How Specific Musical Features Influence Whether We Bounce or Sway to Music

Music has an almost automatic way of making our bodies move. Sometimes we start bouncing up and down, nodding our heads, or jumping without thinking. Other times, the same body responds by swaying gently side to side, feeling calmer and more relaxed. While this might feel instinctive, new research shows that these reactions are not random at all. Instead, they are closely tied to specific musical features that composers can intentionally use to guide how listeners move.

This research was presented by Shimpei Ikegami, an associate professor at Showa Women’s University in Japan, during the Sixth Joint Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) and the Acoustical Society of Japan, held from December 1 to December 5 in Honolulu, Hawaii. The study focuses on how musicians can deliberately design music to encourage vertical movement (bouncing) or horizontal movement (swaying), and how listeners reliably respond to those cues.

Understanding Movement Direction in Music

We often talk about music being “danceable,” but that word hides a lot of complexity. Danceable does not always mean the same thing. A high-energy workout track may make you want to jump or bob, while a slow, atmospheric song might lead to gentle swaying or even stillness.

Ikegami wanted to understand whether musicians can intentionally express a direction of movement through sound alone. More importantly, he wanted to find out which acoustic features are responsible for these different bodily responses.

In Japanese music culture, there are already well-known terms that describe these sensations:

Tate-nori refers to vertical, up-and-down movement, such as bouncing or bopping.
Yoko-nori refers to horizontal, side-to-side movement, such as swaying.

These terms are not just poetic descriptions. They are commonly used by musicians and listeners in Japan to describe how rhythm feels in the body. Ikegami’s research aimed to put scientific measurements behind these intuitive concepts.

How the Musical Experiment Was Designed

To explore this question, Ikegami worked with four professional pop musicians. Each musician was asked to compose short musical excerpts under very specific instructions. The composers created three types of music:

Music intended to evoke tate-nori (vertical movement)
Music intended to evoke yoko-nori (horizontal movement)
Music intended to evoke neither movement type clearly

These musical samples were then analyzed in detail. Instead of relying on subjective impressions, Ikegami measured quantifiable acoustic characteristics, including:

Loudness
Beat clarity
Rhythmic complexity
Timbre (the texture or color of sound)
Percussive elements

By comparing these features across the different categories, the research aimed to identify consistent patterns that distinguish vertical-movement music from horizontal-movement music.

What Makes “Bop” Music Feel Vertical

The results showed clear differences. Music designed to encourage vertical movement shared several common traits.

First, it had a very clear and strong beat. The rhythm was easy to follow and highly predictable, making it simple for listeners to synchronize their movements. Second, these tracks relied heavily on percussive sounds, such as sharp drum hits or rhythmic accents that emphasize each beat.

This combination creates a sense of energy and momentum, similar to what people feel during high-intensity exercise or energetic dancing. The body responds naturally by moving up and down, matching the rhythmic pulses of the music.

In short, vertical “bop” music tends to be rhythm-forward, punchy, and physically stimulating.

What Makes “Sway” Music Feel Horizontal

Music intended to produce horizontal movement had a very different acoustic profile. Instead of sharp percussive elements, these tracks featured smoother textures and less aggressive rhythm patterns.

The beat was still present, but it was often softer or less dominant, allowing melody and atmosphere to play a larger role. This creates a more flowing and relaxed sound, which naturally encourages side-to-side movement rather than bouncing.

These musical excerpts often felt mellow, spacious, and immersive, leading listeners to sway gently instead of moving sharply. The absence of strong rhythmic “hits” gives the body more freedom to move continuously rather than discretely.

Listener Responses Matched the Composers’ Intentions

To test whether these musical differences actually influenced listeners, Ikegami conducted a listener-rating experiment. Participants listened to each musical excerpt and rated how strongly it made them feel like moving vertically or horizontally.

The results were striking. In most cases, listeners’ movement inclinations matched exactly what the composers intended. Music designed to create tate-nori encouraged vertical movement, while yoko-nori music encouraged horizontal movement.

This alignment shows that movement direction in music is not purely subjective. Instead, it can be shaped through measurable acoustic choices, and listeners consistently pick up on those cues.

Why This Research Matters

These findings suggest that danceability is not just about tempo or genre. The direction in which music moves our bodies is a specific and identifiable quality. This opens up exciting possibilities across many fields.

In health care and rehabilitation, music could be tailored to encourage certain types of movement, helping patients engage their bodies in controlled ways. In education, rhythm and movement could be used more effectively to support learning and coordination. Even in fitness and sports, understanding vertical versus horizontal movement cues could help design better training playlists.

Ikegami is also interested in exploring psychological impressions of music in future studies. How do people emotionally interpret these different rhythmic styles? And how do cultural differences shape the way music influences movement? These questions remain open and promising.

The Science Behind Music and Movement

From a broader scientific perspective, this research connects to what we know about sensorimotor synchronization. The human brain naturally links sound and movement, especially when rhythms are clear and repetitive. Percussive beats activate motor areas of the brain, even when a person is not consciously trying to move.

Vertical movement often aligns with strong temporal cues, while horizontal movement aligns with continuous and flowing rhythms. This study adds new evidence that composers can intentionally tap into these neural mechanisms through sound design.

Final Thoughts

This research highlights something many people feel instinctively but rarely think about: music does not just make us move, it tells us how to move. By carefully shaping rhythm, texture, and beat clarity, musicians can guide our bodies in subtle yet powerful ways.

As science continues to explore the connection between sound and movement, we may soon see music being used more intentionally — not just for entertainment, but for health, learning, and well-being.

Research Reference:
Acoustical Society of America – “To bop or to sway? The music will tell you”
https://acoustics.org/to-bop-or-to-sway-the-music-will-tell-you/