Perfect 'happy' song has short intro, bright tone, and strong beat, according to science

dailystar.co.uk:

now available on Soundcloud. The research was commissioned by Müllerlight, which teamed up with Dr Bonshor to also create the happy musical track.Dr Bonshor said: “Previous studies have found songs are perceived as happy if they are in a major key, with a sweet spot of approximately 137 beats per minute.“We like “7th chords” as they add interest – regular chords use three notes, whereas “7th chords” add an extra note which provides a sense of musical “tension” and “relief”.“Alongside this, cheery songs usually have a strong 1-2-1-2 beat to them, so that you can dance along – and a short introduction means the song kicks off with a bang straight away, and there’s not a long build up.“We like high volume when it comes to how our happy songs are made, with notes played in a bright and bouncy way by instruments such as trumpets or electric guitars, instead of mellower instruments.“Finally, a repetitive rhythm or guitar riff that people can latch onto and becomes memorable is the cherry on the cake.”The research also found that, of those who have specific tunes they turn to in order to cheer them up, on average, they have eight numbers on rotation which do the trick.Nearly six in ten (58%) said these songs have an upbeat feel to them, and the same percentage said they remind them of good memories which put a smile on their face.And 38% said their happy tracks were generally released throughout their teenage years.It also emerged that 71% feel music is one of the most powerful influences for changing or reinforcing their mood.And half believe the power of music is actually underestimated, with 38% recognising it can deliver amazing highs and lows.When reflecting on why music is important to them, 48% put it down to the.