provides numerous factors on how music relates to the human body and emotions. Not only does it relate to my mentorship path, but it is provides a touch of reason to the emotions in music. All around this article is credible and useful.
Works Cited
Millar, Aaron, “MUSIC & EMOTION: Why Do Sad Songs Make Us Cry?,” Odyssey 22.7 (2013): 14-17. MasterFILE Elite. Web. 19 Oct. 2013.
