Reexploring the Effects of Relative Pitch Cues on Perceived Sadness in an Unconventionally Tuned Musical Scale

In this study, we reassessed the hypothesis that musical scales take on a sadder expressive character when they include one or more scale degrees that are lower in pitch than “normal.” Two conceptual replications of a previous study by Yim (2014; Huron, Yim, & Chordia, 2010) were conducted, incorporating modifications meant to bolster statistical power, enhance internal and external validity, and refine measurement of perceived emotional expression. In both experiments, participants were exposed to a set of melodies based on a single, highly unconventional scale, the Bohlen–Pierce Scale. In the high versus low exposure conditions, participants were exposed to melodies based on a Bohlen–Pierce Scale variant in which selected scale degrees had been raised versus lowered relative to a comparison scale. Following the exposure phase, all participants rated the perceived sadness/happiness of the exact same test melodies, in this case based on the “intermediate” comparison scale. Results confirmed that lowering selected degrees of an exposure scale causes melodies based on the comparison scale to be perceived as sadder/less happy (Experiment 1). However, altering these scale degrees did not independently affect perceptions of sadness/happiness after controlling for the average pitch height of the scale variants (Experiment 2). As such, the findings provide qualified support for the contention that “lower than normal” scales are perceived as expressively sadder.