ABSTRACT
The auditory system is capable of estimating the "size" of a perceived sound source, specifically from biological sounds such as human or animal vocalizations. Consistent with theories of speech paralanguage, recent research implicates that sound source size may be useful as a general attribute of musical timbre, and further, that sound source size may play a role in perceived emotional responses to music. This seminar presents findings on three empirical studies designed to better understand the role of the "size code" within musical perception.
ABOUT JOSEPH PLAZAK
Joseph Plazak is a music theorist and researcher at Illinois Wesleyan University (Bloomington, IL, USA). In 2014, he was awarded a junior faculty research grant that facilitated an opportunity to investigate the musical "Size Code" at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Music Media and Technology (CIRMMT). Plazak's research investigates similarities between musical and speech-related paralanguage, and draws connections between the biological mechanisms of perception and associated human affective responses.