The bach bang : effects of tonal vs. atonal music on finger tapping

Abstract

Background: Understanding the fundamental role of music in affecting human movements is important as music is frequently used during exercise. In addition, the constraints-led perspective proposes that motor learning is effectuated by the interaction of task, environment, and performer constraints. A basic study on the effects of tonal and atonal music as an environment constraint on movement was conducted. Aims: To investigate the effects of music modality on task enjoyment, time estimation, and randomness of finger-tapping. Method: 42 participants were randomly assigned to either the tonal or atonal music condition. A pre-test/post-test design was used to test the effect of different music on a free-expression finger tapping task. The dependent variables (DV) were: Interest/ Enjoyment subscale from the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI), estimation of time elapsed for the finger-tapping task, and the degree of finger-tapping randomness in each hand. Results: Listening to tonal music while finger-tapping increased task enjoyment significantly compared to atonal music. The type of music did not have an effect on estimation of task duration. The tonal music condition led to greater degree of randomness in the left-hand finger movements compared to the atonal music. No effect was observed for the right hand. Conclusion: Tonal music, with its melodious characteristics, seems to have an effect on task enjoyment and facilitates randomness in finger movement on the left hand. Future research may focus on how tonal music could influence enjoyment and increase adherence in physically-enduring activities and facilitate randomness in movements in a novice learner.