Music Musical Chills: Do You Experience Them?

[Leptos]

I sometimes get this feeling of blood flow increasing to my head and it feels a little warm. I'm actually able to control it and induce it as often as I'd like, i.e., I can give myself these "chills" through internal stimulus alone.

 

[Danger]

Dembadon, here's a link to Minnie's only top 10 single. There's a fairly decent little bio for her on Wikipedia, as well.

http://www.last.fm/music/Minnie+Riperton/_/Lovin'+You

 

[Dembadon]

Dembadon, here's a link to Minnie's only top 10 single. There's a fairly decent little bio for her on Wikipedia, as well.

http://www.last.fm/music/Minnie+Riperton/_/Lovin'+You

Good heavens, that's incredible! Thank you for the link.

 

[Andre]

It's a strange phenomenon coming to think of it, genre is not important indeed. I can't put the finger on it yet. Concerning classical music for instance, Mozart doesn't have it. Beethoven does, many works.

One of strongest experiences for me is the final part of the Volgalied. I sit out the first part without much emotion, not bad but nothing special either, but at 3:02 minutes, the chill starts.

It appears that I'm not the only one, a shorter version is much more popular and you only have to wait 1:16 minutes before the magic starts. Andre Rieu seems to think likewise and he starts with that part right away here.

 

[AJ Bentley]

I play the banjo but never experience it listening to Bluegrass.
Sometimes I get it with 60's Folk-pop (Fairport etc.)

Definitely baroque - Handel, Bach, Vivaldi.

 

[Andre]

I wonder how different the experience is between different people.

this has a strong chill factor for me too. Anybody else?

 

[TubbaBlubba]

I know this song (don't judge me) used to give me pretty strong response. And I did get a small chill from it. Probably mostly due to connection with the show; I do tend to get chills from "awesome moments" in movies, shows, video games and the like.

[Oh yes, this one too. Especially the intro.

Those are two that spring to mind.

 

[turbo]

BB King once said of another guitarist that "his tone gives me the cold sweats". The guitarist he was talking about was Peter Green - founder of Fleetwood Mac - a young British blues guitarist formerly with John Mayall.

 

[fuzzyfelt]

I think (with no medical or biochemical background to support it) that the ears might be connected in a fundamental way to the limbic system. Scent evokes incredibly complex memories that are otherwise buried in the subconscious mind. Perhaps sounds have the same effect.

Nice thoughts, Danger. This thread is a bit of an off-shoot from a thread about synaesthesia in the Medical Sciences (which is very long, but begins here-
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=393977 ) and there was mention of musical chills there.


Quoting wiki, synaesthesia “is a neurologically-based condition in which stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway.[1][2][3][4]” . Musical chills might be related, considering a type of sound stimuli seems experienced by the skin, although there are other considerations. The definition has sometimes been qualified as “atypical” instances of the above. I started this thread because I had previously thought this experience was typical, and was surprised to learn it might not be. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synesthesia


I agree with you (and Proust and others) about how evocative the olfactory sense is, and agree there may be similarities.

On a note slightly about musical emotion or uses, I think I mentioned here years ago the Bata drum as religious discourse,
http://www.scribd.com/doc/2339968/Bata-Drum-Talk-Orisha-Worship-Theology-of-Sound
http://www.ashgate.com/default.aspx...ageSubject=310&title_id=9292&edition_id=11969
and might have mentioned the Kaluli sung cartography,
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T0D-49Y3W84-2&_user=10&_coverDate=12%2F31%2F2004&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1388849876&_rerunOrigin=scholar.google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=2d3969f3e51a5d31197bee07d4e4f06a

 

[fuzzyfelt]

Thanks for all the replies. I think that makes 18 respondents, including the gentleman beside Om Cheeto, and reports about BB King (thanks Turbo) and only one who doesn’t experience this, although I probably worded everything with bias toward those who do.


I’m pleased to hear TubbaBlubba’s chills have returned.

Minnie Riperton and all the other induces are fascinating.

I wonder how the experiences differ individually too, Andre. Personally, I’ve been listening to a song I first heard a few weeks ago quite a bit. There is a slight change in the melody at one point and when I first heard it struck me as inspired, and that then is accentuated by accompanying brass. The goose-bumps haven’t diminished with familiarity, yet, as long as it has my attention. I get it while I’m driving, but not if someone is talking to me at the same time.

 

[rhody]

Fuzzy,

Maybe it's just me, but certain songs by Pink Floyd, Nickleback, Rolling Stones, Rare Earth, (there's an old one), Dave Matthews do it, usually when I am riding my bicycle, motorcycle, walking or running, or sometimes driving with no distractions. Also, I can get the same chills (endorphin rush) just imagining these songs the in my head, and finally, yeah I know I am a bit weird, from thinking about a problem with science/math and coming up with a possible solution (I know that is not music), just wanted you to know that music is not the only form of mental stimulation that causes it. Sometimes when I read something that is surprising or I have never heard of before causes it too. You have seen this happen in the synesthesia thread.

To sum up:

listening to certain music
imaging listening to certain music
realizing a possible solution to a problem
reading about surprising information

Rhody...

 

[fuzzyfelt]

Fuzzy,

Maybe it's just me, but certain songs by Pink Floyd, Nickleback, Rolling Stones, Rare Earth, (there's an old one), Dave Matthews do it, usually when I am riding my bicycle, motorcycle, walking or running, or sometimes driving with no distractions. Also, I can get the same chills (endorphin rush) just imagining these songs the in my head, and finally, yeah I know I am a bit weird, from thinking about a problem with science/math and coming up with a possible solution (I know that is not music), just wanted you to know that music is not the only form of mental stimulation that causes it. Sometimes when I read something that is surprising or I have never heard of before causes it too. You have seen this happen in the synesthesia thread.

To sum up:

listening to certain music
imaging listening to certain music
realizing a possible solution to a problem
reading about surprising information

Rhody...

Yes, thanks, the second paper notes some other situations, too, and I also feel it in other situations. I just thought it would be safer to keep this thread musical. I was unsuccessful at experiencing musical chills by just thinking of music, but maybe need to give it a better chance. That reminds me, one post mentioned control over it, which might raise questions of it being automatic.

 

[rhody]

Yes, thanks, the second paper notes some other situations, too, and I also feel it in other situations. I just thought it would be safer to keep this thread musical. I was unsuccessful at experiencing musical chills by just thinking of music, but maybe need to give it a better chance. That reminds me, one post mentioned control over it, which might raise questions of it being automatic.

Thinking of music I like doesn't cause it to happen automatically, I have to be calm, relaxed, not stressed and have my mind basically open and in an idling state, Does that make sense to you ? BTW, this never happened till reading, "The Brain that Changed Itself", I can't put my finger on the exact cause or causes, I just know for sure it is happening now and has never happened before. I guess my brain is changing somehow. I kind of like it but find it a bit weird at times.

Rhody...

P.S. When I get chills from realizing a problem solution or from reading surprising information I find a side benefit of being able to concentrate better for a longer time because my motivation increases.

 

[fuzzyfelt]

Yes, it may not be related at all to the medical sciences thread, but still interesting and it is very interesting that this is new to you.

 

[haael]

This performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MExihLTljzk" gives me goosebumps no matter how many times I listen to it.

 

[lisab]

I wonder how different the experience is between different people.

this has a strong chill factor for me too. Anybody else?

Definitely . Partly because I love the ocean and diving. But it also gives me a "path I didn't choose" kind of regret.

 

[fuzzyfelt]

This performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MExihLTljzk" gives me goosebumps no matter how many times I listen to it.

19 affirmatives!

 

[rhody]

Definitely . Partly because I love the ocean and diving. But it also gives me a "path I didn't choose" kind of regret.

Fuzzy,

What lisab just said reminded me of a similar emotion a couple of times as of late, while walking alone with music, thinking about personal family issues, the sense of chills can be immediately followed by a profound sense of sadness to the point of tears, which was surprising.

Rhody...

 

[lisab]

This performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MExihLTljzk" gives me goosebumps no matter how many times I listen to it.

That was nice, very middle-east flavor. It didn't give me chills but the suit the pianist was wearing made me shudder.

 

[turbo]

When I was a kid, I'd always try to turn up the radio when this came on. Santo and Johnny's Sleepwalk.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4tPGljkR_w&feature=related

 

[fuzzyfelt]

When I was a kid, I'd always try to turn up the radio when this came on. Santo and Johnny's Sleepwalk.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4tPGljkR_w&feature=related

I like that. I always find it interesting when Turbo talks about music.

 

[fuzzyfelt]

while walking alone with music, thinking about personal family issues, the sense of chills can be immediately followed by a profound sense of saddness to the point of tears, which was surprising.

Rhody...

I know this feeling well and had avoided mentioning it because it might make the thread too complicated. I remember writing a long time ago here that Beethoven’s 7th symphony makes me cry- it still does, and other pieces do too.

I haven’t been able to pin-point the emotion, sometimes I think it is just awe, other times it seems to accentuate an emotion I’m already feeling, especially sadness. It seems cathartic.

 

[Andre]

I know this feeling well and had avoided mentioning it because it might make the thread too complicated. I remember writing a long time ago here that Beethoven’s 7th symphony makes me cry- it still does, and other pieces do too.

I haven’t been able to pin-point the emotion, sometimes I think it is just awe, other times it seems to accentuate an emotion I’m already feeling, especially sadness. It seems cathartic.

That reminds me of the game we played years ago

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=196447

hmmm, I see that I never got to post Figlio Perduto by Sarah Brightman over there, borrowing the melody from that movement from the seventh.

But I would definitely agree to a statement that Beethoven is the all time king of chills

 

[haael]

That was nice, very middle-east flavor.

Middle-east?
That was a jazz cover of a polish folk song. I don't understand where you hear any middle-east in it.

the suit the pianist was wearing made me shudder

The pianist is Leszek Możdżer, Minu Cinelu on percussion, Pat Metheny on guitar. The angel singing is Anna Maria Jopek.

19 affirmatives!

Yeah :). I'm high about 2:50.

 

[turbo]

Another old(er) favorite. Jigsaw Puzzle Blues, written by Fleetwood Mac's baby-faced kid guitarist Danny Kirwan. I was just blown away by this tune when it came out. The tight control and over-the-top vibrato were quite impressive to this young (16 at the time) guitarist.

 

[dlgoff]

Another old(er) favorite. Jigsaw Puzzle Blues, written by Fleetwood Mac's baby-faced kid guitarist Danny Kirwan. I was just blown away by this tune when it came out. The tight control and over-the-top vibrato were quite impressive to this young (16 at the time) guitarist.

Let's see, 1968 you were 16? You are an old fart.

 

[turbo]

Let's see, 1968 you were 16? You are an old fart.

I'm old, but my dog can out-fart me any day!

 

[dlgoff]

I'm old, but my dog can out-fart me any day!

Labs can be that way.

Anyway. Back to the chills.

 

[Jack21222]

I experience it as well.

 

[donwado1]

Yes---I am writing a book about it and my beliefs.