Music can trigger a wide range of movements, but a key question remains: do musicians intentionally build certain movement types into their compositions, and which acoustic features drive them? Japanese researcher Shimpei Ikegami set out to study how sound directs the body.
Four professional pop musicians created short tracks, each designed to evoke one of three sensations: vertical movement (“tate-nori”), horizontal swaying (“yoko-nori”), or no clear direction. Ikegami analyzed the acoustic parameters: loudness, rhythm clarity, complexity, and timbre.
The results showed clear differences. “Vertical” tracks featured a more pronounced, punchy rhythm and dense percussion, similar to energetic workout music. In contrast, “horizontal” tracks were softer, smoother, with fewer percussion elements, creating an atmospheric soundscape.
Participants listened to the tracks and reported what motions they felt. Their impressions matched the composers’ intentions perfectly: the direction of movement listeners experienced corresponded to what the musicians tried to express.
According to Ikegami, musical techniques that set specific movement patterns can not only be described but also measured. He plans to continue studying which sonic elements produce vertical and horizontal movements and explore cultural differences in rhythm perception. The findings may have implications for medicine, rehabilitation, and education.