Finnish researchers have examined how concert hall acoustics can influence the emotional response of a listener.

Ever wondered why the cheap seats are at the back? Or why the same orchestra might be more or less affecting in different concert halls? A new study funded by the Academy of Finland has found that sitting closer to the orchestra elicits stronger emotional responses and that the emotional impact of an orchestral performance is affected by the acoustics of the concert hall. In short, a closer seat in a better hall means more feels.

Two researchers from the Department of Computer Science at Aalto University School of Science in Finland tested the hypothesis that the acoustics in different concert halls contribute differently to the emotional impact of a performance. Studies have already shown that listening to music is a source of emotional arousal. Previous research has shown that listeners report a greater emotional response in rectangular halls – sometimes described as “the shoebox” – such as the Vienna Musikverein. However, this new research bypassed subjective responses, instead measuring the responses of 28 participants using skin conductance tests to measure their psychophysiological responses – like chills and goosebumps.

The music used was a...