Are Humoresques Humorous? On the Similarity Between Laughter and Staccato
Two studies are reported testing the conjecture that certain musical sounds or musical works may emulate the punctuated sound (ha-ha-ha) of human laughter. In the first study, 25 participants were instructed to adjust the tempo and duty cycle (articulation) of simple tone sequences to produce the mo...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
The Ohio State University Libraries
2019-01-01
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| Series: | Empirical Musicology Review |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://emusicology.org/article/view/5608 |
| _version_ | 1819211327947669504 |
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| author | Caitlyn Trevor David Huron |
| author_facet | Caitlyn Trevor David Huron |
| author_sort | Caitlyn Trevor |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Two studies are reported testing the conjecture that certain musical sounds or musical works may emulate the punctuated sound (ha-ha-ha) of human laughter. In the first study, 25 participants were instructed to adjust the tempo and duty cycle (articulation) of simple tone sequences to produce the most laughter-like sound. The adjusted tempos were consistent across participants but slower than measures of actual human laughter. The adjusted duty cycles were comparable to those evident in human laughter. In the second study, comedic-related musical compositions (including humoresques, badineries, and Scherzos) were compared with similar-tempo works by the same composers. It is shown that humoresques contain more staccato passages. However, these detached articulations are not more likely to be isochronous as might be expected if emulating human laughter. Overall, the results provide mixed evidence consistent with the idea that composers emulate laughter when composing certain kinds of humorous passages. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-23T06:25:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3019a5f146954813a3913aae0a8621ac |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1559-5749 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-23T06:25:19Z |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | The Ohio State University Libraries |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Empirical Musicology Review |
| spelling | doaj.art-3019a5f146954813a3913aae0a8621ac2022-12-21T17:57:04ZengThe Ohio State University LibrariesEmpirical Musicology Review1559-57492019-01-01131-2667710.18061/emr.v13i1-2.56084130Are Humoresques Humorous? On the Similarity Between Laughter and StaccatoCaitlyn Trevor0David Huron1Ohio State UniversityOhio State UniversityTwo studies are reported testing the conjecture that certain musical sounds or musical works may emulate the punctuated sound (ha-ha-ha) of human laughter. In the first study, 25 participants were instructed to adjust the tempo and duty cycle (articulation) of simple tone sequences to produce the most laughter-like sound. The adjusted tempos were consistent across participants but slower than measures of actual human laughter. The adjusted duty cycles were comparable to those evident in human laughter. In the second study, comedic-related musical compositions (including humoresques, badineries, and Scherzos) were compared with similar-tempo works by the same composers. It is shown that humoresques contain more staccato passages. However, these detached articulations are not more likely to be isochronous as might be expected if emulating human laughter. Overall, the results provide mixed evidence consistent with the idea that composers emulate laughter when composing certain kinds of humorous passages.http://emusicology.org/article/view/5608music cognitionstaccatocompositionmusic and humourlaughter |
| spellingShingle | Caitlyn Trevor David Huron Are Humoresques Humorous? On the Similarity Between Laughter and Staccato Empirical Musicology Review music cognition staccato composition music and humour laughter |
| title | Are Humoresques Humorous? On the Similarity Between Laughter and Staccato |
| title_full | Are Humoresques Humorous? On the Similarity Between Laughter and Staccato |
| title_fullStr | Are Humoresques Humorous? On the Similarity Between Laughter and Staccato |
| title_full_unstemmed | Are Humoresques Humorous? On the Similarity Between Laughter and Staccato |
| title_short | Are Humoresques Humorous? On the Similarity Between Laughter and Staccato |
| title_sort | are humoresques humorous on the similarity between laughter and staccato |
| topic | music cognition staccato composition music and humour laughter |
| url | http://emusicology.org/article/view/5608 |
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