World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology 66 2012

Impact of Music on Brain Function during

Mental Task using Electroencephalography
B. Geethanjali, K. Adalarasu, R. Rajsekaran
Abstract—Music has a great effect on human body and mind; it Beta activity relates to increased alertness and cognitive
can have a positive effect on hormone system. Objective of this study processes [7]. While listening to pleasant music there is
is to analysis the effect of music (carnatic, hard rock and jazz) on decrease in alpha power at the left frontal lobe and unpleasant
brain activity during mental work load using electroencephalography music produces decrease in alpha power at the right frontal
(EEG). Eight healthy subjects without special musical education lobe [8]. When subjects listen to the pleasant music the
participated in the study. EEG signals were acquired at frontal (Fz),
changes were reflected in the EEG and there was an increase
parietal (Pz) and central (Cz) lobes of brain while listening to music
at three experimental condition (rest, music without mental task and in frontal midline (Fm) theta power [9]. Fm theta was
music with mental task). Spectral powers features were extracted at observed during a large variety of tasks, such as mental
alpha, theta and beta brain rhythms. While listening to jazz music, the calculation, working memory, learning [6], [10] and
alpha and theta powers were significantly (p < 0.05) high for rest as meditation [11].
compared to music with and without mental task in Cz. While Listening to music increases the power at theta and alpha
listening to Carnatic music, the beta power was significantly (p < frequencies of the human EEG [12]. Selecting the right type of
0.05) high for with mental task as compared to rest and music music was important because the EEG spectral power depend
without mental task at Cz and Fz location. This finding corroborates on the intensity and style of music [13]. The psychological and
that attention based activities are enhanced while listening to jazz and
physiological health of individuals can be improved by music
carnatic as compare to Hard rock during mental task.
therapy [14]. Neurological studies have identified that music is
a valuable tool for evaluating the brain system [1]. The effect
Keywords—Music, Brain Function, Electroencephalography
(EEG), Mental Task, Features extraction parameters of Indian classical music and rock music on brain activity
(EEG) was studied using Detrended fluctuation analysis
I. INTRODUCTION (DFA) algorithm, and Multi-scale entropy (MSE) method
[15]. This study concluded that the entropy were high for both

T HE basic and one of oldest socio-cognitive domains of

Human species is music. Listening to music regularly
helps to keep the neurons and synapses more active.
the music and the complexity of the EEG increases when the
brain processes music [16] monitored the brain wave variation
by changing the music type (techno and classical) and the
Depending on the way sound waves are listened or results showed when the music was switched from classical to
pronounced, they have an impact in the way neurological techno, there was a significant plunge of alpha band and from
(brain and nerve) system work in the human body. techno music to classical there was an increase in beta activity.
Neurological studies have identified that music is a valuable Most of us listen to music of our choice during our leisure
tool for evaluating the brain system [1]. Its observed that while time or while working / studying. Music can be used as a tool
listening to music, different parts of the brain are involved in to relieve tension/ stress, solitude, relax it also has an ability to
processing music, this include the auditory cortex, frontal enhance the listeners mood [17]. These changes are reflected
cortex, cerebral cortex and even the motor cortex [2]. clearly in physiological system for human body. Most of
Research findings indicate some of the cognitive tests are previous studies mainly focused on effect of music on brain
more influenced by exposure to music [3]. In 1993, Dr. functions without any mental workload. In the present study,
Gordon Shaw of the University of California-Irvine found a we designed an experimental paradigm to see the effect of
temporary spike in the intelligence quotient in college students music on brain functions rate based on experimenter’s choice
of like music (Jazz, carnatic and Hard rock) during with /
after they listened to Mozart music. Most of the school
without mental workload.
children prefer to study with a radio or television turned on [4]
it improves verbal memory, creativity and memorizing of
II. MATERIALS AND METHOD
image material [5].
Each type of music has its own frequency, it can either A. Subjects Summary
resonate or it can be in conflict with the body’s rhythms (heart Eight unpaid young adults (2 men and 6 women)
rate). Each frequency bands of EEG rhythm relates to specific voluntarily participated in this study. The average age was 20
functions of brain, example Frontal midline theta rhythm (Fm years (SD = 0.4 years) and average body weight was 68 kg
theta) often appears on Electroencephalogram (EEG) during (SD = 18 kg). All experiments were performed at the
consecutive mental tasks [6]. Biomedical Engineering Division, SSN college of
Engineering, Chennai. The experiment was conducted in the
B. Geethanjali is with the Dept. of BME, SSN college of Engineering and
morning with a normal diet in a sound proof room sitting on a
pursuing her Ph.D. at VIT, Vellore, India (Phone: +91-9840638572; E-mail: comfortable chair and performed as per the guidelines of the
[email protected]). Institutional Ethics Committee of SSN College for human
R. Rajsekaran is with School of SBST, VIT University, Vellore, India (E- volunteer research. All volunteers also read and signed an
mail: [email protected]).
K. Adalarasu is with the Dept. of ECE, PSNA college of Engineering and informed consent before participating.
Technology, Dindigul, India (Phone: +91-9445386851; E-mail:
[email protected]).

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B. Mental Task using PSYTASK Software 1 With Music and With

Mental task
PSYTASK is a program for preparation and carrying out 2 Rest
both psychophysics and psychophysiology investigations. The 1 With Music and No
subject should respond to presentation of stimuli (both visual Mental task
1 With Music and With
and acoustic) by pressing a buttons or ignore them in Mental task
dependence on the subject task. The Mental task was given 2 Rest
through PSYTASK software that gives visual/auditory stimuli 1 With Music and No
presentation for psychophysiology investigation tasks, such as Mental task
1 With Music and With
mental arithmetic (addition, subtraction, multiplication and Mental task
division) operation is stimulated and the task performance 2 Rest
parameters (like omission and commission errors) are
recorded to build-in database for evaluating the subjects
mental performance as shown in fig 1. In the present study, all
the subjects selected medium level of Mathematics. The
Mathematical task is GoNogo task.

Fig. 1 Screen Shot of Psytask – Mental workload

C. Experiment Protocol
In present study three types of music was selected (Jazz,
Carnatic and Hard rock) and mental workload was given
through Psytask while listening music. The experiment was
conducted in the morning (around 8 AM) in a sound proof Fig. 2 Locations of the EEG electrodes on the scale using 10-20
room sitting in a comfortable chair. Mini Mental Test (MMT) system of electrode placement (Frontal - F; Central - C; Parietal - P
and a subscript reflecting its position relative to the midline. Even
[18] was conducted before the starting experimental protocol and odd numbers refer to the right and to the left hemisphere
to check whether the subject was mental competent to sit for respectively, and the z refers to an electrode placed on the midline)
the test. Subjects who scored 23 out of 26 were selected for
recording. Scores of 25 - 30 out of 30 are considered normal; D.Electrode Placement
NICE classify 21 - 24 as mild, 10 - 20 as moderate and < 10 as The present study was to examine the effect of music during
severe impairment. mental workload. So we consider Frontal, Parietal and Central
Each experiment lasted for 13 minutes, of which 30 seconds lobes for this study. Ag/AgCl was used to avoid potential shift
each for eye open and eye close and 12 minutes for three due to electrode polarization. In order to have good contact
combination of music (Carnatic, Hard rock, Jazz) each 2 impedance between electrodes and scalp the participants were
minutes of fixed volume as shown in table 1. The music asked to take head bath and the scalp skin was cleaned with
combination was randomly decided based on the tossing of an sprit. Ten -20 electro gel was used to improve potential
unbiased coin. EEG was recorded for three conditions, With conduction (i.e. with impendence below 10 kilo Ohms)
Music and No Mental task (Condition 1), With Music and between the electrode and the skin surface. Electrodes were
With Mental task (Condition 2), Rest (No Music and No placed on three locations namely, FZ, CZ, PZ, A1 + A2
Mental task, Condition 3). (reference) ear lobe and Ground with monopoles montage 10 –
20 standard EEG surface electrode placement configuration as
TABLE I shown in fig 2.
EXPERIMENTAL DETAILS
EEG signals were recorded using RMS EEG-32 Super Spec
Duration (RMS INDIA) with the sampling frequency of 256
Task
(Mins)
Hz/channel. Raw EEG signals were filtered using a low and
1 30sec
(Eyes open)&30sec
high pass filter with cut-off frequencies of 0.1 to 40 Hz.
(Eyes close) The electrical interference noise (50 Hz) was eliminated
1 With Music and No using notch filter. Muscle artifacts were removed by selecting
Mental task the EMG filter.

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 World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology 66 2012

E. Data Processing Cz Location

Each set of music was played for 2 minutes and while Music without Mental Load
Music with Mental Load
listening to each type of music subject performed one minute Rest

mental task through PsyTask. Data analysis 30th to 40th sec 1.0

epoch (10 sec) was taken (assuming, it takes 30 sec for the

Theta Power
brain to adapt to each set of music). The EEG signal was
smoothened using moving average rectangular window and
0.5
signal was band limited to 4 - 32 Hz. The delta band was not
considered for analysis in order to avoid the slow electrode
drifts and eye movements. Brain rhythms alpha (8 - 13 Hz)
beta (13 - 32 Hz) and theta (4 - 8 Hz) were separated using Jazz Music

LabVIEW 8 (DFD Toolkit). Each segment, power spectra

were computed via Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and mean (b)
power spectrum feature were extracted. Individual power Pz Location
spectrum was calculated for each type of music at three brain
rhythms. Music without Mental Load
Music with Mental Load
Rest

0.16

F. Statistical Test

Beta Power
A one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test was
performed on three conditions for with and without mental 0.08

task while listening to music three different type of music.

Post-hoc analysis was performed using the Tukey’s Honestly Jazz Music

Significant Difference (HSD) test and the significance level

was set to be p < 0.05 for all analyses performed. SPSS 15.0 (c)
for Windows (SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL) was used for the Fig. 3 Shows mean and one SEM of (a). Alpha power at Cz (b). Theta
statistical calculations. power at Cz (c). Beta power at Pz at three different experimental
conditions for the entire subjects during jazz music

III. RESULTS There is a significant difference in the theta power in the

A. Jazz Music three different experimental conditions at Cz while listening
At Cz location, while listening Jazz music there is a jazz, F (2, 21) = 3.611, (p < 0.05). Post hoc analysis of Tukey
significant difference in the alpha power in the three different multiple comparisons test revealed that the spectral power of
experimental conditions, F (2, 21) = 9.083, (p < 0.05). The theta was significantly different (p = 0.004) condition 2 (with
Post hoc analysis of Tukey multiple comparisons test revealed music and mental load) and condition 3 (p = 0.004) as shown
that there was a significant difference (p = 0.002) in spectral in fig 3b. Similarly there is significantly (p < 0.05) increase in
power of alpha for condition 1 (with music and no mental theta power during jazz music with work task as compared to
load) and condition 3 (Rest) when compared with condition 2 listening music without mental task. Alpha and theta was
(with music and mental load) and condition 3 (p = 0.008) as closely related with each other, significantly increase in theta
shown in fig 3a. The increase in alpha power at rest condition shows that subjects concentration level reduced during rest.
indicate that subject vigilance and attention level was low, but Beta power was significant difference in three experimental
listening Jazz music increase vigilance and attention level with condition while listening to jazz at Pz location F (2, 21) =
and without mental task. 4.418, (p < 0.05). The Post hoc analysis of Tukey multiple
comparisons test revealed that there was a significant
difference (p = 0.025) in spectral power of beta for condition 1
Cz Location
(with music and no mental load) and condition 3 (Rest) as
Music without Mental Load
Music with Mental Load
shown in fig 3c. There is no significant difference in Theta
Rest
power for all the three conditions at Pz.
0.16

B. Carnatic Music
Alpha Power

At Cz location, during carnatic music there is a significant

difference in the beta power in the three different experimental
0.08
conditions, F (2, 21) = 2.252, (p < 0.05). The Post hoc analysis
of Tukey multiple comparisons test revealed beta power was
Jazz Music significantly (p < 0.05) high for carnatic music with mental
work task as compared to rest and music without mental task
(a) as shown in fig 4a. Similarly there is significantly (p < 0.05)
decrease in beta power during music without mental task as
compared to music with mental task.

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 World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology 66 2012

At Fz location, there is a significant difference in the beta IV. DISCUSSION

power in the three different experimental conditions, F (2, 21) It is evident from the results of our study shows that Jazz
= 3.738, (p < 0.05) as shown in fig 4b. The Post hoc analysis and Carnatic music significantly improves brain function as
of Tukey multiple comparisons test revealed when carnatic compared to hard rock during mental task. Our results
music was played the spectral power of beta was significantly reinforce earlier related reports on brain wave variation by
high during condition 2 and condition 3 (p = 0.049). The changing the music type [16], when the music was switched
frontal lobe is associated with decision-making, problem from classical to techno, there was a significant plunge of
solving, and planning and the Pattern of high beta activity in alpha band. Techno music to classical there was an increase in
normal person indicates the subjects were engaged in beta activity; theta and delta rhythms were neglected in [16]
processing information during music with mental task study. In present study the spectral power for alpha, beta and
moreover it also clearly indicates rapid or excessive thinking theta band was calculated for the three sets of music (carnatic,
while performing mental calculations. jazz and hard rock). The results showed a significant increase
There is a significant difference in the beta power in the in theta power while listening to jazz when compared to other
three different experimental conditions at Pz, F (2, 21) = 0.171, music (carnatic and hard rock). Brain activity while listening
(p < 0.05) in fig 4c. The Post hoc analysis of Tukey multiple to Sankarabharanamraga was studied using fMRI [19].
comparisons test revealed that beta power was not shown any Similarly the brain function during listening to Persian
significantly different between three experimental conditions. classical music was study using fMRI techniques [20]. Both
There is no significant difference while listening to hard rock the studies could be carried out at hospital set up, which have
for all the three conditions at all the three locations. a MRI Scanner and mental task was not given along with
music. Moreover it gives only the spatial resolution. The
present study aimed to analyze the effect of three types of
Cz Location music on brain function at different time scales in natural
0.07 working condition.
Spetral Power at Beta frequency

Music Without Mental Task

Music with Mental task
Rest While subjects listen to the pleasant music the changes were
0.06
reflected in the EEG signal and there was an increase in
0.05 frontal midline (Fm) theta power [9].In our EEG study, when
0.04
Jazz music was played the spectral power of theta band was
significantly (p < 0.05) high at CZ location when compared to
0.03
Carnatic and hard rock. This finding supports their conclusion
Carnatic Music
[9]. The alpha power is inversely related to the brain activity
[9]. In our study, at CZ location the alpha power was
(a) significantly high during rest which indicates the brain activity
Fz Location
is less. Harmon et al., [21] used three groups, one group
0.08
Music without Mental Load listened only to Mozart music and the other group listened
Music with Mental Load
Rest only to Rock music. The third group without any music and
the participant were asked to read a book review during the
experiment. They were subsequently asked to answer ten
Beta Power

multiple choice questions after the experiment and concluded

that they were unclear whether music will increases cognitive
0.04
abilities. EEG or fMRI study was not done to support their
conclusion. Moreover the selected groups were exposed to
only set of the music (either Classical or Rock). In this work
Carnatic Music
all the participants were exposed to all the three sets of music
in a random order. When Jazz music was played the spectral
(b) power of alpha band was significantly high at CZ location
Pz Location
which indicates the subjects were more relaxed while doing
Music without Mental Load
Music with Mental Load
the mental task. When carnatic music was played there was a
0.06
Rest
significantly high beta activity in all the three locations which
indicates the subjects were actively thinking to know whether
Beta Power

Jazz or Carnatic will improve the mental task we need to find

the task performance for with and without music condition.

0.04 V. CONCLUSIONS
Carnatic Music This study investigated the effect of music on brain
functions during three experimental conditions (rest, without
(c) mental task and with mental task). Our study concludes that
Fig. 4 Shows mean and one SEM of Beta power at (a) Cz (b). Fz (c). while listening to carnatic music the beta activity was high
Pz three different experimental conditions for the entire subjects for
during mental task in all the three locations when compared to
carnatic music
Jazz and hard rock.

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 World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology 66 2012

This indicates the subjects were actively thinking while do [16] Chen YC, Wong KW, Kuo DC, Liao TY, Ke DM. Wavelet Real Time
the mental task. When Jazz music was played the spectral Monitoring System: A Case Study of the Musical Influence on
Electroencephalography. WSEAS Transactions on Systems 2008 (7), pp:
power of theta band was significantly high at CZ location when 56 – 62
compared to Carnatic and hard rock. This indicates Jazz music [17] Lonsdale, A. J., & North, A. C.. Why do we listen to music? A uses and
is pleasant and it can induce positive emotion and reduces gratifications analysis. British journal of psychology London England
1953,2011 pp: 102 (1), 108-134
mental stress. Hard rock doesn’t show any significant different
[18] Folstein M. F., Folstein S. E., McHugh, P. R. . “Mini-mental state”. A
for any locations or conditions. To support our study further , practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the
to know whether Jazz or Carnatic will improve the mental task clinician. Journal of Psychiatric Research 1975(12 (3)), pp: 189-198
we need to find the task performance for with and without [19] Satheeshkumar J, Arumugaperumal S, Rajesh R, Kesavadas C. A Note
music condition. on Visualization of Brain Information From fMRI Images. International
Journal of Recent Trends in Engineering 2009 (1), pp: 173 – 175
[20] Pouladi F, Oghabian A M, Hatami J, Zadehmohammadi A. Involved
ACKNOWLEDGMENT brain areas in processing of Persian classical music: an fMRI study.
Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 2010 (5), pp: 1124 – 1128
The authors sincerely acknowledge Dr. V. Mahesh, [21] Harmon L, Troester K, Pickwick T, Pelosi G. The Effects of Different
Department of Biomedical Engineering of SSN College of Types of Music on Cognitive Abilities. Journal of Undergraduate
Engineering and Dr. Sandeep Jaipurkar, Vijaya Health Center, Psychological Research 2008 (3), pp: 41 – 46
Chennai for their valuable contribution in this study. The
authors would like to thank all the volunteers for their time B. Geethanjali has done BE in Electronics and Communication from
and effort to make this study possible. The authors would like Madurai Kamaraj University and Post Graduate Diploma in Medical
Instrumentation from Bharathiar University. She was a gold medalist in M.
to thank all the unknown and anonymous reviewers for their Tech Biomedical Engineering from VIT University, Vellore. She worked in
invaluable comments and guidance to improve this study. various multi specialty hospitals as a biomedical Engineer and underdone
various training in maintaining medical Equipments. Currently is a research
scholar at VIT University and her area of research is cognitive Neuroscience.
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