Emotions and Their Intensity in Hindustani Classical Music Using Two Rating Interfaces

Abstract

One of the very popular techniques of assessing music is using the dimensional model. Although it is used in numerous studies, the discrete model is of great importance in the Indian tradition. This study assesses two discrete interfaces for continuous rating of Hindustani classical music. The first interface, the Discrete emotion wheel (DEW), captures the range of eight aesthetic emotions relevant to Hindustani classical music and cited in Natyashastra. The second interface, the Intensity-rating emotion wheel (IEW), assesses the emotional arousal and identifies whether the additional cognitive load interferes with accurate rating. Forty-eight participants rated emotions expressed by five Western and six Hindustani classical clips. Results suggest that both the interfaces work effectively for both the music genres. The intensity-rating emotion wheel was able to capture arousal in the clips where they show higher intensities in the dominant emotions. Implications of the tool for assessing the relation between musical structures, emotions, and time are also discussed.