4/23/09
The Measurement of
Musical Expression
Edward P. Asmus, Ph.D.
Write Down Words!
Topics for Today
 1893
April 23, 2009
• Trace the history of the
objective measurement of
musical expression.
• Define a technological method
for measuring complexity.
 Quick and easy to use.
 Have provided a wealth of
information about human
response to music.
Adjective Checklists
Adjective Checklists
 Gilman, B. (1893). Report of an
experimental test of musical
expressiveness. American
Journal of Psychology, 5, 42-73.
Schoen and Gatewood (1927)
Happy
Sad
Gay
Serious
Amused
Rested
Irritated
Longing
Sentimental
Tender Memories
Devotional Mood
Felt Like Dancing
Physically Stirred
Feeling of Majesty
Imagination & Fancy
Feeling of Patriotism
Was it familiar?
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8
vigorous
robust
emphatic
martial
ponderous
majestic
exaltin g
6
merry
joyous
gay
happy
cheerful
brig h t
7
exhilarated
soarin g
triumphan t
dramatic
passionate
sensational
agitated
excitin g
impetuous
restle s s
1
spiritual
lo f t y
awe-inspirin g
dignifie d
sacred
sole m n
sober
serio u s
2
pathetic
doleful
sad
mournful
tragic
melancholy
frustrated
depressin g
glo o m y
Heavy
dark
heavy
dark
5
humorous
playful
whimsical
fanciful
quain t
sprightly
delic a t e
lig h t
graceful
3
dreamy
yieldin g
tender
sentimental
longin g
yearnin g
pleadin g
plaintiv e
4
lyrical
leisurely
satisfyin g
serene
tranquil
quie t
soothin g
Adjective Checklists
Adjective Checklists
Hevner (1936) Adjective Circle
Adjective Checklists
Campbell’s (1942) Basal
Emotional Patterns of Music
Gaiety
merry
carefree
jolly
frolickin g
boisterous
humorous
exuberant
hilario u s
Joy
gla d
happy
rejoicin g
exult a n t
rapturous
ecstatic
blissful
seraphic
Assertion
vigorous
determin e d
resolu t e
bold
martial
victorio u s
heroic
triumphan t
Sorrow
dejected
melancholy
mournful
grie v e d
despairin g
desola t e
woeful
anguis h e d
Yearning
wistful
pensiv e
lonely
longin g
nostalgic
pinin g
hopin g
aspirin g
Calm
quie t
tranquil
placid
peaceful
pastoral
meditativ e
detached
serene
Tenderness
gentle
sweet
soothin g
compassionate
comfortin g
solacin g
kindly
benevolen t
Rage
wrathful
infuriat e d
mad
ravin g
frenzie d
demoniacal
ruthle s s
implacable
Wonder
eerie
weir d
mysterio u s
awesome
forebodin g
portentous
omin o u s
horrible
Solemnity
dignifie d
majestic
reverent
holy
benedictory
blessed
sanctifie d
sublim e
Cruelty
teasin g
satiric
derisiv e
vengeful
malevolen t
pitile s s
fiendish
relentle s s
Eroticism
amorous
seductive
voluptuous
lascivio u s
passionate
ardent
abandoned
orgiastic
X
2
3
4
5
7-Point Scale
Polar Opposite Terms
6
7
B
fanciful
lig h t
quain t
whimsical
C
delic a t e
graceful
lyrical
D
dreamy
leisurely
sentimental
serene
soothin g
tender
tranquil
quie t
F
dark
depressin g
doleful
glo o m y
melancholic
mournful
sad
serio u s
sober
sole m n
tragic
G
sacred
spiritual
H
dramatic
emphatic
majestic
triumphan t
I
agitated
exaltin g
excitin g
exhilarated
impetuous
vigorous
E
longin g
plaintiv e
pleadin g
yearnin g
Semantic Differential
Sad
Semantic Differentials
Semantic Differentials
1
A
brig h t
cheerful
gay
happy
joyous
merry
playful
sprightly
Osgood, C. E, Suci, O. J, &
Tannenbaum, P. H. (1957). The
measurement of meaning. Urbana:
Univ. of Illinois Press.
A Semantic Differential
Happy
Modified “Mood Clock” of
Farnsworth (1954)
Factor Structure of White and Butler
(1968)
1. Evaluation
unpleasant-pleasant
happy-sad
good-bad
unfair-fair
human-mechanical
moving-static
synthetic-genuine
2. Activity
fast-slow
dull-sharp
happy-sad
weak-strong
good-bad
moving-still
unfair-fair
passive-active
3. Potency
large-small
thin-thick
weak-strong
heavy-light
4. Mood
passive-active
beautiful-ugly
disturbing-soothing
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Semantic Differentials
Asmus (1987) Measure of Musical
Characteristics
Complexity
Interest
simple:comple x
interesting:uninteresting prefer:hate
approve:disapprove
choose:discard
like:dislik e
select:reject
Preference
Activi t y
Evaluation
Potency
active:passiv e
moving:still
excitable:calm
fast:slo w
pleasant:unpleasan t
beautiful:ugly
graceful:awkward
meaningful:meaningle s s
heavy:light
thick:thin
dark:lig h t
hard:soft
Asmus (1979) Nine Affective
Dimensions
Vibrancy
Morose
Serenity
Potency Factor
victorio u s
heroic
stately
patriotic
majestic
Evil Factor
anger
rage
cruelt y
hate
frustrated
Pastoral Factor
peaceful
calm
rela x e d
gentle
pleasant
Activity Factor
determin e d
vibrant
vigorous
exuberant
Depression Factor
depressed
dreary
blu e
sad
glo o m y
Sedative Factor
contemplativ e
reflective
serene
tranquil
sedativ e
Humor Factor
comical
humorous
amused
playful
cheerful
Longing Factor
yearnin g
longin g
lonely
Sensual Factor
lo v e
tender
beautiful
romantic
Continuous Response Digital Interface
Likert Scales
  Likert, R. (1932). A technique for the measurement of
attitudes. Archives of Psychology, 22(140), 55.
  A construct to be rated here.
  Strongly Agree
  Agree
  Disagree
  Strongly Disagree
Magnitude Estimation
•  S. S. Stevens early 1960’s
•  Procedure
1.  A standard stimulus is presented
2.  One or more varied stimuli are
presented
•  Variant: Draw a line
CRDI Data
 CRDI
 Developed at
 With input from
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Technology Based Measure of
Complexity
 Use MP3 data.
 Allows multiple indices of complexity.
 Could be gated to match CRDI.
 Would provide many additional
insights into musical expression.
Thank you for
your kind
attention…
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