Emotion is a psycho-physiological symptom that has an effect on perception, attitudes and behavior, as well as certain forms of expression (Darwis, 2006). Emotions result from a mix of positive and negative stimuli processed by brain receptors, shaping an individual's response to the environment (Shablack et al., 2020). Emotionality is a response triggered and changed by external or internal stimuli or events that influence an individual's thoughts, behavior, and actions (Fox, 2008). Emotional responses in individuals are influenced by psychological and physiological signals such as facial expressions, gestures, speech, and physical cues (Shablack et al., 2020).
Emotions are divided into two types: positive emotions and negative emotions. Positive emotions are a form of emotion that positively influences individuals and is characterized by creating feelings of joy, happiness, romance, and satisfaction. Negative emotions have a detrimental impact on individuals, leading to responses such as frustration, despair, fear, anger, anxiety, and so on (Kaklauskas et al., 2022; Mathieu et al., 2020). Therefore, to manage emotions within an individual, several activities are needed that suit them, such as recreation, travel, watching films, exercising, or attending live music performances. According to Coutinho & Scherer (2017), live music performances or directly presented music have an impact on the emotions of certain listeners or groups of listeners.
Most of the intense emotions experienced by individuals are felt during live music performances (Baltes & Miu, 2014). Music can evoke a variety of different experiences in listeners, ranging from joy, sadness, fear, and several basic emotions to more complex emotions and mixed emotions, for example, nostalgia (Schaerlaeken et al., 2021). In live music, musicians on stage have the responsibility to showcase their work beautifully and attract the audience so they can have a deep experience. On the other hand, an active audience participates in the moment attentively, considering every detail of the performance and feeling the emotions conveyed by the musicians. The emotional response that arises from this experience is the result of the unique interaction between musicians and audiences in the world of live music (Wald-Fuhrmann et al., 2021).
The emotional response within an individual when seeing a live music performance is influenced by the interpretation of the music and is supported by the stage behavior of the performers or musicians (Wald-Fuhrmann et al., 2021). Live music can provide immediate entertainment, inviting participation such as singing or dancing, indicating individual comfort and enjoyment in experiencing the presented music (Natalia et al., 2021).
Here's how live music can affect emotions :
1. Acoustic characteristics directly impact emotions during live music experiences;
2. The interpretation of the musician and their visual presentation significantly influences emotions;
3. Expressions by musicians, including body movements and facial cues, trigger emotional recall (Scherer, 2017).
Watching live music elicits a range of emotions, including joy, sadness, romance, fear, and a blend of other feelings (Wald-Fuhrmann et al., 2021).
The importance of discussing the influence of live music on emotions cannot be denied. Live music has the ability to evoke various types of emotions, from happiness to sadness, or even romantic and uplifting feelings. This phenomenon is proven to be a miracle that can create a range of feelings, including euphoria and deep nostalgia. Therefore, this discussion seems to take us on an entertaining emotional rollercoaster ride. In addition, it cannot be ignored that live music can also be an effective tool for expressing emotions in a positive way. Thus, it is very important to understand and dig deeper into how live music can change our feelings.
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