Musical Key and Its Effect on Human Stress Levels

Abstract

This study investigates how different major keys in music– D, E, and F major affect perceived stress levels following cognitively demanding tasks. Although music is widely recognized for its emotional and therapeutic benefits, few studies have isolated musical key as a variable influencing stress reduction. To address this, twenty participants (divided into younger and older age groups), completed three stress-inducing tasks: the Stroop test, word unscrambling, and memory recall. After each task, participants listened to a violin composition in one of the three keys and rated their stress levels before and after using a 7-point Likert scale. The results revealed that E major led to the greatest reduction in self-reported stress, followed by D major, while F major had the least impact. These findings suggest that specific major keys may influence emotional regulation and stress recovery more effectively than others. These results have potential implications for music therapy, mental health interventions, and academic stress management.