Cambridge, United Kingdom – Researchers have uncovered new findings challenging the ancient theory proposed by Pythagoras on musical consonance. The study reveals that listeners actually prefer chords with minor imperfections rather than the perfect integer ratios traditionally associated with beautiful music. This discovery emphasizes a broader and instinctive appreciation for varied musical harmonies, extending beyond the confines of Western norms.
Conducted by scholars from Cambridge University, Princeton, and the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, the research involved over 4,000 participants from the United States and South Korea. Through online experiments, individuals demonstrated a significant affinity for “inharmonic” sounds, indicating a shift in the traditional understanding of what constitutes harmonious music. The study opens up exciting possibilities for musicians and producers to experiment with diverse instruments and innovate in their musical expressions.
The study published in Nature Communications, highlights two key ways in which Pythagoras’s theory on musical consonance was found to be inaccurate. The experiment revealed that listeners do not necessarily prefer chords to be perfectly in line with mathematical ratios. Dr. Peter Harrison, co-author of the study, notes that a slight amount of deviation from the perfect ratios adds life to the sounds, making them more appealing to listeners.
Moreover, the researchers found that the influence of mathematical relationships on chord preferences diminishes when considering musical instruments less familiar to Western traditions. In particular, instruments like the bonang from the Javanese gamelan showcase entirely new patterns of consonance and dissonance, deviating from Pythagoras’s numerical principles.
The study involved over 4,000 participants who engaged in 23 behavioral experiments, yielding more than 235,000 human judgments on musical chords. Surprisingly, the results indicated a strong preference for slight imperfection or “inharmonicity”. The participants explored harmony perception with Western and non-Western instruments, shedding light on the instinctive appreciation of new forms of harmony.
Dr. Harrison believes that these findings present exciting opportunities for musicians and producers to explore unfamiliar instruments, unlocking new harmonies and creative possibilities. By incorporating different instruments into their compositions, artists may discover unique harmonic languages that resonate with listeners on an intuitive level, bridging cultural and musical divides. Future research will focus on a broader range of cultures and the impact of “inharmonic” instruments on musical perception.