New Study Reveals How the Brain Turns Sound Into Music

A team of international researchers has developed a new theory explaining how the human brain transforms sound into the experience of music.

What really happens in our brains when we hear music? Why does a melody give us goosebumps or a beat make us want to dance? A new scientific theory may have finally cracked the code—and it’s not just about what we’ve learned. It’s about how we’re wired. The study, published in Nature Reviews Neuroscience, introduces Neural Resonance Theory (NRT), which proposes that the brain’s natural rhythms synchronize with musical elements like beat, melody, and harmony. The research was led by Dr. Edward W. Large of the University of Connecticut, with contributions from Dr. Iran R. Roman, Lecturer of Artificial Intelligence at the School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Queen Mary University of London.

NRT challenges earlier theories that focused on learned expectations and prediction.One of the most fascinating parts of the research is its potential to explain why music feels universal. Different cultures may have different styles, but across the world, music tends to share certain ingredients—like pulse, harmony, and repeating patterns. According to NRT, that’s no accident. These shared features, the researchers say, match up with the brain’s most stable resonant states. In other words, human brains all over the world might naturally “tune in” to similar kinds of sound. That could be why a drum beat or a slow melody can stir emotion—even if it comes from a culture we’ve never experienced before.

“What we’re hearing isn’t just outside of us—it’s something the brain is literally doing,” said Dr. Roman.

The study also offers insights into why certain musical structures—such as pulse, consonance, and octave relationships—are common across cultures. Researchers found that these structures align with the brain’s most stable resonant frequencies, offering a possible explanation for the global appeal of music.

Potential applications of NRT include:

• Music and Health: Improved rhythm-based therapies for conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, stroke, and depression.
• Artificial Intelligence: Enhanced music generation tools that respond to human emotion and cultural context.
• Education: Development of more intuitive ways to teach rhythm and pitch.
• Cross-Cultural Understanding: A deeper recognition of shared biological foundations of musical experience.

Read the full paper.

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