Effects of music tempos on blood pressure, heart rate, and skin conductance after

physical exertion
University of Wisconsin Madison
Lab 601, Group 10: Robyn Armon, Adam Fisher, Brittney Goldfarb, Caley Milton

Abstract
Past research reveals that types of music varying in tempo, or beats per minute, can have
physiological effects on the body. It is shown that fast tempo music of 120-130 beats per minute
increases anxiety observed through an increase in blood pressure and heart rate, while slow
tempo music of 50-60 beats per minute has the opposite effect on the body (Edworthy and
Waring 2010). The present study measures heart rate, blood pressure, and Galvanic skin response
(GSR) after two minutes of physical exertion while listening to rock, classical, and no music.
Consistent with previous research, it was hypothesized that classical music will have a greater
significance on lowering heart rate than rock or no music. Fourteen participants rode stationary
bikes three times at two minutes apiece, followed by listening to different music tempos. Rock
music produced a higher heart rate than any music tempo, p < .01. Classical music produced a
higher systolic blood pressure than any other music tempo, p < .01. GSR, diastolic blood
pressure and time were unaffected by music tempo, p = .77, p = .99, and .07 respectively. Future
research should better control for individual differences and should include a larger sample size.
Continued research on this topic could provide support for music therapy for patients who
experience anxiety or tension.
Keywords: heart rate, blood pressure, music tempo, GSR and tension.

Introduction
Today, it is common to find people listening to music during many daily activities. The
reasons for which they are listening to music and to what type of music they listen to varies with
personal preference. The effect of music on an individual is an increasingly researched topic,
especially in regards to emotional response, relaxation, and anxiety. One study found that while
listening to a Mozart sonata, participants tension increased as tempo increased and decreased
with moderate tempos (Krumhansl 2002). It is also suggested that music increases learning
ability and memory through different interconnected processes in the brain (Trappe 2010). The
increasing number of studies on the effects of music on emotion and memory have led to further
research at the cellular level.
Several recent studies suggest that music has a number of effects on participants at the
physiological level. These studies provide evidence that leads some researchers to recommend
music as a form of therapy. Trappe (2010) found that patients with anxiety, pain, stress,
depressive syndromes, and sleeplessness will benefit the most from listening to classical music
as it caused both heart rate and blood pressure to decrease. This same study suggested that hip
hop and rap music, associated with fast tempos, cause negative influences on patients by
increasing their blood pressure and heart rate. A similar study by Iwanaga and Youko (1999)
showed that listening to music reduces patients anxiety pre-surgery as measured by their
systolic blood pressure and heart rate. It was also found that certain types of music, like fast and
slow tempos, have different effects on physiological measurements during exercise. In one
study, participants preferred higher tempo music while exercising, shown by an increase in
physiological arousal (Karageorghis, Jones, and Low 2006). Edworthy and Waring (2010)
observed the effect of slow versus fast tempo music and found a significant difference between

the heart rate of participants who exercised while listening to fast-loud music versus slow-quiet
music. In the same study, researchers compared the effects of slow versus fast music and found
significantly higher heart rates in patients who exercised while listening to fast-loud music
versus slow-quiet music.
According to all of these studies, music can have an effect on the physiological
measurements of a person who is experiencing an increase in blood pressure or heart rate due to
anxiety or physical exertion. Following these studies, the current study expects that slow tempo
music will return participants heart rates to baseline faster than fast tempo music. This is based
on findings that fast tempo music is shown to increase physiological arousal and slow tempo
music is shown to relax a patient. The physiological arousal of participants will be measured
through heart rate, blood pressure, and Galvanic skin response (GSR). GSR is used to measure
the physiological arousal of participants through skin conductance. If the blood pressure and
heart rate both increase with physiological arousal, the GSR measurement should also increase.
Monitoring the heart rate will show the amount of time needed for participants heart rates to
return to baseline while listening to different types of music. In agreement with the literature, it
is expected that classical music will relax participants faster than fast tempo music. The purpose
of this experiment is to test whether music tempo has a direct effect on returning heart rate to
baseline. More specifically it could provide evidence that slow tempo music can effectively
reduce the heart rate after physical exertion.

Methods
Three female and one male experimenter from the University of Wisconsin-Madison
voluntarily recruited participants. There were 14 participants (7 females) ages 20 22 years old

(M = 21.14, SD = 0.86). Participants first signed a consent form (Appendix A) and filled out the
background survey (Appendix B) regarding health and lifestyle. The researchers then connected
the participants to the GSR, heart rate, and blood pressure apparatuses to get baseline
measurements for each (Figure 1). Participants then went into the hallway and sat on an exercise
bike. Researchers told participants to ride the bike until their heart reached and remained above
130 bpm. After reaching 130 bpm they rode at a consistent pace, while maintaining above 130
bpm for two minutes (Figure 1). After two minutes, the participant stopped pedaling and the
experimenter immediately placed the headphones on the participant and played the music
according to the randomized counterbalancing. Participants sat in the classroom in a chair next to
the computer while listening to the music. When listening to rock music with a fast tempo of
120-130 beats per minute on average, participants heard Thunderstruck first, followed by TNT,
Highway to Hell, and Dirty Deeds. When listening to classical music with a slow tempo of 50-60
beats per minute on average, The Redeemer played on repeat. In all trials for every participant,
music volume was kept constant. However, loudness variation within each song was not
considered. The music played until the participants heart rate returned to their original resting
heart rate or for 600 seconds. If heart rate returned to normal prior to 600 seconds, experimenters
recorded the time and then measured GSR and blood pressure (Appendix C). If, after 600
seconds, heart rate was not back to resting, the heart rate, blood pressure and GSR were all
measured at 600 seconds. After this set of measurements participants went back onto the bicycle
and repeated the entire process with a music variable change. After the second exercise and data
collection round, participants went on the bike for a third and final time. Following the last set of
measurements, researchers thanked participants. Sessions lasted approximately 25 minutes.

Figure 1 Left: A subject being observed as her heart rate returns to baseline while listening to classical music. Her
right hand is attached to the GSR and her right hand is attached to a heart rate monitor. Right: A subject is increasing
her heart rate by aerobic exercise.

Results
To determine the effects of music type on heart rate, blood pressure, and GSR, after
exercise, three 1 x 4 factor ANOVAs were conducted with Bonferroni post hoc tests as a follow
up. Also, to examine the effects of music type on time it took heart rate to return to baseline a 1 x
3 factor ANOVA was conducted with Bonferroni post hoc tests. It was expected that listening to
rock music after exercise would maintain a higher heart rate longer, where as classical music
would lower heart rate to baseline faster. A statistically significant difference is considered a pvalue of < .05. A highly significant difference is considered a p-value of < .01.
There was a high significant difference of music tempo on heart rate, F(3, 39) = 7.67, p <
.01 (Figure 2). While listening to rock music, participants had a higher ending heart rate (M
=80.64, SD = 15.17) than their baseline (M =69.07, SD = 11.87), p < .01. While listening to
classical music, participants heart rate was not higher (M =73.36, SD = 11.86), than their
baseline, p = .48, or lower than rock music, p = .11. While not listening to music participants
heart rate was not higher (M =75.57, SD = 12.42), than baseline, p = .14, classical, p = 1.00, or
rock, p = .24 (Appendix D).

Figure 2 Displays the significant difference of heart rate between music types.

There was also a high significant difference of music tempo on systolic blood pressure,
F(3, 36) = 4.47, p < .01 (Figure 3). While listening to rock music, participants did not have a
higher ending systolic blood pressure (M =122.21, SD = 18.57) than their baseline (M =127.00,
SD = 15.96), p = 1.00. While listening to classical music, participants systolic pressure was not
higher (M =139.00, SD = 17.69), than their baseline, p = .06. However, listening to classical
music created a higher systolic blood pressure than rock, p < .01. While not listening to music,
participants systolic blood pressure was not higher (M =130.29, SD = 21.17), than baseline, p =
1.00, classical, p = .77, or rock, p = .16 (Appendix E).

Figure 3 Displays the significant difference of systolic blood pressure between music types.

There was no significant difference of music tempo on diastolic blood pressure, F(3, 36)
= .043, p = .99. While listening to rock music, participants did not have a higher diastolic blood
pressure (M = 77.07, SD = 12.92) than their baseline (M = 76.57, SD = 10.74), p = 1.00. While
listening to classical music, participants diastolic blood pressure was not higher (M =77.86, SD
= 10.47), than their baseline, p = 1.00 or rock, p = 1.00. While not listening to music
participants diastolic blood pressure was not higher (M =77.21, SD = 10.03), than baseline, p =
1.00, classical, p = 1.00, or rock, p = 1.00 (Appendix F).
There was no significant difference of music tempo on GSR, F(3, 36) = .38, p =.77.
While listening to rock music, participants did not have a higher GSR (M =13.03, SD = 5.00)
than their baseline (M =12.76, SD = 4.56), p = 1.00. While listening to classical music,
participants GSR was not lower (M =12.51, SD = 5.92), than their baseline, p = 1.00 or rock, p

= 1.00. While not listening to music participants GSR was not higher (M =13.14, SD = 4.90),
than baseline, p = 1.00, or classical, p = 1.00, or rock, p = 1.00 (Appendix G).
There was no significant difference of music tempo on time to baseline heart rate, F(2,
24) = 2.91, p = .07. While listening to rock music, participants heart rate did not take longer to
return to baseline (M =498.86, SD = 158.80) than classical music (M =348.36, SD = 207.21), p
= .18. Also rock music did not prolong heart rate more than not listening to music (M =420.93,
SD = 169.12), p = .23. While listening to classical music, participants heart rate did not take
longer to return to baseline than when not listening to music p = .95 (Appendix H).

Discussion
As expected, while listening to rock music, participants maintained a higher heart rate
than their baseline, more so than when listening to classical or no music. Participants also had
higher systolic blood pressures while listening to classical music than rock, which could be
attributed to the participants physiological differences and procedural problems. Although not
significant, classical music tended to lower heart rate faster than rock or no music. Unexpectedly,
GSR was not affected by music tempo.
Throughout the duration of this experiment, many strengths and weaknesses surfaced.
First, the data was effectively measured as stated in the original methods. Also, the group
dynamic fostered a productive and efficient atmosphere that was fun yet educational to work in.
The experiment yielded data with trends that further research could develop into significant
findings. For example, a highly significant effect of rock music on heart rate was observed,
which is important considering there were only 14 participants. Future research could use this
effect as a starting point and could further develop it. A final strength to be considered is that the

age range of the participants was small, which is important in cardiovascular and hearing studies,
as both systems change continuously over time.
The experiment also had several unexpected problems that caused slight alterations in
the original procedure and data interpretation. First, the equipment used during the procedure
was not consistent. For example, in one trial, the batteries in the heart rate monitor died and had
to be replaced in the middle of the participants physical exertion. This could have negatively
affected the data because the monitor may not have been working properly. Additionally, prior to
the start of the experiment, all group members agreed upon the methods. Unfortunately, there
could have been slight variation when each member took measurements, leading to a slight
discrepancy in the results. Also, it took more time for the participants heart rate to drop to their
baseline than originally expected. Therefore, on each trial, participants were given a maximum of
ten minutes to drop to their baseline. If after 600 seconds the baseline was not reached, the heart
rate was recorded at that time.
It is also important to consider the practice effect when interpreting the data. It was
possible that the participant knew what to expect after completing the first trial and then could
mentally alter their heart rate knowing what was being measured and expected of them. Also
with that, it is possible that participants tired after the first or second trial and therefore by the
final trial were more exhausted. The practice effect is also sometimes known as testing effects
(Ray 2009). To compensate for practice effects, each subject was randomly assigned an order in
which they would receive each treatment.
The original procedure stated that each trial was not over until heart rate, blood pressure,
and GSR returned to the individuals baseline. It became difficult to simultaneously record all of

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these measurements, so the procedure was altered. Once the participants heart rate reached
baseline, blood pressure and GSR were recorded at this time.
In addition, due to a time constraint, a limited number of participants were tested. Even
after taking advantage of class time and utilizing the open lab after hours, only seven participants
of each gender were able to be tested. Ideally, more participants would be tested in order to
receive more data from which more accurate conclusions could be drawn.
Also while background surveys were used to collect music preferences, more information
could be gathered on athletic ability. It seems unreasonable to assume that participants who
exercise regularly experience the same effects from working out on the stationary bike as
someone with less athletic training. It would be beneficial for future research to control for
athletic ability.
For future groups attempting to follow this procedure, there are some changes that could
be made to ensure more accurate results. First of all, it is speculated that participants might have
been able to lower their heart rate faster when tested in lab after hours because there were no
other students in the room. During scheduled class time, there were thirty other students moving
around in the room making a lot of noise, which does not produce a relaxing environment and
could have been a confounding variable in preventing heart rate from returning to baseline. Also,
during lab time, some of the tested partipants were participating in other experiments, meaning
that participants might have received caffeinated soda or other energy drinks. Again, these
beverages may have affected participants heart rates. Lastly, future groups could extend the
artificial 600 second time constraint for reaching heart rate baseline that was placed in this study
with an unlimited experimental time.

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Works Cited
Edworthy, Judy and Waring, Hannah. "The effects of music tempo and loudness level on
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Iwanaga, Makoto, PhD, and Youko Moroki. "Subjective and Physiological Response to Music
Stimuli Controlled Over Activity and Performance." Journal of Music Therapy 36.1
(1999): 26-38. Print.

Karageorghis, Costas I.; Jones, Leighton; Low, Daniel C. Relationship between Exercise Heart
Rate and Music Tempo Preference. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 77. 2
(2006): 240-244, 246-250. Print.

Krumhansl, Carol L. "Music: A link between cognition and emotion." Current Directions of
Psychological Science 11.2 (2002): 45-40. Print.

Ray, William J. Methods Toward a Science of Behavior and Experience, 9th ed Wadsworth:
Cengage, 2009.

Trappe, Hans J. Effects of music on cardiovascular system and cardiovascular health (Sept.
2010). Heart and Eduction in Heart. Web. 5 Apr. 2011.
<http://heart.bmj.com/content/96/23/1868.full>.

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