Why does certain music cause highly emotional responses?

There are theories that address the intellectual and emotional effects of music, the Mozart Effect being one. The plain truth is music stimulates the brain. Like when you get turned on by a certain rhythm, rage listening to a heavy guitar riff, or calm down listening to a soothing piano melody. You are not alone :-)

Well as far as the intervalic examples you list,in jazz these are some of the color tones.Suspended forths are quite easy to explain,your ear is begging to hear the resolved (almost can be considered dissonant rather than consonant when not resolved,almost like a deceptive cadence in classical music)This comes from years of conditioning by your surroundings,music and other environmental stimuli.

Many tempos will invoke feelings our and alpha brainwave stimulus.60 BPM will both make plants grow better and faster as well as improve concentration in humans.

Many studies done on these topics.

Many songs may remind you of a positive or negative experience because you heard them alot during that period of your life.

And to correct one answer,d minor is the saddest of all chords in Spinal Tap.Nigel said thet three times in the movie.

Lastly and correct me if I'm wrong,but a minor 4 would more often be referred to as a flat 11.

I didn't read this yet but have a look here.

http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=influence%20on...

And the Mozart effect is more closely linked to learning.There is a field of study examining the mathmatical relationship betweem math and music,but for the life of me I cannot remeber what it's called.I even asked that question in two forums on YA but got no real answers.

C# MINOR the saddest of all chords,, thats from spinal tap,, the beat of the heart tunes to the rythm of the music and the mind interpets the key and tones and frequencies that cause sadness or excitement so you could find those frequencies and maybe write the saddest or happiest song of all just by useing the technology available today

I examine a controversy on Psychology immediately approximately why we savour paintings. It seems we as people, and particular mammals have an interest in precis issues, greater so than actuality. there replaced right into a attempt have been a fowl might %. on somewhat stick that sounds like their mom's beek greater suitable than their actual mom's beek. seen paintings (apart from photos), no count how functional, will continually be precis via fact seen arts has continually centred on representation of nature. (photos is gorgeous via fact, we get to ultimately see the moments, and it is much less to do with abstraction yet sometimes it does prepare the climate of that type of layout). subsequently the rationalization we adore paintings is via fact we are hardwired to savour it. comparable is going for music. it is a representation of sound, and that's prepared interior the comparable way as seen paintings... we've an interest in music via fact in essence, it is abstracted.

I wish I knew the answer to this.

Beethoven's 'Moonlight Sonata' (the entire piece, not just the uber-popular first movement) gets me every time, among other music as well.

I can't wait until someone smart answers this question.

because certain words and rithmes remind certain meanings in your brain, which affect your emotional sences.

For example when I listen to a music, it reminds me toughness of life, and rises me against God and nature!!!!!!!!

Cos these sort of people are usually miserable mealy mouthed guttersnipes. They're not happy unless they're bleating. Laugh a bit... go on give it a go ya might like it. "you're breaking my heart cos you're leaving." Ha ha ha ha ha