Passive Attention and Music

  • passive attention evoked by change to stimulus

  • increase in loudness (most important factor)

  • decrease in loudness (must be large, however)
If goal is to grab a listener's attention:
  • frequent dynamic changes

  • compose work as extended crescendo

  • if diminuendos are necessary, make diminuendos large and quick
Ramp pattern:
(Huron, 1991)




Copyright © 2000 David Huron