Moderating effects of chord progressions on the emotional experience of major and minor chords

Numerous studies have shown the major chords express positive emotions, while minor chords convey negative emotions. However, several research suggest that the association between major/minor chords and emotional valence may vary due to certain musical contextual factors. This study investigates whether the emotional experience associated with major and minor chords is influenced by chord progressions. Employing subjective evaluations, participants were asked to evaluate the emotional valence, stability, and tension of individual chords (Experiment 1) and the final chords in chord sequences (Experiment 2). Results indicate that the pleasantness ratings of major chords are significantly higher than those of minor chords, while tension ratings are significantly lower. However, stability ratings between major and minor chords did not significantly differ. Notably, when major chords served as the final chords in stable termination progressions, their ratings in pleasantness and stability will be significantly higher compared to those of minor chords, and at the same time, they will also elicit lower tension ratings. While unstable terminations show no significant differences in ratings between major and minor chords across the dimensions of pleasantness, stability, and tension. Thus, this study reveals that chord progressions, as a musical context, influence the emotional valence of major and minor chords through variations in their stability and tension.