Crossmodal Correspondence between Music and Ambient Color Is Mediated by Emotion

Area of Science:

• Auditory Perception
• Multisensory Integration
• Psychology of Music

Background:

• Concert hall acoustics are crucial for music quality.
• The influence of visual input, specifically ambient lighting color, on musical enjoyment remains less understood.
• Investigating the interplay between visual and auditory stimuli in music perception is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if ambient lighting color modulates perceived music quality and enjoyment.
• To explore whether specific colors are perceived to better complement certain music pieces.
• To investigate the multisensory nature of music perception, integrating visual and auditory information.

Main Methods:

• Three within-subjects experiments were conducted.
• Pretests selected four music pieces (varying tonality/genre) and 14 lighting conditions (varying hue, brightness, saturation).
• Participants rated music quality, liking, music-lighting fit, and emotional impact (valence, arousal, dominance) under different lighting conditions.

Main Results:

• Music and lighting with similar valence and arousal ratings were perceived to match better.
• Tonal music better matched weakly saturated colors, while atonal music better matched highly saturated colors.
• Lighting characteristics influenced music perception; e.g., red lighting enhanced perceptions of music power.

Conclusions:

• Music listening is a multisensory process influenced by visual stimuli.
• Emotional congruence between music and lighting enhances perceived fit and enjoyment.
• Visual cues, such as lighting color, can alter the perceived qualities of music.