PAPERS The Influence of Vibrations on Musical Experience⇤

The coupled perception of sound and vibration is a well-known phenomenon during live pop or organ concerts. However, even during a symphonic concert in a concert hall, sound can excite perceivable vibrations on the surface of the body. This study analyzes the influence of audio-induced vibrations on the perceived quality of the concert experience. Therefore, sound and seat vibrations are controlled separately in an audio reproduction scenario. Because the correlation between sound and vibration is naturally strong, vibrations are generated from au-dio recordings using various approaches. Different parameters during this process (frequency and intensity modifications) are examined in relation to their perceptual consequences using psychophysical experiments. It can be concluded that vibrations play a significant role in the perception of music.