Vibrotactile Perception of Consonant and Dissonant Musical Intervals

In recent years, with the development of haptic technologies, the investigation of the potential of vibrotactile perception of musical parameters has attracted much interest. The possibility of vibrotactile musical note discrimination has already been studied. In this study, we approach the problem of vibrotactile perception of musical consonant and dissonant tone relationships, essential components of Western tonal music. Thirty participants were asked to distinguish between consonant and dissonant intervals presented in two different conditions: the Auditory Condition and the Vibrotactile Condition (through tactile stimulation). The stimuli were occidental tonal piano music intervals considered from the point of view of a musical theory perfect consonant or dissonant interval. The results show that consonant and dissonant musical intervals can be perceived at the tactile level and that there is no significant difference in the number of intervals correctly recognised in the Vibrotactile Condition and the Auditory Condition in participants who have no musical training. The consonance/dissonance perception shows some differences in both conditions, with vibrotactile perception being more accurate with larger intervals of more than ten semitones. In the Auditory Condition, it is related to the number of semitones, becoming more sensitive from eleven semitones onwards, and the type of interval, possibly due to the influence of auditory musical training. These results open up the possibility of transmitting other tonal musical characteristics; through tactile stimulation the possibility of transmitting the melodic and harmonic basis of Western music vibrotactically opens up, offering a wide range of options for investigation.