Music Biofeedback Experiment (Part 2)

January 4th, 2009

So here is a list of the tracks I have chosen for this experiment:

N.Q. = No questionnaire response needed.
Q.R. = Questionnaire response

01: Three Minutes of Silence

This track will make no sound for three minutes as a form of control piece, to see what sort of feedback response is produced while not listening to the music.
It also provides time for the user to relax and buffer from any previous activity.
Three minutes is fairly arbitrary but I’m basing it on the fact that a 2 minutes silence memorial ‘feels’ rather long but at the same time I want long enough to get a reasonable reading.

02: Let Us Proclaim His Majesty (Majesty Fantasy Kingdom Simulation)

This first track will provide a gentle introduction to the experiment, hopefully encouraging an initial relaxed state. From the computer game Majesty, it provides a sleepy awakening and exploration atmosphere.

03: Tubular Bells (Mike Oldfield)

Described by some as haunting, it could be an expression of the unknown. This track features a classic form of climactic crescendo, building until it fades out for the continuation of the album.

04: Dungeon Keeper Level Music

A fervent pace and dark undertones, this takes on from the haunting sound of Mike Oldfield into a more active and darker themed ambience.

05: Track 41 (Tomb Raider II)

The purpose of this introductory music from the Tomb Raider II game CD is to suddenly change the tempo of the previous track to lead onto the next.

06: Track 52 (Tomb Raider II)

This track begins softly with a ghostly new area exploration style of sound, but the end of the track is highly damaged by clicks and stutters, with a gradual build-up between. I cannot say that that the damage to the very old game CD was deliberate, but the use of the track here is.

07: i wish i could throw shapes (Age of Mythology)

This is a highly aggressive track used during times of combat during the Age of Mythology campaign that leads on perfectly from the jarring and stressed previous track.

08: never mind the slacks and bashers (Age of Mythology)

This track I would consider the natural anti-climax to the previous, gradually calming the pace of music, and ending in acoustic guitar notes similar to the start of the next track.

09: Where Do You Think You’re Going (Dire Straits)

This is the first track with ‘verbal’ input, continuing the progression of a dark theme but leading into the next phase of tracks with a nice guitar crescendo at the end.

Continue to Part 3: The music list continued