The perception of vocal aesthetics in digital art

Abstract

The active use of new digital technologies in the art of music is becoming the basis of a new aesthetic perception that has relevance nowadays. The possibilities of digital technology to transform the voices of performers make it relevant to consider the role of vocal aesthetics in digital music art. This study aims to investigate the features of vocal aesthetics perception in digital art. The perception of musical works as pleasant or unpleasant correlates with the psycho-emotional state of the listener; thus, to study the psycho-emotional impact of synthesized vocal without instrumental accompaniment, the authors used Kunin projective physiognomic test (1977), the WAM (Well-being, Activity, Mood) technique (1973), and the Wessman-Ricks self-assessment of mental state technique (2004). The study involved 182 students and teachers of Conservatory of Music, Communication University of Zhejiang, China. The study of the psycho-emotional state of respondents before and after listening to synthesized vocal compositions allowed the authors to indirectly evaluate the aesthetic perception of digital music art. After listening to the vocal digital fragment, which included both major and minor fragments of different tempo and rhythm, the overall mood in the group of respondents significantly improved: good mood was detected in 26.9% of cases, and very good - in 11.5%. The positive impact of listening to a vocal digital song on the well-being, activity, and mood of the respondents correlates with its positive aesthetic impact. The research confirms that aesthetic properties are directly dependent on the listener’s point of view, aesthetic experience is a matter of value and emotion, and aesthetic feeling arises as a result of an unconscious process and is associated with the normalizing effect of digital vocal composition on the psycho-emotional state of the respondents. The practical significance can be presented by the further development of digital music art, considering its psycho-emotional impact on the listeners and the corresponding aesthetic perception. In further research it seems important to study the vocal component of digital music compositions, in comparison with the live voice and in combination with it. It seems promising to identify the psychological factors in the emergence of aesthetic feeling when listening to live and digital music, which will create digital music works that evoke a deeper emotional response from listeners.