Emotion Recognition From Singing Voices Using Contemporary Commercial Music and Classical Styles

Area of Science:

• Music Psychology
• Vocal Pedagogy

Background:

• Emotion recognition is crucial in vocal performance.
• Understanding differences between contemporary commercial music (CCM) and classical singing styles is vital for effective vocal training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the recognition of emotions in CCM and classical singing styles.
• To investigate the influence of pitch and vocal characteristics on emotion perception in singing.

Main Methods:

• An experimental study involving 13 professional singers (CCM and classical) expressing five emotions (anger, sadness, joy, tenderness, neutral) at different pitches.
• 29 listeners evaluated 312 sung voice samples for perceived emotion, activity, and valence.

Main Results:

• Overall correct emotion recognition was 30.2%.
• CCM singing yielded higher recognition rates (34.5%) than classical singing (24.5%).
• Valence and activity were more accurately perceived than specific emotions; higher pitches suggested joy/anger, lower pitches suggested sadness.

Conclusions:

• Significant differences exist in emotion recognition between CCM and classical singing styles.
• Pitch and vocal parameters demonstrably affect emotion perception in singing.
• Valence and activity are more reliably perceived than discrete emotions in sung vocalizations.