Study Unveils Universal Features of Music Across Cultures

In a groundbreaking study, a team of 75 researchers—including musicologists, psychologists, linguists, evolutionary biologists, and professional musicians—have identified universal features in music that are absent in speech. The study, published on May 15, 2024, involved recording songs in 55 languages, ranging from Arabic and Balinese to Maori and Yoruba.

Lead researchers Dr. Yuto Ozaki of Keio University and Dr. Patrick Savage of the University of Auckland spearheaded the project. Participants sang traditional songs from their respective cultures and recited their lyrics without melodies for comparative analysis. The recordings also included various instruments, such as sitars and melodicas.

Key findings highlighted distinct musical features: higher and more stable pitch and slower tempo compared to speech. These characteristics suggest music might have evolved in our distant ancestors, potentially serving roles in group cohesion or parental bonding.

While the study involved primarily academic participants, similar unpublished research supports these findings. Dr. Daniela Sammler of the Max Planck Institute noted that these results could have broad implications for understanding the evolutionary functions of music.

Sources: Carl Zimmer for The New York Times