Physical Listening Tool

The Physical Listening Tool is a software application for studying the links between music, perception and physiology.

With the Physical Listening Tool, experimenters making observations of physiological changes induced by musical stimuli, have precise control over the music used in experiments. This software application that helps us to correlate physiological data with features of individuated musical parameters. We synthesize musical stimuli for our experiments in real-time. The features of the stimuli are variable through adjustments to individuated musical parameters. Either the experimenter or the subject may modify the variables controlling each musical parameter depending on the requirements of the experimental scenario.

Real-time changes to the musical material are preserved in symbolic form (MIDI data) re-synthesis for later analysis. For example, during an experiment the tempo or harmonic complexity of the musical stimuli may be modified in precisely measurable increments, and correlated to physiological readings associated with each version. We are seeking combinations of physiological sensor readings that will provide the most detailed information about listener responses.