British psychologist, John Sloboda, conducted a study
where he asked participants to identify the parts of a song they thought were
most powerful. The results showed that a significant number of the 'powerful
song parts' were created by appoggiatura – a process which creates emotional
tension in the listener.
If appoggiatura doesn't sound familiar, you'll be able to
relate to it when we say it's the moment in a song when you feel shivers down
your spine. If you've heard "Someone Like You" by Adele, you'll know
what we mean. Appoggiatura creates an emotional connection with our brains
which leads us to think that these are the most powerful parts of a piece of
music.
What's really interesting
is that listening to emotionally charged music, whether happy or sad, releases
dopamine which makes us feel good. The more goosebumps you feel when listening
to a song, the more your brain craves it.
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